CUI 4450 Education and Psychology of Exceptional Children June 19, 2012 IEP Process IEP Process and Components of an IEP Special Factors

Big Ideas IEP Process Components of an IEP In the forth session on this class we are going to concentrate on two big ideas The IEP Process, and Components of an IEP

Two Sections of IDEA Part C 3-21 year old IEP Part B B-3 years old ISFP This is to explain the two parts of IDEA that pertain to special educators. Part C is a new addition to the law that covers birth to 3 years old. What we need to note is that these services in Colorado are provided by the Department of Health and Human Services through community boards. In Denver this is through Denver Options. The qualification is not the same as part B services. These families are served at home through an Individual Services Family Plan. Once they turn 2.9, if the ISFP team feels the child needs to continue services, must be evaluated by the part B services which is managed by the Public School system. The children must qualify under IDEA part B and are served in public School (not home). There is a limited amount of support that can be provided to private settings as well.

Two ways to start the IEP process: Parent Request Parent make the request Safeguards are provided and explained to the parent Parents sign permission to Evaluate There are two ways to initiate the IEP process when a student is experiencing academic or social emotional problems. The first process is initiated when the parent requests an evaluation. A parent can request this of the school district when their child turns 3 years old all the way to before they turn 21 years old. After the parent makes the request, then Parent/Student safeguards are provided and explained to the parent before they sign permission to evaluate. The permission to evaluate is called consent. It becomes informed consent after the parents have been explained their procedural safeguards.

Procedural Safeguards Small groups Each group takes one “Big Idea” from the Procedural Safeguards and will create a non-linguistic representation of the safeguard to explain the safeguard Share out with the rest of the groups

Evaluation Process 60 Formal Informal Classroom measures Education Communication Cognitive Social Health Once the school receives the permission to evaluate, they have 60 days to complete the evaluation. The clock doesn’t start clicking based on the date of the permission but when the school physically receives the signed permission. A multidisciplinary team, which includes the parents, will conduct the assessments that must include information about Educational Performance, Communication ability, Cognitive Skills, Social Emotional Functioning and Health concerns. Multiple measures must be used to collect a baseline of information. This might include formal, informal and classroom measures.

Multidisciplinary Team Members of the multidisciplinary team includes parents, general educators, special educators, therapist (such as speech language pathologists, motor therapists, psychologists and social workers), and nurses and/or audiologists

Determination of Eligibility 30 DPS procedure requires the entire process to be completed within 60 days. After the evaluations are completed, the IEP team has 30 days to hold an IEP meeting to determine if the child has an educational disability. This is called an Initial IEP meeting. Remember that congress established the law and each state must ratify the law. After this ratification the states department of education establishes the rules. CDE follows the federal guidelines that the evaluaiton must be completed in 60 days and an IEP conduced within 30 days, for a total of 90 days. The district must meet or exceed these rules. Denver Public School policy requires the evaluation and initial IEP to occur within 60 days.

Two ways to start the IEP process: Non- Parent Request Not in School Private School Teacher The other way to start the IEP process is through a referral from someone who is not the parent. This might include someone from the community like a pediatrician or someone from the school. When someone outside the public school makes a referral, it is usually because the child is not in school or are attending private school. The referral is made to the districts Child Find office. They are responsible for the evaluation and IEP process. If the child is in school, then usually the referral is made by the classroom teacher. Then the schools follows a pre-referral proccess Child Find School based referral process

Child Find Responsibility Schools are required to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. The Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a State, including children who attend private schools and public schools, highly mobile children, migrant children, homeless children, and children who are wards of the state. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)) This includes all children who are suspected of having a disability, including children who receive passing grades and are "advancing from grade to grade." (34 CFR 300.111(c)) The law does not require children to be "labeled" or classified by their disability. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(B); 34 CFR 300.111(d)).

W.B. v Matula (1995) School did not offer to help. Before E. J. entered 1st grade, mother shared concerns (ADHD) Parent persisted , but still no offer of help Parents did private evaluation School refused and parents sued the school district This court case set the interpretation of the Child Find mandate in IDEA. W. B. v. Matula, 67 F.3d. 484 (3rd Cir. 1995) Before E.J. entered first grade, his mother went to the school and shared concerns about her son with the school principal, Ms. Matula and others. The school did not offer any help. The mother continued to talk with school personnel, including the principal, the school nurse, the first and second grade teachers, and the guidance counselor for months. Despite the parent's repeated requests for help, the school refused to evaluate the child. Finally, the mother took E.J. to a private psychologist for an evaluation. The psychologist found that E.J. had several serious neurological problems. The school refused to reimburse Ms. B. for the independent evaluation that described serious problems that were affecting E.J.'s ability to learn. The school continued to stonewall, refusing to provide E.J. with any assistance. The mother requested a due process hearing to request reimbursement for the evaluation and to force the school to help her child. When E.J. entered second grade, the school was still withholding help. The case was appealed to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The Court found that monetary damages were available as a remedy under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and under Section 1983. The Court held that there is nothing to suggest that relief under the law is limited in any way. Parents took in the evaluation and asked for reimbursement Child had a neurological disorder that impacted learning

Pre-referral Process in DPS Teacher collects classroom data including interventions tried Teacher refers to the Student Intervention Team that includes the parents to establish a 30 day plan Intervention is implemented If unsuccessful then begin the referral process Pre-referral Process in DPS IEP SIT Tier 2 Intervention Tier 3 Intervention Teacher gathers student performance data and completes classroom interventions, consulting with other professionals as needed. Teacher notifies and invites parent, and completes referral to the Student Intervention Team (SIT) to discuss concerns, define interventions, and determine method of regular progress monitoring and data collection. Schedule a follow-up meeting to review data and response to interventions no less than 30 days from initial meeting. If student does not respond adequately to intervention, then: A referral conference is scheduled with the parent(s) and school staff who have knowledge of the child’s performance. During the referral conference all pertinent information is reviewed and additional strategies for meeting the child’s needs in the general education setting are identified. The referral meetings with the Student Intervention team might recommend trying another intervention or refer for special education testing. We will go over this process under SLD in more detail tomorrow .

Evaluation Process 60 Formal Informal Classroom measures More interventions Education Communication Cognitive Social Health If the Student Interventions Team decided to refer the student then the process is just like when the parent requests and evaluation. The parents are explained their procedural safeguards and are provided with a permission to test. Once the school receives the permission to evaluate, they have 60 days to complete the evaluation. For certain disabling conditions such as a specific learning disability and significantly identifiable emotional disability require additional interventions and data collection as a part of the evaluation, particularly if the Student Intervention Team didn’t collect the needed data to qualify the student with a disability.

Basic IEP Quiz Part C of IDEA serves children at what age range? What are the two types of referrals for Part B services under IDEA? Once a school receives permission to evaluate from the parent, how many days do they have to complete the evaluations? What five domains must an IEP team evaluate? After the evaluations are completed, how many days does the IEP team have to conduct an IEP? What is the policy in DPS? What is the basic pre-referral process once a teacher suspects a concern? First take the quiz with out looking at your notes or the book. then we will go over the answers as a class. If you are wrong then cross out the wrong answer (don’t erase) and write in the correct answer.

The IEP Child Centered Shared Responsibility Special Education is a service not a place Job: determine Least Restrictive Environment with emphasis on general education Strengths and Needs Hopes and dreams after school is complete (even as young as 3 years old) There are many ideas of how to run an IEP meeting but there are critical ideas to remember. The IEP must be child centered and all conversations are about the student. We must go into the IEP meetings keeping in mind that this is a shared responsibility. Special educations is a service not a place. Remember that our purpose is to determine the least restrictive environment with emphasis on general education. The IEP must address students strengths and needs always keeping in mind that we are ultimately planning for life after school.

8 Required Components of Every IEP Transition Date Rational Progress PLAAFP Accommodations Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Measureable Goals and objectives (for students on alternative testing) How progress on the goals will be measured and the frequency of the measurement Services: What services and supplementary aids are needed for the student to show progress and access the core curriculum Rational for why a student receives services outside the general education classroom Accommodations and modifications that allow the student to participate and access core curriculum Date when services begin along with frequency/duration for student 16+ a transition plan for life after public school Pass out a copy of the DPS IEP forms. Have them spend time doing a scavenger hunt through the DPS IEP forms looking for the corresponding 8 components GOALS Services

8 Components of an IEP: PLAAFP Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Observation/background information Present academic/functional performance Interpretation Recommendations Strengths Needs For this next section, you will need to download and print a blank copy of the DPS IEP forms that are created in the online software called Encore. After we review each section then please pause this presentation and look though the DPS IEP forms to find the corresponding pages. When you resume the presentation, you will be asked a quick quiz question based on what you read on that page. The first component we are going to go over is called the PLAAFP or the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. This is the report of the information collected during the evaluation process. It must contain four components including observations and back ground information, present academic and functional performance, an interpretation of the present performance, and recommendations. In this report you must address the child’s strengths and needs that were found during the data collection phase. You must also address the necessary information used to determine the primary and secondary disabling conditions. In the DPS IEP forms there are different PLAAFP reports for the different domains that are looked at during the evaluation phase. Pause this presentation and look through the DPS IEP forms and find one of the PLAAFP reports. Read through this form.

Quick Quiz Besides the necessary information discussed in the previous slide, what four bits of information is required on the DPS IEP PLAAFP form? A. Name of the evaluator and the evaluator’s qualifications B. The student’s id number C. Evaluation, name of evaluator, title of evaluator, and date D. Name of all formal evaluations Besides the necessary information discussed in the previous slide, what four bits of information is required on the DPS IEP PLAAFP form? A. Name of the evaluator and the evaluator’s qualifications B. The student’s id number C. Evaluation, name of evaluator, title of evaluator, and date D. Name of all formal evaluations The correct answer is C. Actually this is very important information. Remember how many days a team has to complete an evaluation? They must complete the evaluation within 60 days. The date will prove it was completed within 60 days. Also the evaluators must be the person who has a duty to do the evaluation. It is inappropriate for the principal to do the communication evaluations, because they don’t have the duty to do this evaluation.

Measurable Quantifiable Aligned to standards Objectives 8 Components of an IEP: Measureable Goals and How to Report on the Goals Measurable Quantifiable Aligned to standards All IEP’s must contain measureable goals. The goals should be based on the needs identified in the PLAAPF. The goals must also be measureable. This means quantifiable. This means there are numbers in the goals to show measurement. Goals must also be aligned to the state/district standards, thus showing process towards the expectations that all students must achieve. Goals might also have objectives to meet these goals, which are only required for students who qualify for the state alternative testing. Pause this presentation and look through the DPS IEP forms and find one of the goal pages. Read through this form. Objectives

Academic Goals (SMART); Progress

Quick Quiz IDEA requires IEP teams to report on the progress of the measurable goals. DPS requires all IEP teams to report on progress on goals during each report card cycle. According to the goals forms in the DPS IEP, how many times could you report on progress of goals? A. 12 B. 8 C. 4 D. 2 IDEA requires IEP teams to report on the progress of the measurable goals. DPS requires all IEP teams to report on progress on goals during each report card cycle. According to the goals forms in the DPS IEP, how many times could you report on progress of goals? A. 12 B. 8 C. 4 D. 2 The correct answer is 8. Although there are 8 times you could report on progress, DPS requires a narrative report on progress towards the goals, rather than a status reports of mastered, no progress, progress, regression and not introduced. These are not parent friendly terms and don’t really tell us what is happening with this child.

8 Components of an IEP: Services, Supplemental Supports and Aids As we have talked about previously, IEP’s must address services, supplemental supports and aids. Pause this presentation and look through the DPS IEP forms and find one two different pages. One is called Special Education and Related Servies and the other one lists accommodations and modifications. Read through this form.

8 Components of an IEP: Services, Supplemental Supports and Aids Here is where you will list the services to be provided This portion of the IEP is where you list the services to be provided to the students.

8 Components of an IEP: Services, Supplemental Supports and Aids Additional supports and aids depending on specific needs Some specific needs identified by the IEP team can be described here. Some students requires special transportation, because they cannot get to school in the same manner as a typical child. Transportation can be a related service. Learning media plans are for students with a visual disability. The communication plan is for students with a hearing loss. Assistive technology must be described in detail. Student with adaptive behavior concerns due to social emotional or cognitive needs must have a plan. Health care plans are developed for medical needs. Finally, the team needs to determine if they qualify for an extended school year, also known as summer school.

8 Components of an IEP: Rational Statement for Pulling out of General Education There must be “ an explanation of the extent that the student will not participate with children without disabilities in the regular classroom, extracurricular and nonacademic activities and other general curriculum activities.” So remember, there must be an explanation of the extent that the student will not participate with children without disabilities in the regular classroom, extracurricular and nonacademic activities and other general curriculum activities. Look through the DPS IEP forms to find where this rational statement will occur.

Quick Quiz The rational statement in the DPS IEP forms is located on which page? A. Special Education and Related Services B. Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance C. Extended School Year Determination D. Annual Review The rational statement in the DPS IEP forms is located on which page? A. Special Education and Related Services B. Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance C. Extended School Year Determination D. Annual Review The correct answer is A. It is located on the bottom on the page under a section called Least Restrictive Environment

8 Components of an IEP: Accommodations Here is the accommodations and modifications page in the DPS IEP Forms. The most common accommodations are listed with blank sections for customization.

8 Components of an IEP: Date services begin, frequency and duration For this one we go back to the Special Education and Related Services. Here is where we document when services begin, the frequency of the services, typically per week, and how long the services will occur. This is also where we indicate which services will be indirect, direct inside the general education classroom or direct outside the general education classroom.

8 Components of an IEP: Transition Plan Transition services for post secondary must begin at 16 year old. Transition services for post secondary must being t 16 years old. Pause this presentation and look through the DPS IEP forms and find the transition pages. Read through this form.

Quick Quiz According to the information on the transition pages, which one is optional or when appropriate? A Assessments B. Post secondary education C. Career and employment D. Adult Independent Living According to the information on the transition pages, which one is optional or when appropriate? A Assessments B. Post secondary education C. Career and employment D. Adult Independent Living The correct answer is D. This is only necessary if it is a need.

Legal Briefs related to the IEP In small groups you will receive a legal president set by a court with regards to special education. Your task is to review the court case, summarize in one paragraph and explain the outcomes and how this has an impact on special education in the classroom today. Tell the story, what the court decided and it’s impact on the classroom/iep process today.