1. Help! My child is having trouble at school! What do I do?
Rebecca Newfield, Guidance Counselor
Nikki Ionescu, Special Education Teacher December 13, 2016

2. Agenda
Guiding Question: What’s the barrier getting in the way of learning for your child?
What to do if you and/or the teacher are concerned?
Who is involved and how does it work?
Tiered supports
Next steps and referral process
The IEP process

3. Turn and Talk What do you think of when you hear special education?
This is NOT the special education you knew

4. First Step of the Special Education Process
If you’re concerned, reach out to the teacher first
The teacher will reach out to you with concerns
What to do if you don’t agree– keep talking

5. Next Steps… The teacher will:
contact relevant related service providers (RSPs)
RSPs will observe and provide strategies to try
Request to attend a PPT (Pupil Personnel Team) meeting

6. Who are the helpers? Rebecca – Guidance Counselor
Nick/Sarah- Occupational Therapists
Nikki – Special Education Teacher
Torrie – Speech Language Therapist
Peter – AIS Teacher (math)
Francesca – AIS Teacher (reading)
Paraprofessionals – individual/classroom support
Maggie - Principal

7. PPT Teacher reports RSPs brainstorm Strategies to try, small groups
Assign case manager
Check in with case manager at 4 weeks
Check in at 6-8 weeks with teacher
Determine next steps– continue, revise, or request an evaluation

8. What does the help look like? Tier one supports in the classroom
Seat cushions, pencil grips, study carrels, fidgets
Movement break strategies
individual academic tools (e.g., number lines, personal word walls, checklists, etc.)
Differentiated work/small group instruction (step- by-step guidelines, modified work)
Create a plan with the student
Independent work space

9. Tier two supports Can be in or out of the classroom
Peter– math enrichment and support (push in)
Nikki- academic support (push in & pull out)
Francesca- reading support (push in & pull out)

10. 6-8 weeks later… Decide to continue with program or adjust
Or request special education evaluation

11. The steps of the IEP (individualized education program) process
Initial referral or request for referral
Evaluation
Educational Planning Conference
Arranging special education services including goals
Annual review/reevaluation

12. What does an evaluation look like (K – 5)?
First: Letter of request is written by parent or school
Next: Social Worker takes a social history from birth to present, explains the process, and gets consent from parent
Then: School Psychologist does a comprehensive psycho- educational assessment that looks at what your child knows and how he/she learns
Also: specialists (OT, Speech) do other assessments as needed
In addition: behaviors are documented
Finally: We meet to review the results of assessments, observations, and come up with a plan (IEP)
Pre-k evaluations look different than K-5 evaluations

13. EPC Educational Planning Conference
Who- general education teacher, special education teacher, district rep (principal), school psychologist, related service providers, parent, older students
When- within 60 days of letter
What happens?
We discuss results of testing and assessments to see if student qualifies for services. Then we figure out the most appropriate classification and services.

14. Classification What is the student’s biggest barrier to learning?
Autism
Deafness
Deaf-Blindness
Emotional Disturbance
Hearing Impairment
Intellectual Disability
Learning Disability
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairment
Other Health Impairment
Speech or Language Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Visual Impairment

15. Academic Services ICT (Integrated Co Teaching)
SETSS (special education teacher support services)
Generally, placement is within our school

16. Related Services
Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Counseling
Each related service provider contributes goals and management needs to the IEP

17. Reporting Progress Yearly meeting to review IEP
A parent can request an IEP meeting too
Every three years there is a Triennial Re-evalution
Every marking period teachers and related service providers update progress on the IEP goals

18. What questions are you left with?