Marlene M. Dodyk Director of Student Services Wayland Public Schools

There is an increased rate of referrals for special education and the numbers of students on IEPs over the past five years within the Wayland Public Schools.

 CARE: Numbers of students identified with special educational needs on IEPs increasing over past five years  RELATE: Superintendent, Asst. Superintendent, Business Manager, Principals, School Committee, Curriculum Specialists, Parents, Regular and Special Education Teachers, Director of Student Services  EXAMINE: The numbers of students (percentages) on IEPs has increased over the past five years. (FY %)  FY09 statistics indicate 18.8%:  Approx. 20% - Elementary Level  Approx. 21% - Middle School Level  Approx. 17% - High School Level  ACQUIRE: Time and assistance of special education administrative assistants, meeting time with regular education and special education staff and curriculum specialists, meeting time with principals, focus groups with parents from Special Education Parent Advisory Council

 Data Collection: Referral- reason, source, grade, teacher, outcome  Inventory of Pre-Referral Interventions  Inventory of Response to Intervention Programs and Outcomes (Needs Met/Referrals)  Focus Groups- Perceptions of regular/special education teachers, principals, curriculum specialists, parents

 Data Collected for ( as of 12/2/09) Kindergarten School- 1 school referral- 1 IEP Elementary School #1- 9 referrals (5 school/4 parent)-2 IEPs, Plan Elementary School #2- 8 referrals (8 parent)- 2 FNSN, 1 IEP Middle School – 3 referrals (1 school/2 parents) High School- 13 referrals (4 school/9 parents)- 5 IEPs, 1 FNSN  Summary  Grades K- 5: Referrals (18)- 6 school/12 parent- 3 IEPs, 2 FNSN,  Grades 6-8: Referrals (3)- 1 school/2 parents  Grades 9-12: Referrals (13)- 4 school/9 parents- 5 IEPs, 1 FNSN

 Study/Focus Groups- Meet in Dec./Jan to share results of data, inventories of pre-referral interventions and Response to Intervention Programs  Study results and formulate recommendations and plan for future implementation  Share results with Administration and School Committee  Hold Parent Informational Forums to share information and to clarify and address perceptions

 Need additional time for meeting and processing problem to develop consensus  Regular/Special Education staff invested in process once input and voices felt heard  Collaboration possibly “meant” validation of perception  Professional development essential to increased capacity