1. SPECIAL EDUCATION TRAINING 2008-2009
PROCEDURES, CHANGES & IEPs

2. Presentation Contents
Preparing the IEP Profile Page
ACOS and Extended Standards
Write goals & benchmarks, based on student needs
Service Minutes
Related Services
Evaluation for Annual Goal
Meeting Notices
IEP Agenda
Parental Rights
State Performance Indicators
Transition Page/Transition Assessments
IEP Forms
Reminders
Resources

3. Preparing the IEP Writing the Profile PARENTAL CONCERNS:
CURRENT STATUS:
STRENGTHS:
IMPACT STATEMENT (needs):
MEDICAL:
ASSESSMENTS:
ThinkLink
Math Probes
IRI
SATs
DIBELS, etc.
PARENTAL CONCERNS:
IEP Planning Sheet
ACCOMMODATIONS:
MODIFICATIONS:
TRANSITION: (for st. > 16, or
turning 16 during the IEP implementation)

4. Look up subject area in ALEX, go to functional grade level, select appropriate content, then write an appropriate goal.
Include all required goals for each subject area, which is typically 3 goals per area.
The student may have one area of weakness, or multiple areas.

5. Alabama Course Of Study
Writing Goals and Benchmarks
1) Determine Area(s) of Weakness
2) 2 goals must be written for the area(s) of weakness
3) Goals and Benchmarks must be measurable (duration and frequency) and have a time frame for completion.
“By the end of 36 academic weeks, ____ will be able to solve one-and two-step equation on formal and informal assessments with an accuracy of 80%. (ACOS Mathematics 11.6)”

6. Alabama Course Of Study
Writing Goals and Benchmarks
4) For block schedule (one semester), 2 benchmarks are acceptable for an academic area.
Example---Weakness in Mathematics
Student is taking Algebra IA on block schedule
2 goals and 4 benchmarks (Each goal has 2 benchmarks.)
5) If an area of weakness is behavior, there must be a minimum of 1 goal with 4 benchmarks each. This would cover all 4 report periods (entire school year).

7. Alabama Extended Standards Curriculum
What are Extended Standards?
Extensions of the State Content Standards for each grade level K-12

8. Extended Standard Content Areas
Reading-all standards at the grade level
Math-all standards at the grade level
Science-all standards at the grade level
Social Studies-1 goal on functional level
Eng. Lang. Arts-one goal on functional level
(often written language)

9. Extended Standards (ES)
Designed to allow students with significant cognitive disabilities (ALSDE Guideline is 55 IQ or below) access to the general curriculum.
Clear link to the content standards for the grade level they are enrolled in STI.

10. Extended Standards (ES)
ES Grade-level content may be reduced in complexity or modified to reflect pre-requisite skills.
ES are linked to the general education standards (ACOS) but are:
Less complex
Less difficult
Divided into four levels of complexity

11. Extended Standards The Four Levels of complexity are:
(4) = Achieved level 3 complexity
(3) = Proficient (same as ES)
(2) = Requires some level of assistance
(1) = Requires 1-1 assist to complete
Always begin by considering level 3
NCLB requires ES written in Reading, Math and Science

12. Extended Standards
Special Education is held accountable for all of the ES written at the grade level of enrollment.
All standards at that grade level must be addressed.
There must be goals for each content area, SES requires all ES for the grade level be included in the annual IEP.
If ES relate to each other, it could be appropriate to combine two standards into one. However, each standard is assessed separately on the Alabama Alternate Assessment. (AAA)

13. Examples Combining Standards Across Content Areas
ES.S. 7.3 and ES.R. 7.3
“By the end of 36 weeks, John will identify inherited traits, (e.g. hair, eye color and height) (S.ES. 7.3) by graphing for information (R. ES.7.3) during 4/5 opportunities.”
Collect 3 different pieces of evidence for each standard in Science, Reading and Math.

14. Example
“John will represent functional relationships by solving number sentences and use at least 2 different combinations of numbers to represent a given number using addition and subtraction with 70% accuracy by the end of the annual review period. (M. ES. 9.1(3) and 9.2(3) ) **Critical Skill”

15. Example
“By the end of 36 weeks, John will identify weather conditions using an instrument or technology (e.g., wind, direction and speed, temperature) by organizing pictures into data displays including tally charts and graphs with 80% accuracy. (M.ES 6.4 and S.ES. 6.1)”

16. Things to Remember
Extended Standard wording does not have to be “exact”.
AAA is a test of “end” performance after the student has learned the standard.
Use 3 examples of best work, per annual goal, not same example.
Special Education is held accountable for all of the ES written at the grade level of enrollment.
All standards at that grade level must be addressed.
There must be goals for each content area, SES requires all ES for the grade level be included in the annual IEP.

17. IEP Service Minutes
Service minutes are written in relation to each goal; therefore, you must consider the real time spent daily or weekly, working on that specific skill.
Example: Identifying the main character of a story is the goal. In the course of all reading done during the week, you must determine whether you are committing yourself to spend 10 min. or 20 min. daily or weekly dedicated to that skill.
Suggestion “up to 20 minutes”.
420 minutes is not appropriate. (7 hrs.)

18. IEP Related Services
The Related Services box on the Student Services part of the annual goal page has many choices in it. There are several important ones for us to use. This has CHANGED as of 11/08/2007.
Speech and Language Therapy (if the student has another primary disability)
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Behavioral Health Counseling – to be used for Diann Tolbert
Intake/evaluation – to be used for NURSES and/or Diann Tolbert
Health Aide Services – to be used for NURSES in limited situations (to be determined)
The items that have an * will be disappearing from the list soon. Do NOT use them any more!!!

19. Speech Therapy, Preschool, and Adequate Yearly Progress…
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) must be documented in all early childhood programs too!

20. AYP for Early Childhood
OSEP is requiring all states to measure outcomes for all students, including preschool students.
As part of the State Performance Plan, Developmental Standards and the Early Learning Progress Profile (ELPP) have been created to meet developmental needs for preschool children identified with disabilities.
All students ages 3-5 years of age and receiving special education, must have ELPP completed within 30 days of entry into the program.

21. What is the Early Learning Progress Profile (ELPP)?
The ELPP is a compilation of information developed from normative data that assesses all developmental domains (cognitive, communication, motor, adaptive, social-emotional).
Skills are scaffolded to reflect completion of prerequisite developmental levels.
Preschool developmental curriculum standards must be used and coincide with each student’s current level of development.

22. ELPP Timelines
Entry Data collected within 30 days of student entering the preschool program (to include walk-in speech therapy) on an IEP.
Exit Data is compiled on students as they exit the program or transition to kindergarten.
Students must have been receiving Special Education services at least six months prior to completing Exit data.
Data is recorded and results are submitted to TRC no later than May 1 of each school year. Final summary information is reported to ALSDE prior to May 15 of each school year.
Note: The ELPP is also readministered prior to each annual IEP review date for use in the Present Level and/or to develop goals for the following year

23. Speech Therapy and the General Education Curriculum…
Speech therapy goals should be written to allow each student to access, or participate in the knowledge and skills that make up the general education curriculum.
Use academic content standards or extended standards
to reflect current skill level of the student.

24. Present Level of Performance in Speech Therapy
DO NOT use the student’s exceptionality to explain how the disability affects involvement/progress in the general curriculum!
Example: Do NOT write “Sara’ s articulation disorder affects her progress in the general curriculum. Instead Write: “Sara’s articulation errors cause difficulty in producing common sounds at the beginning of a series of words (LL.P.12).

25. IEP Related Services
Adaptive P.E. is considered Physical Education---Physical Education (A.P.E.) is a requirement of ALSDE. It is the recommendation of SES that A.P.E. is entered into SETSWeb as a special education service.
Separate goal page written for Adaptive P. E.
Elementary School = 30 minutes required (minimum)
Middle School = 45 minutes required (minimum)
High School = 45 minutes required (minimum)

27. IEP Related Services Occupational Therapist (OT)
services typically attached to written language goal page
Physical Therapist (PT)
services typically attached to adaptive P.E. goal page

28. IEP Related Services
Transportation form (on SES website) must be typed and
returned to K. Fisher at TRC by
If special transportation is due to behavioral issues, there must be a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) in place addressing the behavior. The BIP and other pertinent information from the IEP must be shared with the bus driver.
Allow 3 days for the addition of transportation as a service

29. IEP Related Services in SETSWeb
Use the Insert button to add each one who sees the student. Typically, you will use the IEP dates from the profile page.

30. Up till now, some of these services have only been listed on the IEP Profile page. They MUST be listed here as a related service in order to bill Medicaid. All students should have the data listed here whether they are Medicaid eligible or not. It is not necessary to fill out the diagnosis or procedure type while writing the IEP. That will be done by the service provider. Each service provided to the student must be listed as a separate Related Service.

31. IEP Related Services Nurse:

32. IEP Related Services Nurse:

33. IEP Related Services Occupational Therapist:

34. IEP Related Services Physical Therapist:

35. IEP Related Services Professional Counsel or Licensed Social Worker:

36. There are other choices available in the drop down list
There are other choices available in the drop down list. It is important to know that Vision is NOT to be used for the Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Audiology is NOT to be used for the Teacher of the Hearing Impaired. Those teachers go under the Special Education Services box, not Related Services

37. Evaluation for Annual Goal
Purpose of Evaluation is
Progress Monitoring!
Checking “Teacher Observation” requires a formal observation. The form is available on SETSWeb.
Be sure the type of evaluation is appropriate for that goal. A teacher observation would be appropriate for monitoring progress on a behavior goal (social interaction); however, this would not be appropriate for progress in the Algebra I class. A better choice would be work samples or grades.
Type(s) of Evaluation for annual goal:
Curriculum Based Assessment
Data Collection
Teacher/Text Test
State Assessment(s)
Teacher Observation
Work Samples
Grades
Other: Brigance, ThinkLink, OWLS,
standardized assessment, criterion-
referenced assessment √

38. IEPs and the trail that follows!
Meeting Notices
Mark the first 5 boxes, indicating who has been invited, including someone to interpret assessment results.
Remember to attach a copy of the parental rights to the meeting notice.
Send home the IEP Planning Sheet. This allows for parental input, even if they do not attend the meeting.

39. IEPs and the trail that follows!
Meeting Notices
Mark the results of your attempt to schedule the meeting in SETSWeb, after the notice has been sent home.
Parents are given 10 days notice to provide a reasonable amount of time for them to arrange to attend. Meetings may be scheduled before the 10 days have passed if it is convenient for the parent. Do not write, “Parents waived right to 10 day notice”.
Write the following:
“Meeting scheduled at parent’s convenience.”
“Parent selected date/time.”

40. Introduction of Participants
Purpose of IEP Meeting
Student’s Current Status
Assessment data
Grades
Attendance
Behavior
Concerns
Student
Parent
Teacher
Possible Solutions
(i.e. FBA, BIP, schedule change, change exit option, additional accommodations, etc.)
6. Implementation and
Follow-up Responsibilities
7. Minutes
Read Aloud
Signed
IEP Meeting Agenda

41. Parental Rights
Parental Rights (Procedural Safeguards) should be given
to parents one time per year (get it signed) or upon:
Initial referral
Request for evaluation
The first State complaint in a school year
The request for a due process hearing in a school year
Parent request, or
When a decision is made for disciplinary action that constitutes a change of placement (over 10 days)
Best practice is to offer at every meeting and get a signature!

42. State Performance Indicators
In accordance with IDEA, each state must have a
State Performance Plan (SPP) to evaluate our
implementation of IDEA.
Alabama has 20 Indicators
SDE will conduct online monitoring; however,
review dates will not be provided.

43. STATE PERFORMANCE PLAN INDICATORS
11. Child Find
12. Early Childhood Transition
13. Secondary Transition
14. Post-School Outcomes
15. Identification and Correction of
NonCompliance
16. Complaint Timelines
17. Due Process Timelines
18. Hearing Requests resolved
by Resolution
19. Mediation
20. State Reported Data
Graduation Rates
Drop-Out Rates
Assessment Data
Suspension/Expulsion
School Age LRE
Preschool LRE
Preschool Outcomes
Parent Involvement
Disproportionality w/ a Disability
Disproportionality w/ an Eligibility Category

44. Transition Page Indicator #13
Required for students in high school (Grades 9-12)
Required for middle school students who are 15 and will turn 16 during the implementation of the IEP, and optional for all other middle school students.

45. Added “This student is in a middle school course of study that will help prepare him/her for transition.”
Notes: Was added_to meet requirements of indicator # 13 in the State_Performance Plan that asks for the percent of youth aged 16 and above who are working toward a curriculum that will address the student’s transition service needs.____________
Example---- Can be a functional class, study skills class, and/or a transition skills class. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The box at the top of the page indicates the student is in a middle school course of study that will help prepare him/her for transition. This check box must be completed for students who are 16 and older in middle school. This box was added to meet the requirements of indicator # 13 in the State Performance Plan that asks for the percent of youth aged 16 and above that is working toward a curriculum that will address the student’s transition service needs.
EXIT OPTIONS - Select the highest most appropriate option for the student. Identify the month/year the student is expected to exit high school. Students with disabilities who have not earned an Alabama High School Diploma and who have not reached their 21st birthday by August 1 (this rule goes into effect beginning July 31, 2008) are entitled to return for services up to age 21. If a student turns 21 after August 1, but during the school year, that student is entitled to complete the school year.
PROGRAM CREDIT TO BE EARNED should be coded according to where the credit applies. General ed courses taken without modifications should be coded on the Alabama High School Diploma line. AOD courses taken without modifications should be coded on the AOD line. Extended standards, modified courses of study, or modified AOD courses should be coded on the Graduation Certificate line.
Modifications are defined as changes that are made to the content standards. Accommodations lessen the impact of the student’s disability in the teaching/learning environment in order to level the playing field but do not change the content of the standard. Accommodations typically address changes in the process or method of providing education to a student.
When course content is modified, a student with a disability is not pursuing the same content standards that non-disabled students are pursuing and are not earning course credit. When accommodations are made for the student with disabilities, the content has not been altered and the student can earn course credit.
Transition assessments must be used to determine the student’s postsecondary education/employment and community/independent living goals and identify needed transition services. At least one transition service must be addressed each year for students age 16 or older. Transition services must be documented through lesson plans, grade books, etc.
Transfer of Rights – Beginning not later than the first IEP that will be in effect when the student reaches 18 years of age, document the date the student was informed that his or her rights will transfer to the student when they reach age 19.

46. Transition Assessments/Inventories
Madison County Schools’ Informal Transition Inventory
Student and/or Parent Questionnaire (SES Website)
Career Interest Inventory (see resource links)
At the end of the assessment, a report will be displayed. There is a fee to print the entire report; however, you can print each page of the report individually, then use a marker/highlighter to complete the bar graph. The most important page to print provides a report on Occupational Interests and the percentile scored. This page has the heading, “Your Basic Interest Profile”.
Career Interest Inventory Booklet: School To Career (source unknown)
Career Clusters Interest Survey (Oklahoma Dept. of Career & Technology)
Career: Career Cluster Interest Inventory (Document funded by 1998 Carl D. Perkins Voc. Act)
Who Am I? Experience Sheet (source unknown)

47. IEP Forms
Must Do List:
Notice of Intent Regarding Special Education Services
Notice and Consent Regarding Payment from Medicaid Benefits
Persons Responsible for IEP Implementation

48. Notes:_Use this form to document:
1) The IEP Team’s decsion to provide or not to provide the special ed./related service an IEP Team member is requesting to be added.
2) The student will not be returning to school due to exiting with a regular diploma, or turning 21 prior to August 1 (Rule goes into effect beginning July 31, 2008) or
3) to document that the parent, or student, who has reached the age of majority has been notified that the student who is exiting school with an AOD or before age 21 has the right to receive services to age 21.
Use this form to document:
The IEP Team’s decision to provide or not to provide the special education/related service an IEP Team member is requesting to be included in the IEP,
The IEP Team’s decision to change the placement of the student,
The student will not be returning to school due to exiting with a regular diploma, or turning 21 prior to August 1, ( this rule goes into effect beginning July 31, 2008) or to document that the parent or student who has reached the age of majority has been notified that the student who is exiting school with an AOD or before age 21 has the right to receive services to age 21.
Minor changes on an IEP (i.e., misspelled words, grammatical errors) Check with your local special education coordinator for permission to use this process to make minor changes to the IEP.

49. This is now a required form in STI.
Each time the public agency proposes to access the parent’s private insurance proceeds, the agency must:
Obtain parental consent in accordance with these rules.
Inform the parents that their refusal to allow the public agency access to their private insurance does not relieve the public agency of its responsibility to ensure that all required services are provided at no cost to the parents.
Notes:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

50. IEP Forms Must Do List:
Persons Responsible for IEP Implementation Form must be signed, at the beginning of the year and when courses and/or teachers change, by all parties involved with the implementation of the IEP (add form to IEP process).
Examples: Staff Support, Nurses and Bus
Drivers when pertinent

51. The name of this form changed from “ ACCESS TO IEP DOCUMENTATION” to “Persons Responsible for IEP Implementation.”
Notes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This form must be completed for every student who has an IEP.
Inform every teacher and service provider of his/her responsibilities for implementing the IEP. Be sure that every teacher and service provider understand that they have access to the IEP.
This form must be completed when teachers and/or service providers change or their responsibilities change to ensure that the person now responsible for implementing the IEP has been informed of his/her responsibilities and understands that they have access to the IEP.

52. School Year 2008/2009 Reporting Dates
Annual Goal Progress Report Student Name: ___________________ Teacher: ___________________ Date Sent: _____________
School Year 2008/2009 Reporting Dates
1st 9 weeks
2nd 9 weeks
3rd 9 weeks
4th 9 weeks
Reading (1)
9 week Report Card/ Annual Goal Progress Report used to report progress for this period.
Reading (2)
Reading (3)
Reading (4)
Language (1)
Math (1)
Math (2)
Math (3)
Math (4)
Social Studies
Science

53. Adaptive Physical Ed.
Please see progress report from the Adaptive Physical Education Teacher for progress towards this goal.
Use the legends below to interpret your child’s progress toward the annual goals.
The 1st column indicates the Report of Progress. The 2nd column indicates the Extent of Progress.
Report of Progress on Annual Goals
Extent of Progress Toward Meeting the Annual Goals
Goal ha been met.
Goal mastered.
Some progress made.
Anticipate mastery.
Very little progress made.
Do not anticipate mastery.
No progress made.
N/A Not applicable during this grading period.
Teacher Comments:
Please Sign and Return:
Please let me know if you would like to schedule a meeting or phone conference to discuss your child’s progress.

54. 9 Week Progress Reports
As of one week after the 9 week progress reports are sent out, the SETSWeb progress report will be locked for that 9 weeks.
The primary reason for this action is to save teachers from overriding their own 9 week progress reports.

55. Special Ed. Form Changes
Notice of Proposed Meeting Form/Phone conf. statement
Parental Rights/State Enforcement Mechanisms
Notice and Consent for Initial Evaluation/date the signed consent received
Notice of Intent Regarding Special Education Services/Implement change immediately
SOP (Cover Page, Transition Goal Progress Report, Student Input Form, Progress and Accommodations)
Post School Transition Survey (TBA)

56. Reminders:
Write in the IEP only the elements required in order to provide FAPE
Additional concerns/issues can be noted in the minutes
Students on Extended Standards or Certificate must move through the high school grades, with peers, without being held in a grade until 12th, where they may be held as a repeater.
Example: 9th (one year), 10th (one year), 11th (one year),
and 12th (may be held as a repeater)

57. AAA Training
ALSDE will conduct statewide training in October, location and date to be announced.

58. RESOURCES Profile page template ( SES website)
ALEX
Mastering the Maze
AL Administrative Code
ALSDE (p. for IEP samples—state dept. doesn’t require benchmarks; however, MC does require them.) ALSED Website:
Extended Standards
AAA link (SDE powerpoint): ftp://ftp.alsde.edu/documents/91/Revised%202007%20AAA%20for%20Fall%20Regional%20Workshops.ppt

59. RESOURCES
Alabama Extended Standards Q&A
Technology Assistance for Special Consumers (TASC) Information on Assistive Technology Workshops located at
Informal Transition Inventory ( SES Website)
Career Interest Inventory