1. Eligibility Determination Exceptional Children and Intervention Services Convocation August 22, 2007

2. Required for Special Services Eligibility  Eligible disability  Negative impact on academic performance  Need for specially designed instruction NEED ALL THREE!

3. Majority of our Students: EMDLD BED BEDOHI

4. Educable Mentally Disabled  SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS: Cognitive skills Academic skills Adaptive Behavior skills MUST HAVE ALL THREE!

5. Significant Deficits?  Cognitive skills MUST be in the extremely low range +/- Standard Error of Measurement (i.e. 72)  SOME of the Academic and/or Adaptive Behavior scores can be slightly higher (EMD kids have strengths, too!)  Preponderance of the evidence determines if there is a disability

6. Learning Disabled  Academic deficits are SIGNIFICANTLY below cognitive skills or are resistant to intervention  Significant academic weaknesses NOT associated with: Cognitive deficits Lack of appropriate instruction

7. Some Examples of a “Lack of Appropriate Instruction”  Attendance problems (i.e. sickness, truancy, expulsion, etc.)  Moves from school to school  Suspended/ISS frequently  Curriculum &/or instructional strategies not “research based”  Teacher not “Highly Qualified”  Parent calls to “Come & get him!”

8. Behaviorally/Emotionally Disabled SIGNIFICANT behavior and/or emotional disturbances  Longstanding (more than six months)  Occurs in more than one environment (school, community, & home)  Weakness in academic performance caused by behavior/emotional disturbance

9. Behaviorally/Emotionally Disabled  Weakness in academic performance NOT associated with: Significant weakness in cognitive skills Lack of appropriate instruction Lack of appropriate management Social maladjustment

10. Some Examples of a “Lack of Appropriate Management”  Adjudicated as delinquent, undisciplined, or neglected (not supervised)  Removed from home by Court order  Suspended/ISS frequently  Referred to school office frequently  Parent calls to “Come & get him!”

11. “Social Maladjustment”  Student knows what he/she is doing, intends to do it, and has no remorse about doing it.  He/She may be sorry he/she got caught!

12. Other Health Impaired  Acute or chronic medical condition  Weakness in academic performance caused by the medical condition  Diagnosis is NOT enough for services

13.  A student with academic skills at or above expectation given current cognitive skills is doing all he/she can reasonably be expected do and will usually not meet eligibility criteria.  The school is still responsible for that child’s learning!

14. QUESTIONS?

15. Contact Information Toni Braswell School Psychologist Lenoir County Public Schools tbraswell@lenoir.k12.nc.us ECIS Central Office @ Rochelle  252-286-6562  252-527-6498 FAX