SPECIAL EDUCATION & DISCIPLINE POLICIES

SPECIAL EDUCATION & DISCIPLINE POLICIES

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND DISCIPLINE (CONT) It s all about relationships Do they know what is expected? Do they know what it means? (Don t assume a background knowledge of expected behavior) What s going on with the student (environment, medical, emotional) What is the student conveying through the behavior Academic frustration often leads to negative behavior Has the student ever had a positive school experience? Are they testing you to see if you truly care? Avoid power struggles remain calm and objective As with any discipline issue, choose your battles and make sure you are ready to go the duration Going the duration may mean taking a look at your role in the student s behavior Make plans to check in with the student so you can both move forward Remember that we all have bad days

MANIFESTATION DETERMINATION REVIEW (MDR) 10 consecutive days Action will result in going past 10 days for entire school year Two questions: 1. Was the conduct caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the student s disability? 2. Was the conduct the direct result of the school district s failure to implement the IEP?

MDR (CONT) Two questions answered by considering: Information about the incident Information about the student (diagnostic/evaluation information) Observations of the student The student s IEP placement

MDR (CONT) If the answer to either question is yes, then the team must find that the student s disability caused the conduct and may not recommend the student for further discipline, such as a suspension or expulsion. The student s disability IS NOT the primary cause for the incident. In this case, the student may be recommended for suspension or, in the case of expellable conduct, recommended for an expulsion hearing before the appropriate school district authorities.

DRUGS, WEAPONS, AND SERIOUS BODILY INJURY In certain situations, the school district may be entitled to remove the student from the current setting, regardless of whether the student s conduct was caused by the disability. In such situations, the student may be removed for up to 45 school days to an Interim Alternative Educational Setting (or IAES ). The IAES may be any educational setting other than the current one that is capable of implementing the student s IEP.

ADHD; PSYCHO STIMULANT, PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION School Board Policy 5:100 Best Practices, ID and treatment Non-aggressive behavioral interventions Use of psychotropic or psycho stimulant Information on teaching students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

WHAT IS ADHD? Is a neurobehavioral disorder that causes: Chronic levels of inattention Impulsive hyperactivity Or both Their daily functioning is compromised They often struggle with: Peer/Family relationships School performance

ADHD FACTS Is the most prevalent disorder of children (3-7% of school-age population) 3x more likely to be found in boys About half have other mental or behavioral disorders with the ADHD There are 3 types of ADHD (Inattentive Type, Hyperactive/Impulsive Type, Combined Type) Are at greater risk for: grade retention placement in special classrooms dropping out of high school

ADHD-PREDOMINANTLY INATTENTIVE TYPE Symptoms Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli Fail to sustain attention Organizational difficulties May appear sluggish Doesn t listen when spoken to directly Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as homework) Frequently loses things (such as homework, books, pens, etc.) Frequently forgets things

ADHD-PREDOMINANTLY HYPERACTIVE/IMPULSIVE TYPE Symptoms: Often on the go; may act as driven on a motor Talks excessively Fidgets with their hands and feet Has difficulty waiting their turn May blurt out answers before questions are completed Frequently leaves their seat May interrupt or intrude on others

ADHD-COMBINED TYPE To be diagnosed with Combined Type they must exhibit at least 6 Inattentive symptoms as well as 6 Hyperactive/Impulsive symptoms

CAUSES OF ADHD Genetic Factors Pregnancy and birth complications Environmental toxins (such as early lead exposure or pre-natal exposure to alcohol) Neurotransmitter balance is different than that of a typical child

ADHD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT Current best practices requires multiple assessment methods: Interviews Rating scales Observations Review of academic skills (such as academic productivity, accuracy, and progress) Other diagnostic medical tests if necessary (such as neuro-imaging, x-rays, EEGs)

HOW IS ADHD TREATED? Physicians may assist in creating a long-term treatment plan which may include: Medication Behavior therapy Individual or family counseling Is important for all caregivers to work together (doctors, parents, teachers, school support staff)

HOW IS ADHD TREATED-MEDICATION Most common treatment-medication Stimulant medications help to: Regulate behavior Increase attention Decrease impulsivity Most common medications are Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall. 20-30% do not show improvement with stimulants; other medications that may be prescribed are Prozac, Paxil, Depakote, and Strattera which are non-stimulants

HOW IS ADHD TREATED? (CONTINUED) Common medication side effects include: Decreased appetite Insomnia Irritability Stomach aches Headaches Dizziness Changes in heart rate or blood pressure

HOW IS ADHD TREATED-BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS Task duration and pacing-giving brief assignments; chunking of long term assignments; allow for self-pacing when applicable Direct instruction-teacher directed activities are recommended over independent seat work; constant teacher feedback is encouraged Peer tutoring-as little as 20 min. a day of peer tutoring with a neuro-typical peer has shown to increase time on task. Directions-give short specific and direct instructions; be prepared to repeat Structure and organization-clearly give rule reminders and visual cues; Don t rely on their memory. Provide positive incentives and choices for task completion

IDEA AND ADHD May be considered a disability under the category of Other Health Impaired (OHI) To qualify for an IEP, symptoms of ADHD should be chronic and acute health problems that: Limit strength, vitality, and alertness (including heightened alertness to environmental stimuli) AND limited alertness with respect to the educational environment

SECTION 504 AND ADHD For children with an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities Learning is usually the major life activity associated with ADHD Modifications and accommodations must be offered when a child has been identified in need of a 504 plan

BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION School Board Policy 7:230 Training/guidance for the development of acceptable behavior patterns Committee to develop district policies and procedures Discipline under IDEA

PHYSICAL RESTRAINT/TIME OUT School Board Policy 7:190 Time out orientation and overview Physical restraint procedures for preventing need for restraint Description of dangerous behaviors Simulated experiences

GENERAL EDUCATION ROLE IN IEP S AND 504 PLANS School Board Policy 6:120 Overview of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) An education act to provide federal financial assistance to State and local education agencies to guarantee special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities

WHO IS PROTECTED? Children ages 3-22 who are determined by a multidisciplinary team to be eligible within one or more of 13 specific categories of disability and who need special education and related services. Categories include: autism, deafness, deafblindness, hearing impairments, metal retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments. emotional disability, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.

THE MAJOR PRINCIPLES INCLUDE REQUIRING THAT: States and school districts make available a free appropriate public education (FAPE)5 to all children with disabilities, generally between the ages of 3 and 21; States and school districts identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, to determine which children are eligible for special education and related services; Each child receiving services has an individual education program (IEP) spelling out the specific special education and related services to be provided to meet his or her needs; the parent must be a partner in planning and overseeing the child s special education and related services as a member of the IEP team; To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with children who are not disabled; and states and school districts provide procedural safeguards to children with disabilities and their parents, including a right to a due process hearing, the right to appeal to federal district court and, in some cases, the right to receive attorneys fees.

CHILD FIND School Board Policy 6:120 WHAT IS CHILDFIND? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes the Child Find mandate. Child Find requires all school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. This obligation to identify all children who may need special education services exists even if the school is not providing special education services to the child. The IDEA requires all States to develop and implement a practical method of determining which children with disabilities are receiving special education and related services and which children are not.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REFERRING? PPS/RtI Step 1-Teachers provide universal interventions in the classroom Step 2-Get the Counselor involved Step 3-The PPS Team gets involved

504 PLAN VS. IEP 504 PLAN IEP TYPE A Civil Rights Law An Education Act PURPOSE Protects the rights of individuals with disabilites in programs and activities that receive federal funding Provides federal financial aid to states in their efforts to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education for students with disabilites RESPONSIBILITY General Education Special Education ADMINISTER 504 Coordinator Special Education Director SERVICE TOOL 504 Plan Individualized Education Plan POPULATION Identifies students as disabled as long as he/she meets the definition of qualified persons with disabilities Student must meet one of 13 qualifying conditions and require specialized instruction IMPLEMENTATION Requires a written 504 Plan Requires a written IEP

GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY 504 PLAN IEP 504 Plan is a legal contract between the school district and the student. Teachers are responsible for implementing designated accommodations and strategies identified on a student s plan. Teacher is part of the IEP Team IEP is a legal document. Teachers are responsible for implementing the IEP as it is written. Teachers should always participate in the entire 504 process. When a teacher has a concern about the nature of a student s plan, he/she should discuss it with the school s 504 Coordinator. Teachers should always maintain documentation which demonstrates compliance with a student s 504 Plan. Share information regarding student s present level of performance in the general education classroom Provide information regarding the standards of that grade level Describe student behavior and relationship with peers in the general education classroom Shares information regarding the effect of any accommodations

TARDY POLICY CHANGES A student is considered tardy to class when not in an area where they can be supervised by the teacher when the bell rings. If a student is more than five minutes late to class and the lateness is unexcused or unauthorized, the student will be counted as truant and receive a referral to the dean. Tardies are cumulative for all classes for one semester. 1-4: Teacher notice to student of tardy 5: 1 detention 6-7: 2 detentions 8-9: 3 to 6 detentions 10+: 1 day out-of-school suspension

TARDY MANAGEMENT As a district, we will manage tardies as occurring when a student is not through the threshold of the door when the bell rings As an educational team within each of our schools, we need to be consistent in enforcing this policy as defined above

STUDENT I.D. EXPECTATIONS CHSD 230 Student Handbook p. 53 At the beginning of the school year all students will be issued an I.D. card which is to be carried at school at all times; to be presented at all school activities for admission purposes; and to be presented to staff for hall passes to be issued. In addition, the I.D. card is used as a library card, a debit card and as a bus pass. Replacement of I.D. cards is available, for a fee, from the Deans office.

IDENTIFICATION AND DISCIPLINE Anonymity/ No ID (refusal to identify self). School personnel have the right to know the identity of all persons in the building. Students must identify themselves upon request of duly assigned and identified monitors. Any student without an I.D. card should immediately go to the school office for a temporary ID. Students should carry cards at all times. When without a card, a student should identify himself by name and school upon request of responsible adult or monitor. *Discipline consequences can be assigned ranging from detentions through suspension.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT OF I.D. S Hallway checks Passes Disruptions or other required times necessitating identification of a student Teacher I.D. checks within the classroom Random checks As educational teams, we are all responsible for managing this process. We need to follow through on what we say we already do. We will increase data collection to monitor I.D. management within our buildings.