Special Education School Coordinator Monthly Webinar November 9, 2015

Agenda Child Count General Compliance Comprehensive Program Review IEP Compliance Transition Prior Written Notice Reevaluations Logs

Child Count Thank you to all who worked so quickly to correct errors as we found them. Precheck data were submitted Wednesday to the OSES. We anticipate feedback from the OSES by 11/20 and will get back to you after that time with any duplicates we have with other districts. Duplicates will need to be resolved as quickly as possible to determine which district can claim the child for funding. Final submission with 0 errors/duplicates is due to the OSES by 12/11. Reminder – exit kids in a timely fashion when they have been withdrawn from the school. Make sure the end sped date in Enrich matches the exit date in PS. School Leaders will have to sign an assurance that the children listed on the Child Count had an active IEP on October 27 prior to the District’s submission on 12/11.

Special Education Compliance is a BIG DEAL The most recent revocation was related primarily to systemic, persistent special education noncompliance that had not been corrected within a year A neighboring school district revoked the charter of a school for failure to issue progress reports District issues Letter of Caution, Letter of Noncompliance, Notice of Default of Charter, and Revocation Recommendation

Comprehensive Program Review (CPR) The Comprehensive Program Review (CPR) is a transparent and collaborative process used by the South Carolina Public Charter School District (District) to monitor schools' compliance with the various rules and regulations governing the education of students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004. The CPR will consist of the following: Onsite visits to the school or telephone/video conference; Review of documentation: records, resources, materials, policy/procedures; and Consultation with staff

IEP Compliance The CPR says: All IEPs are compliant as demonstrated by a review of (2-Returning and Low-Risk) (5-New or At-Risk) IEPs (transfer, annual, special/amended). Who is checking IEP compliance? When is it being checked? Before meetings? After meetings? What is the school’s internal policy? Is it being followed? For CPR Evidence all schools MUST use the IEP Review Tool for EVERY IEP reviewed.

Transition

Transition in Enrich Here you see a screen shot in Enrich. This is the section of the IEP that includes the transition present levels, findings, and the post secondary goals.

Transition components Transition Requirements Age of Majority Statement Transition IEP Goals Transition Services Transition Requirements include an Age of Majority Statement - is to be signed no later than 1 year before the student reaches 18. The statement declares that the student has been informed of his/her rights and is aware that these rights transfer to him/her at the age of 18. At age 18, the student has the right to make all decisions previously made by the parent, including approving the development and implementation of the IEP, consnet for initial evaluation and reevaluation, and revocation of consent. Transition IEP Goals - focus on training and/or education and include vocational education and adult education programs. Other goals include employment, either regular or supported, and independent living skills. Goals vary depending on the needs of the student.  Transition Services - lists those services needed to assist students in reaching their post secondary goals.

Post-Secondary considerations Here we a see a screen shot from Enrich that shows the area we are discussing. The things that need to be included are a postsecondary goal that must be appropriate, measurable and based on an age-appropriate transition assessment. There must be a transition assessment in training, education, employment, and independent living skills, where appropriate. Transition services include courses of study and are services that the student needs to assist the child in reaching their postsecondary goals

Post-secondary goals Here you see a screen shot in Enrich that shows the next requirements for transition that we will be discussing. You must have an education/training goal AND an employment goal. These are separate. Do not put employment components in the education/training goal or vice versa.

Student Interests and Preferences Global statement describing the student’s interests and preferences Students interests and preferences , this is a Global statement describing the “student’s” interests and preferences Interests and Preferences can be derived from: Formal and informal (documented) interviews Formal and informal interest inventories NOT just a copy/paste from the previous IEP

Post-secondary goals Example of a post-secondary goal: Upon completion of high school, John will enroll in courses at Ocean County Community College to study biology. Here you see an example of a post-secondary goal: Upon completion of high school, John will enroll in courses at Ocean County Community College. This goal meets standard because of specific reasons: Participation in postsecondary education is the focus of this goal. Enrollment at a community college can be observed, as in John enrolls in courses or he does not. The expectation, or behavior, is explicit, since John enrolls at the community college or he does not. Enrollment at a community college occurs after graduation, and it is stated that this goal will occur after graduation.

Non-example Upon graduation, John will continue to learn about life skills and reading. Here you see a non-example of a post secondary goal. Upon graduation, John will continue to learn about life skills and reading. This statement does not meet the standard, because: Participation in learning is the focus of this goal, but no specific place or program specified. The expectation for learning, or behavior, is not explicitly stated or defined.

Post Secondary Goal(s) Articulation of what the student would like to achieve after high school phrased in the form of a measurable goal. Written for both education/training and employment. When appropriate, written for independent living. Measurable Based on an outcome and not an activity or process A Post Secondary Goal is an articulation of what the student would like to achieve after high school phrased in the form of a measurable goal, it is based on age-appropriate transition assessment and based on student’s strengths, preferences and interests. The post secondary goal is written for both education or training and employment and When appropriate, written for independent living. Education/Training must be separate from Employment. Post Secondary Goals must be measurable, based on an outcome and not an activity or process. When writing post-secondary goals Do not use verbs like seeks, pursues, continues, learns and applies as these terms are processes and not outcomes.

Post Secondary Goal(s) Helpful Formula Here you see a helpful formula that can assist in writing a compliant post secondary goal. Read slide.

Transition Services If any Transition Service is selected there must be a corresponding goal. If any Transition Service is selected there must be a corresponding goal. It is possible for one goal to support multiple Transition Services. At a minimum, “Instruction” must checked.

Prior Written Notice

Generally the PWN must: be comprehensive enough to address each of the LEA ’s proposed and/or refused actions. The PWN should eliminate all doubts and/or misunderstandings. provide support for decisions communicated within the notice. specify the reasoning behind any proposed and/ or refused action. include and describe the facts of the meeting in a neutral tone and should be void of emotional, judgmental, or speculative statements. avoid the use of acronyms, such as, IDEA, LRE, and IEE, without proper explanation.

PWNs Changes in an IEP cannot be implemented until the parent has received the PWN

Prior Written Notice You will live and die by your PWN Using district examples as a guide is a great start, but your PWN needs to reflect each individual meeting and what was discussed at that meeting

Reevaluation

Reevaluations Remember the process is the same as for initial evaluations: review existing information across all areas determine if additional information is needed to answer 4 reeval questions determine continued eligibility and educational need

Reeval questions Does the child continue to have a disability? If so, does the child continue to need sped services? If so, do you know what his/her current educational needs are? If so, do you need to make any changes to the current IEP as a result?

Reevals Must be able to answer all 4 questions to conclude the reeval Must plan the reeval enough ahead of time to gather additional info and answer the 4 questions on or before the reeval date

Reevals Make sure reports are completed using professional language, complete sentences, correct grammar and punctuation, and contain all required information. For more info, see https://sccharter-public.sharepoint.com/Pages/Enrich.aspx under the Reevaluation heading

Reminder Make sure you are doubling checking the IEP and reevaluation dates in the previous IEP. A school entered the wrong reeval date and so missed the reeval and will now have to hold a denial of FAPE meeting due to being overdue on the reeval. If you enter the wrong date, this will not show up on an overdue report, but will show up if you’re checking by hand.

Logs and Documentation

Logs Services Logs Accommodations Logs Contact Logs Logs must be clear enough that anyone reading them have a clear understanding of what is being communicated. If someone who does not work at the school picks up the documentation, would it be crystal clear that this provided documentation of the provision of services and accommodations

Accommodation Log Example

Service Log Example

Reminders Next webinar is 12/14 Face-to-face is 1/14/16 here at the DO