1. Comprehensive Overview of Student Services
Monomoy Regional School District Report to School Committee January 12, 2017
Comprehensive Overview of Student Services

2. Federal State Laws and Regulations PL (Pubic Law) 105-17
1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Federal
1975, P.L FAPE
First major special education law was Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972
MGL c.71B
Regulation 603 CMR 28.00
State

3. F.A.P.E.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is an educational right of children with disabilities in the United States that is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
District must reasonably calculate FAPE – replaced “maximum feasibility” with the reauthorization.

4. LRE
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is the requirement in federal law that students with disabilities receive their education, to the maximum extent appropriate, with nondisabled peers and that special education students are not removed from regular classes unless, even with supplemental aids and services, education in regular classes cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

5. Eligibility for special education services
Child Find
Pre-Referral
Initial Referral
Initial Evaluation

6. Process to Determine eligibility
Initial Evaluation
Requested by parents, teachers, or related service providers
Re-Evaluation
Conducted every three years

7. Possible Outcomes Eligible Not Found Eligible
An Individual Education Program is developed to meet the unique needs of the student that requires specialized instruction and/or related services
The Team provides written notice and the parent’s notice of procedural safeguards is provided.
Accommodations are put into place as part of the District Accommodation Plan (DCAP)
Potential for eligibility of a 504 (accommodation plan) if the student only requires accommodations and meets eligibility requirements

8. Individual Education Program (IEP) Development
An Individual Education Program (IEP) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child’s unique individual learning needs.
The IEP has Two general purposes:
To set reasonable learning goals for a student
To state the services the student will receive as part of the educational program
The IEP is developed jointly by the school system, the parent of the child, and the student (when appropriate)
The school district issues the IEP based on the input from the members of the IEP TEAM.

9. Some Areas to be Addressed
Implementation and Monitoring
Transition Planning
(14-22)
Extended Year Services
Discipline and Placement
688 Referral
(Adult Service)
Parental Involvement

10. Problem Resolution State Compliance System - PQA Facilitated Meetings
Bureau of Special Education Appeals
(BSEA)
SPEDEX
Mediation

11. Programs and Services Preschool
Integrated Classrooms
Walk-in/Itinerant Services
Intensive Preschool Program
Make Way for Kids

12. Programs and Services Elementary K-4
Inclusion Support
Academic Support
Intensive Learning Supports
Intensive
Services

13. Programs and Services Middle Schools 5-7
Inclusion Support
Academic Support
Intensive
Services
Reading
Services

14. Programs and Services High School 8-12
Inclusion/Co-Teaching Support
Academic Support
Intensive
Services
Post-Graduation

15. Out of District
Students who require more intensive and specialized supports and services may be referred to an out of district approved private special education program.
These students require a level of support and service that the district is unable to provide due to the intensity and severity of the disability.

16. Out of District s 2014-2015 state data State Rate 6.9%
District Rate 4.0%

17. Alternative Learning Program
Programs to support unique learning needs and mitigate referral to special education
Seminar Block
Middle School
Remediation
Interest based enrichment
Alternative Learning Program
High School
academics
Vocational
Credit Recovery
Academic Center
At Risk
Organizational Skills
Facilitated Peer Mentors

18. Clinical and Psychological Services
Clinical Consultants
BCBA Consultant
Psychologist
In School Counseling Partnerships
Gosnold
Chatham Child and Family Services
Harwich Youth and Family Services

19. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Related Services
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Structured Reading
Counseling
Interpreting
&
Translation

20. Related Services Continued
Orientation and Mobility
School Health/ Nurse
Paraprofessional Support
Augmentative Communication
Parent Counseling and Training
Teacher of Visual Impairments
Transportation

21. English Language Learner Programs
Each school has a teacher to support English Language Learners.
Students have access to three different levels of classes which are taught to proficiency
Resource class which provides additional help in core subjects.
Teachers provide support to students in the general education classroom and consult to teachers to ensure the greatest level of success for the student.

22. Community Resources School Resource Officer “Keep Them Coming”
Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative
Mobile Crisis Team
Gosnold Counseling
Chatham Child and Family Services
Harwich Youth and Family Services
“Keep Them Coming”

23. Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against persons with a handicap (disability) in any program receiving federal financial assistance.

24. 504 Continued
Section 504 was enacted to "level the playing field" - to eliminate impediments to full participation by persons with disabilities.
In legal terms, the statute was intended to prevent intentional or unintentional discrimination against persons with disabilities, persons who are believed to have disabilities, or family members of persons with disabilities

25. Key Questions Does the student have a disability?
Is the student being excluded?
Does the student need “reasonable” accommodations in order to be included or gain access to all environments?

26. Program Coordination
Team Chair: Regulations require that there is an identified member of the IEP Team that can commit resources on behalf of the district when developing and proposing an Individual Education Program.
The school psychologist serves as the Team Chair in each building with the exception of Harwich Elementary where the Out of District Coordinator serves as the Team Chair.

27. DISTRICT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Students’ access to the community
Response to Intervention support across all schools
Harwich Youth Committee membership
Lower Cape Substance Abuse Coalition membership
Implementation of PBIS across the elementary and middle schools
Seminar block at the middle school
Best Buddies – high school
After school clubs and enrichment programs
Community Safety meetings held by the District Attorney’s Office membership
Development of a Social Emotional Learning steering committee
Development of a District Curriculum Accommodation Plan steering committee
Positive relationships with students
Grade 10 ELA MCAS passed for students who received their instruction in a modified ELA class
Students participating in the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative at Cape Cod Community College.
Development of the Academic Center
Expansion of the Alternative Learning Program
Development of attendance tracking process at the high school
Struggling learners task force at the high school
Online learning platform for summer school, credit recovery and enrichment at the high school

28. CHALLENGES
Nature of special education entitlement program - mandates that are unfunded
No single definition of FAPE (Free, Appropriate Public Education)
No single definition of Effective Progress in the general curriculum
Level of disabilities requiring complex services and therapies
Consideration for space needed to deliver services
Limited pool of special educators and therapists in relationship to the number of eligible students
Continued increase in costs associated with special education and service delivery
State system for approving out of district programs tuitions and approvals for restructuring
Very few options for Out of District Programs for intensive special needs
Time for general education and special education to collaborate on the needs of students and service delivery
MCAS - the support required for students to achieve proficiency
Coordination with other state agencies (DCF, DDS, DMH, MRC, etc.)
Psychiatric and mental health issues
Complex family needs and an increase of emotional needs of students
Lack of capacity for general education to support mental health and behavioral needs
Students with unique presentation who do not fit neatly within identified service delivery models
Lack of training for and collaboration with paraprofessional staff to support students and carry out programs designed
Decrease in grant funds
Systemic capacity – Team Chairs also serve as school psychologists
UNPREDICTABILITY