SPED Department Meeting

1. SPED Department Meeting October 28th, 2011

2. SPED Department Agenda Review information from September and October case manager meetings. Review eIEP checklist, collaboration/consultation logs Upcoming tasks and deadlines (quarter 1 progress reports, printing IEPs and supporting documentation IEP development Bi-weekly department meetings

3. OSES Goals 2011-2012 Co-Accountability Improve academic performance of students with disabilities Ensure access to the age/grade appropriate general education curriculum for students with disabilities Improve the quality of IEPs andensure implementation of IEPs

4. Specialized Services Administrator (SSA) The SSA: Support for all special education issues • Providing ongoing support based on data • Partnering with school to develop and/or sustain inclusive practices • Monitoring school progress on making improvements in special education focusing on • Classroom instruction • IEP development • Reporting on progress to principals, OSES, Network Chiefs of Schools, and CEO

5. Collaboration with Special Education Teachers and Support Teams: New Procedure Schedule monthly meetings to share information from your case manager meetings and cc your SSA Send electronic copies of handouts to your special education teachers and cc your SSA You MUST document meetings through use of an agenda, sign in sheets, and meeting minutes

6. Allergies/Asthma/Diabetes • Individual Health/Asthma/Diabetes Care Plan is mandated for students with life threatening allergies (food or non-food), asthma and/or diabetes • Non-life threatening food allergies offered Section 504 Plan • Must be completed within 15 school days of receipt of medical information • Plans embedded in IEPs or Section 504 Plans under “Health/Medical” section • Accommodations • Identify any accommodations needed during the school day, extra-curricular activities, field trips and on the bus • Safety Plan • List all safety procedures which will be followed during the school day, extra-curricular activities, field trips, and on the bus • Must be consistent with current medical orders • 911 will auto-populate • Physician’s Emergency Action Plan

7. Parent Participation Whenever a meeting is to be held which a parent has a right to attend: No later than 10 days prior to the proposed meeting, the school shall notify the parents in writing of the purpose of the meeting, the proposed date, time, and place for the meeting, who else will be in attendance, and the parent’s right to invite other individuals. A parent can waive the 10 day prior notification for IEP conference. The waiver should be a written waiver. Use alternate modes of participation such as phone conference or written communication.

8. Parent Participation (Continued) Parent participation must be “meaningful” and steps should be taken to ensure this occurs: • Complete evaluation reports prior to eligibility meeting and present parent with draft reports days before the meeting so that they have time to digest information and formulate questions to ask at the meeting; • Encourage parents to complete the IEP Family Report prior to an IEP meeting so that they can begin to plan for the meeting and be prepared to support the completion of the General Considerations section of the eIEP. • Include the parent throughout IEP development by eliciting the parent’s input. • Consider appointing a school based team member as the parent support person at the IEP meeting to ensure parent comfort throughout the meeting.

9. Individualized Education Program Meeting Request A child’s teacher or a child’s parent may request the review of the child’s IEP at any time. Within 10 days after receipt of such a request, the school shall either agree and notify the parent or notify the parent in writing of its refusal, including an explanation of the reason no meeting is necessary to ensure the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education for the child.

10. Extended School Year (ESY) • Start collecting data NOW regarding: • Regression/Recoupment: significant regression of previously learned skills during a break in instruction and limited or delayed recoupment of these skills. • Critical/Emerging Skills: ability to acquire a skill during a critical point of acquisition or readiness that may be lost or greatly reduced as a result of a break in instruction. • Special or Unusual Circumstances: the effect of other factors that prevent goal attainment, for example, frequent health-related absences.

11. Transition • Update • Continued Strategic Priorities • Indicator 13 cycle • Transition Profile Page • Inviting Outside Agencies • Transition IEP timelines • STEP Program • Student Opportunities • Disability Mentoring Day • MOPD Youth Summit • Up and Coming • Citywide Travel Training • Transition Manuals • Transition Training and Coaching Workshops • Educator feedback

12. Transition Profile Page Each year, after completing a transition plan on a student’s IEP, the transition information on the student’s profile page must be completed and/or updated. • Completion of the student profile page continues to be monitored via the SSM Phase 0 Reports “Transition Data Counts by School” and “Transition Report.” • This will not affect IEP development or finalization. • ISBE requires collection of this data, therefore it must be monitored for completion. • This is a short-term measure for monitoring data collection. • Long-term improvements will link the transition plan itself to the data collection system.

13. Inviting Outside Agencies When planning for a student’s IEP conference, please bear in mind that, if appropriate, a representative of a participating agency must be invited, with the prior consent of the parent (or student who has reached the age of majority). Specifically, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that: To the extent appropriate, with the consent of the parents or a child who has reached the age of majority…the public agency must invite a representative of any participating agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services.” 34CFR §300.320(b)(2) The “Outside Agency Participation Consent Form” is now in the SSM Help Menu

14. Inviting Outside Agencies to IEP Meetings

15. Referral for an Initial Evaluation Key Points to Remember: Lack of or insufficient RtI data is not a valid justification for denying a request for an initial evaluation. The RtI data can be concurrently collected during the 60 school day timeline. Process map applies to students that are privately enrolled by their parent/guardian except that the private school would collect the RtI data. Must respond to the request for initial evaluation within 14 school days upon receipt of the written request, including the assessment planning meeting.

16. Year 1 DRAFT – v12 05.2011 Referral for an Initial Evaluation – CPS Yes, RtI data has been collected. The student has/has not been provided with research-based standards-based core instruction and Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 Interventions and data has been collected to track the student’s rate of improvement Yes, the student has made appropriate progress through interventions (tiers) and data has been collected At this time, the team can deny the request for an evaluation based upon the decision that concerns in the request can be addressed through high quality classroom practices using differentiated instruction along with specifically tiered interventions Notice of decision must be sent within 14 school days • Case Manager with IEP Team determines if current available information (including RtI data) indicates student-based educational concern in any of the following areas: • Academic performance; • Communication; or • Social emotional learning Yes, the Team suspects that the student may have a specific learning disability Evaluation Request Received By School Yes, there is a student based educational concern in one of the 3 areas F B No, the student has not made progress through interventions(tiers) References RtI Data A E Specific special education evaluation process The team should agree to the Initial Evaluation based on the concerns and lack of data and IMMEDIATELY and CONCURRENTLY implement tiered interventions and collect relevant data. NOTE: Notice of decision must be sent within 14 school days No, RtI data has not been collected. The student has/has not been provided with research-based standards-based core instruction and Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 Interventions and data has been collected to track the student’s rate of improvement No, the team determined that through general education and based on the student’s documented progress, the student can make educational progress in an age appropriate curriculum with the use of high quality classroom practices and interventions using differentiated instruction No, the team suspects the concerns are related to another area or areas (e.g. Speech, Behavior, Cognitive Impairment, etc.) Yes, IEP is written, all members of the team including the parent sign the IEP, a copy of the IEP is given to the parent, and IEP is implemented A Is there a student-based educational concern? Does the Team suspect that the student has a specific learning disability? B Assessment Planning (Domain Meeting) Occurs C Does the student have a disability that requires specialized instruction? C No, the team determines based on the data and the assessments the student is not eligible for specialized instruction Team convenes Eligibility Determination Meeting to review data collection and appropriate assessments and determines whether or not the student has a disability and is eligible for special education and/or related services Parental Consent Obtained Does the student have a disability that does not require specialized instruction? D At this time, the team can deny the request for an evaluation based upon the decision that the concerns expressed in the request for evaluation can be addressed with the use of high quality classroom practices using differentiated instruction and interventions Notice of decision must be sent within 14 school days Has the student been provided with research-based standards-based core instruction and Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 Interventions (RtI) and has data been collected to track the student’s rate of improvement? D E 60 school day timeframe begins Yes, the student has a disability that does not require specialized instruction No, the student does not have a disability Notification of FIE sent to Parent Has the student made appropriate progress through interventions? F Team develops 504 Plan Student is not eligible for either an IEP or a 504 Plan

17. IEP Development: creating great IEPs October 2011

18. Creating GREAT IEPs • Why??? • IEPs guide supports for students to ensure they access the general education curriculum. • IEPs allow parents and teachers to have a voice in the services to a student. • Who??? • The IEP team as a whole discusses the necessary supports needed for the student to access the general education curriculum • The special education teacher, in collaboration with the general education teacher, should draft most of the content of the IEP. October 2011

19. How???? • Work with your principal to establish a draft IEP process for review. • Many schools require drafts to be done 10 school days in advance of the scheduled meeting, allowing for feedback prior to the IEP meeting. • Ask your principal to put this in writing to all teachers. • Provide your teachers with the eIEP checklists and tools you receive at the case manager’s meetings. October 2011

20. How do I know it is a great IEP? • Read it as if you do not know the child. • If you read this IEP, would you know how to teach this child? • Is there enough information that tells me what interventions and strategies have been tried in the past and worked or not worked? • Are the goals describing a skill that is measurable and explain how progress of the skill will be measured? • If I were a parent, would I be able to understand what this IEP means? • Is it clear why this child is receiving services in the settings he/she is receiving services? • Are the sections consistent with each other and are all issues addressed? IF NOT, then the IEP needs more work. October 2011

21. E-IEP Checklist • Review an IEPusing the eIEP Checklist, October 2011. • This one is legally approved!!! • An updated version which includes transition planning is coming soon!! October 2011