Special Education: Improving Learning for Students with Special Needs and Following the Rules
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Transcript of Special Education: Improving Learning for Students with Special Needs and Following the Rules
Special Education: Improving Learning for Students with Special Needs and Following the Rules
Lori A. Porsch
Curriculum/Special Educ. Director
Storm Lake Community Schools
Every thing you don’t want to know about special education…
But need to hear to survive as a building principal!
Course Objectives
Best practices in problem-solving Overview of IDEA/State Regs Concepts of FAPE, LRE, IEP Procedural safeguards and due process
requirements for special education-especially discipline policy
Identify current trends in educational strategies for students with disabilities
“Child Find is a serious civil rights issue.” Dr. Marty Ikeda, 2010
A Message From the Bureau Chief for the Child Find Team
Child find is a serious civil rights issue.
Our obligation starts with the right to evaluation, identification, and placements when circumstances warrant it. Students with disabilities are a protected class of individuals who have rights that must be protected and their identified needs addressed. Students with disabilities deserve an equal opportunity for life success regardless of disability status.
Dr. Marty Ikeda, 2010
To locate, identify and evaluate individuals with disabilities
To determine the educational needs of individuals with disabilities
Purposes of Child Find
Progress
Discrepancy
Needs
ELIGIBILITY IN IOWA
Educational Progress
Educational Discrepancy
Educational Needs
Eligibility Decision
Tells us whether or not interventions require special education resources.
Tells us how student responds to intervention.
Tells if student is different from standards of comparison and unique compared to peers.
Tells us what and how to teach.
ELIGIBILITY DECISION
Required Documentation for the PROGRESS Component What is the child’s rate of skill acquisition?
What is the expected rate of skill acquisition (standard and/or peers)?
Based on the previous two questions what can the team predict about the amount of time it will take for the child to reach the standards and “catch up” with his/her peers?
Under what conditions did the child experience the most growth?
IMPLEMENTATION INTEGRITY
Was the intervention implemented as designed?
Helps distinguish between an ineffective intervention and a poorly implemented intervention ●Consider
implementation integrity in combination with student progress data
UNIQUENESS MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DETERMINING DISCREPANCY
Uniqueness specifically refers to a comparison with local peers
AND Comparing the
individual to others with similar experiences
What does it mean to be unique?
Discrepant vs. UniqueDiscrepantDiscrepancy can be determined compared to any standard, including; national standards, benchmarks, etc.
Ex. DIBELS score is in the “Well-below Benchmark” range
UniqueUniqueness specifically refers to a comparison with local peers and…Comparing the student to others with similar experiences
Ex. DIBELS score is below the other 3 students in the group.
ANALYSIS OF EVALUATION DATA
Review
Interview
Observation
Test/Tasks
Statement of Individual’s
Educational Needs
Instruction
Curriculum
Environment
Learner
Procedures Manual 2010
Exclusionary Factors
The Purpose of Considering The Purpose of Considering Exclusionary FactorsExclusionary FactorsExamination of exclusionary factors assures that students are not identified as disabled because:they have not had access to the curriculum and appropriate instruction as well as the opportunity to learn,
orthey have been affected by a circumstance that is clearly not a disabling condition (e.g., limited English proficiency).
Exclusionary Factors:Exclusionary Factors:Access and OpportunityAccess and Opportunity
Appropriate Instruction in Math and/or Reading
Limited English Proficiency Cultural Factors,
Environmental or Economic Disadvantage
Eligibility DecisionEligibility Decision
Educational Progress
Educational Discrepancy
Educational Needs
Eligibility Decision
Tells us whether or not interventions require special education resources.
Tells us how student responds to intervention.
Tells if student is different from standards of comparison and unique compared to peers.
Tells us what and how to teach.
ELIGIBILITY DECISION
Does Not Demonstrate a Disability
Demonstrates a Disability
Do
es
No
t D
em
on
stra
te N
ee
dD
em
on
s tra
tes
Ne
ed
GeneralEducationServices
General Education Services
With or Without 504Accommodations
General Education Services with
Additional Supports
Special EducationServices
and Supports
Conclusion: High Stakes DecisionConclusion: High Stakes Decision
“Child Find is a serious civil rights issue.” Dr. Marty Ikeda, 2010
Components of a Response to Intervention Model
Accountability Multiple tiers of intervention Evidence based interventions Progress monitoring with an evaluation process for
change and decision-making Decision-making at all levels driven by the child’s
response to an intervention Problem solving
General Education Intervention
Involves LEA and AEA resources when a concern is identified
Is a process to find interventions and strategies to help all students be successful (may include GT or ELL students)
Utilizes Response to Intervention components
Has a record form
Problem-solving systems in your own school districts
Discuss with partner/table how you handle Child Study Process - when, who involved, documentation, parent involvement
Individuals with Disability Education Act
Federal legislation – original law in 1975 with reauthorizations in 1990,1997 and 2004;
Interpretations from federal Department of Education and Office of Special Education (OSEP)
Translated into state regulations from Iowa Department of Education
Key Parts of IDEA
Eligibility- interpreted by state and AEA Disability areas – no child uneducable
– Cedar Rapids CSD vs. Garrett F. (1997) Ages birth to 21 years old Determined by multidisciplinary IEP team Reevaluation every three years- to confirm
eligibility and programming Due process rights for parents
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Every child under IDEA and 504 is eligible to receive a free, appropriate public education
Public Education
School where students without disabilities attend
Typically means preschool, elementary, middle or high school environment
Children with disabilities placed by parents in private schools do NOT have a right to FAPE –it suffices that it is offered by public school at one of there facilities
Appropriate Education
Determined on case by case basis Student to receive “educational benefit” –
not the provision of the best possible education
Does not stipulate methodology – parents have a right to advocate that their children be successful – not how to do it.
Funding may not be an issue
Individualized Education Programs Written document Developed collaboratively by team
including parents Binding agreement as to delivery of
services to students Must correlate with standards and
benchmarks of general curriculum Year in duration
IEP Considerations
Inclusion of general education perspective Parental participation Due process rights to notify and inform
parents; initial consent Determine services needed first, then
placement Specifics of what will be delivered If you include it—it must be done!
Least Restrictive Environment LRE is legal mandate that requires that students
with disabilities receive their education in the regular classroom environment to the maximum extent appropriate
Targets segregated or special schools and classes Terms “mainstreaming” and “inclusion” have no
legal standing Instruction needs to have relationship to general
education expectations (i.e. Standards/Benchmarks)
When are schools not required to have students in general ed Student not receiving sufficient education
benefit even with provision of supplementary aids and services
Placement would substantially interfere with learning of others – teacher time or disruptive behavior
Require so much curriculum modification that programming altered significantly
Other LRE considerations
Applies to extracurricular activities and nonacademic services
Does not preclude provision of “continuum of services” by district
Does necessitate that districts move to more restrictive placement with parental due process rights and notification
Other IEP considerations
Transportation Assistive Technology District-wide Assessment Transition
Discussion
What IEP questions or concerns have come up in your experience?
Due Process
Principal vehicle for resolving disputes between parents and school districts concerning identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE
Complaint filed by parent May result in mediation or hearing Includes “stay-put placement”
Special Education Finance
Federal responsibility
State guidelines
Federal IDEA Funding
Currently about 17% Part B money – 50/50 split with AEAs Current plan in Iowa to be spent to curtail
budget deficits and utilized for salaries Based on eligible identified students
State Guidelines
Level of weighting determined by AEA special education director or his/her designee
Based on level of service provision determined by staffing team
Level I – 1.72, Level II – 2.21, Level III – 3.74
Provisions for high costs students (over $30,000) to apply to state for assistance
Discipline Procedures and Special Education
How to stay out of due process and still run your school program
IDEA and Discipline
Disciplinary code may apply if not ruled as result of their disability
Cannot exceed 10 days of in or out of school suspension; Best practice to reconvene IEP team to determine appropriateness of program by day 7
May not pursue expulsion without safeguards If serious safety issues involved (weapons, drugs,
alcohol) should convene team to complete Manifestation Determination
Should have in place…
When behavior becomes issue for student with disability, complete Functional Behavioral Assessment (FuBA)
Behavioral intervention plans for students with significant behavioral issues in school (BIP)
Consideration for development school-wide of positive behavioral supports for these students as well general education
Zero Tolerance and the Law
Stay put unless concern for safety of others and must be done within IEP staffing process
Conduct Manifestation Determination with IEP team
If not result of their disability, may pursue expulsion
If result of disability, an interim alternative educational setting for up to 45 days
Must consider FAPE for alternative program
Highly Qualified Personnel
Interface of NCLB and IDEA 2004 Elementary teachers must hold elementary
endorsement and special ed. Endorsement Middle/High School
– Must hold spec. ed. Endorsement– Core content endorsement for each subject
taught– Provide consultative or co-teaching services
Differentiated Instruction
“While we are all in the same room--we are not in the same place.”
Bob Garmston
Differentiated teaching and learning is the proactive use of a wide repertoire of curricular and instructional approaches which are consistently used with students with diverse needs, abilities, strengths, experiences, and interests in order to best support their learning.
“Parents are sending us the best kids they have--they aren’t keeping the good kids at home.”
Larry Lazotte
“We’ve been shooting water guns in education-a small stream of water down the middle of the class.
We’ve got to figure out how to be oscillating sprinklers-and know where to put the soak hoses from time to time.”
School Administrator
Essential Elements of DI
Proactive More qualitative than quantitative. Provides multiple approaches to content,
process, product and assessment. Student centered-Teacher directed Blend of whole class, small group and
individualized instruction.
Underlying Premise:
All students can learn--
But not all students can learn everything.
Looking at Differentiated Lessons
Seven Myths of Learning Some portion of our anatomy must be in contact with a chair
at all times. The person who does the most listening does the most
learning. The best way to teach is to be a “sage on the stage” and
lecture. If we’d only listen, we’d learn more. The more “serious” the learning, the more we will remember. Fun is marginal to learning. The only person who should give information is the teacher.
Brain-Compatible Instruction
Focus on student understanding Active learning Authentic tasks Limit instruction to important ideas Overall-meaningful, relevant and hook to
prior knowledge Non-threatening environment
Lecture 5%
Reading 10%
Audio-Visual 20%
Demonstration 30%
Discussion 50%
Practice by Doing 75%
Teach Others /Use 95%
Principles of Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Guiding Questions Should challenge the best students Motivate those not terribly interested in
school Include students with extraordinary needs What you expect students to remember
from this unit now? ….a year from now?
Differentiated Teaching and Learning
Identify key concepts, guiding principles or essential questions, and desired outcomes.
Differentiate levels of student understanding within the identified key concepts, principles or questions and outcomes.
(Robi Kronberg)
Differentiation (Continued)
Determine which skills are important for the students to learn, review and apply.
If relevant to your particular context, identify which district objectives or standards might interface with the unit or topical area. (Robi Kronberg)
Differentiation (continued)
Given the range of student needs, abilities, strengths and experiences, determine how students can best learn about the identified concepts, principles, or essential questions.– Select product options that will encourage
students to apply their learning from the unit as well as integrating the knowledge and skills from the unit with previous knowledge and experience.
(Robi Kronberg)
Differentiation (continued)
Select formative and summative assessment approaches that can be used throughout the unit to provide helpful feedback to both students and staff.
(Robi Kronberg)
Think-Pair-Share
What’s one new concept you learned about differentiating instruction?
Assistive Technology
IDEA, Title 34, CFR, Sec 300.308
Each public agency (school) shall ensure AT when required by a child’s IEP: special education,related services, supplemental aids and services
Schools Must Provide AT to ensure FAPE Access issue-Able to participate in
education Not just to utilize as an instructional
strategy No cost to parents Maintenance for devices Does not apply to surgically implanted
devices (cochlear implants)
Addressing Assistive Technology on the IEP
A Flowchart of Primary Questions
Step #1
“What is it we want the child to be able to do within the educational setting that he/she isn’t able to do because of his/her disability?”
Step #2
“What has been tried to meet the special education need?
Step #3 ASK - “Is it Working?” Yes, is is working. Action: Provide
documentation and evidence to support conclusion.
No, it is not working. Action: Proceed to
Step #4.
Step #4 Ask the questions... “What was tried?” “How long was it tried?” “How was it tried?” “What were the results?”
Step #5
“Do we, as the IEP team, have the necessary knowledge and resources to continue to try and meet student’s special ed. needs?”
Step #5 Yes, we do. Action: Develop a
plan of action to meet the specific needs of the student.
No, we do not. Action: Seek
additional assistance.
Step #6 Ask... “What will be tried?” “Under what conditions will it be tried?” “In what environment will it be tried?” “What is the criteria for determining
whether or not the need is being met?”
Determining Effectiveness Increased independence Task mastery Rate at which task is accomplished Stamina to accomplish tasks(s) Accuracy Attentiveness Increased interactions ---Other criteria
Criteria for Evaluating a Device Safety Performance Ease of Use Aesthetics Costs
Convenience Flexibility Maintenance Liability
Student Related Issues Is the student able and
willing to accept the technology?
What is the student’s involvement and what are his or her expectations?
Will device be acceptable in social/cultural setting?
Time requirements for training, preparation, supports?
Will this move student toward goals?
Concerns Purpose of
technology? Reasonable assurance
that it will meet needs?
Will technology be accepted?
Physical, emotional & social implications associated with using the technology
Amount of support & involvement needed
Is the technology manageable?
Step #7 Remember, consideration is an ONGOING
PROCESS. Change in the environment, student skills or
needs and new technology may influence the process.
Continue to ask, “Are the needs being met?”
Devices to consider…
NEO Voice output Computer software Kurzweil
*States required to adopt National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards - alternate format for materials
What are you most afraid of?
Law Staff Parents Students Systems
Utilize your resources
AEA staff State agencies Parent contacts Colleagues NETWORK!
Lori A. PorschCurriculum/ Special Ed. Dir. Storm Lake Schools
419 Lake Avenue, SL 50588
712-732-8060