Special Education 101 Special Education: A SERVICE, NOT A PLACE

John  Payne,  Director  Office  of  Special  Educa9on  Services  South  Carolina  Department  of  Educa9on  

What is Special Education?

§300.39    Special  educa9on.    “Special  educa9on  is  specially  designed  instruc9on,  at  no  cost  to  the  parents,                

to  meet  the  unique  needs  of  a                                child  with  a  disability.”  

   

What is Special Education? • This  means  educa/on  that  is  individually  developed  to  address  a  specific  child’s  needs  that  result  from  his  or  her  disability.    

 • Since  each  child  is  unique,  it  is  difficult  to  give  an  overall  example  of  special  educa/on.  It  is  individualized  for  each  child.  

Important Acronyms

 

Individuals  with  Disabili/es  Educa/on  Act  Our  na/on’s  special  educa/on  law  

 

IDEA 2004 Ensures  that  all  children  with  disabili/es  have  available  to  them  a  free  appropriate  public  educa/on  that  emphasizes  special  educa/on  and  related  services  designed  to  meet  their  unique  needs  and  prepare  them  for  further  educa/on,  employment  and  independent  living.  

Important IEP Acronyms

 

Free  Appropriate  Public  Educa/on  What  States  must  make  available    

to  all  eligible  children  with  disabili/es    

Important IEP Acronyms

Individual  Educa/on  Program  Every  public  school  child  with  disabili/es  receiving  IDEA-­‐funded  special  educa/on    

must  have  one  

5 Basics about the IEP §  Individualized  

§ WriKen  plan  for  a  child’s  educa/on  

§ WriKen  by  parents  and  school  staff  together  

§  Lists  the  special  educa/on  the  child  will  receive,  and  more  

§  Is  both  a  document  and  a  process  that  is  updated  at  least  annually  

Required Members of the IEP team

•  Parents  •  Student  (ages  13  +  must  be  invited  to  IEP  mee/ngs)  •  Special  Educa/on  Teacher(s)  •  General  Educa/on  teacher(s)  •  LEA  representa/ve  who  meets  necessary  requirements  •  Individual  who  can  interpret  the  instruc/onal  implica/ons  of  evalua/on  results  

•  Others  individuals  who  have  knowledge  or  special  exper/se  regarding  the  child,  including  related  service  personnel  

What exactly is a LEA Rep??

An  employee  of  the  school/district  that  is-­‐  1.  Qualified  to  provide  or  supervise  the  

provision  of  special  educa/on  2.  Knowledgeable  about  the  general  

educa/on  curriculum  3.  Able  to  commit  the  resources  of  the  

district  

Important IEP Acronyms

Least  Restric/ve  Environment  Children  with  disabili/es  are  to  be  educated    with  children  who  do  not  have  disabili/es,    

to  the  maximum  extent  appropriate    

Important IEP Acronyms

Func/onal  Behavior  Assessment  A  process  that  searches  for  an  explana/on  of  the  

purpose  behind  a  child’s  problem  behavior    Must  have  parent  permission  to  conduct!  

Important IEP Acronyms

Behavioral  Interven/on  Plan  Describe  interven/ons  and  modifica/ons  to  encourage  

replacement  behaviors  

Important IEP Acronyms

Manifesta/on  Determina/on  Review  A  mee/ng  which  must  take  place  within  10  days  of  a  behavior  infrac/on  that  would  cause  a  student  to  be  removed  from  their  current  placement  for  more  than  

10  days  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA Step  1.  Child  is  iden/fied  as  possibly  needing  special  educa/on  and  related  services  • Child  Find-­‐Determining  Eligibility  

–  Each  state  is  required  by  IDEA  to  iden/fy,  locate,  and  evaluate  all  children  with  disabili/es  in  the  state  who  need  special  educa/on  and  related  services.  To  do  so,  LEA’s  conduct  what  are  known  as  Child  Find  ac/vi/es.    

• Referral  or  request  for  evalua/on.    – Referrals  can  be  made  by  both  parents  and  district  personnel  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA

Step 2. Child is evaluated

•  Comprehensive  Evalua/on  ▫ Must  be  decided  upon  by  an  evalua/on  team  ▫ Many  methods  of  assessment  ▫  Not  just  done  by  the  school  psychologist  ▫ Must  assess  all  areas  of  suspected  disability  and  to  plan  for  IEP  development  ▫  Parents  must  sign  consent  for  evalua/on  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA Step  3.  Eligibility  is  decided    ▫ Must  follow  South  Carolina  eligibility  criteria  ▫  Parents  are  part  of  the  group  that  decides  eligibility.  ▫  Parents  do  not  have  to  sign  consent  for  eligibility  ▫  Proper  procedures  for  determina/on  must  be  followed  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA  Step  4.  Child  is  found  eligible  for  services    Step  5.  IEP  mee/ng  is  scheduled  within  30  days  of  eligibility  determina/on    Step  6.  IEP  mee/ng  is  held,  and  the  IEP  is  wriKen  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA

Step  7.  Services  are  provided    • Must  be  provided  by  HQ  staff  •  IEP  must  be  implemented  as  wriKen  • General  educa/on  teachers  must  be  made  aware  of  their  responsibili/es  

•  Students  may  not  be  excluded  from  ANYTHING  because  of  their  disability  

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA  Step  8.  Progress  is  measured  and  reported  to  parents    ▫  His  or  her  parents  are  regularly  informed  of  the  child’s  progress  and  whether  that  progress  is  enough  for  the  child  to  achieve  his/her  annual  goals  by  the  end  of  the  year.    

▫  Parents  are  provided  with  periodic  reports  on  the  progress  the  child  is  making  toward  mee/ng  the  annual  goals.  

 

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA Step  9.  IEP  is  reviewed    ▫  The  child’s  IEP  is  reviewed  by  the  IEP  Team  at  least  once  a  year,  or  more  ojen  if  the  parents  or  school  ask  for  a  review.  

▫  Parents,  as  Team  members,  must  be  invited  to  aKend  these  mee/ngs.  Parents  can  make  sugges/ons  for  changes,  can  agree  or  disagree  with  the  IEP  goals,  and  agree  or  disagree  with  the  placement.    

10 Steps: The Basics of Special Education Process under IDEA

Step  10.  Child  is  reevaluated  ▫  At  least  every  three  years  the  child  must  be  reevaluated,  unless  the  parents  and  school  agree  that  a  reevalua/on  is  unnecessary.    ▫  This  evalua/on  is  ojen  called  a  “triennial.”    ▫  Its  purpose  is  to  find  out  if  the  child  con/nues  to  be  a  “child  with  a  disability,”  as  defined  by  IDEA,  and  what  the  child’s  educa/onal  needs  are.    ▫  However,  the  child  must  be  reevaluated  more  ojen  if  condi/ons  warrant  or  if  the  child’s  parent  or  teacher  asks  for  a  new  evalua/on.  

Issues

•  Failure to implement IEP • Child Find/Evaluations •  FERPA • Highly qualified provisions

• Use of IDEA funds to supplement not supplant

Programmatic Implications

• Data Submissions, Profiles & Reports •  Programmatic Monitoring • Dispute Resolution • Determinations •  Policies and Procedures •  Section 504 (non-IDEA) •  Statutes, Regulations, Provisos

Questions?????

For  addi/onal  informa/on,  please  contact:  

Office  of  Special  Educa9on  Services  803-­‐734-­‐8224