EC Referrals Marsha Holleman/Nancy Simmons Jolee Harney/Jenny Kurzer

Specially designed instruction: Specially-designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate, to the needs of an eligible child … the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction…

We need to remember: Exceptional child education is not the answer to poor general education. It is not special education that most students need, it is education that is special. Each student with a disability deserves a high quality and individually designed education.

Let’s get started!  Concerns should be brought to the SST team.  Interventions should be implemented with progress monitoring through Regular Education for a sufficient period of time.  Parent contacts, record review, vision, hearing and speech screenings, observations, and interventions should be documented on the SST forms.  Determine whether a referral is needed…

Required Forms Referral Meeting: All RTI/SST paperwork Handbook of Parent’s Rights Invitation (7-10 day notice for team) DEC 1 DEC 2 DEC 5 Social History and behavioral checklists Team Minutes

Who do you invite? SST team LEA representative (Principal or designee) Regular Education teacher Student (if student is 14 or older) Parent – See the definition of parent in the Parent Rights Handbook…

Definition of Parent: Invite the parent, if there has not been a TPR (Termination of Parental Rights) – Check with DSS. If a student is living with a relative acting in the place of the parent, they may serve. If there has been a TPR, a foster parent may serve if not a “Therapeutic” Foster Parent. Otherwise…you will need to use an approved Surrogate parent. DSS may attend, but not sign as parent, even if they have custody.

So when does my 90 days begin? As soon as you receive that written referral! So,you better get started immediately! If a parent gives a verbal request for a referral, it is our duty to get that in writing (usually by completing the DEC 1). The date that an Invitation was sent should be the date the school received the referral. Easy IEP will calculate the due date from the “date the referral was received” on the DEC 1.

Invitation to Conference Parents must be 7-10 days notice before a meeting, unless parent requests an earlier date. Check ALL purposes and participants for ALL meetings! Specify a specific room, not just the school name. You may want to discuss meeting times with everyone on the team to check for availabilities before sending an invitation. You may meet without parents; however, you must make 2 attempts to invite them, including a written Invitation.

DEC 1/Referral You will need to rely on your SST team, regular education teacher, and/or parent to help fill this form out at your meeting. Vision and Hearing are usually completed in the SST process…Use these dates on the DEC 1. Please be specific on this form. “Describe”

DEC 1- Sections I DESCRIBE strengths in ALL areas. Every student has strengths! Be specific. Do not address areas of need in this section.

DEC 1 – Section II Check all areas of concern and be thoughtful in this process. Concerns should match the evaluations requested on the DEC 2.

DEC 1- section III DESCRIBE the interventions and the outcomes of these interventions with specific data. Describe what has been done and what has/has not worked…This section should show why the referral is being made. Refer to the information collected through the SST process.

DEC 1 – Section IV Three Team Determination Choices: 1.No evaluation. 2.Determine eligibility based on existing information. 3.Conduct an evaluation. – You must list the evaluations.

DEC 2 Refer to your eligibility cheat sheet to determine what evaluations are required for each category you are considering and check all evaluations needed. If it is determined that additional evaluations are needed, you need parent permission and a new DEC 2. If evaluations checked on the DEC 2 are determined unnecessary, you must contact the parent document that on the DEC 2 and on a DEC 5. – Send a copy of the DEC 5 home. If a parent did not attend the referral meeting, you may send the DEC 2 home with copies of all paperwork for the parent to sign and return. You will not be able to begin evaluations until that DEC 2 is signed.

DEC 5 - PWN Referral meeting A DEC 5 is the form most used in litigation Parents have one year to contest a decision. It is required for all meetings! You must address proposals and refusals. Check purposes at the top and then address those sections.

DEC 5 Use detailed explanations for proposals and refusals under Sections I. and II. Do not say, “Nothing was rejected.” On Section 4, address other factors, if needed. Be sure to document the date that the decision will be implemented, as well as the date when a copy of the DEC 5 (“Prior Written Notice”) was given to the parents.

Additional forms you may need Referral checklist, EC 300, to send to Mary Cameron Best with all requirements AU checklist and permission to videotape Team Meeting Notes!

Eligibility Meeting- required forms:  DEC 3 worksheet for the suspected category/s  Eligibility Determination  Draft DEC 4 (IEP) if eligible  DEC 5  DEC 6, if placed  Don’t forget Team minutes!

DEC 3 Worksheet Each category or disability area has it’s own worksheet. You must list all information gathered, even if it was not a required evaluation. Summarize information, do not just list scores. Interventions AND outcomes should be described. Secondary classifications may be considered, but you must also complete the worksheet for that classification, too.

Eligibility Determination This is required for all Initial placements, Reevaluations, and Exits. (For SLD, only, all team members must check whether they agree/disagree with the eligibility determination. )

DEC 6 Most important document in an EC folder! Without this document you cannot serve this child in the EC program. The DEC 6 must be signed before services begin.

DEC 5 Eligibility meeting Check all purposes. You will need to check Initial Eligibility, Educational Placement, and Other for the development of the IEP. Be sure to address all proposals and refusals!

Transfers from Outside NC Contact your program specialist for all transfers into our county. Transfers from out of state are considered Initial referrals. If we have current evaluations from the previous state, we may determine eligibility based on those evaluations. Comparable services must be provided until all information is obtained.

CECAS Submit a CECAS form if you do the following: Annual Review Reevaluation Exit Change in Setting Withdrawal Initial placement Deceased Non-placement Addendum Transfer-in Graduation

WE ARE DONE!