Special Education Professional Development Training

1. Special Education Professional Development Training I. Confidentiality II. ADHD III. Response to Intervention IV. BBSST V. Special Education Process

2. Confidentiality

3. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

4. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

5. Provision of Copy of Records • Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

6. Amendment of Records at Parent’s Request • Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

7. Release of Information • Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

8. School officials with legitimate educational interest; • Other schools to which a student is transferring; • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student; • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; • Accrediting organizations; • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

9. Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

10. For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. U.S. Department of Education

11. Please print out the linked form. Sign the Confidentiality Agreement and turn in to your SPED Lead Teacher’s box. One MUST be signed by each employee each year. • Each Shelby County Board of Education Employee must sign a form each year (i.e., bus drivers, counselor, etc) • Any visitors (college students, agency, etc) must sign this form as well prior to observing in a class. • Thanks!!

12. Destruction of Records • All of a student’s special education records are to be maintained until the student exits the school system. Once the student exits, the records are to be maintained for five years. At all times, records are to be kept in a locked area and kept confidential. Once the records have been maintained for the five-year period, contact the Special Services Center for the procedure to destroy the records. Records may not be destroyed without parent notification and when destroyed, they must be burned or shredded.

13. Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

14. Characteristics What is Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurological disorder. Students with ADHD demonstrate significant impairment related to inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity compared to average children of the same age.

15. Diagnostic Criteria for ADHD • The following symptoms are listed in the DSM-IV and a re used to diagnose ADHD. At least six of these symptoms must be displayed in a number of settings, persist over six months, and must have been observed prior to age seven in order for the diagnosis to be made.

16. Inattentive Symptoms • Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in school work or other related activities. • Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities. • Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly • Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties • Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities

17. Avoids, dislikes, or reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort • Loses things necessary for tasks and activities • Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli that are usually easily ignored by others • Forgetful in daily activities

18. Hyperactivity Symptoms • Leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected. • Runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate • Has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly • Is ‘on the go’ or acts as if ‘driven by a motor’ • Talks excessively

19. Impulsivity Symptoms • Blurts out answers before questions have been completed • Has difficulty awaiting turn • Interrupts or intrudes on others

20. Identification Rate in Shelby County • Lee vs. Macon made systems review eligibility of minority students in the categories of Mental Retardation and Emotional Disturbance because of overrepresentation. • Since that time, the number of students has increased in the area of Other Health Impairment (OHI), specifically of attention. • The State Department is monitoring our numbers in the OHI category due to disproportionality and they will continue to monitor until the percentage decreases. • BBSST should consider whether a student requires a specialized instruction or accommodations (that goes above and beyond “good teaching practices.”

21. Percentages per Disability Categories in Shelby County

22. Accommodations • Various accommodations can be utilized by all teachers for students with deficits in attending. • Many of these accommodations can be used at all levels of Response to Intervention (RtI) {Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3}.

23. Getting Students’ Attention • Use storytelling • Clearly signal: “Everybody…Ready…” • Model excitement and enthusiasm about the upcoming lesson • Use eye contact (students should be facing you, especially when direct instructions are given) • Color is very effective in getting attention. May use color to highlight key terms. • Use visual signals • Vary your tone of voice: loud, soft, whisper • Signal students auditorily: ring a bell, use a timer, play music • Theatrics may spark an interest

24. Project your voice to be heard clearly by students Be aware of competing sounds in room (air conditioning, humming of fluorescent lights). Be aware that it is not that students are not focusing; they are focusing on EVERYTHING!!! Use hands-on presentations / demonstrations Use a laser pointer Use visuals (pictures, diagrams, manipulatives) Ask students to illustrate key points Use cloze method (class notes with key terms missing) Explain the purpose and relevance of your lesson Focus Students’ Attention

25. Seat student near a “study buddy” or a good role model Increase distance between desks Allow extra time to complete work Assist student in setting short-term goals Give assignments one at a time to avoid work overload Chunking – give assignments in smaller chunks Give clear, concise instructions Cue student to stay on task (private cue / signal) Pair written instructions with oral instructions Use contracts, charts, and BIPs for on-task behavior Reduce amount of homework Accommodations for Seat Work

26. Maintaining Students’ Attention • Move around the classroom to maintain your visibility • Be PREPARED and avoid lag-time in instruction • Use direct instruction techniques • Use motivating games and computer programs for skill building and practice • Use cooperative learning groups

27. Planning and Organization • Provide organization rules • Provide student with homework assignment book • Supervise writing down of homework assignments • MODEL planning and organization by your classroom and actions • Send daily / weekly reports home (you can also set up a blog for the students and students’ parents to view daily) • Allow students to have an extra set of books at home • Encourage learning of keyboarding skills • Do not penalize for poor handwriting if that is an area of concern • Regularly check desk and notebook for neatness

28. Allow students to stand at times while working Supervise closely during transition times Praise appropriate behavior Prompt appropriate social behavior either verbally or with a private signal Praise compliant behavior (we know that students should be compliant at all times, but we know there are those who need encouraging!) Provide immediate feedback Ignore minor, inappropriate behavior (when acceptable) Acknowledge positive, appropriate behavior of nearby students Monitor social interactions Encourage cooperative learning tasks with other students Provide lessons on social skills Behavior

29. Any person who does not recognize talents as well as weaknesses that make children with ADHD / ADD different, will find it difficult to be supportive. Alice Mae Smith

30. Response to Intervention

31. Best Practices • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires a research based program to be used in reading before identification. The goal of the Response to Intervention (RtI) model is to address deficits as soon as the interferences of learning are noticed instead of waiting for the students to fail. It is important to utilize the interventions in Tier Two to be able to correctly identify what program a student needs and / or to totally remediate the deficit.

32. Reading • Steps for Teachers

33. Step One • An elementary teacher in Shelby County Schools must teacher three days of Tier Two intervention lessons for at least five weeks to a struggling student before bringing that student before BBSST. • The teacher must keep lesson plans documenting the intervention lessons that he/she has taught the student. • The teacher must show documentation of the student not being successful with the intervention lessons before bringing that student to BBSST. The documentation can include, but is not limited to, student work samples, running records, progress monitoring, and quizzes/tests.

34. Step Two • Once a teacher brings a student before BBSST, the BBSST will offer a plan for the student. However, part of the plan must include having the teacher increase the number of Tier Two intervention lessons to five days a week for four weeks before revising the plan. • The teacher must keep lesson plans documenting the intervention lessons that he/she has taught the student • The teacher must show documentation of the intervention lessons and their effectiveness at the follow-up meeting.

35. Step Three • If a child is not successful with the plan mentioned in step two after four weeks, a SBRR program may be offered to the student. • If after the timeline for using the program is met, which is set by the program (which is usually a minimum of one semester) and there is evidence from the program’s evaluation that is not effective, the student may be referred to special education. • Before referring to special education, data must be present that shows little or no progress and the program must be implemented five days a week. • If the student is successful with the program, he or she may continue it until it is either finished or no longer needed.

36. Math • Steps for Teachers: • In math, steps one and two must be followed. • In step three, a intervention lessons from the teacher must occur for six months, five days a week, with evidence that they are not successful before a child can be referred for special education. For students in grades 3-5, assessment results, from ThinkLink, must accompany the intervention lessons’ documentation.

37. The Basics Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • High Intensity • Of longer duration • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • Intense, durable procedures • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Universal Interventions • All students • Preventive, proactive • Universal Interventions • All settings, all students • Preventive, proactive Any Curriculum Area 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% Students 80-90% 80-90%

38. What is the Three Tier Model? • A systematic approach for providing student interventions • Identifies struggling students BEFORE they fall behind • Provides struggling students with support throughout the educational process

39. Three Tier Process • For all students • Primary instruction for all students based on screening/benchmark assessments • Feedback from nine-week benchmark assessments used to guide and differentiate instruction

40. Tier I • Tier I • consists of quality classroom instruction based on Curriculum Frameworks. • Intervention is done within the general framework of the classroom • Curricula offerings are based upon scientific research principles • Focus on improving the core classroom instruction that ALL students receive • a variety of grouping formats (e.g., individual, pairs, small groups, and whole group

41. Tier II Intervention Characteristics • Intervention (additional instruction) and frequent progress monitoring (e.g., at least every 2 weeks) that struggling students receive. • Struggling students receive additional instruction and frequent progress monitoring at least every two weeks. • Instruction is provided to same-ability small groups of no more than three to five students.

42. Tier II • Maximum of 10-20% of student population • includes programs, strategies, and procedures designed and employed to supplement, enhance, and support Tier I. • typically uses a differentiated instruction model to address small group needs. The following chart identifies what differentiated instruction is and more importantly for Tier II, what differentiated instruction is not!

43. Tier III • Maximum of 3-5% of Student Population • Research based programs to identify deficiencies • Weekly progress monitoring • Regularly planned parental contact

44. Building Based Student Support Team (BBSST)

45. Purpose of BBSST • Decrease dropout rate; keep kids in school • Improve academic achievement of failing students • Improve individual behavior & school environment • Reduce absenteeism; increase attendance • Reduce discipline referrals • Reduce referrals to inappropriate programs • Give every student a chance to succeed • Increase graduation rate by responding to students’ academic frustrations and challenges • Promote greater parental involvement

46. Who Should Be Referred? • A BBSST referral is made for students in general education who are struggling academically and/or behaviorally

47. BBSST FAQ’s • Q – Who should be referred to BBSST? • A – students who struggle academically (Chronic averages below “C”) and behaviorally (Chronic behavior challenges disrupting progress) • Q – What is the time period for BBSST plans? • A – Time requirements (40-50 classroom days 8-10 weeks) • Q – What is the relationship among BBSST, 504, and IEPs? • A – There is no relationship. Students with a 504 or an IEP do not need to be referred to BBSST.

48. A BBSST plan must be in effect for at least 40 consecutive days. • This does not include a BBSST plan from the previous school year.

49. Referral Form • BBSST Form

50. Developing and Implementing the Plan • BBSST should include the following: • Administrator (chair person) • General Education Teacher • Referring Teacher • Parent and/or Student (when appropriate) • Specialty Areas (Reading Coach, ESL teacher, etc) • SPED Teacher (on a consultative basis)