SPECIAL EDUCATION 101 What Do You Need to Know? Presented by: MaryLou Heron & Kristen Strong Training and Consultation Staff

What do YOU need to know about Special Education?

SPECIAL EDUCATION The ABCs The ABCs Critical Events Critical Events The Process The Process Specially Designed Specially Designed Instruction Instruction

Special Education Special Education ADAATERFAPE IDEAIEPLEALRE NCLBODDNOREPPASA PDDRRPSSA-MSaS SDISLDSWPBSUDL AND MANY MANY MORE…

Critical Events In History (1954) Brown v. Board of Education Right To Education Cases  (1972) PARC v. PA  (1972) Mills v. Board of Education (1975) Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1982) Board of Education v. Rowley (1990) IDEA (1993) Oberti v. Board of Education

Most Recent Critical Events (1997) IDEA Amendments National Reading Panel (2000) Learning Disabilities Summit (2001) (2001) NCLB (2001) President’s Commission on Special Ed Special Ed (2004) IDEIA / PA Chapter 14 (2005) Gaskin v. PA Class Action Law Suit Class Action Law Suit

Six Principles of IDEA Principle of IDEARequirement Zero Reject Locate, identify, & provide services to all eligible students with disabilities. Protection in Evaluation Conduct an assessment to determine if a student has an IDEA related disability and if he/she needs special education services. (FAPE) Free Appropriate Public Education Public Education Develop & deliver an individualized education program of special education services that confers meaningful educational benefit. (LRE) Least Restrictive Environment Environment Educate students with disabilities with nondisabled students to the maximum extent appropriate. Procedural Safeguards Comply with procedural requirements of the IDEA. Parental Participation Collaborate with parents in the development and delivery of their child’s special education program.

What Does IDEA (2004) Say About Discipline? IEP Team must reconvene to conduct a Manifestation Determination when students are removed for disciplinary reasons for: More the 10 consecutive school days More than 15 cumulative school days Any removal of students with MR

The Process of SPECIAL EDUCATION: Evaluation Referral Testing & Observational data Evaluation team determines eligibility  The student must: 1. Fit into disability category 2. Need specially designed instruction Evaluation Report

Disability Categories for Eligibility AutismDeaf-Blindness Developmental Delay (for ages 3 through 9) Emotional Disturbance Hearing Impairment / Deafness Intellectual Disability Multiple Disabilities Traumatic Brain Injury Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Specific Learning Disability Speech or Language Impairment Visual Impairment/ Blindness

IEP Development IEP Development IEP Team Special Education Teacher Special Education Teacher Regular Education Teacher Regular Education Teacher Related Service Providers Related Service Providers Parents Parents LEA LEA Student (if appropriate) Student (if appropriate) IEP Document IEP Document  The What, Where, and How of the student’s educational program

Progress Monitoring Data is gathered to: See if students are on the right track toward meeting their goals See if students are on the right track toward meeting their goals Adjust instruction if students are not on track Adjust instruction if students are not on track Make revisions to the IEP if necessary Make revisions to the IEP if necessary Make planning decisions at the yearly IEP meeting and at reevaluation time (every 2 or 3 years) Make planning decisions at the yearly IEP meeting and at reevaluation time (every 2 or 3 years) Report to parents Report to parents

Reevaluation IEP team evaluates progress monitoring, assessment, and observational data on student IEP team evaluates progress monitoring, assessment, and observational data on student IEP team decides if additional information needs to be gathered IEP team decides if additional information needs to be gathered Report confirms student’s continued eligibility in special education Report confirms student’s continued eligibility in special education

What Are Your Responsibilities? Know your District’s procedures and expectations Implement Pre-referral Interventions Actively participate as an IEP team member Collect and present data regarding the student’s progress in the general education curriculum Implementation of the IEP

IEP Implementation Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Refers to the teaching strategies and methods used by teachers to instruct students with disabilities  Accommodations: Changes in HOW students access information and demonstrate learning  Modifications: Change in WHAT students are expected to learn

Specially Designed Instruction Instruction Instruction Assessment Assessment Time Management ManagementMaterials Equipment / Assistive AssistiveTechnology ClassroomEnvironment Maximizing Student Achievement

Some people see a closed door and turn away Others see a closed door, try the knob, if it doesn’t open they find the key, if the key doesn’t fit… they turn away. A rare few see a closed door, try the knob, if it doesn’t open, they find a key, if the key doesn’t fit… they make one. SPECIAL EDUCATION: ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS

Questions or Concerns?