WRITING COMPLIANT IEP’S Department of Special Education Rina Sutaria December 10, 2013

 Predictions!  Top 10 IEP Errors  Correcting the Errors  Questions TODAY’S AGENDA

TEACHER PREDICTIONS: TOP 10 IEP ERRORS

Based on IEP File Review Summer 2013 TOP 10 IEP ERRORS

1. Not including a general education teacher 2. Baselines do not have actual data that is measured by the same scale as your goals (compare apples to apples) 3. No accommodations are listed on supplementary services page 4. Areas which are not applicable are listed with an “N/A” 5. Strengths of child: Do not be vague! TOP 10 ERRORS: ACTUAL FINDINGS

6. Not justifying why a student needs to go from a less restrictive to more restrictive placement. 7. Goals must be measurable and objective! 8. Not including a signed notice of meeting with the IEP. 9. Notes page: Not documenting that the services will not occur or be made up in case of an assembly, field trip, student illness or standardized testing. 10. Goals: Can not have general education teachers responsible for goal progress for direct IEP services. TOP 10 ERRORS: FINDINGS CONTINUED

IEP FILE REVIEW MATRIX

CORRECTING THE ERRORS

 A general education teacher must sign that they attended the meeting.  If a general education teacher cannot be included, the parent must sign an excusal form.sign an excusal form. ERROR 1: NOT INCLUDING A GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHER

 Baselines have to have actual data that is measured by the same scale as your goals!  If Jonny has to write his alphabet with 80% accuracy, then tell us the baseline in percentage, not by actual data (Jonny can currently write 13 letters of the alphabet).  You have to compare apples to apples. Frequency and percentage are NOT the same thing! ERROR 2: BASELINE DATA

GOOD BASELINE DATA EXAMPLE

 Accommodations have to be listed on the Supplementary Services Page (Form 5(a)).  Preferential seating  Extra time on assignments  Modified homework (less questions)  Use of computer for in class writing assignments.  Teachers do not always read the NOTES page at the back of the IEP, therefore it is the law to include on Form 5A like this! ERROR 3: NO ACCOMMODATIONS LISTED

 If team determines no supplementary items, then state like this:  If a child needs supplementary aids/services, state like this: LIST ACCOMODATIONS ON FORM

 An IEP is written for a 1 year period. While something might not be applicable now, it does not mean that it will stay that way for the duration of the year.  Therefore, write “N/A at this time” whenever something does not apply to avoid legal ramifications. ERROR 4: WRITING N/A WHEN NOT APPLICABLE

N/A AT THIS TIME

 Do not be vague when listing the strengths and preferences of the child. You might understand what you mean, but the next teacher might not!  Bad example for student strengths: math, sports, art  Strengths and weaknesses of the student should be written in a complete sentence. ERROR 5: BEING TOO VAGUE

 When a student goes from a less restrictive to a more restrictive placement (ie general education to special day class), the following must happen:  Team must note pre-test scores for student  Student must be provided intensive intervention for at least 8 weeks. Documentation of this intervention must occur on the Intervention List  Post-test scores of student will be recorded  IEP meeting will occur at which time a team decision will be made regarding student placement.  A teacher can not suggest a student needs SDC based on a “hunch”! ERROR 6: CHANGE OF PLACEMENT

In the present level section, document like this: On the notes page, document like this: CHANGE OF PLACEMENT DATA & DOCUMENTATION

IEP goals must be measurable and objective. This includes:  Who is involved: (student)  What are the desired outcomes: (the intended behavior, knowledge, and/or skill that should result from the program)  How progress is measured: (what tool or surveys, tests, data from other sources) will be used to measure the expected changes  When will the outcome occur: One year from now See an example of a measurable and objective goal here! Why is this goal not a measurable and objective goal?? ERROR 7: MEASURABLE AND OBJECTIVE GOALS!

 The following goal is measurable. We know WHO it involves, WHAT the desired outcomes are, HOW it will be measured, and WHEN this outcome will occur. GOAL EXAMPLE

 Each IEP has to have a signed notice of meeting (NOM), even if the parent does not attend!  IEP forms are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Cantonese. If you need other languages, find a translator!  The NOM needs to be sent out by the special education teacher 10 days prior the meeting and received back signed prior to the meeting. ERROR 8: NO SIGNED NOTICE OF MEETING

SIGNED NOTICE OF MEETING

 Explicitly document the entire meeting conversation  Document that special education services will not occur and not be made up due to student illness, field trips, assemblies, or standardized testing.  Indicate if procedural safeguards were offered  Note services offered, ESY applicability, transportation etc.  Does parent agree? ERROR 9: NOTES PAGE

APPROPRIATE NOTES PAGE

 Goals: Can NOT have general education teachers or special education aides be responsible for goal progress for direct IEP services.  Ed Specialists (RSP teacher, SDC teacher, SLP, OT, OM, VI, DHH) are responsible for goals – NOT general education teachers! ERROR 10: GOAL RESPONSIBILITY

PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR GOAL

 Get the IEP Writing Compliance Activity worksheet from the basket in the middle of your table.  Find a partner. Work on these questions together.  We will review the answers together in 10 minutes. LET’S PRACTICE

FUTURE IMPLICATIONS

ANY QUESTIONS?