2012 Principals’ In-service

1. 2012 Principals’ In-service August 6, 2012

2. Process Procedure Manual/ Handbook • http://intranet.rcas.org/administration/SE/Pages/PPM.aspx • Points of Interest • Timeline for Special Education Teachers (p8-9) • Case Manager Responsibilities (p.10) • Case Manager Overview Checklist for paraprofessionals (p.12) • due October 1st. • Best Practices Regarding Paraprofessional Assigned Responsibilities (p.14) • Handout of Roles & Responsibilities • Meetings sent out

3. Skyward Training • August 21st • 1:00-4:00 • Lincoln Academy • For new Special Ed Staff • Make sure new staff bring their caseloads • Sent to the buildings on July 30th

4. Special Education Staff In-service • August 23rd; 9:00-3:00 • Starting an hour later so staff can start at buildings and out earlier so they can get back • Please make sure other staff are not getting planning time during this training as this creates inequities • Presentations • State In-service regarding last year’s review and corrective action • RTI • Sharepoint/Skyward • Accommodations • Transition

5. Child Count • Make sure staff get their caseloads updated as this has staffing implications • Staff should send copy of front page to Specialists after each IEP meeting

6. Budget • Supply Allocations • Be sure to check your monthly sheets to monitor expenditures

8. 504 Training

9. What is Section 504 • A nondiscrimination law, prohibiting discrimination based solely on a person’s disability • Requires that no person with a disability can be excluded from or denied benefits of any program receiving federal assistance; this include education

10. Everyone Has Section 504 Responsibilities • School Principals, Certified, and Classified Staff • Conduct nondiscriminatory practices in classrooms • Refer/identify/evaluate students as appropriate • The district must identify and locate every qualified handicapped person residing in the district’s jurisdiction who is not receiving a public education; and • Take appropriate steps to notify handicapped persons and their parents or guardians of the district’s duty under Section 504

11. How are students identified for accommodations/services? • The student has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities • Has a record of such impairment, or • Is regarded as having such an impairment

12. Physical or Mental Impairment? • Physical or Mental Impairment means (A) any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or (B) any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

13. Major life activities? • Includes but not limited to functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, communicating, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, working, helping, eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, and operation of bodily function

14. District responsibilities • Provide a FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education) • An appropriate education is the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet individual educational needs of handicapped persons as adequately as the needs of nonhandicapped persons • If a child is identified as having an impairment, it is not an option to not provide needed services.

16. Discipline

17. Suspension Data • Classroom removals have increased in the last couple of years for our district • Last year we had an increase of 201 removals from the previous school year • Total of 970 removals (SpEd)

18. Affects • Lower graduation rates • Regular Ed • 76% graduated in 2009-10, 23% did not • 82% graduated in 2010-11, 17% did not • Special Ed • 61% graduated in 2009-10, 23% did not • 52% graduated in 2010-11, 48% did not • Increased dropout rates • Regular Ed • 422 students dropped out in 2009-10; 472 students dropped out in 2010-11 • Special Ed • 123 students dropped out in 2009-10; 91 students dropped out in 2010-11

19. Affects continued • Decrease in student achievement • As pointed out in past audits • State Performance Plan • OCR concerns

20. Legal ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of suspensions • ‘Dos’ • Investigate the facts – is it a violation that can lead to suspension • Examine BIP interventions – were proper interventions provided prior to the offense • Verify suspension term – is it appropriate and equal to other student discipline • Notify the student – of your decision to suspend and proposed length and the evidence of the offense • Take the students verbal statement – let the student present his views • Allow a written statement – allow but don't require • Inform parents • Keep track of suspensions – count all including partial days • Examine future alternatives – is suspension modifying behavior

21. Legal ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of suspensions continued • ‘Don’ts’ • Don’t force students to answer questions about incident that led to the suspension if they decline • Don’t lose track of number of days you have suspended student – as the 10 day mark approaches proactively convene and IEP meeting, conduct a FBA and develop a BIP • Don’t rely on suspensions to modify behavior – suspensions are not likely to eliminate misbehavior • Don’t lose focus of proactive behavior strategies – peer mediation, conflict resolution, instruction for students and staff • Don’t forget to provide notice of suspensions to students and parents • Don’t apply arbitrary limits on services – need to individualize • Don’t neglect students’ emotional and behavioral needs during suspensions while trying to address their academic needs – addressed through FBA/BIP

22. Special Education Discipline • “FAPE Free Zone” • When a student is suspended for less than 10 days the district is not obligated to provide services. • After 10 cumulative days within the same school year services must be provided • On the 11th day services must be provided • 10 days is the line of demarcation and the 10 day rule does not start over after completing a “Manifestation Determination Review.”

23. What counts as a removal • ISS • Does not count if • student is afforded the opportunity to appropriately progress in the general curriculum • Continue to receive the services specified on his/her IEP and • Continue to participate with nondisabled students to the extent they would have in their current placement • Take caution in this removal also as academic progress can be limited • Bus Suspensions • Partial Days

24. Can a suspension be longer than 10 days? • Under IDEA, school personnel (Katie) may remove a student in an interim alternative educational setting for not more than 45 school days, without regard to whether the behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the child’s disability, if the child: • (i) carries or possesses a weapon to or at school, on school premises, or to or at a school function • Not a pen knife, blade should be 2 ½ inches or more • (ii) knowingly possesses or uses illegal drugs, or sells or solicits the sale of a controlled substance, while at school, on school premises, or at a school function • (iii) has inflicted serious bodily injury upon another person while at school, on school premises, or at a school function

25. Serious Bodily Injury • What is Serious Bodily Injury • Substantial risk of death • Extreme physical pain • Protracted and obvious disfigurement • Protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty • What is not Serious Bodily Injury • In general, most “simple assaults by a student upon another student, teacher, or administrator will not meet the definition • Not a school yard scuffle

26. What to do? • Out of school suspensions should be used for severe misbehavior (dangerous or violent conduct) • The state of Maryland • Many suspensions are for nonviolent offenses, such as insubordination or classroom disturbance • More than 63% of all school suspensions

27. Consider strategies to avoid suspension • Target a students problem behavior before suspension – teach appropriate replacement behaviors • Build task-completion systems – student gets to do task enjoyed after undesired task has been completed • Allow time-away procedures – option to leave a learning task that has become aversive (designated spot) • Build relationships with students • Focus on prevention through positive behavior supports – Teach behavioral expectations directly • Adjust expectations to studnts abilities

28. Consider strategies to avoid suspension continued • Use 5:1 ratio of positive-to-negative attention • Follow predictable schedules • Embed routines within routines – doing the same things during specific time of day • Teach peer related social skills • Top 20 training • PBIS

29. How does this work with the discipline matrix?