Know Your Rights!

1. Know Your Rights! You have the right to bring an advocate or advisor to meetings (advise school ahead of time of person you will bring) You have the right to record meetings (advise school ahead of time of your intent to do so) You have the right to refuse to sign an IEP you disagree with

2. Understand the Situation Understand what is possible for the school to do Understand what is reasonable for the school to do You win more flies with honey than with vinegar!

3. Present Level of Performance (PLOP) Also called the “Present Level of Academic Achievement” 20 U.S.C. § 1414 (IDEA) 34 C.F.R. § 300.320

4. PLOP Must include a statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including: How the child’s disability affects their performance in the standard curriculum For preschoolers, how the child’s disability affects their participation in appropriate activities

5. PLOP (cont.) Includes both academic achievement and functional performance This is different for each child, meaning that evaluations and decisions must be done on a case-by-case basis Focus is on describing how the child’s disability affects his or her ability to learn

6. How is PLOP Determined? The IEP Team looks at standardized test scores, professional evaluations, and observations of parents and educators Parent input is essential! You have the right to draft your own PLOP statement and have it attached to the IEP

7. Goals of the PLOP Describe the child’s areas of strength and of weakness Determine what holds the child back and what helps the child learn Describe how the child’s disability affects his or her ability to learn

8. Examples of PLOP Statements Kari’s difficulty in organizing materials and information affects her ability to complete assignments independently and compose written essays.

9. Examples of PLOP Statements Dayton prefers to play in isolation and becomes upset (e.g., cries and hits others) when another student comes too close. As a result his peer interactions at playtime are limited.

10. Examples of PLOP Statements Joey follows basic written directions in community settings (e.g., vending machines and work schedules). He is able to travel in his wheelchair for short distances in school, but needs adult assistance to travel in the community. He can read simple sentences but does not generalize his reading skills to functional activities (e.g., reading a menu in a restaurant).

11. Sources: Sample PLOP statements taken from New York Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) website http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/iep/presentlevels.htm

13. Individualized Education Program

14. ABCs of IEPs • Accountability • Baselines • Clarity

15. ACCOUNTABILITY • 1. CURRENT IEP

16. REVIEWING REQUIRED

17. ACCOUNTABILITY • 2. EACH OBJECTIVE

18. ORGANIZATION NEEDED

19. ACCOUNTABILITY • 3. PROGRESS REPORTS

20. COMMUNICATION IS KEY

21. ACCOUNTABILITY • 1. CURRENT IEP • 2. EACH OBJECTIVE • 3. PROGRESS REPORTS

22. BASELINES Where is your child NOW?

23. CLARITY One interpretation, no explanation needed

24. ABCs of IEPs BAD EXAMPLE By June 2010 Tammy will add and subtract whole numbers up to fifteen with and without the use of a calculator with 80% accuracy

25. ABCs of IEPs BAD EXAMPLE By June 2010 Tammy will tell time to the half hour using an analog and digital clock with 80% accuracy

26. ABCs of IEPs BAD EXAMPLE Todd will independently read a 2.25 level text with 80% accuracy using picture-cueing, initial and ending sound, and chunking strategies to decode unknown words by December 2009. He will use reading on, re-reading, and context clues strategies. Todd will also decode the 2.25 level text using sight-word knowledge for frequently used sight words in Kindergarten, first and second grade as determined by the Dolch word lists of high frequency sight words by grade level.

27. ABCs of IEPs Todd will independently read a 2.25 level text with 80% accuracy using picture-cueing, initial and ending sound, and chunking strategies to decode unknown words by December 2009. He will use reading on, re-reading, and context clues strategies. Todd will also decode the 2.25 level text using sight-word knowledge for frequently used sight words in Kindergarten, first and second grade as determined by the Dolch word lists of high frequency sight words by grade level.

28. ABCs of IEPs BAD EXAMPLE By December 2009, Todd will use strategies to follow classroom routines and meet classroom expectations in 4 out of 5 instances. He will follow three step directions given to him by his teacher. He will demonstrate behavior that causes peers and teachers to react in a positive manner to him. Todd will accept consequences and direction from adults

29. ABCs of IEPs GOOD EXAMPLE By December 2009, Todd will raise his hand before asking a question in class 4 out of 5 instances.

30. ABCs of IEPs GOOD EXAMPLE By December 2009, Todd will refrain from hitting, pinching or yelling at peers and teachers in 4 out of 5 instances.

31. ABCs of IEPs Tammy will write three sentences with correct grammar, punctuation and capitalization four out of five trials • By November 2009, Tammy will write one sentence with correct grammar, punctuation and capitalization four out of five trials • By January 2010, Tammy will write two sentences with correct grammar, punctuation and capitalization four out of five trials • By March 2010, Tammy will write three sentences with correct grammar, punctuation and capitalization four out of five trials

32. ABCs of IEPs • Accountability • Current IEP • Each Objective • Progress Reports • Baselines • Where is your child NOW? • Clarity • One interpretation, no explanation needed

34. Accommodations, Modifications and Services in your child’s IEP

35. What is the difference between Accommodations and Modifications?

36. Accommodations • Accommodations are designed to allow a student to complete the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and/or presentation. Accommodations do not change the educational content. • Example of an Accommodation: A student who is blind taking a mainstream test in Braille, and a student with Dyslexia being given extra time on a test.

37. Modifications • Modificationsalter the educational content to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability. • Example of a Modification: Requiring a 2 page report from the student instead of the 4 page assignment required of his/her peers

38. The Main Difference • Accommodations help your child to receive the mainstream curriculum. • Modifications allow your child to receive an especially tailored education that meets his/her individual needs and skill levels.

39. What does IDEA say about accommodations and modifications? • IDEA Appendix A says, "The Act requires the IEP team to determine, and the public agency to provide, the accommodations, modifications, supports, and supplementary aids and services, needed by each child with a disability to successfully be involved in and progress in the general curriculum achieve the goals of the IEP, and successfully demonstrate his or her competencies in State and district-wide assessments."

40. IDEA also says… • Each teacher and provider must be informed of: The specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided for the child in accordance with the IEP. • The teacher/provider must know what provisions have been decided upon in order to utilize them effectively.

41. Stipulations of Accommodations and Modifications • The IEP team must determine the accommodations and modifications needed for a child with disabilities in order to achieve the IEP goals. • Accommodations and modifications should be specifically included in the body of the IEP. • All accommodations and modifications specified by the IEP must be provided by the public agency (the child’s school). • Each teacher and provider for the disabled child must be informed of and understand the accommodations and modifications chosen in order to use them effectively.

42. Types of Accommodations • Curriculum adaptations alter or enhance the way the student is taught the same material: • Ex- English as a second language (ESL), remedial reading • Lesson accommodations alter the method of instruction to fit the child’s style of learning: • Ex: Use of visual aids in instruction, allowing students to tape record lessons • Environmental Accommodations allow the IEP team to ensure that the student is learning in the least restrictive environment: • Ex- Providing preferential seating, increasing distance between desks. • Modified Assignments alter the assignment given to the student but not the academic content. • Ex- Giving a student extra time to complete a task. • Modified Testing Procedures change the way that the student is evaluated but not the academic standards. • Ex- Allowing a student to take an oral exam rather than a written exam. • Physical/Heath Accommodations • Ex- Giving a student extra time to transition between classes.

43. What are “related services?” • Related services are any supplemental services that are necessary in order for a child with a disability to benefit from special education • Related services include the early identification and assessment of disabling conditions in children • Related services include consultations, in which the therapist would directly communicate with the child’s teachers and IEP team about what the child needs and what progress she/he has made.

44. Related Services, contd. • Children do not attend school in order to receive related services, they receive related services in order to participate fully in school. This means that schools must provided services if and only if those services are necessary for the child to receive an appropriate education. • The IEP team (including the parents) is responsible for evaluating if and which related services are necessary in order for the child to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). • No related service is automatically included or denied from your child’s IEP due to his/her disability, because each IEP team must determine what is needed for each individual child.

45. Types of Related Services • Related services include, but are not limited to: • Psychological services • Physical and occupational therapy • Recreation, such as therapeutic recreation • Speech-language pathology and audiology • Counseling services • Rehabilitative services • Medical services that are used for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only

46. Make it specific • If the IEP team determines that a related service is necessary in order for the child to benefit from special education, the team members must also include goals, objectives and measurable ways to evaluate the child’s progress in that service • The IEP team must specify what measures will be used to monitor the student’s progress in that service. • ALWAYS compare the services in the current IEP to the services in the proposed IEP. • As the parent, you need to understand where your child has made progress and what your child needs now.

47. Put an AMOUNT on Everything! • It is important that in the IEP you specify the AMOUNT of services the child will receive. For example, you should not just say that “the child will work on hand-eye coordination through physical therapy” but instead “the child will work on hand-eye coordination through three 20 minute sessions of physical therapy each week of the school year. • Remember that even if you child misses a service session due to a field trip or a shortened school day, the school must still provide that service for the time missed.

48. Related Service in Action • Example: The IEP team determined that Alexandra, a child diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder, needs speech therapy in order to improve her oral communication skills

49. Related Services in Action • PLOP: Currently Alexandra only uses an average of 3 words per sentence, refers to herself in the 3rd person, does not use personal pronouns, and calls her teachers “teacher” rather than addressing them by their names. • Goal: By the end of the 2009-2010 school year, Alexandra will be able to verbalize her needs through full sentences. She will use personal pronouns and address others by their names.

50. Related Services in Action • Objectives: • Through speech therapy Alexandra will learn to use an average of 7 words at a time in sentences in order to better express her needs. She will use at least 7 words in sentences 7 out of 10 documented times. • The speech therapist will teach Alexandra how to use pronouns including “me,” “my,” “I,” “you” and “your.” She will use personal pronouns when appropriate 8 out of 10 documented attempts. • The speech therapists will use pictures and verbal markers to teach Alexandra the names of her teachers. She will refer to her teachers by name 7 out of 10 documented attempts. • In order to meet these objectives, Alexandra will receive speech therapy for 30 minute sessions 3 times every week of the academic year.