Special Educatin in Delta FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Revised January 2012) Special Prgrams Tel: 604-952-5339
Frequently Asked Questins Table f Cntents Page Assessment.. 4 Funding.. 6 Behaviur. 9 Supprt and Services 11 Educatin Assistants. 17 Special Prgrams 2
Student diversity in Delta classrms is an nging reality! Sme have been fficially diagnsed and thers just present with difficulties. As well, inclusin f all students is bth a Ministry and District plicy. When Special Prgrams surveyed parents and staff several years ag, bth grups raised the issue f needing mre infrmatin abut hw best t address student learning in Delta classrms. T this end, we have updated ur Frequently Asked Questins dcument. As is typically the case in supprting students with special needs, answers are seldm definitive and clear cut. Decisins are almst always made n an individual student basis, still, we hpe yu find the general infrmatin in this dcument t be a useful reference. We have framed the answers in the cntext f Ministry and District plicy as utlined in the Ministry f Educatin s Special Educatin Manual f Plicies and Guidelines and the Delta Schl District Special Prgrams Resurce Binder available at each schl. Please cnsult these references fr further infrmatin. We hpe yu find this infrmatin useful in helping yu develp an inclusive classrm where all students are active, successful learners. Shuld yu have any specific questins please dn t hesitate t cntact any f the fllwing supprt peple in Special Prgrams by phne (604 952-5339) r by email: Paul Kerslake District Principal pkerslake@deltasd.bc.ca Lw Incidence prgrams Maryann Cardwell District Vice-Principal mcardwell@deltasd.bc.ca Secndary Behaviur and Supprtive Learning Prgrams (Alternate) Satnam Chahal District Vice-Principal schahal@deltasd.bc.ca High Incidence Supprt Karen Hrner Crdinatr khrner@deltasd.bc.ca Lw Incidence prgrams Sherry Ghag Schl Psychlgist sghag@deltasd.bc.ca Behaviur supprt 3
Special Educatin in Delta Frequently Asked Questins ASSESSMENT Each schl in Delta shuld have a Schl-Based Team cnsisting f an administratr, learning supprt teacher, cunsellr, speech and language pathlgist (elementary nly) and a schl psychlgist. When students in the classrm present with challenges that are beynd the expertise f the classrm teacher, the teacher can access the Schl Based Team fr assistance. Smetimes the Schl Based Team recmmends that a student has a psych-educatinal and/r behaviural assessment t determine the best curse f actin t assist the student. The schl psychlgist cmmnly cmpletes the assessment. What is the prcess fr getting a student assessed by the psychlgist? If a parent wuld like his/her child t be assessed, they shuld cntact the child s teacher wh may bring the student frward t the Schl Based Team fr discussin and cnsideratin fr assessment. Wh gets tested and n what pririty schedule? Hw lng is the waitlist fr assessment? The Schl Based Team decides which students will be assessed and, in cnsideratin f the schl psychlgist s schedule, when they will be assessed. Delta schl district is staffed similarly t ther districts in the prvince with regard t the rati f schl psychlgists t schl ppulatin. As in ther districts, schl psychlgists struggle t keep up with the demands fr student assessments. What testing needs t be cmpleted befre placement in a special prgram? In Delta, we require that all students be assessed befre placement in a special resurce prgram. This assessment is required t ensure that student placement is accurate. 4
Why des the Ministry require s many assessments? The Ministry f Educatin requires that all identified students (i.e. all high & lw incidence students) be assessed t ensure that they meet the requirements fr that designatin. All assessments are aimed at prviding fair and equitable service t students. Sme students are assessed by medical practitiners, mental health clinicians r multidisciplinary teams such as the BC Autism Assessment Netwrk (BCAAN). Can tags (Ministry designatins) be taken away? In the event that a previusly identified student n lnger meets the requirements fr a specific designatin, the designatin is remved, bth frm the Delta Schl District and the Ministry f Educatin recrds. Can a student be tested utside f the district? Hw much is it? Will it be recgnized? Wh can d it? Assessments cmpleted utside the district are generally acceptable, as lng as they are dne by a registered psychlgist. The cst fr this service varies. 5
FUNDING Hw are funds fr special needs students allcated? (i.e. Cunsellrs, Supprtive Learning, Educatin Assistant, etc.) Hw much mney des a student s designatin generate and des it all g t that specific student? If nt, why nt? Hw much mney is generated by each Ministry tag? And hw is that mney used/spent? There are tw surces f Ministry funds fr students with special needs. Sme students qualify fr individual funding and thers are included in the general per student amunt frm the ministry. The district receives funding fr individual students which is used t prvide Special Educatin teachers and Educatin Assistant time. These resurces are prvided t the schl t rganize in a way that best supprts the students in the classrm In Delta we have abut 650 students wh qualify fr individual funds. These students are cnsidered lw incidence meaning that there is a relatively lw incidence r small number f them in the larger schl ppulatin. They are as fllws: BC Ministry f Educatin Special Educatin Funding Levels and Categries Level Categry Funding Level 1 (A) Physically Dependent $36,600 (B) Deaf/Blind Level 2 (C) Mderate t Prfund Intellectual Disabled $18,300 (D) Physical Disabilities r Chrnic Health Impairments (E) Visual Impairments (F) Deaf r Hard f Hearing (G) Autism Spectrum Disrder Level 3 (H) Intensive Behaviur Interventin/Serius Mental Illness $9,200 6
The rest f the students with special needs are nt individually funded. They were until 2001 when the Ministry f Educatin changed the funding frmula. These students are identified as: (Q) Learning Disablility (K) Mild Intellectual Disability (R) Mderate Behaviur Supprt/Mental Illness (P) Gifted As there are a cmparatively large number f students with these disabilities within the typical schl ppulatin, they are termed high incidence disabilities. The funds t supprt these students and ther special educatin services (cunselling, psychlgical assessment, speech and language therapy, learning supprt, educatinal assistant supprt) are included in the per student funding we receive fr each f the 15,600 Delta students. Hw are secndary teachers fr the Learning Disabled (LD) funded? What is the schl allcatin? Secndary students with Learning Disabilities (LD) are supprted thrugh the LD supprt teacher r the learning supprt teacher. There is usually EA time assigned t ne r bth f their prgrams t assist as well. The secndary schl allcatin fr LD teachers is abut 1.0 fte teacher + 1.0 fte EA fr each 25 t 30 students. Why d H students get mre funding than R students when, by definitin, H students are already receiving extensive supprt? H students receive individual funding because theretically they require mre supprt and planning than a mderate behaviur student (R). Integrated Case Management Planning means that these students require supprt and planning bth during schl and utside f schl hurs. Often they have behaviur and emtinal challenges in schl, hme and cmmunity settings. In reality, mderate students (R) culd benefit frm cmmunity agency invlvement but fr varius reasns are nt accessing these services. 7
Hw is funding allcated fr students with learning disabilities? What des this lk like at a schl? Mst students with learning disabilities at the elementary level receive assistance and IEP case management frm the learning supprt teacher and the schl based educatin assistant. Hw is it that students with the same tag can have different resurces allcated t them? If a student has 2 tags (Ministry Designatins), d they receive funding in bth categries? Resurces are allcated by bth tag and demnstrated need. Sme students require mre supprt than their funds generate. Students with special needs are funded under ne categry nly. Thus, if a student has autism and is hearing impaired he/she wuld be funded fr ne f these categries and receive service frm the apprpriate teachers. Where des funding fr Child and Yuth Care Wrkers (CYCW) cme frm? Cmmunity LINK funding is prvided by the Ministry f Educatin. In Delta this funding is als used t fund the Fd grants t supprt hungry students in many f ur schls. Wh is respnsible fr prviding class sets f textbks? The first persn t ask fr textbks at secndary is the textbk crdinatr at the schl level. All students assigned t a schl (including Supprtive Learning (Alternate) Prgrams) generate funds fr textbks at the schl level. The textbk crdinatr may be able t access cpies frm within the building r frm ther schls. If textbks are nt available at the schl level, Special Prgrams will ask the district learning resurces cmmittee fr additinal textbks. 8
What is the difference between lw and high incidence? BEHAVIOUR Lw Incidence and High Incidence refer t funding categries frm the Ministry f Educatin. Lw Incidence students qualify fr individual funding while High Incidence students are included in the general per student amunt frm the ministry The term lw incidence refers t the fact that there is a relatively lw incidence r small number f these students in the larger schl ppulatin. They are as fllws: Physically Dependent (A) Deaf/Blind (B) Mderate t Prfund Intellectual Disability (C) Physical Disability r Chrnic Health Impairment (D) Visual Impairment (E) Deaf r Hard f Hearing (F) Autism Spectrum Disrder (G) Intensive Behaviur Interventin /Serius Mental Illness (H) The rest f the students with special needs are nt individually funded. These students are identified as: Learning Disability Mild Intellectual Disability Mderate Behaviur Supprt/Mental illness Gifted As there are a cmparatively large number f students with these disabilities within the typical schl ppulatin, they are termed high incidence disabilities. 9
What s the difference between an R and H designatin? Students with Intensive Behaviur Interventin/Serius Mental Illness (H designatin) are in the Lw Incidence categry and are individually funded, as they require mre supprt than students in the Mderate (R designatin). IBI students have behaviur and emtinal challenges in schl, hme and cmmunity and therefre require Integrated Case Management Planning t crdinate all services. D R and H students need t see the cunsellr? Elementary students identified as Mderate r Intensive Behaviur usually have the cunsellr as case manager f their IEP. They may be seeing the cunsellr as part f their educatinal prgram. At the secndary level R + H students wh are nt assigned t a Supprtive Learning (Alternate) Prgram r ther supprt teachers, may be receiving supprt frm their schl cunsellr. 10
What are the criteria t be identified as a student with special needs? SUPPORT AND SERVICES The Ministry f Educatin has set ut specific criteria fr a variety f special needs (see website belw). Sme categries are funded per student, thers by schl allcatin. http://www.bced.gv.bc.ca/specialed/ppandg. htm See Funding Appendices H, Pg. 31 When is a student mved t a resurce rm? Why is this student in my class? Delta s philsphy is that all students have an pprtunity t belng and learn in a regular class with age-apprpriate peers. The first gal is always t supprt the student in their neighburhd schl with additinal prgramming, services, staffing and expertise. Only when the schl has exhausted all ptins and there is still a significant need fr additinal supprt, such as full time emergency EA supprt, r if there is significant impact n the learning f the ther students, wuld it be necessary t mve a student t a specialized prgram r resurce rm. D parents have a chice abut whether t send their child t a resurce rm? District staff may recmmend a specific setting, but it is up t the parents t decide where they wuld like their child placed. If a student ges int a resurce rm, will he/she have t stay? Student placement will be discussed at the end f each schl year. Sme students may mve t a mainstream classrm, with supprt frm the mainstream supprt teachers. Others may be supprted by Learning Supprt Teachers. Each student s placement is reviewed n an individual basis. 11
Can a student in a resurce rm receive LAT supprt fr his/her academics? Hw can I advcate fr my student/child? The schl has advised that a student see a cunsellr/ therapist in the cmmunity, but the child refuses t g. What shuld a parent d? What is the main purpse f any Supprtive Learning Prgram (junir r senir?)? If a student ges t a Supprtive Learning (Alternate) Prgram, will he/she graduate with a Dgwd? Is there a schl prgram fr students with attentin prblems? Schls d nt generally have enugh Learning Supprt time t supprt students in resurce rms. This is dne thrugh the lwer pupil/teacher rati in the resurce rm. Parents Ask questins, be infrmed and apprach schl and District Special Prgrams staff fr assistance. The Parent Advcacy prgram is available thrugh DPAC. http://dpac.deltasd.bc.ca/ Teachers Bring cncerns and questins t the Schl Based Team, yur building administratr r t District Special Prgrams staff. Have the student s teacher r schl cunsellr speak t him/her, and see if they can explain t them why it is suggested that they g t see a cunsellr r therapist utside f schl. Parents shuld keep the schl infrmed abut their child s prgress regarding the request fr utside interventin. T prvide students wh are capable f meeting Dgwd r Evergreen requirements with a schl experience which addresses their varius scial/emtinal/behaviural needs. All academic curses required fr Graduatin with a Dgwd are taught within the Supprtive Learning (Alternate) Prgram. There is n district prgram fr students with attentin difficulties. Best practice is fr these students t receive the assistance they need in their regular classrm placement with specific strategies implemented fr their needs. 12
Hw des Itinerant teaching time get decided? Different itinerant teachers have different caselads. Mainstream Supprt Teachers tend t wrk with apprximately 30 students. Hearing Teachers tend t wrk with apprx 18 students. Visin teachers tend t have caselads arund 8 dependent n the number f students using Braille. These numbers are based n a full time teacher, anything less is pr-rated. Hw d I refer a student fr Visiting Teacher Services? Referrals t the Visiting Teacher Prgram are made thrugh the schl cunsellr r schl administratr. Fill ut the Referral frm fund n First Class, Special Prgrams, Frms, Referrals. Send cmpleted frm t Special Prgrams. Generally students are referred wh may be away frm schl due t lng term hspitalizatin r illness and/r students wh are under a dctr s care fr emtinal difficulties and are nt able t attend schl. Hw many years can I have Visiting Teacher services? Can a Visiting Teacher curse be cmpleted withut ging t schl? Visiting Teacher supprt is available fr as lng as the student requires the service. Students wh are enrlled in Delta and receiving services frm the Visiting Teacher are ffered these services due t health r behaviural cncerns. They may cmplete curses at hme under the directin f a Visiting Teacher. 13
D I need t let the cunsellr/principal knw I want t call the Ministry fr Children and Family Develpment (MCFD)? All staff have the respnsibility and right t call MCFD t reprt cncerns abut student abuse r neglect. Delta plicy states that yu shuld als let the administratr knw that this has been dne. It is als gd practice t cnsult with the schl cunsellr as well. Any general calls t MCFD d nt require cnsultatin with a cunsellr r principal. Wh qualifies fr SET- BC? (Special Educatin Technlgy BC) When des the district cmmittee meet and hw are the requests evaluated? Students wh have a diagnsis f: Visual Impairments, Dependent Handicaps, Deaf/Blindness, Autism and Mderate t Prfund intellectual Disabilities. As the allcatin f technlgy is limited, districts must priritize their requests. All requests g thrugh the SET-BC District Cmmittee. Frms n First Class. Districts are allcated a certain number f pints per year which are like a budget. Varying pieces f technlgy cst a varying number f pints. Requests are reviewed three times per year with the first being the end f September. Hw is it determined wh gets easy writer types f machines fr utput supprt at the elementary schl level? Why desn t my student get a laptp? The district des prvide a limited number f Netbks fr students wh have written utput difficulties. Fill ut the request frm fund n First Class under Frms, Applicatins, Request fr Netbk. Send the cmpleted applicatin t Special Prgrams. Unfrtunately there is nt enugh funding available t prvide laptps r ther technlgy fr all students wh wuld benefit. 14
Why des special educatin (life skills) seemingly get mre resurces? The specialized curriculum fr these students entails different csts than the typical prgrams. They ften require additinal equipment, (i.e.: wheelchairs, technlgy) materials and staffing fr a variety f medical, behaviural and academic needs. The schl district receives additinal funding ver and abve the general funding t meet the unique needs f these students. Students in Resurce Rms require specialized resurces t meet their educatinal gals and therefre, d nt access general district learning resurces. Where can parents find resurces, infrmatin, funding fr their child when they graduate? Teachers f specialized prgrams and high schl cunsellrs usually have a gd deal f infrmatin abut services available. Parents shuld have received a cpy f Yur Future Nw Transitin Planning and Resurce Guide binder in their child s Gr. 10 year. If a student des nt have a cpy, cntact yur Crdinatr r dwnlad frm the district website. The Career Centre in the high schls have infrmatin abut services and resurces available. All pst-secndary institutins have a Supprt Services department. Fr Lw Incidence students, the scial wrker, thrugh Cmmunity Living BC (CLBC), can prvide guidance. Fr students with specific diagnses, the individual Assciatins wuld have the best infrmatin. Fr example: students with Autism wuld cntact the Autism Sciety. 15
Why can t a teacher refer directly t a cunsellr withut the schl team knwing? Why aren t there mre hurs f cunselling time? What des early interventin lk like in Delta? At many schls, referrals fr specialized services are made thrugh the Schl-Based Team in rder t crdinate and priritize these limited resurces. Teachers are always welcme t speak t cunsellrs n a cnsultative basis abut any student. As with Speech Language services, Delta s guidelines fr cunselling supprt are cnsistent with ther districts. The staffing fr cunselling has nt declined in the past few years even thugh we have had a reductin in the number f students in the district. Our rati is cnsistent with mst ther districts and mre favurable than sme. There has been a significant increase in the awareness and availability f early interventin supprt in the last few years. Services are available at the cmmunity level fr students frm 6 mnths t 5 years thrugh the Fraser Health Units, Infant Develpment prgrams and specialized Preschls. At the schl level we have increased effrts t identify students wh may be at risk early in their primary years and t prvide interventin and supprt. 16
EDUCATION ASSISTANTS Fr mre details n Scheduling f Educatin Assistants, refer t the Special Prgrams Guidelines fr Scheduling and Supervising EA s Dcument n First Class. Hw is EA time decided? Are LA prgrams entitled t EAs? If s, hw much time? Hw are the EA hurs (attached t LA) distributed amng students? Hw d EAs get allcated t classrms? Hw will EA time be used and des it carry n? Why is there n EA cverage fr lunch and recess time? EA time is prvided t implement the supprt plans as set ut in the student s IEP. This wuld include physical, persnal care, behaviural and learning needs. Each schl is allcated a certain amunt f schl-based EA supprt, which is usually attached t the Learning Assistance prgram. The allcatin is based n the number f students in the fllwing categries (Q, R, H, K). Utilizatin f the schl-based EA s time is usually crdinated by the Learning Supprt teacher, with input frm the Schl-Based Team and the administratr. Allcatin f the EA time is decided by the schl team with pririty given t the Ministry designated students. Hw EA time will be used is largely determined by the teacher, the team f supprting prfessinals and parents f the student. Specific tasks and schedule are decided by the Schl-Based Team, Administratr and teacher(s) at the schl. Educatin Assistants in Delta wrk under the directin f a teacher. EAs ften: prvide persnal care supervise at unstructured times such as recess and lunch prvide behaviur supprt in r ut f class adapt r create materials implement prgrams designed by supprt persnnel such as Speech Language Pathlgists r Occupatinal 17
Therapists prvide direct learning supprt t individuals r small grups f students supervise larger grups t enable the teacher t wrk with designated students ther duties as designed by the supprt team Whether EA supprt carries n depends n the surce f funding and the needs f the student. Quick Respnse funding is available fr shrt perids nly. If nging supprt is required the student s file needs t be reviewed t determine a mre effective way f prviding service. Funding fr lw incidence students is likely t cntinue year t year accrding t needs. What diagnsis gives yu additinal EA supprt? Hw much time d behaviur students receive in terms f EA time? Hw is EA time fr mainstream supprt allcated? Fr high-incidence students (i.e.: Learning Disabilities, Mderate/Severe Behaviur, etc.) EA supprt is assigned thrugh the schlbased Learning Assistance allcatin and is assigned t classrms based n the individual needs f the students in the class. Fr lw-incidence students the amunt f EA time allcated t individual students will depend n their diagnsis and individual needs. Generally lw-incidence students are allcated anywhere frm 5 t 13 hurs per week. If a student has a Ministry designatin (tag), dn t they autmatically cme with EA time? A Ministry designatin r medical diagnsis des nt autmatically generate EA time. Students wh are designated lw incidence, have individual funding, and students wh are designated high incidence dn t necessarily have individual funding, therefre, they wuld utilize schl-based EA supprt. 18
D students with a designatin f Autism Spectrum Disrder (ASD) receive additinal EA time autmatically? Hw much EA supprt a week d lw incidence students get? Hw much EA supprt des a student with a behaviur r LD, MID designatin receive? Hw much EA time des LD/Visin/ESL, etc. get? Students wh have a diagnsis f Autism receive additinal EA time (10-13 hurs per week). Typically, visin and hearing impaired students d nt receive EA supprt. Mst schls d nt have ESL EA time Students in high incidence prgrams (LA, LD, MID, mderated behaviur) generally receive supprt frm the EA attached t the LA prgram. Hw des EA time get allcated fr Supprtive Learning (elementary r secndary) prgrams? Why is it that supprtive learning students d nt get EA supprt when transitined in the regular class? Will the EA time be shared? Can a parent request that their child keep the same EA? Generally, all elementary Supprtive Learning prgrams have an allcatin f tw EA psitins. Secndary Supprtive Learning prgrams have an allcatin f ne EA. High incidence funding is nt given t students with this designatin therefre, if a student has an H designatin, EA supprt is cnsidered n an individual basis, but it is nt autmatic. Ideally, students will be integrated in the schl f their supprtive learning class int regular classes t ease their eventual transitin t their hme schl. Sharing EA time is a schl decisin. Lw incidence students bring in specific funding and therefre specific allcatin f time wuld be alltted t them. Many times schls will cluster students t maximize EA supprt. EA appintments must fllw the CUPE cllective agreement, which requires accmmdatin f senirity and qualificatins. Every effrt is made t maintain cntinuity when pssible. 19
Hw d I get a Quick Respnse Educatin Assistant? What is Quick Respnse? Hw d I get additinal supprt quickly? Quick Respnse applicatins are made by the schl principal t Special Prgrams. Quick Respnse requests are typically made fr behaviural situatins that arise unexpectedly and are beynd a schl s capacity t manage after having explred all pssible ptins. They are intended t be a shrt term slutin and are reviewed regularly thrughut the schl year. The request must include a plan fr utilizatin f the EA and subsequent systematic withdrawal f the supprt as the behaviur becmes manageable. The requests are reviewed by a district cmmittee and allcatins subsequently made. If we knw in June that a student has needs, why d we have t wait until September t apply fr Quick Respnse? Quick Respnse is available t respnd t emerging needs, nt n-ging needs. Any student that is identified as lw incidence thrugh the schl year usually has EA time assigned thrugh the EA time which has been allcated t the building. Generally behaviur students wh require intensive nging supprt shuld be placed in a resurce rm setting. Thse wh are nt in a specialized setting and are in their neighburhd schl will require thughtful planning t meet his/her needs. Is there a prvisin fr gender specific psting? Yes, there are prvisins fr a gender specific psting due t privacy and persnal care needs fr a very small number f students. 20
Why des the student have different EAs acrss the week? Ideally, mst students wuld benefit frm wrking with the same EA thrughut the week. Hwever, smetimes scheduling des nt allw fr that cntinuity. Can the EA be changed? Why can t the student have EA supprt fr 2 hrs/day instead f 2.5 hur days? Why can t EAs keep the same psitin each year? Why des the student have 5 different EAs? If there is a cnflict between an EA and teacher r student, the schl administratr and district staff will make every effrt t mediate an amicable slutin Misunderstanding r lack f cmmunicatin ften result in tensin between staff and student and a mediated apprach ften reslves these issues. The EA pl is allcated t the schl, and it is up t the administratr, with the assistance f the Learning Supprt teacher and Mainstream Supprt teacher, t decide the best scheduling t ptimize learning needs fr each student. There is a requirement fr a 4 hur minimum t be wrked every day fr each EA. Allcatins need t accmmdate this requirement. Often EA allcatins fr students are cmbined t allw EA supprt n a daily basis while meeting the 4 hur minimum requirement. Accrding t the schl district/cupe cllective agreement, EAs are invlved in a senirity based and qualificatins staffing prcess. Therefre, EAs with the mst senirity usually remain in psitins they have had the previus year shuld they chse t d s. EAs with the least amunt f senirity are mre frequently psting in t new psitins. Smetimes the staffing prcess has nt been cmpleted until Octber, r pssibly even later, and therefre casual educatin assistants are put in place until the prcess is finished and a successful candidate remains with the student fr the rest f the year. 21