Disabilities Timelines and Regulations

1. Disabilities Timelines and Regulations Pre-service 2010

2. Performance Standard 1305.6 Selection Process (c) At least 10 percent of the total number of enrollment opportunities in each grantee and each delegate agency during an enrollment year must be made available to children with disabilities who meet the definition for children with disabilities in Sec. 1305.2(a).

3. Disabilities What document do we need a copy of in order for a child to be counted as a child with a disability and part of our 10%?

4. Eligibility • In order to qualify for special education services and receive an Individualized Education Plan, “a child's educational performance must be adversely affected  due to the disability.” (www.nichcy.org)

5. Eligibility • It is for this reason that a doctor’s note will not count as proof of a disability for the Office of Head Start. • This is also why most health impairments and behavior problems will not qualify a child as a child with a disability.

6. Process From the point at which the need for evaluation is identified (i.e., through screenings), Mental Health and Disabilities staff has 30 days to make a referral to the Local Education Agency. The LEA has 60 days from receiving parental consent to complete an evaluation of a child or start RtI.

7. Response to Intervention Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 • Added to IDEA 1998 that schools may use a process that will allow them to see if a student will respond to scientific, research based interventions. This process is called Response to Intervention (RtI). • Many of our ISDs use this process.

8. RTI Process • IDEA did not set a time frame for LEA’s to adhere to in their practice of RtI • The RtI process generally runs anywhere from 6-24 weeks, depending on the procedure of the LEA and the severity of the child’s need • If a child is not showing significant improvement at the completion of RtI, s/he will then be evaluated to determine if there is a disability

9. What does ARD stand for?

10. Admission, Review, and Dismissal • During the ARD meeting: • evaluations are discussed with parent and others present • an Individualized Education Plan is developed • parent’s questions and/or concerns are answered • IEPs are to be written within30 days of completion of written evaluation report

11. Overall Process • Screening between 2 weeks and 45 days of enrollment • ICOPA meeting completed within 3 weeks of screening date • MH/D makes referral within 30 days of identified need • LEA has 60 days to either evaluate or start RtI process • RtI takes place, 6- 24 weeks • LEA has 60 days from end of RtI to complete evaluation • LEA has 30 days to write IEP Total process: • Conservative estimate: 115 days • If whole time is taken: 393 days Process is prolonged when parents no show.

12. Disability Conclusions • Please complete all screenings on children with suspected concerns first (after 2 week adjustment period) • Please start scheduling ICOPA meetings as soon as screenings are complete • Please send referral paperwork to MH/D as soon as it is completed • Scan and email • Inter agency mail

13. Mental Health Timelines

14. Performance Standards 1304.24 (a) (2) Grantee and delegate agencies must secure the services of mental health professionals on a schedule of sufficient frequency to enable the timely and effective identification of and intervention in family and staff concerns about a child's mental health

15. Mental Health • Make sure you are documenting extreme behavior • Keep track of how many Behavior Tracking Forms a child has • Maintain contact with parent about how child is doing • Complete ICOPA as soon as child has attained 5 Behavior Tracking Forms

16. If you have questions or would like to request additional training: Jennifer Crookham (806) 762-8815