Excellence in Education… Every Student Every Day Special Education New Teacher Orientation August 3, 2017 School Board Office Excellence in Education… Every Student Every Day Radford City Schools participate in an ongoing process of locating, identifying and evaluating children ages two to twenty-one who are suspected of having a disability.

Who can receive Special Education Services? Any child who is identified as having a disability is entitled to a free, appropriate public education designed to meet his/her needs. Special education programs are available for children with disabilities in Radford City.

SWD MES 3 BHES 4 JDIS 2 RHS 5 Totals 13 Aut 9 DD 19 ED 1 OHI 17 22 53 9 DD 19 ED 1 OHI 17 22 53 SLD 23 8 29 62 SLI 32 61 HI ID MD OI VI 63 70 24 60  217 Minus SLI 64 Not SLI 31 47 20 58 146

Special Education Staff projection for the 2017-18 School Year Special Education Teachers (K-12) 13.00 Teacher assistants 14.00 Speech Therapist 2.00 Preschool teachers 1.00 School Psychologist 1.50 Educational Evaluator .50 Visiting Teacher .50 Executive Director of Student Services .50 Special Education Secretary .50

Who can make referrals? Referrals can be made by anyone concerned with the child's educational performance or development including the parent, child, child's teacher, community agency or a school official.

Who may be eligible? Children with: Autism Deaf-Blindness Developmentally Delayed Hearing Impaired Intellectual Disability Multiple Disabilities Orthopedically Impairment Other Health Impairment Emotional Disability Specific Learning Disability Speech/Language Disability Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairment

EXAMPLES OF TYPES OF CONCERNS THAT MAY INITIATE A REFERRAL: -Inappropriate behaviors & feelings under normal circumstances -Poor academic performance -Poor attendance -Inability to get along with others -Vision difficulties -Hearing difficulties -Speech & Language difficulties -Coordination/Motor Difficulties -Chronic health problems -Grade retention -Chronic suspensions -High risk of drop out --Developmental Delays

STEPS OF THE REFERRAL PROCESS 1. Make referral to principal or designee 2. Principal will assign teacher to complete the Referral for Evaluation Form. 3. Schedule a parent conference(invite principal/designee and counselor or Special Education Chairperson) . 4. Review Referral form and determine assessment areas proposed. 5. Provide parents with Procedural Safeguards 6. Obtain parental consent for formal assessment and refer to the special education administrator.

STEPS OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS 1. Principal forwards the referral to Administrator of Special Education (ASE) ASP. 2. ASE assigns evaluators 3. Administer evaluations within 65 administrative working days after date of referral. 4.All reports are returned to Special Education Office 5. Schedule Eligibility Committee Meeting after all required reports are written. *Provide parents with reports upon request two days prior to EC meeting.

What is an Evaluation? Evaluation means procedures used to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs. The term means procedures used selectively with an individual child and does not include basic tests administered or procedures used with all children in a school, grade or class. EXAMPLES: Educational Assessments Psychological Assessments Speech and Language Assessments Medical

STEPS OF THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS 1. Parents are notified of the EC meeting by mail or by phone. 2. Parents can obtain copies of reports 2 days prior to EC Meeting. 3. Permission to conduct meeting is obtained. 4. Parent returns Notice of Eligibility Committee Meeting 5. EC meeting conducted (EC completes the Summary of Deliberations during meeting) 6. EC determines if child is eligible or not eligible for Special Education and related services. 7.Committee’s deliberations forwarded by the committee to the IEP committee. 8. An IEP must be developed with 30 calendar days of a determination that the child needs special education and related services and be implemented as soon as possible following the IEP meeting.

Am I expected to Remember all of this? Referral Evaluations Eligibility IEP’s

Special Education Teacher Who can Help ME? Principal SpEd Special Education Teacher School Psychologist

Now that the child is eligible what happens? Individualized Education Program (IEP) - a written plan developed by educators, parents and related service personnel which serves as the central educational document for the disabled student’s education.

Who is required to Attend the IEP Meeting? 1. Principal or Designee 2. Special Education Teacher 3. Parent 4. Regular Education Teacher Student Parent and Radford City Schools may invite other individuals with knowledge or expertise about the student.

What goes on in an IEP Meeting? 1. IEP Team: Special Education Teacher, Principal or designee, Regular Education Teachers, Related services staff, parents or guardian, and anyone parent wishes to invite. 2. Factors for IEP Team Consideration Results of initial or most recent evaluation Strengths Academic, developmental and functional needs Concerns of parent Communication needs Needs for benchmarks or short term objectives Assistive technology needs Behavior needs Limited English Limited Proficiency Needs Needs of visually impaired or blind Needs of hearing impaired or deaf Extended Year Services

What goes on in an IEP Meeting? 3. Diploma and Transition status 4. Annual Goals and Objectives How will progress be measured and how often reported. Mastery Criteria 5. Services and Least Restrictive Environment(LRE) Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) Services, Frequency, Location and Duration 6. Placement (public day school to residential facility) Options Consider and Placement Decision and option chosen 7. Accommodations Frequency, location, setting and duration 8. Testing accommodations SOL-calculator, read aloud, audio, plain english math, flexible schedule SOL alternative tests: VAAP, VGLA, VMAST, VSEP

What goes on in an IEP Meeting? 5. Placement Decision/Parent Consent 6. Written Prior Notice Action proposed or refused Rationale for why actions were proposed or refused Other options considered Reasons why options were rejected Description of any assessment data or reports used to make the decision Other factors relevant to proposal or refusal

What Happens if the Child is Not Eligible for Special Education? Continue to teach student utilizing information from evaluations for individualization and remediation. Consider making a referral to 504 (making reasonable accomidations in the classroom) Consider remedial programs Consultation

Forms I can expect to complete or help complete. Referral for Evaluation Educational Report Eligibility Committee Summary & Recommendations Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Parental Rights in Special Education Notice Consent Records Evaluation LRE Mediation Impartial Due Process Hearing Confidentiality

For More Information about Special Education and Related Services go to the Radford City Schools Special Place at: www.rcps.org