Marion County School District Special Education Process and Procedures Guide Marion County School District Making a Difference Every Day DR. DAN STRICKLAND Superintendent DR. KANDACE BETHEA Deputy Superintendent Revised December 2014 Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 1
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to provide the policies and procedures regarding the services for students with disabilities as defined by the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA). This document provides the Marion County School District s interpretation of various statutory provisions and does not impose any requirements beyond those included in federal and state laws and regulations. In addition it does not create or confer any rights for or on any person. This is a living document and will be updated on a regular basis as the Marion County School District receives further guidance from the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Exceptional Children, results of court decisions, and changes in state statute. To ensure that you are referencing the most recent version of the policies and procedures, please check the history section below. For the United States special education regulations, please consult the Office of Special Education Programs: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/. For the South Carolina special education regulations, please consult State Board of Education regulations 43-243 and 43-243.1: http://ed.sc.gov. HISTORY: January 2013: document created August 2013: document is revised September 2013: document is revised November 2013: Document is revised June 2014: Document is revised December 2014: Document is Revised For questions concerning this document or questions concerning the Marion County School District s Special Education Programs, please contact the Director of Special Services at 803-423-1811. Marion County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Section 504- Mr. Jeremy Pichany, Director of Special Services, 719 North Main Street, Marion, SC 29571 843.423.1811 Title IX- Paula Grant, Director of Human Resources, 719 North Main Street, Marion, SC 29571 843.423.1811 Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 2
Marion County Department of Special Services Process and Procedures Guide Table of Contents Category Chapter 1: Selected Definitions Chapter 2: Child Find, BabyNet, and COSF Subcategory Chapter 3: Student Intervention Team and the Referral Process Chapter 4: Eligibility for Services Criteria and Disability Categories Chapter 5: The Individualized Education Program Chapter 5: The IEP Document Child Find BabyNet Child Outcomes Summary Form Eligibility Determination Reevaluations Timelines Eligibility Categories 1. Autism (Autism, Aspergers, PDD-NOS) 2. Deaf and Hard of Hearing 3. Deaf-blindness 4. Developmental Delay 5. Emotional Disabilities 6. Intellectual Disabilities (Mild, Moderate, Severe) 7. Multiple Disabilities 8. Orthopedic Impairment 9. Other Health Impairment 10. Specific Learning Disability 11. Speech-Language Impairment 12. Traumatic Brain Injury 13. Visual Impairment Transfer Students Introduction Initial IEP IEP Team Members Scheduling Meetings Preparing for Meetings LEA Procedures Amendments without a Meeting Transfers Types of Meetings Section I: Cover Page Section II: Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance Section III: Accommodations, Modifications, Supplementary Services Section IV: Goals and Objectives Section V: Services and Related Services Section VI: State and Standardized Testing Section VIII: Considerations for Special Factors Section IX: Least Restrictive Environment and Signatures Transition Extended School Year Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 3
Category Subcategory Chapter 6: Appointment of Surrogate Parents Chapter 7: Functional Behavior Assessments, Behavior Intervention Plans, and Manifestation Determinations Frequently Asked Questions and Disciplinary Flowchart Functional Behavior Assessment Behavior Intervention Plan Manifestation Determination Chapter 8: Confidentiality/Records Access Chapter 9: Private, Parochial Schools, and Homeschools Chapter 10: Other Placements including Homebased, Homebound, and Adult Education Chapter 11: Prior Written Notice Chapter 12: Scheduling, Medicaid, and EFA Coding Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 4
Chapter 1 Selected Definitions Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 5
Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with 300.304 through 300.311 as having Intellectual Disabilities, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as emotional disturbance), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, any other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. "Developmental Delay" is the category used in South Carolina for children aged 3 through 9 who are identified in accordance with SBE regulations. Free appropriate public education or FAPE means special education and related services that 1. Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge; 2. Meet the standards of the SEA, including the requirements of this part; 3. Include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education in the State involved; and 4. Are provided in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP). A free appropriate public education must be available to all children residing in the State between the ages of 3 and 21, inclusive, including children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from school, as provided for in Sec. 300.530(d). In South Carolina, this means that if a student turns age 21 after September 1 of the school year, the LEA must permit the student to enroll and complete the school year if the student will graduate or exit with either a state-issued high school diploma, certificate of attendance, district diploma, or district certificate. If a student turns age 21 on or prior to September 1, the LEA is not required to permit the student to enroll. Special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including 1. Instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and 2. Instruction in physical education. Special education includes each of the following, if the services otherwise meet the requirements of special education of this section 1. Speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the service is considered special education rather than a related service under State standards; 2. Travel training; and 3. Vocational education. Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes speech language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Related services also includes school health services, school nurse services designed to enable a child with a disability to receive a free appropriate public education as described in the IEP of the child, social work services in schools, and parent counseling and training. Exception; Related services do not include a medical device that is surgically implanted (including cochlear implants), the optimization of device functioning, maintenance of the device, or the replacement of that device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of that device. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 6
Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. The term includes 1. The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child's customary environment; 2. Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities; 3. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices; Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that 1. Is designed to be within a results oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; 2. Is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences and interests; and includes a. Instruction b. Related Services c. Community experiences d. The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and e. Of appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Each district must ensure that 1. To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled; and 2. Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved Satisfactorily. Consent means that: The parent has been fully informed of all information relevant to the activity for which consent is sought, in his or her native language, or other mode of communication; the parent understands and agrees in writing to the carrying out of the activity for which his or her consent is sought, and the consent describes that activity and lists the records (if any) that will be released and to whom; The parent understands that the granting of consent is voluntary on the part of the parent and may be revoked at any time. If a parent revokes consent, that revocation is not retroactive (i.e., it does not negate an action that has occurred after the consent was given and before the consent was revoked). Note: consent is required for initial evaluation, initial placement into special education and for re- evaluation when additional testing is required. Student Intervention Team (SIT) This term is used to describe a team that would meet IDEA04 requirements for membership and would be charged with the responsibility of making decisions such as the need for evaluation under IDEA04. This could be a school RtI team, if the appropriate member were included. BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 7
Chapter 2: Child Find, BabyNet, and Child Outcomes Summary Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 8
Child Find What is Child Find? Child Find procedures are set in place to ensure that all children with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services are identified, located, and evaluated. Child Find procedures are implemented for children who have not yet started school (beginning at age 3), as well as for children who are currently enrolled in school (PK-21). This section will focus on Child Find Services for students who are not enrolled in school, either due to age or enrollment in private/home schools. Child Find guidelines for students already enrolled in the school district are outlined in the next section (Student Intervention Team and Referral Proces). How do we inform the Public about Child Find Services? The first step in the child find process is to provide information to the public concerning the availability of special education services for children with disabilities, including procedures for accessing these services. Copies of the information from child find activities are kept on file by the LEA as documentation for implementing policies and procedures. Information on the child find process may be provided through a variety of methods. Informational materials must be distributed to various entities in the area, including private schools, other agencies and to professionals who would likely encounter children with a possible need for special education. LEAs may publish yearly notices in local newspapers, provide pamphlets, furnish information on their websites, broadcast announcements on radio or television and provide information at parent-teacher conferences. Suggested methods to accomplish public notice include: Newspaper articles or ads, Radio, TV, or cable announcements, Community newspaper notices School handbook and calendar Letters to all patrons in the LEA Poster in child care programs Poster in health departments or doctors offices Poster in grocery stores, department stores and other public places (Information obtained from SC DOE Special Education Process Guide, 2011) What happens at a Child Find Meeting? Child Find Meetings are held once a month throughout the calendar year (and more if necessary). At the meeting, the parent is first provided with a copy of the parent handbook and informed of the screening process. Permission to screen is obtained. The team then screens the child in the areas of cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive behavior skills. Vision/Health and Hearing/Speech screenings are also completed. The team meets with the parent to discuss the results of these screenings. If the team suspects, based on available information, that the child may have a disability, then a comprehensive evaluation is requested and permission to evaluate is obtained. If the team does not suspect that a disability is present, then no evaluations will be recommended. Prior Written Notice must be sent to the parent in both cases. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 9
Who needs to attend the Child Find Meetings? Below is a list of suggested team members of the Child Find Team: Speech/Language Therapist Special Education Teacher School Psychologist LEA (required for transition meetings) Parent/Primary Caregiver Early Interventionist from Service Provider What documentation is needed at the Child Find Meeting? For the screening : Permission to Screen Copy of the Parent Handbook Vision/Hearing and Speech/Language Screening Form(s) and Screening Assessment Forms (for example, DAYC-2) Conference Summary If the team determines that an evaluation is necessary: Permission to Evaluate Release of Information Form Medicaid Reimbursement Form Social/Health and Developmental History Form/Communication Form (if speech is a concern) Medicaid Referral *Also, Prior Written Notice must be provided to the parent after all Child Find Meetings What happens at a Child Find Meeting? 1. A Parent requests their child attend the Child Find based on their concerns. 2. The LEA schedules the child for the next Child Find date. 3. The child is screened following obtaining permission to screen in the following: a. Vision b. Hearing c. Speech/language d. Cognitive skills e. Motor skills f. Social-emotional skills g. Adaptive behavior Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 10
h. Other screening (autism, academics) as needed or based on produced reports from outside agencies 4. The special education teacher or other available team member completes a developmental history interview with the parent. 5. The Child Find team determines whether a comprehensive evaluation is needed. 6. Evaluation, if needed, is completed within 60 days of receipt of the permission to evaluate. 7. Team remeets to determine eligibility for services within 15 days of completion of evaluation. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 11
BabyNet Transition What is a Part C Transition Meeting? Many children are involved in the Child Find Process as the result of a Part C referral (Early Intervention Services through Babynet). In this case, a transition meeting is conducted at the same time as the Child find screening meeting. Babynet service providers are required to send a directory of children that they are serving in the school district s area on a monthly basis. These directories are separated into three groups: 24 month report, over 24 month report, and 30 month report. The service provider and the LEA must collaborate to plan for a transition meeting, which is to occur no less than 90 days prior to the child s third birthday. At the Transition/Child Find Screening meeting, the team first discusses with the parent the transition that takes place between Part C and Part B services. Then, in addition to current screening results, the team also reviews the child s IFSP and any assessments made available by the referring provider. Based on all information, the team must determine if a comprehensive evaluation is needed. If an evaluation is needed, the team must evaluate and, if eligible, place the child by his/her third birthday in order to maintain compliance with Indicator 12 of the State Performance Plan. Process for Part C to Part B Transition: 1. Transition referral from Part C happens 6 months prior to 3 rd birthday 2. The LEA schedules the child for the next Child Find date. If it is within 60 days of the 3 rd birthday, the district will contact the parent directly, even if the transition meeting has not been scheduled. 3. The child is screened following obtaining permission to screen in the following: a. Vision b. Hearing c. Speech/language d. Cognitive skills e. Motor skills f. Social-emotional skills g. Adaptive behavior h. Other screening (autism, academics) as needed or based on produced reports from outside agencies 4. The special education teacher (or other available team member) completes a developmental history interview with the parent. 5. The Child Find team, including the transition service provider, determines whether a comprehensive evaluation is needed. 6. Evaluation, if needed, is completed within 60 days of receipt of the permission to evaluate or prior to the 3 rd birthday, whichever comes first 7. Team remeets to determine eligibility for services within 15 days of completion of evaluation, with invitation sent to Part C Service Coordinator. BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 12
BabyNet Transition What is a Part C Transition Meeting? Many children are involved in the Child Find Process as the result of a Part C referral (Early Intervention Services through Babynet). In this case, a transition meeting is conducted at the same time as the Child find screening meeting. Babynet service providers are required to send a directory of children that they are serving in the school district s area on a monthly basis. These directories are separated into three groups: 24 month report, over 24 month report, and 30 month report. The service provider and the LEA must collaborate to plan for a transition meeting, which is to occur no less than 90 days prior to the child s third birthday. At the Transition/Child Find Screening meeting, the team first discusses with the parent the transition that takes place between Part C and Part B services. Then, in addition to current screening results, the team also reviews the child s IFSP and any assessments made available by the referring provider. Based on all information, the team must determine if a comprehensive evaluation is needed. If an evaluation is needed, the team must evaluate and, if eligible, place the child by his/her third birthday in order to maintain compliance with Indicator 12 of the State Performance Plan. Process for Part C to Part B Transition: 8. Transition referral from Part C happens 6 months prior to 3 rd birthday 9. The LEA schedules the child for the next Child Find date. If it is within 60 days of the 3 rd birthday, the district will contact the parent directly, even if the transition meeting has not been scheduled. 10. The child is screened following obtaining permission to screen in the following: a. Vision b. Hearing c. Speech/language d. Cognitive skills e. Motor skills f. Social-emotional skills g. Adaptive behavior h. Other screening (autism, academics) as needed or based on produced reports from outside agencies 11. The special education teacher completes a developmental history interview with the parent. 12. The Child Find team including the transition service provider determines whether a comprehensive evaluation is needed. 13. Evaluation, if needed, is completed within 60 days of receipt of the permission to evaluate or prior to the 3 rd birthday, whichever comes first 14. Team remeets to determine eligibility for services, with invitation sent to Part C Service Coordinator. BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 13
COSF (Child Outcomes Summary Form) What is COSF? The Child Outcomes Summary Form is used to evaluate program effectiveness for individual students by measuring progress between entry and exit in the following areas: positive emotional skills (including social relationships, acquiring and using knowledge and skills, and taking appropriate actions to meet needs). When must the COSF be completed? The COSF must be completed using the COSF form for children ages 3-5 who are entering special education services. This form may be completed as part of their initial eligibility evaluation or within six weeks of entering special education services for all disability categories. It is usually best to complete this form with the IEP team during the eligibility determination meeting. A second COSF form must be completed, if the student has been enrolled in special education for at least six months, in the following instances: 1. Within three weeks prior to or after the child s sixth birthday if they are continuing to receive services after their sixth birthday; or 2. For children who are exiting from all special education services prior to their sixth birthday, the children must be assessed during the re-evaluation. What assessments are used to complete the COSF? The Early Childhood Outcomes Center does not specify the assessments that must be used to determine the child s scores on the COSF. However, they do suggest that multiple sources and modalities be used. This may include, but is not limited to, information provided by family members, service providers, or caregivers; observations; standardized assessments; curriculum based assessments; interviews; and work samples. The Early Childhood Center also provides a decision tree that can help to guide the team through the decisionmaking process of completing the COSF. This decision tree is located on the following page: BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 14
Decision Tree for Summary Rating Discussions Does the child ever function in ways that would be considered age-appropriate with regard to this outcome? No (consider rating 1-3) Yes (consider rating 4-7) Does the child use any immediate foundational skills related to this outcome upon which to build ageappropriate functioning across settings and situations? Is the child s functioning age-appropriate across all or almost all settings and situations? No Ye s No Ye s To what extent is the child using immediate foundational skills across settings and situations? To what extent is the child s functioning ageappropriate across settings and situations? Does anyone have concerns about the child s functioning with regard to the outcome area? Uses skills that are not yet immediate foundationa l Rating = 1 Occasional use of immediate foundationa l skills Rating = 2 Uses immediate foundational skills most or all of the time across settings and situations Rating = 3 Occasio nal use of ageappropri ate skills; more behavior that is not ageappropri Rating ate = 4 Uses a mix of ageappropri ate and not ageappropri ate behavior s and skills Rating across settings = 5 and situation s Yes Rating = 6 No Rating = 7 Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 15
Chapter 3 Student Intervention Team and the Referral Process Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 16
Student Intervention Team (SIT) The primary goals of the Student Intervention Team are: 1. To provide early intervention for children; 2. To remediate without the need of labeling and placing a child within special education; 3. To help monitor and adjust interventions to make them as successful as possible; and 4. To provide a source of consultation and support for teachers and parents. It is important to note that the Student Intervention Team does not exist primarily as a vehicle for special education referral. Instead, a properly functioning Student Intervention Team serves as a means of increasing collaboration and communication between parents, teachers, and other personnel with the focus on increasing student success. Team Composition The Student Intervention Team functions best when it is a collaborative team made up of a variety of people with a shared vision: to provide intervention services to promote student growth. Depending upon the student under discussion, team membership may vary. Suggested team members are listed below: 1. Parents Of course, as the child s first teachers, the parents bring information regarding medical and developmental history, as well as previous educational experiences. They may also be able to share information regarding recent home changes or situations that may be impacting school performance. In some cases, parents can also be valuable assets in implementing interventions. 2. Referring Teacher(s) The referring teacher plays a crucial role in clearly defining the problem that the child is exhibiting, as well as collecting data (test scores, class grades, etc.) that help indicate success or failure of an intervention. The referring teacher also is the first team member to establish contact with the parent to communicate their concerns regarding the student s progress. 3. Student Intervention Team Coordinator This person is sometimes an administrator or teacher. This person is responsible for setting up all of the SIT meetings by contacting both the parents and the other necessary team members, running the meetings and monitoring interventions recommended. 4. School Administrator (Principal, Assistant Principal, and/or Instructional Facilitator) Strong administrative support of the Student Intervention Team and its purpose is essential to the proper functioning of the team. Administrative backing of the principal of regular education intervention is absolutely crucial to preventing the Student Intervention Team from becoming a refer-test-place process; such a process is not supported by best practices or by federal/state law, nor is it best for the individual child. For this reason, administrator presence at Student Intervention Team meetings is highly encouraged. With their wealth of experience, administrators can share additional intervention strategies. Their presence also conveys to everyone at the meeting that this child and the decisions made within the team are important. In addition, their presence encourages accountability among everyone present. 5. Special Education Teacher A special education teacher can also serve as a valuable asset in determining additional interventions that may be beneficial. If the child eventually becomes a special education student, the teacher may also appreciate getting to know more about the child prior to placement. 6. Speech/Language Pathologist If there is a speech/language concern regarding a child, the speech/language pathologist may participate in the Student Intervention Team meeting. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 17
7. Guidance Counselors Guidance counselors can be a valuable member of the Student Intervention Team, particularly when social/emotional/behavior concerns are being discussed. 8. School Psychologist (if necessary) School psychologist can offer a wide variety of expertise about academic and behavioral interventions. They are not required members for all SIT meetings, but they need to be invited to the final SIT meetings when determinations are being made about possible evaluations. They can also be invited at the principal s discretion. 9. Clinical Counselors Clinical counselors can offer valuable information about help they already may be providing a student and their family. They can also assist in being a good parent liaison for the team. Steps in the Student Intervention Team Process As noted earlier, the goal of the Student Intervention Team is to provide a forum in which parents and school representatives can implement early interventions and discuss a child s progress without resorting to Special Education placement unless absolutely necessary. To accomplish this goal, the following steps are recommended: 1. Teacher begins gathering data regarding student achievement. This may include Dominie results, MAP scores, previous year s PASS scores, classroom grades, running records, and other work samples. 2. Teacher discusses concerns with parents. The letter or call from the SIT coordinator should never be the first time that parents have heard that there are concerns regarding their child s progress. Instead, well before referring a child to the Student Intervention Team, the teacher should begin conversations with the child s parents regarding his/her concerns. The teacher and/or parent would then implement any other suggestions that they may have, monitoring progress of the child. 3. Teacher notifies SIT coordinator of their concerns. After careful monitoring of progress, if the teacher still expresses concerns regarding progress, the teacher should notify the SIT coordinator of his/her concerns. In most cases, email is the best way to do so. 4. SIT coordinator gives the teacher a Student Intervention Team Referral form. Except under highly extenuating circumstances, the teacher must complete this form in its entirety prior to scheduling the Student Intervention Team meeting. Once complete, the teacher would return this form to the SIT coordinator. 5. The SIT coordinator reviews the Student Intervention Team Referral form. The SIT coordinator will write in the date that he/she received the form from the teacher and review it for completeness. If it is complete and if concerns are evident, then the SIT coordinator will schedule a Student Intervention Team meeting if one is needed by sending the SIT Invitation Letter. 6. The SIT coordinator notifies parents of the meeting. Parent support is important to this process. Recent court cases have reinforced the idea that parents must be kept informed throughout the intervention process. The parent should be notified of scheduled meeting by the SIT coordinator using two different forms of contact, which may include, but are not limited to: mailing letter home, sending home letter in student s book bag, phone call to parent, or emailing parent. All parent contacts need to be documented. Therefore, if at all possible, parents should attend Student Intervention Team meetings. However, if after a minimum of two documented attempts to reach the parent, the parent does not respond, the team may meet without the parent. Additionally, if the parent requests that the team meets without him/her, the team may meet without the parent. If the parent does not attend, a copy of the SIT Conference Summary and in any other necessary documents should be sent home to them. 7. The meeting is held. At the meeting, the SIT coordinator generally functions as the chairperson. It is his/her responsibility to involve everyone at the table in the discussion as much as possible. It is also his/her responsibility to be sure that, at the close of the meeting, everyone has a clear understanding of the nature of the problem (i.e., that it is defined in measurable terms) and that everyone agrees on their Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 18
responsibilities after the meeting (i.e., interventions to implement and other data to collect). To ensure that this occurs, the following is a suggested framework for Student Intervention Team meetings, though participant roles may vary somewhat from school to school. a. The SIT coordinator begins introductions. It is important to remember that not all team members may be familiar with each other. b. The SIT coordinator explains the purpose of the meeting. Sometimes, it is helpful for the SIT coordinator to tell parents that this team meets each week regarding numerous children. This may help normalize the experience for parents and set them more at ease. c. The SIT coordinator asks teacher to explain how the child is doing in the classroom. It is often helpful to begin with describing strengths, as many parents in Student Intervention Team meetings are very aware of their child s weaknesses and appreciate that someone has noticed strengths. During the explanation of concerns, the SIT coordinator may prompt the teacher to share specific data, explaining to the parent what this information means. d. The SIT coordinator asks parent if they have similar concerns, asking them to describe their child s history and how they work at home. e. The SIT coordinator asks other participants if they have seen similar issues. Please keep in mind that, if there are multiple teachers, it is better for one teacher to explain in-depth what is occurring, with the others noting whether they seem similarities or differences, rather than relisting each concern that they have for the child. It can be difficult (and time-consuming) for parents to listen to a litany of their child s struggles. f. The team plans interventions. As part of federal and state law, data-based interventions must be implemented and progress must be assessed prior to referral for special education evaluations, particularly for children suspected of learning disabilities or emotional disabilities. Additionally, when well-planned and reliably-implemented interventions are put into place, many children show progress and will not need formal special education evaluations. When planning these interventions, the team should determine: i. How often the intervention will occur ii. In what setting it will occur (within the regular classroom, in a small group, individually?) iii. Who is in charge of implementing the intervention (the reading interventionist, Special Education teacher, the classroom teacher, an assistant, etc.?) iv. What materials are necessary v. Who will obtain the necessary materials vi. What data will be collected to determine progress (Dominie, running records, MAP scores, point totals from behavior charts, etc.) When choosing the type of data to be collected, please keep in mind that the best progress monitoring system is one that can be collected frequently (i.e., at least approximately once every ten instructional days) and quickly. vii. When the team will re-meet to discuss progress g. The team determines whether further information is necessary. In addition to implementing interventions, the Team may also want to gather further information to help develop a better idea of a child s present levels of functioning. This may include, but is not limited to, the following data: Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 19
i. Vision screening - done by the school nurse (if not already completed) ii. Hearing screening - done by the speech/language pathologist (if not already completed) iii. Speech screening done by the speech/language pathologist iv. Academic achievement screening (if available) done by the guidance (depending upon the school) v. Cognitive screening (if available) done by the psychologist or guidance (depending upon the school) vi. Behavior screening (Conners Short Form) completed by teacher and/or parent(s) vii. Observation(s) can be completed by any certified staff member in the specific area of suspected deficit viii. Completion of Social/Health Developmental History form by the parent ix. Completion of a Medical Referral report given by the parent to the doctor or, upon completion of a Permission to Release Records form by the parent, sent directly to the doctor by the school *Note: If asking for a formal speech, academic achievement, cognitive screening, or behavioral screening the parent must sign a Permission to Screen form. If the team is planning on doing formal classroom observations, this may also be indicated on the Permission to Screen form. A Medicaid consent form should also be signed if the team is planning on conducting formal observations. h. The team documents major concerns, intervention plan, and other data needed on the Student Intervention Team Planning Worksheet as the meeting progresses. Team members sign the document. Do not send home paperwork for parent signatures if they do not attend the meeting, but do send home a copy. i. The team also completes a Conference Summary form, documenting any additional information that the team discusses as the meeting progresses. Team members sign the document. Do not send home paperwork for parent signatures if they do not attend the meeting, but do send home a copy. j. The SIT Coordinator summarizes the interventions to be put into place, the data to be gathered, and the anticipated follow-up date, reading the Conference Summary if necessary. 8. Interventions are implemented and data are gathered. The success of interventions rests in their fidelity of implementation (i.e., are they being done in the recommended fashion) and in the regular monitoring of progress. Interventions should be implemented and monitored for at least 10 weeks to ensure adequate time for progress. 9. The tem re-meets to examiner progress. At this meeting, the team looks at the data to determine progress and makes one of the following decisions: a. Discontinue interventions Because of such improvement, the team sees no need to continue interventions. b. Continue interventions and monitor Because the student is improving, the team may decide to continue the current intervention and monitor student progress until the team re-meets., perhaps with some changes Improvement is evident, but continued interventions, perhaps with some changes to the intervention is necessary or progress is not evident but the team feels that a change in intervention may give the desired results. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 20
c. Modify interventions/recommend new intervention the student may not be making adequate progress in the initial intervention recommended by the team, so a new intervention may need to be attempted to determine if the student is not progressing because the right intervention has not been attempted., perhaps with some changes The team will need to documents major concerns/changes on the Follow-Up Student Intervention Team Intervention Planning Worksheet. Team members sign the document. Do not send home paperwork for parent signatures if they do not attend the meeting, but do send home a copy. The team also completes a Conference Summary form, documenting any additional information that the team discusses as the meeting progresses. Team members sign the document. Do not send home paperwork for parent signatures if they do not attend the meeting, but do send home a copy. 10. The team re-meets to examine progress. The school s school psychologist or Special Education designated person must attend this second meeting so that an Action can be started in Enrich (therefore a computer and printer must be available for use at all of these meetings). At this meeting, the team looks at the data to determine progress and makes the decision to either: a. Discontinue interventions Because of such improvement, the team sees no need to continue interventions. b. Continue interventions, perhaps with some changes Improvement is evident, but continued interventions, perhaps with some changes to the intervention is necessary or progress is not evident but the team feels that a change in intervention may give the desired results. c. Continue interventions but refer for formal evaluation for special education eligibility Progress is not evident. All data and interventions have been considered, and the team feels that further data is necessary to determine eligibility for special education services. 11. If the team recommends a referral for Special Education Evaluations, the School Psychologist or designee will need to complete the following information in Enrich: a. Referral for Special Education i. Referral meeting letter will need to be created at this time ii. Data from interventions must be documented in the Referral/Evaluation Planning worksheet section. Prior Written Notice must also be completed and given to parent. iii. Once the Referral/Evaluation Planning worksheet is completed, the Consent for Evaluation must be printed from Enrich. **Note Consent for Evaluation will automatically print with Referral/Evaluation Planning worksheet and should ONLY be obtained if parent is present at meeting. If parent is not present at this meeting, the team should discuss continuing interventions until the parent is able to attend the meeting to sign the Consent for Evaluation in person. If at the second meeting schedule, the parent is not present, the LEA will make a home visit to obtain permission on the Consent for Evaluation. iv. Once the Consent for Evaluation is obtained from the parent in writing, this will start the 60-day timeline to complete all of the evaluation components requested. Any referrals for children not currently receiving special education services is an initial referral. If a child is moving into Marion County School District from another school (including private schools and home-schooled students) and the parent(s) request an evaluation, a school psychologist will contact the parent within a reasonable time frame to set up a meeting with the parent and team within 30 days to discuss their concerns. A parent may also submit a written request for an evaluation. The team will meet with that parent within 30 days to determine if an evaluation is needed immediately or if interventions need to be attempted and monitored. Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 21
An adult student may also request an initial evaluation. Once this request is made, an evaluation team would be gathered to review existing information and make a referral for evaluation components. Special Initial Evaluations Parent-Requested/Adult-Student Requested Evaluations If a parent, doctor, adult student, or other professional requests an evaluation, the SIT should follow its regular procedure to begin an evaluation process (i.e., schedule a team meeting, gather necessary paperwork, etc.). The school psychologist will call the parent within a reasonable time frame to set up a SIT meeting for no more than 30 days after the request for evaluation has been made. If, at the close of the first SIT meeting, the parent or adult student still is requesting an evaluation, the team will generally recommend an evaluation at that time, being sure to implement/continue implementing necessary interventions. The school psychologist should still complete a Referral/Evaluation Planning worksheet in Enrich and have the parent/adult student sign the consent. The school psychologist will ensure that necessary screening (V/H/S) information is obtained prior starting the evaluation. If, at the close of the first SIT meeting, the parent or adult student agrees with the team that further intervention and data collection (not immediate evaluation) is appropriate, then the SIT Coordinator should document this in the Conference Summary and SIT Planning Document, being sure to specify when the team will re-meet to discuss progress. The school psychologist should also contact the special education secretary to input the child s information into Enrich so that the school psychologist can complete a Prior Written Notice in Enrich. Exceptions to the Timeline There are only two specific instances when an extension of the 60-day timeline may be justified: a. If the parent of the child repeatedly fails or refuses to produce the child for the evaluation; b. If a child enrolls in a new LEA after the evaluation has begun and before the determination of eligibility; however, the new LEA is required to make sufficient progress to ensure a prompt completion of the evaluation, and the parent and the LEA must agree to a specific timeline for completion; and the parent and the LEA agree in writing to a specific time when the evaluation will be completed. BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 22
Chapter 4 Eligibility for Services Criteria and Disability Categories Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 23
Eligibility Determination At the time the evaluation is completed and the information is compiled, the team should schedule a time to convene in order to make the determination of eligibility. Eligibility determination must be made no later than fifteen business days after the completion of the evaluation. Parents must be provided an opportunity to participate in the eligibility meeting, which can be conducted at the same time as the IEP team meeting. The team must ensure that information obtained from all sources used in the evaluation is documented and carefully considered. The parents and other qualified professionals review the results of the initial evaluation to determine: (1) whether the child is a child with a disability as defined in federal and state laws and regulations and (2) the educational needs of the child. When interpreting evaluation data for the purpose of making these determinations, the team must: -draw upon information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests, parent input, and teacher recommendations, as well as information about the child s physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior; and -ensure that information obtained from all of these sources is documented and carefully considered. The team must ensure that the child meets the definition of one of the categories of disability and, as a result of that disability, needs special education and related services (i.e., the two-pronged test). If a child meets the definition of a disability category but does not need special education and related services, she or he cannot be determined eligible under the IDEA. If the child has a need for special education and related services but does not meet the definition of a disability category, she or he cannot be determined eligible. In the case of a child who is found to have a disability, but does not need special education and related services, a referral for a 504 evaluation may be considered. Prong 1 - Determining Whether the Child is a Child with a Disability The team reviews the data to determine whether or not the child is a child with a disability. To do this, team members compare the data about the child to see if there is a match to one of the disability categories defined in SBE regulation 43-243.1. However, even when the data point to a particular area, the team must be able to ruleout that the problems are the result of : -a visual, hearing or motor disability; -intellectual disability; -emotional disturbance; -cultural factors; -environmental or economic disadvantage; or -limited English proficiency. If the evaluation data indicate there is a match with a particular category of disability and the team has ruled out the presence of any exclusionary factors, the team may determine that the child meets one of the requirements of eligibility as a child with a disability (Prong 1 of the test of eligibility). If there is not a match or exclusionary factors are present, the team must determine that the child does not meet the eligibility of a child with a disability. Prong 2 - Determining Whether the Child Needs Special Education and Related Services Marion County School District Special Education Process Guide Page 24