1. Students with IEPs and the One-to-One Aide
Office of Special Programs
West Virginia Department of Education
Professional Development Workshop
February 2013

2. Today’s Reality
Increasing numbers of students with high-intensity needs (i.e., students with autism spectrum disorders, emotional/behavioral disorders, and multiple disabilities)
Increasing responsibilities of general education teachers with little or no support in the general education environment
Districts hiring aides in lieu of professional staff
Limited resources available to serve students
Availability of the continuum of service delivery options
Parent requests for 1:1 aides

3. Who Needs What?
Some students need individual assistance for all or part of the day for academic, behavioral, social-emotional or physical support
General education teachers need support and assistance to implement specially designed instruction for some students
Parents need to be assured their children are safe in the school environment and are making progress toward IEP goals and objectives
All students need to become independent learners

4. However . . .
for some students, individual support is critical for their educational progress!

5. Entitlements to Students with Disabilities
Each student’s IEP must describe the special education and related services, supplementary aids and services, and program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided to or on behalf of the student to enable the student to:
advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;
be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum;
have an equitable opportunity to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and
be educated and participate with other students with and without disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

6. Legal Requirements Aides should never be assigned to students based
Students with IEPs are entitled to all services that are required for access to the general education curriculum and to receive educational benefit
IEP Teams must consider current data and document the student’s relevant academic, behavioral, developmental, or functional needs in the present levels of performance
IEP Teams must consider the supplementary aids, services and supports required to meet the student’s identified needs prior to removing a student from the general education environment
The district must determine and provide the staff required to implement the services designated on the IEP
Aides should never be assigned to students based
on a particular category of exceptionality

7. Benefits of One-to-One Support Personnel
May assist in the provision of special education and related services under the supervision of a qualified teacher or a related service provider
May provide supervision for small group instruction
May implement positive behavior interventions, supports and strategies
May facilitate social interaction between peers with and without disabilities

8. Effects on Student Independence
Aides maintain too close proximity with student
physical contact
sitting immediately next to student
accompanying students everywhere
Such proximity of aides can be detrimental
students learns to rely on the aide
minimizes the frequency and types of peer interactions
decreases student’s opportunity to become an independent learner
Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli, & McFarland, 1997; Marks, Shrader & Levine, 1999

9. Effects on the Teacher’s Role
Experienced, skilled teachers defer important curricular, instructional and management decisions to the aide
Curriculum modification and adaptation may be left up to the aide
The aide may be viewed as the “expert” in understanding the student’s needs
Responsibility for the student’s educational progress transfers to the aide
Marks, Shrader, & Levine, 1999; Giangreco, Broer, & Edelman, 2001

10. Effects on Students’ Social/Emotional Development
Aides may separate the student from his/her classmates
Hovering aides interfere with natural peer supports
Aide’s interaction with the student may interfere with the general education students’ attention and concentration
Students may feel a loss of privacy
Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli, & McFarland, 1999

11. Effects on Student Academic Performance
Aides may do too much for the student
Aides are often unfamiliar with student’s IEP
Aides perceive their jobs as helping the student to not be a “problem” for the teacher
Aides may have little or no planning time with the teacher
Aides often lack the training and expertise to make the necessary curricular modifications or provide the specially designed instruction
Aides may lack skills required to fade prompts
Marks, Shrader, & Levine, 1999

12. Effects on the Parent/Teacher Relationship
Parent may approach the aide for ongoing information
Parent may rely on the aide to make educational suggestions and decisions
Teacher may rely on the aide to communicate with the parent, sometimes in writing or by phone
Aide may view his/her job as dependent on parent support
Parent may communicate with the aide rather than the teacher
Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli, & McFarland, 1997; Marks, Shrader & Levine, 1999

13. Responsibilities of the IEP Team
Convene an IEP Team to consider a parent’s request for a 1:1 Aide
Review student’s current IEP and behavior intervention plan (BIP)
Ensure the implementation of the instructional/behavioral strategies with fidelity prior to considering if additional assistance is needed
Focus on the needs of the student to develop independence
First consider supplementary aids and supports in the general education environment
Provide prior written notice (PWN) of the team’s final decisions

14. Responsibilities of the District
Design and implement a consistent process or set of procedures to determine student need for one-to-one assistance and support
Utilize current data related to progress toward goals and BIP to make decisions
Secure parent permission and conduct additional evaluations, including observations and interviews, if needed
Review existing services and supports, student’s successes and difficulties & skills needed to increase independence.
Consider alternatives to 1:1 aide support (e.g., peers, other personnel within the building, changes to student or teacher schedule, etc.)
Provide appropriate training, support and supervision

15. Plan to Fade One-on-One Support
Set student goals toward independence
Prioritize data collection and consistently review student progress
Train all staff on consistent implementation of student’s IEP and data collection
Train and involve peers to provide natural supports
Start fading assistance as soon as independence increases
Communicate frequently with parents

16. Documenting the Service on the IEP
Section A: Supplementary Aids, Services/Program Modifications
Location of Services
Extent/
Frequency
Initiation Date
Duration
Direct Adult Supervision
(Medicaid Eligible)
All school environments
Daily
October 26, 2012
October 2013
Continuous One to One Supervision
Adult Supervision
(Non-Medicaid)
Cafeteria, recess, transition to classes
Daily for behavioral support
October 2013

17. Success will occur when the student can function independently~

18. Contact Information
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Special Programs
Lorraine Ciambotti Elswick