Module: IEPs Head Start Center for Inclusion Head Start Center for Inclusion Funded by the Office of Head Start Department of Health and Human Services This material was developed by the Head Start Center for Inclusion with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (Grant No. 90YD0270). The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. You may reproduce this material for training and information purposes. Introductions: have participants share about themselves (names, professional roles, experiences in Head Start, experiences with inclusion and specifically IEPs). A brief overview of what an IEP is, and that it will be explained in greater depth throughout the presentation

IEP Training Module Today’s Objectives… Participants will learn what an IEP is and who is involved in creating it. Participants will understand the link between the IEP and a child’s participation in a high quality inclusive preschool setting. Participants will understand how to use an IEP in the classroom with regard to planning activities for the child with special needs. Discuss each of the objectives with the participants.

ABC’s of frequently used terms IEP Training Module ABC’s of frequently used terms IEP- Individualized Education Program (education plan used for children with special needs from ages 3-21) IFSP- Individual Family Service Plan (education plan used for children from birth through age 2) ILP-Individual Learning Plan (education plan for typically developing children used in some Head Start settings) IDEA-Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Describe Slide 4…Go into detail as needed…

IEP Training Module What is an IEP? An IEP is a written legal document describing what types of individualized special education services the child with special needs qualifies for. It is written by a team of people, including the child’s family and teacher. It describes how the child is currently performing in their classroom setting and what skills the child still needs support with. It includes measurable goals and objectives to help get the child to where they need to be. “We are going to go into detail today about the IEP…What it is, who writes it, why it is important to special education and what to do with it after it has been written”…Talk about slide…”Does anyone know what an IEP is, has anyone had experience writing an IEP?” Open it up to discussion…

INDIVIDUALIZED! The I in IEP is the most critical aspect… IEP Training Module INDIVIDUALIZED! The I in IEP is the most critical aspect… A child’s education plan needs to be individualized to meet the needs of the child. A child’s annual goals and objectives, need to be individualized to help them participate and learn within the teachings of the general education curriculum. The word Individualized is the most important part of an IEP…The IEP is nothing if not individualized…No two IEPs are the same…Each child with special needs is different and has different needs when it comes to being able to participate in the general education curriculum…Individualizing the IEP to fit the needs of the child is the most important part…

Who writes the child’s IEP? IEP Training Module Who writes the child’s IEP? The members of the child’s educational team all help contribute to the IEP. An IEP team can include any of the following people: Parents and caregivers Child’s teacher School district representative Head Start Disabilities Coordinator Head Start Family Services Specialist Related services therapists School psychologist Talk about slide…

IEP Training Module IEP Process Typically the child’s special education teachers, related service therapists and other district personnel will write the first draft of an IEP. The rough draft is then presented at the IEP meeting for the child’s parents, Head Start teacher and other team members to review, change, provide more information to and approve. Head Start teachers and families are crucial to this process. Discuss the experiences participants have had regarding the writing of IEPs, who has ever attending IEP meetings, what they felt about them…What the process was like….

Parts of an IEP Present level of performance IEP Training Module Parts of an IEP Present level of performance Test scores and summary of evaluations used to determine eligibility Accommodations & modifications Types & amounts of services provided Goals & Objectives Briefly discuss each aspect on the slide. Present level = what a child can do, what his/her needs are. Skills levels include cognitive, self-help, socio-emotional, motor and communication. Accommodations = any support needed to aid curriculum, e.g., visual supports, extra time to complete an activity Types & amounts of services provided = specific hours/minutes per week a child needs specially designed instruction. Important to note that a child can receive these services in a Head Start classroom. Can consult with special educator. Goals = A description of year-long educational goals.

Present Levels of Performance IEP Training Module Present Levels of Performance This section describes what the child is currently doing in the classroom and what they still need support with. Evaluations and test scores are summarized After the present levels of performance are written, the annual goals and objectives sections can then be created based on what special education services the child qualifies for. Emphasize a need to define areas of strength as well as areas in which the child is struggling. Discuss who is involved in the information gathering: related services providers and teachers can conduct assessments, classroom observations can provide information on how well a classroom’s organization supports the child’s learning, behavioral observations can be conducted by teachers and classroom staff to learn about how a child demonstrates a skill in multiple settings, parents provide valuable information on the child’s learning and behavior at home.

Present Levels Activity IEP Training Module Present Levels Activity Read the three different Present Levels of Performance descriptions written about Nathan Compare and contrast the three descriptions in a small group Activity could include looking at completed PLOPs for teachers to read in groups. They could then get a description of a child and have to then write a PLOP for them. Receive a case study of a child and then create a PLOP…

Test Scores and Evaluations IEP Training Module Test Scores and Evaluations Test scores and evaluation summaries are included in the child’s initial IEP in the present levels of performance section. These scores do not need to be added or talked about in other subsequent IEPs. We won’t really go into test scores today, but just know that they are summarized in a child’s initial IEP, then they do not have to be mentioned again in their annual IEP.

Annual Goals and Objectives IEP Training Module Annual Goals and Objectives Individualized goals are written by the IEP team to specifically target skills for the child to work on, based on what services they qualify for. Goals need to be measurable and observable. 45 CFR 1308.19(e) Goals and objectives are created for each area that a child qualifies for special education services. They can qualify in the area of Cognitive (thinking and reasoning skills), Adaptive (self-help skills), Speech and Language (talking, communicating), Motor (fine and gross motor skills), Social (how they relate to their peers), Behavior (Behaving and functioning in everyday classroom activities) Some kids can qualify to receive services in each of these areas, some kids can qualify to receive services in only a few of these areas…It can vary from child to child and is based on the test scores that were used to evaluate a particular child. It is important to note that each state has different guidelines regarding what is required to be in the IEP. Note to presenter: try and steer clear of conversations regarding the different pieces of an IEP document and what is included in one, as it varies greatly from state to state and district to district. Try and keep on track with talking about the family’s and head start teacher’s roll in the process.

Annual Goals and Objectives IEP Training Module Annual Goals and Objectives It is expected that a child will work on the goals for an entire year, starting from when the IEP is written. Short term objectives can be created to break down the annual goal.

Goals and Objectives Activity IEP Training Module Goals and Objectives Activity What do you see as differences in the objectives? Which one would be most useful for you as a teacher? Begin thinking about how you would teach this skill to this child in your classroom.

Accommodations and Modifications IEP Training Module Accommodations and Modifications This section describes what types of modifications or adaptations to the general education curriculum a particular child should receive based on their individual needs. Examples include: Door to door bus transportation Use of a communication devise during classroom activities Child needs to have a walker available to them during classroom activities and transitions. This section describes that other services a child needs to be able to participate in the general education curriculum, besides what is being addressed in their goals and objectives…Examples include…

IEP Training Module Service Matrix This section describes the amount of time a child qualifies for a particular type of specialized instruction, based on the needs of the child as well as the availability of the therapist or teacher. Not too much more to add here…

THE IEP Meeting… What does it look like? IEP Training Module THE IEP Meeting… What does it look like? An IEP meeting can be held any place that is private and comfortable for the child’s family as well as other school staff. An IEP meeting can be held in the child’s classroom, a conference room, or even in a family’s home. OK, so those were a brief overview of the parts of an IEP. Now we are going to look at what an IEP meeting looks like and what you can do as head teachers to ensure that they go smoothly. (Hand out copies of tips for teachers from HSCI website) (open up discussion again for those who have been to IEP meetings, how they went, what went well, what they might have changed…) We are now going to watch different parts of a video which shows an IEP meeting taking place…we’ll first watch the section on setting up the room for the IEP meeting…)

Setting Up Before IEP Meeting IEP Training Module Setting Up Before IEP Meeting After the video…”What did you see in this video with regard to set up?” “What did the teacher and special education teacher do to get the room ready for the IEP?” “Why did they do what they did?”

Planning for the IEP Meeting IEP Training Module Planning for the IEP Meeting Door to door bus transportation Before the meeting, write down ideas for goals based on classroom observations Talk with the family before the meeting about what they see as priorities for their child to work on… Make sure they get addressed in the meeting. Arrive early to set up the space for the meeting. Bring photos of the child and recent artwork Hand out or refer to the IEP teacher’s tip sheet. Go over it with the group.

Beginning IEP Meeting IEP Training Module “This video clip is going to show what goes on during an IEP meeting…Notice who is there, what things they do well, what things they don’t do well…”

During the meeting… Welcome the parents/greet by name IEP Training Module During the meeting… Welcome the parents/greet by name Share the photos and artwork; talk about what the child is doing well Share ideas for goals Ask questions Remind participants that, even if they don’t feel entirely comfortable in IEP meetings, research shows that parents generally feel less welcome than teachers. Ethically and legally it is crucial that parents’ views be included in IEP meetings. If they feel welcome at the meeting and understand that their input has been received, the overall process of educating their child will generally go much better. Also, remind them that they should feel welcome to ask specific questions about goals and progress monitoring, and, because they will be doing much of the data collecting, they should make sure that the method of collection is doable.

Generating Goals & Objectives IEP Training Module Generating Goals & Objectives

IEP Training Module After the meeting… Request a copy of the completed IEP, or find out when a final copy will be available to you. Schedule any follow-up meetings. Discuss how and when written progress reports will be sent to families. Connect with disability coordinator if problems. The Head Start teacher should try and schedule a time that the related services provider can come and meet with them. It would be optimum to invite the special education staff to the classroom planning meeting, ask the SLP/OT/PT to model how they would work on a goal, work on an activity matrix together. Schedule time with the classroom staff to discuss the IEP and how the team will implement the plan.

Closing the Meeting IEP Training Module This video clip will show how the teacher and family service worker end the meeting with the family. Watch how they end the meeting…What do they do or say to the family to help the family feel confident and comfortable with the process?

OK…the IEP is written… Now what do I do? IEP Training Module OK…the IEP is written… Now what do I do? Use it! Familiarize yourself and your classroom staff with the child’s IEP goals Meet with the child’s OT/PT and/or SLP and invite them to attend your classroom planning sessions. Keep track of how the child is doing on their various goals and objectives. So…We have had the meeting, we have written the IEP…Now what? Well…we could just stick it in the child’s file folder and never look at it again until it comes time to write the quarterly report…But we can do better than that…In order to serve the child the way in which they deserve to be served we need to USE the IEP!

How do I use the IEP in the classroom? IEP Training Module How do I use the IEP in the classroom? Create an activity matrix to help plan and visualize the child’s individual goals and how they will fit in with the general education curriculum. This matrix can be used to help train staff and to communicate with them about how to better plan for the child’s specialized instruction. Discuss this slide. Ask participants how they have used an IEP in the classroom. What have they done and what has been challenging for them…

What is an Activity Matrix? IEP Training Module What is an Activity Matrix? An activity matrix is a way of keeping track of when and where you as a teacher will teach a child’s individualized learning objectives. It can be done by hand, on the computer, on a giant white board/chalk board or on a bulletin board…anywhere where it can be SEEN and USED! Talk about what an activity matrix is…Ask if anyone has ever used anything like this before…

Child Activity Matrix IEP Training Module Examples of Activity Matricies. 1st example is “Child Activity Matrix” with Nathan…So, in this first handout, you’ll see that we have put the child’s goals across the top of the chart and the daily activities across the side. We then go in and decide which activities we will target during our day to teach this child’s specific learning objectives. We also can put how many trials we want to get in during each activity. The more teaching opportunities or teaching trials we can get in during the day on a specific objective, the more progress this child will make on this objective. So for instance, one of Nathan’s goals is to recognize letters in his name. We are pretty sure that we can get one trial in at the beginning of the day when he puts away his belongings in his cubby. A teacher will make sure he or she is with Nathan during that time and asks him to identify some of the letters in his name. During Circle time, we think we can get in 2 more trials. When he is finding his name tag, a teacher will ask him the letters in his name and when the teacher calls him up to make a song or book choice, she will hold up his name tag and ask him what letter his name starts with. You’ll see that there are many more opportunities for more trials as the day goes on. These trials are probably something that will come very naturally to you, and this matrix is a just a great way to organize your time and a way to keep track of the amount of teaching opportunities a child is receiving on their goals.

Classroom Activity Matrix IEP Training Module Classroom Activity Matrix So your second hand out is an example of another kind of activity matrix, which is a classroom activity matrix. This is a good one to use if you are planning for multiple children who have different learning objectives. You’ll see in this one that the child’s names are listed across the top and the activities are listed down the side. As a teacher, you can then plug in each child’s learning objectives next to what activity you think you will be working on them. For instance, you’ll see that Brian is working on matching objects, remaining with the group independently and indicating “My Turn” when he wants an object. The matrix shows that he will be working on matching objects during small group, mealtime and free choice. He will be working on remaining with the group during arrival, circle time, outside time, small group time and departure. He will be working on indicating “My Turn” during circle time, small group and free choice. Look at the columns for Cameron and Leah and see if you can figure out when this teacher is planning on targeting their objectives.

Activity Matrix Example IEP Training Module Activity Matrix Example So this matrix shows that you don’t always have to do a pretty chart on the computer…this teacher had a spare white board in their classroom and used sticky notes to put up the goals and objectives that the children were working on, and could then move them around to different activities depending on when and where she could feasibly work on them. This just gives you an another idea about how to think outside the box when it comes to organizing and planning for instruction.

How do I make an Activity Matrix? IEP Training Module How do I make an Activity Matrix? Look at the examples of activity matricies handed out. Think about how this might work in your classroom. When would you teach specific skills? Think about how you would set up the activity for that instruction to happen Give participants a blank activity matrix form with activities on the side…Then give them children’s IEP goals such as…matching colors, greeting peers, putting away belongings, identifying pictures in a book. Have them plug in where in the day they think they could work on these goals.

How do we know if a child is learning? IEP Training Module How do we know if a child is learning? We need to monitor child progress IEPs require quarterly progress reports and annual updates It is important to collect information on child progress regularly to insure that children are making progress on their goals and objectives Ask the participants how we might go about monitoring progress. What experiences have they had doing so. What do they do for the other children in their class? How do they monitor their progress?

How do I monitor Progress? Write down what you see! IEP Training Module How do I monitor Progress? Write down what you see! You can write down directly on your activity matrix You can keep clip boards around your room with the child’s goals on them. You can use index cards and keep them in your pocket You can use whatever system you already use if you have children with ILP goals.

IEP Training Module Key Messages An IEP is a written legal document describing what types of individualized special education services the child with special needs qualifies for. The IEP is developed by a team of people, including the child’s family and teacher. IEPs require quarterly progress reports and annual updates

Thank you! Visit the website for more resources IEP Training Module Thank you! Visit the website for more resources www.headstartinclusion.org Please complete the evaluation form and turn it in to your trainer.