270 likes | 402 Views
Strategic Priorities: Changes for Special Education Reform. Accurate identification and appropriate assignment of servicesIntegration of students with disabilitiesAccess to the general curriculum and standards for academic achievementKnowledgeable and qualified staffMonitoring of performance ind
E N D
1. Special Education Reform
2. Strategic Priorities:Changes for Special Education Reform Accurate identification and appropriate assignment of services
Integration of students with disabilities
Access to the general curriculum and standards for academic achievement
Knowledgeable and qualified staff
Monitoring of performance indicators and accountability for results
3. What is the Modified Consent Decree? Court order to comply with the federal law (IDEA)
18 Outcome areas
Specific outcomes/results completed by 2006
Interim benchmarks by years:
2004, 2005, 2006
Annual Plans with action steps and responsible staff
Central
Local District
School
4. What is the Modified Consent Decree? Data Driven—reliant on accurate data
MCD Data Review Teams
Central
Local District
School
School/Local District progress measured at regular intervals from data—accountability
Oversight by the Independent Monitor
Authority of Chief Executive of Special Education
5. Role of the Independent Monitor Approve an Annual Plan submitted by the District
Verify the accuracy of the District’s data used to measure District’s performance
Make determinations of District’s achievement of outcomes
Order the District to comply with decisions made by Independent Monitor
6. Modified Consent DecreeYear One Progress Report Jay Alleman,
Administrative Coordinator
Office of the Independent Monitor
7. Response to the Modified Consent DecreeYear One Progress Report Roy Romer,
Superintendent
Los Angeles Unified School District
8. Superintendent’s Annual Report to the Board of Education, 2003-2004 Division of Special Education
9. Organization of the Report Section I Statistical Information
Section II Compliance with Special Education Laws, 2003-2004
Section III Completion of 2003-2004 Annual Plan Benchmarks and Maintenance of Effort Goals, MCD
Section IV Other Achievements
Section V Summary Budget
10. Section I:Statistical Information
11. Section II:Compliance with Special Education Laws, 2003-2004 2003/2004 Monitoring Review Process
Three activities:
District Validation Review (DVR)
Green Team Review (GTR)
California Department of Education Review
12. District Validation Review Elements
Team Composition (6 member team, includes parent representation)
Standardized forms
Focus of review
Compliance with District procedures
13. District Validation Review Elements
Student records review
Administrative and staff interviews
Classroom observations
Documentation review
Analysis of school site data
Summary report
Follow-up monitoring
14. District Validation Review Findings (Local Districts B and D) 2003-2004 Least Restrictive Environment Items
86% compliant
Secondary Transition Items
95% compliant
Individual Education Program (IEP Timelines Items)
89% compliant
English Language Learners Items
94% compliant
Procedural Rights and Safeguards Items
92% compliant
15. Green Team Review Elements
Team Composition
Local District personnel
Division of Special Education Personnel
Standardized forms
Random student records review
Interviews
Classroom visitations
Data review
Report of results
16. Green Team Review Findings Nine schools reviewed in 2003-2004
School and District Leadership
73% “evident” or “in progress”
Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Development
91% “evident” or “in progress”
Classroom and School Assessment
67% “evident” or “in progress”
School Climate, Culture and Communication
78% “evident” or “in progress”
17. CDE Site Review Elements
Team Composition -
2 team members (1 CDE Consultant and 1 Special Education Compliance Specialist)
Standardized forms
Student record review
18. CDE Site Review Elements
Administrative and staff review
Classroom observation
Verification of services; speech and language and mental health
Summary report of findings
19. CDE Records Review Findings Review 27 schools
Elementary
Middle
High schools
Average score of record reviews conducted by CDE ranged from 94% to 99% compliant
20. Closure of Outstanding Noncompliance and Systemic Issues, 2000-2004 “Establishing this yearly review of tangible evidence and provided documented assurance by LAUSD…ensures that students with special needs and their parents will receive the educational support needed to access state educational standards and receive educational benefit from their work.”
21. Closure of Outstanding Noncompliance and Systemic Issues, 2000-2004 “The summary report along with its eight (8) addendums enabled CDE/SED to bring to closure all the reporting that CDE requested during this four year time frame.”
Alice Parker
Deputy Superintendent, Director
CDE, Special Education Division
November 16, 2004
22. Section IV:Other Achievements Welligent System
Provide all decision-makers timely, accurate date regarding students with disabilities
Measure District progress for compliance with State and Federal law and Consent Decree
23. Section IV:Other Achievements Welligent System Accomplishments
Implemented to some level in all regular schools within 12 months
Trained over 8,000 users on IEP system
Trained over 3,000 service providers
Typically more than 1,000 concurrent users logged in during normal working hours
HP system retired
Daily increasing meaningful, accurate data
24. Section IV:Other Achievements Literacy Institute
Assist teacher in providing access for all students to the core curriculum
Team from each school awarded a LRE mini-grant during 2002-2003
Focus on site planning activities for implementing LRE programs
LRE Mini-grants continued in 2003-2004
25. Section IV:Other Achievements Informal Dispute Resolution
IEP disputes minimized when developed through meaningful, informed participation of all IEP team members
IEP dispute represents a difference of opinion that can be resolved through open communication
Resolution of disputes best achieved by those who know/work with child
Local site staff should be empowered to resolve disputes
Formal due process should be last resort
26. Section IV:Other Achievements Early Intervention and Prevention
Academically at-risk students provide structured, systemic academic intervention programs
Needs addressed in early grades (K, 1, 2) and early in English literacy development
Students with reading difficulties referred for special education only after
participation in District’s intervention program
progress assessed and monitored,
responses to provided interventions monitored
27. Section IV:Other Achievements LRE Initiative
Designed to systemically increase opportunities for students with disabilities to be educated in less restrictive environments in neighborhood schools
Learning supports and services that ensure their successful education
2002-2003 LRE Task Force (general and special educators) developed Districtwide plan for integration of general and special education students
Implementation of instructional interventions and strategies for effective LRE practices continued throughout 2003-2004
28. 2004-2005 Progress to Date Reorganization – Support Units
Welligent
Professional Development
Informal Dispute Resolution
Prevention and Reading First
Behavior
Least Restrictive Environment
MCD Review Teams and targeted assistance