Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible by Donald J. Frazier, Ph.D. The NM SPS Indicators require districts to have zero inappropriate placements in special education each year. Likewise, districts are allowed zero cases that go beyond the 60 day time limit for initial evaluations each year. Each year, district data is analyzed to determine if special education numbers are excessive (and the criteria is dropping annually). Thus, SAT and Special Education are in partnership on the district team and must work collaboratively in order to help the district achieve these goals of perfection. The SAT packet completeness and consideration of time lines in the referral process are keys to success in this endeavor.

SAT Suggestions Make sure that all necessary paperwork is completed, including an academic support plan with Tier 1 and 2 interventions for all areas of identified need. Missing pieces could be construed as a factor in an inappropriate referral. Make extensive attempts to insure that the parent is an active participant in the SAT process. Parent participation can be a difference maker in the success or lack of success of a SAT intervention plan. It will also make the referral to special education for evaluation as less of a surprise. Collaborate with special education staff in determining how to develop the Informed Consent form for parents to provide written consent to test –Allow the special education coordinator or diagnostician to review the file for completeness prior to obtaining parent consent –Allow the diagnostician to recommend the necessary test battery, given the data at hand –Obtain diagnostician input when dealing with a possible SLD referral with a student in grade K-3 Use a sense of partnership with special education in terms of time lines in the referral process for evaluation (i.e., the difference between a December 22 nd referral and a January 7 th referral is a diagnostician who has lost 14 of the 60 total days to complete; try to make all referrals by around April 1 st in order to allow 60 days, if possible).

Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible (continued) Consider the importance of and the need to intervene with poor attendance –In determining eligibility, the state EDT forms ask the team to consider whether or not the child had lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math (and lack of attendance could impact this) –After no more than 10 absences within a semester, an attendance support plan should be established with parent participation –All efforts to boost attendance rates should be documented and included in the SAT packet (including letters from the district, a phone call chart and a description of discussions of the issue with parents

Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible (continued) Consider the importance of and intervene with the need to environmental stress and socio-economic factors Home life is chaotic and/or marked by neglect Home life is marked by abuse or trauma The child’s family is undergoing significant transition, such as divorce or parent arrest Custody has been changed recently or frequently (e.g., from one parent to another, to grandparents, to foster family) The family is homeless When such factors are present, it is important to understand that the performance deficit is likely not being caused by a disability, per se. Interventions options are limited but the school can try to be helpful in several possible ways. Consider providing parents with phone numbers of social service support systems Consider offering school guidance counseling services as part of the Tier 2 plan Offer help in completing Medicaid or other entitlement services applications When absolutely necessary, make a referral to CYFD as appropriate

Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible (continued) If a student is an English Language Learner or bilingual, it can impact the way that cognitive information is processed. It can also reduce the child’s ability to gain from English-only academic information. If a student is identified on the NMELPA as having English language usage issues, then a referral for special education eligibility may not be appropriate until significant interventions are attempted Interventions at Tier 1 and 2 should address the language issues ELL programming Sheltering during lessons Bilingual teacher/classes Accommodations/modifications to bolster language comprehension

Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible (continued) Children who are significantly culturally different perform less strongly on intellectual functioning and academic tests than do persons from the majority culture. Thus, caution should be used in making referrals for special education testing. For students who have moved to this country from another, several years would be necessary in order to begin to acculturate. If the student is USA-born and was raised in this culture for all of her/his life, it may be appropriate to rule out this factor. However, there are instances when a child may be culturally different, even when raised in this country. If the family has retained the values, interests and behaviors of the culture of origin, the child’s understanding of academic-social issues or behavior thereof may be impacted. This is particularly important in the consideration of students of Asian, Hispanic and Native-American culture. Academic-social problems may well not reflect a disability, but rather a cultural difference issue.

Making The Strongest SAT Referral Possible (continued) Use frequently administered Curriculum Based Measures during the SAT intervention process in order to provide empirical data in terms of success of the interventions. Short cycle results are not sufficient to meet this need. –In determining eligibility, the state EDT forms ask if the parents have been provided with frequently administered progress monitoring assessment data – an answer of “no” could make eligibility problematic Tier 2 Interventions should be empirically based and individualized to the student needs, not a “one size fits all” approach

Examples of Excellent and At-Risk SAT Referrals EXCELLENT All documents completed and signed Failed vision screen was followed up by school nurse and re-screen with glasses earned a pass A plan with Tier 1 and 2 components was developed for each area of concern (math, written expression) Plan is individualized to student needs Plan is frequently assessed with CBMs Teacher provided a daily log of documentation efforts and results Parent as participant at most meetings (documentation of attempts to invite parent to the missed meetings) Adequate time was allowed for interventions to take effect AT-RISK Principal signature missing throughout packet No evidence of attempts to obtain parent participation; parent never present Identified areas are reading, math and written expression but academic plan in reading only Academic plan is minimal, with the same phrase (Used Everyday Reading) repeatedly utilized to describe each aspect of intervention plan Hearing screen failed without any documentation of attempted resolutions Excessive absences without any clearly attempted resolutions Teacher observation and feedback forms were from previous school year Family History form was not completed