Including Other Professionals In the SAT Process: Factors for Consideration by Donald J. Frazier, Ph.D.

Including Other Professionals to the SAT Process: Factors for Consideration PED Voice According to the PED Rti/SAT manual, the following guidelines were suggested for the inclusion of special education and other professional staff at SAT meetings: When the team is called upon to address the needs of an individual student, the classroom teacher and the parent (and student, as appropriate), as well as the person who referred the student (if not the teacher or parent) joins the core team. A varying number of other individuals also serve on the team, depending on the types of concerns and expertise needed. A special education professional may serve on the SAT, but must not serve as the SAT Chairperson or Supervisor It is a best practice to ask special education staff to join the SAT on an.“as needed.” basis. Other specialists may be necessary to bring valuable perspectives and ideas to the team: Special Education Related Services staff - speech therapist - social worker - school psychologist Other Educational, Health or Community Support staff -Truancy coordinators or attendance clerks -Homeless family coordinator -Bilingual/Multicultural teacher -Reading/Math specialists -Nurse -representatives from community agencies (such as school- based health centers or community-based truancy centers)

Including Other Professionals to the SAT Process: Factors for Consideration CAUTION: Special Education Staff who participate in a SAT process may NOT conduct direct student observations, screen the student or do testing of any type (prior to the referral for formal evaluation with parent consent). The role of such SPED staff is to provide professional knowledge related to the problems at hand, answer teacher/parent questions and to suggest possible pre-Tier 1 and 2 interventions that might be helpful.

Including Other Professionals to the SAT Process: Factors for Consideration Other Special Education Staff Who May Sometimes Need To Be Part of the SAT Process Occupational Therapist –Provide knowledge related to fine motor and visual-motor integration in identified academic problems –Suggested ideas for Tier 1 or 2 interventions Special Education Coordinator –Dealing with issues that involve: a) complex federal IDEA law, b) potential liability or c) which might involve substantial cost of a possible IEP component Educational Diagnostician –Dealing with issues related to Dual Discrepancy in K-3 students –Dealing with issues related to a need for information in the area of cognitive information processing and how it applies to learning (suggested interventions for instruction or parent- initiated practice at home) for students who are struggling, even with Tier 2 interventions –Assist with determining whether a child has presented with an “obvious disability” and how to proceed, if so –Assist with developing a proposed list of assessment methods for Prior Written Notice and Informed Consent form