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Special Education Process & IEP

Overview

Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. The Parent Training and Information Center for the District of Columbia

Learning Objectives

Explain the governance of schools in D.C.

Understand the purpose of IDEA

Describe the steps in the Special Education Process

List components of the Individualized Education

Program (IEP)

Write effective and measurable IEP goals

Articulate strategies for communicating with schools

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School System Structure &

Governance

In the District of Columbia the public school

system consists of:

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) –

The local traditional public school system.

and

District of Columbia Public Charter Schools

(DCPCS) – Independent non-profits that receive

public funds to provide public education.

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School System Structure and

Governance (cont.)

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education

(OSSE) serves as D.C.’s state education agency.

OSSE is responsible for:

managing, distributing, and monitoring the use of

federal funds across DCPS and public charter

schools.

Setting policy standards for learning, state-wide

assessments, teacher licensure requirements, etc.

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The Special Education Process

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IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA) is the law that provides many

benefits and protections to every eligible child

who has a disability, and to his or her parents.

The major purpose of IDEA is to make a free,

appropriate public education (FAPE)

available to every child who has a disability

(Bateman & Herr, 2003) 6

STEP 1: Child Find The public school agency (DCPS, DC Public Charters, OSSE) is required to

identify, locate and evaluate all children who are disabled and in need of special

education and related services.

The public school agency is also required to identify, locate and evaluate children

who are suspected of being disabled and in need of special education.

A referral for evaluation of a child who may have a disability may be made by:

(1) The parent(s) or legal guardian(s);

(2) A child (self-referral) who is between the ages of 18 and 22 years;

(3) A professional staff employee of the public school agency; or

(4) A staff member of the public school agency who has direct knowledge of the child.

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Child Find Agencies

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Identifies children 0 through 3 years of age

Early Stages: District of Columbia Public Schools Initiative

Identifies children ages 3 through 5

DCPS

Identifies enrolled students ages 3-22. Also identifies parentally

placed students in private schools.

DC Public Charter Schools

Identifies enrolled students ages 3-22

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Example #1 Johnny is a 5th grader at Davis

Elementary School.

You noticed that Johnny never participates when it’s time to read aloud at your afterschool program.

When it’s reading time, Johnny leaves the room to roam the hallways.

When asked if he has homework from school in reading, Johnny always says no.

Johnny’s mother has explained to you that he is in jeopardy of failing in his English class.

How can Child Find help Johnny? What advice would you give to Johnny’s mom?

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STEP 2: Formal Request and Consent to

Evaluate

A Parent or Legal Guardian must give his or her written consent before a

child can be evaluated.

Once the parent submits the written request and consent for evaluation,

the public school agency has 120 days from that date to evaluate the

child.

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Example #2 Susie is a 9th grader at Ballou

Senior High School.

She is having difficulty keeping up with her work in your program.

She has difficulties writing paragraphs and reading aloud.

You believe she may have a learning disability.

What should you do?

What can you do for her in the

classroom?

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STEP 3: Initial Evaluations

Following the formal request

and consent for evaluation

the multidisciplinary team

(MDT) must meet to review

existing data and information

on the child and identify

what evaluations are needed.

Including all areas related to

the suspected disability.

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MDT/IEP Members the child’s parents or legal

guardian

at least one regular education

teacher of the child

at least one special education

teacher of the child

a representative of the public

school agency (can be the special

education coordinator, etc.)

professionals who can interpret the

evaluations to be conducted on the

child (for example, a psychologist,

a speech pathologist, etc.)

and the child if appropriate 13

Susie

Parent/ Guardian

Special Ed. Teacher

Special Ed. Coordinator

Psychologist

Social Worker

Speech Pathologist

Occupational Therapist

Gen. Ed. Teacher

Types of Evaluations

Psychoeducational

general intelligence and academic performance

Clinical Psychological

social and emotional status

Occupational/Physical Therapy

motor abilities

Medical

physical, vision, hearing, psychiatric, neurological

Speech/Language

communication

Vocational

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STEP 4: Eligibility for Special

Education

To be eligible for special education and

related services, a child must be between ages

three (3) and twenty-two (22) and have a

disability that adversely affects his or her

ability to learn or make progress in school.

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Disability Classifications

Autism

Deaf-Blindness

Deafness

Developmental Delay

Emotional Disturbance

(ED)

Hearing Impairment

(HI)

Multiple Disabilities

Orthopedic Impairment

(OI)

Visual Impairment (VI)

Traumatic Brain Injury

Other Health Impairment

(OHI), such as ADHD

Learning Disability (LD)

Speech or Language

Impairment (SI)

Intellectual Disability (ID)

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The MDT must determine eligibility and disability classification.

In determining eligibility, the MDT must draw upon information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests, parent input, teacher recommendations, physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior.

Parents have a right to challenge eligibility, classifications of disability, and/or evaluations.

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Eligibility

If a child is found ineligible, the team should

consider additional options of supports and

accommodations for the child.

Refer to 504 Team to complete eligibility for

Section 504

504 Accommodation Plan

Refer to the Student Support Team (SST)

Student Support Team Plan

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STEP 5: Individualized Education

Program

If it is determined that a child has a disability

and needs special education and related

services, an Individual Education Program

(IEP) must be developed for the child.

An IEP must be developed within 30-days of

determining that a child is eligible for special

education and related services.

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What is an IEP?

The IEP is a written document that outlines

objectives, measurable goals, specialized

instruction and related services for a child’s

unique needs.

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In developing the IEP, the team

should consider: the child’s strengths

concerns of the parent for enhancing the education of the child

results of the initial or most recent evaluation

and as appropriate, the results of the child’s performance on any District-wide assessment programs.

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A Place to Start: Looking at the Present

Level of Academic Achievement/Present

Levels of Performance

Examining evaluation data

Classroom tests

Assessments administered for eligibility purposes

Observations by teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators and parents

OBJECTIVE DATA is necessary!

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What do you do with this data?

By law, this information must be written into the IEP

The team can determine the student’s current academic needs

The team can also determine the student’s functional needs

How are the student’s needs different from expected levels of academic and functional needs?

Team then determines what amount of growth can be expected within one year’s time that will significantly close this gap

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Next Step:

Writing Measurable Annual Goals

These are goals that

can be reasonably

accomplished within a

year

Broken down into

short-term objectives

or benchmarks

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Simply stated….

The annual goals are WHAT we expect the

student to learn or be able to do and

HOW we will know when they have learned

it or can do it

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Measurable Annual Goals

Goals should include academic and functional

areas if needed

Goals may be academic, address behavioral or

social needs

Relate to physical needs

Four key questions to determine if

a goal is measurable

1)What would one do to see if the child has

accomplished this goal?

-To measure is to do something.

2)If several people evaluated the student’s

performance, would they come to the same

conclusion about accomplishment of this

goal?

-If the answer is “no” then not objectively

measurable! 30 27

3)When we measure this goal, are we able to say how

much progress has been made?

-This requires some degree or level of quantification

-Inserting percentages is not enough (Johnny will

read 80% better)

4)Can this goal be measured without additional

information?

-A measurable goal can be measured as it is written

without reference to additional, external information

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Example: Can you tell the

difference? Mary will count to 10 without error

versus

Mary will improve her counting skills

Which can be assessed without additional

information needed? 29

Remember…

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Goals can change in a year if accomplished

sooner or progress is not happening at a rate

expected by the team

Next Step: Related Services The IEP must list the related services to be

provided to the child or on behalf of the child.

This includes supplementary aids and services

that the child needs.

It also includes modifications (changes) to the

program or supports for school personnel-

such as training or professional development-

that will be provided to assist the child.

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Transition Services

Beginning when the child is age 16 (or

younger, if appropriate), the IEP must state

what transition services are needed to help the

child prepare for leaving school.

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Extended School Year Services

Discuss this area with the team to determine if services should be continued beyond the normal school year

If team agrees then the IEP should reflect a continuum of services

Services must meet state standards and not be limited based on students disability

If you have IEP meetings in the fall, you will need to discuss ESY later in the year. Don’t forget!

Role of Parents

Parents must have input into the development of the IEP and have a right to bring an advocate

or anyone else to the IEP meeting.

If there is a disagreement about the IEP, the team should complete as much of the IEP as

possible to ensure the child gets some services while the dispute gets resolved.

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STEP 6: Placement

Once the IEP Team determines the special education

and related services the child needs, the IEP Team

must determine the educational placement of the

child.

The child’s placement must be as close as possible to

the child’s home.

The child must be placed in the Least Restrictive

Environment (LRE).

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Example #3

Sally has been diagnosed with ADHD by her physician and the parent has shared this information with you.

She is constantly running around your classroom and rarely if ever sits still for more than 5 mins.

Based solely on that information, the head teacher wants to put that student out of your program.

Sally has a 504 for accommodations, although no accommodations have been made in your program.

What should you do?

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LRE means:

to the maximum extent appropriate, children

with disabilities are educated with children

who are nondisabled and are removed from

the regular education class only if the nature

or severity of the child’s disability is such that

education in the regular classes, with the use

of supplementary aids and services, cannot be

achieved.

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Placement cont.

If the public school agency cannot provide a child

with the services required by the child’s IEP, the IEP

team can consider having the child placed into a

private placement at public expense.

Parents have the right to challenge any proposed

placement and the child has the right to stay in his or

her last current placement while the dispute gets

resolved.

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STEP 7: Annual Review

A child’s IEP and placement must be reviewed at

least once a year.

The purpose of the annual review is to determine the

child’s progress, to modify or develop a new IEP,

and to revisit the student’s disability classification

and placement level.

Note - Parents may request a review at any time

during the year.

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Example #4 Johnny has an IEP. He has a

classification of emotional disturbance.

You don’t know what his disability is. All you know is that he has trouble following directions from people who he perceives to be in an authoritative position.

Do you need more information? What are some next steps? What accommodations can be made for him in your program?

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STEP 8: Triennial Review

A child must be fully reevaluated every three (3) years, unless

the parent and the public school agency agree that a

reevaluation is not necessary

The purpose of the triennial review is to reconfirm the child’s

disability, instruction and related service needs

Note – Parents may request reevaluations at any time during

the three year period if there are concerns; however, a

reevaluation may not occur more than once a year unless the

parent and the public school agency agree otherwise.

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Parent’s Permission

No services

can be

provided to a

student without

parental

consent

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Wrap Up

IEP development requires

teamwork

Goals must be measurable

Goals can be changed

Progress must be reported

to the parent

Parents, know your rights

Parents and Professionals,

know IDEA requirements

for IEPs

As a professional working

with students, review the

students’ IEP including

PLOP.

Provide accommodations

and modifications that are

identified in the IEP to the

student in your afterschool

program.

Communicate with parent

frequently about the child’s

progress.

Resources

“Writing Measurable

IEP Goals and

Objectives,” by

Barbara D. Bateman

and Cynthia M. Herr

(2003)

www.ed.gov

www.ldonline.org

www.wrightslaw.com

“Developing

Educationally

Meaningful & Legally

Sound IEPs,” by

Mitchell L. Yell, Ph.D.

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BREAK!!!!!!!!!!

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Managing Difficult Behaviors and Developing Positive

Behavior Intervention Plans

Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. The Parent Training and Information Center for the District of Columbia

There is logic behind the behaviors

of children. The challenge is to

understand its context.

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Problem Behaviors are Context Related They arise in response to environmental events

Classroom Environment Noise

Disruptions

Temperature

Child Specific Conditions Medication Effects Peer Issue Allergies Anxiety Fatigue

New Person Teacher Interaction

Instruction Work too hard/easy Transitions

Length of Assignments No Choices

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Problem Behaviors Serve a Function

What a child does is not necessarily related to the function of the behavior.

To get something: To escape or avoid something:

▪Attention ▪attending school

▪Approval ▪peers or adults

▪Reward

Power ▪doing work

To have control

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Whose Problem Is It?

The problem is not just with the child, but in the

relationships between the child and the

environment.

Interventions must involve the school and home

environment as a whole, not the child alone.

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What are positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS)?

PBIS is:

A research-based approach to eliminate problem behavior

based on the assumption that children and youth can

develop new behavioral skills when adults:

TEACH the expected behaviors

RECOGNIZE AND REWARD those behaviors

when they occur, and

CONSISTENTLY ENFORCE MEANINGFUL

CONSEQUENCES when they don’t occur.

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KEEP IT POSITIVE

Repeated punishment does not help children

develop appropriate behavior skills

PBIS is a better solution

A positive intervention plan is NOT the same as a discipline plan!

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Be sure the expectation is positive!

“once you have finished

reading, you may move on to

art”

“you cannot move onto art

until the reading is finished….”

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GOAL: Changing Behavior

Teach or Re-teach the

behavior

Provide Meaningful Incentives

Provide Meaningful

Consequences

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TEACH EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Begin with simple, broad rules.

Be safe, be responsible, be respectful.

Describe what each of those means.

Clearly state the expectation.

Provide examples of appropriate behavior.

Provide examples of inappropriate behavior.

Re-teach expectations regularly.

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Do what you do best: Be a Teacher!

Discuss and model the expected behaviors

to use:

In the classroom

In the locations where specific behavior is

expected

Re-teach regularly and when necessary.

Keep the expectation positive.

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Provide Meaningful Incentives

Teaching is not enough to change

behavior.

Children need to be recognized and

rewarded when they meet expectations.

Positive recognition must occur at least

four times as frequently as negative

recognition for behavior change to occur.

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Example #5

Bobby has some behavioral problems (frequent tantrums,

doesn’t listen, may run off)

We are going on a field trip to the National Zoo

Need one person to play “Bobby”

One person to play “Teacher”

One person to play the “Assistant Teacher”

One person to play the “Parent”

How do we prepare Bobby for the field trip? Do we make

mandatory for the parents to attend the trip or do we say

Bobby has to stay at home? What supports can we put in

place for Bobby? 58

Enforce Logical Consequences for Negative Behaviors

Logical Consequences should:

Be stated clearly in advance

Be understood

Be enforced consistently

Apply to all in a classroom

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In Summary

Changing behavior through PBIS takes the effort of a “village.”

Research and best practices consistently support family involvement as a key component to school success.

Partnership between families and schools promotes a clear message of shared responsibility involvement.

“No matter what the demographics, students are more likely

to earn higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, graduate, and go on to post secondary education when schools and families partner.” (Karen Mapp, Family Involvement Equals Student Success No Matter Background, 2006)

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FBA and IDEA

Under IDEA, children must be evaluated

in “all areas related to the suspected

disability”

If a child has problem behaviors that

are not improving, the child may need

an evaluation to examine the behaviors

more closely.

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Behavior Intervention Plan

The child’s team develops a plan that usually includes:

Skills training to increase appropriate behavior

Changes that will be made in classrooms or other environments to reduce or eliminate problem behaviors

Strategies to replace problem behaviors with appropriate behaviors that serve the same function for the child

Supports for the child to use the appropriate behaviors 62

Examples of behavioral intervention strategies

Stop, Relax, and Think

Teaches children how to think about the problem they

are having and find a solution.

Children learn the steps:

1. Define the problem

2. Decide who “owns” the problem

3. Think of as many solutions as possible to solve the

problem

4. Select a solution to try

5. Use the solution

6. Evaluate its success. 63

More examples…

Planned Ignoring

Useful in stopping behaviors that are

annoying.

Should never be used for unsafe

behaviors

Not suitable for extremely disruptive

behavior.

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More examples…

Preventive Cueing (signal interference)

Frown

Shake their head

Make eye contact

Point to a seat for a wandering child

Snap their fingers

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More examples... Proximity Control

Teacher moves closer to the child in a

gentle way

If the teacher does not get the child’s

attention by using cues, then he or she

may move closer to the student or give

the lesson while standing near the child’s

desk

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More examples… Humor

Directed either at the teacher or the

situation—never at the child—can defuse

tensions as well as redirect children.

Humor must never be used to demean a

child or be used in a manner that might

encourage others in the class to ridicule

the child.

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More examples…

Nonverbal Warnings

Give a child the opportunity to regain control

without being singled out for a verbal

reprimand.

For example, a teacher might place a colored

warning cue card or a note on a desk as he or

she moves through the room, or hold up the

number of fingers that corresponds to the rule

being challenged.

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More examples… Discipline Privately

Many children see it as a challenge

when teachers attempt to discipline

them in front of their peers.

Children rarely lose these

challenges, even when adults use

negative consequences

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Teach Children to self Manage Behavior

Homework and school work

Time management- Define and teach routines the child will use

Provide a checklist of activities that child can mark off as

completed

Begin on time

Have materials ready

Stay with task until completed

ATTITUDE

Be respectful (demonstrate!)

Have materials ready for the work being addressed 70

School Discipline

Sometimes school discipline

policies are not successful in

correcting problem behaviors

The child does not learn what the

school staff intended through the

use of punishments such as

suspension 71

Zero-Tolerance Policies Defined as consistently enforced

suspension and expulsion policies in response to weapons, drugs and violent acts in the school setting.

Over time, however, zero tolerance has come to refer to school or district-wide policies that mandate predetermined, typically harsh consequences or punishments (such as suspension and expulsion) for a wide degree of rule violation.

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However, research indicates that, as implemented, zero tolerance policies are ineffective in the long run and are related to a number of negative consequences:

increased rates of school drop out and

discriminatory application of school discipline practices.

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Take away…

Children with disabilities SHOULD be

included in after-school activities

If you know a student has an IEP, 504, or a

BIP you may need to incorporate this

information/strategies into your programming

in order to support the child

Remember that it takes a village to raise a

child

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For More Information Visit: www.pbis.org

Website: www.aje-dc.org Call or Visit AJE!

The Campbell Building, 1012 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (near Eastern Market) Office: (202) 678-8060 Hours: M – F; 9am to 5pm (some Extended Library hours-see calendar)

The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education. However,

those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not

assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

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