Developing a Quality Individualized Education Program (IEP)

1. Developing a Quality Individualized Education Program(IEP)

2. Welcome • Please take 4 sticky notes. • On each of the 4 sticky notes, write or identify 1 thing you absolutely, positively must have to write a quality IEP. 3. In a small group, gather to compare your “must have information.” 4. Prepare to share your group’s four common “must haves.”

3. Presented by: Rochelle Marten-Weston rmartenweston@schools.nyc.gov NYC Regional Special Education-Technical Assistance Support Centers (NYC RSE-TASC)

4. Agenda and Materials • Transition in the IEP • Annual Goals/Reporting to Parents • Recommended Programs & Services, 12-Month Services • Testing Accommodations • Coordinated Set of Activities • State Assessments • Placement Recommendations • Welcome/Introductions • Expected Outcomes (Long Term) • IEP is a Legal Document • Guiding Principles for IEP Development • Sections of the IEP • Disability Classifications • Present Levels of Performance PowerPoint Handout, Resource Documents: Guide to Quality IEP, copy of new IEP/SED form Tools: IEP graphic organizer template, quality indicators, Activities

5. Expected outcomes: • Develop quality, student-centered IEPs • Conform to consistent format and common expectations • Involved and informed parents • School districts meet compliance requirements

6. The IEP is a Legal Document: • Federal law: IDEA - Section 614(d)(1)(A)(i) “In general - The term ‘individualized education program’ or ‘IEP’ means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with this section and that includes…” • NYS regulations: Section 200.4(d)(2) “If a student has been determined to be eligible for special education services, the Committee shall develop an IEP. …”

7. Guiding Principles for IEP Development Student Centered Tool to Guide Specially Designed Instruction and Measure Progress Shared Responsibility Parental Participation Consideration of Special Factors: Includes Positive Behavior Supports Special Ed. is a Service -Not a Place Specially Designed Instruction LRE Planning for Adult Outcomes Supports Access to General Ed. Curriculum, Standards & Assessments Based on Individual Strengths & Needs Impact of Student's Disability

8. Sections of the IEP 11) Placement 10) Special Transportation 9) Participation in State Assessments, and with Students without Disabilities 8) Coordinated Set of Transition Activities 7) Testing Accommodations 6) 12 month Services (if needed) 5) Programs and Services - Modifications& Supports 4) Reporting progress to parents 3) Annual Goals, Objectives / Benchmarks (if needed) 2) Measurable Post Secondary Goals and Transition Needs 1) Present Level Of Performance (optional Student Information Form) and Student Information

9. Let’s get started… Student identifying information

10. PresentLevels of Performance (PLP)

11. PLPsare the Foundation of the IEP The PLP provides the informational basis for generating goals, supports, and services that are specifically designed to meet the student’s individual needs and prepare him or her to meet post-secondary goals.

12. Present Levels of Performance and Individual Needs

13. Present Levels of Performance Results of initial or most recent individual evaluation Results of the student’s performance on any general State or district-wide assessment programs Evaluation Results Instructional implications of those evaluations

14. PLP Information Comes From: • Evaluations • Initial or most recent individual evaluation • Classroom assessments • Progress monitoring data • State and district assessments • Age appropriate transition assessments • Work samples • The student, parents, teachers and related services • Factors related to the disability • Transcripts, credits earned, exams taken (HS age)

15. Review the Sample Evaluation Section Using the Sample provided; • Review the Damien sample evaluation • What do you know about Damien based on the evaluation results • Be prepared to voice these observations 19

16. Sample Evaluation • Speech and Language Assessment - 10-5-09 - Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Third Edition standard score in the below average range for the sentence repetition subtest and in the very low range for the listening to paragraphs subtest. • Physical Examination – 9-1-09 – Physical development is within normal range. Seizures medically controlled. Some side effects of seizure medication noted. • Classroom Observation - 10-15-09 - Difficulties with transition from one activity to the next. When presented with reading tasks, he ripped pages from the book. Broke pencils during math assignments. Attempted to leave the classroom 5 times during instructional periods. These behaviors did not present during the observation of the student during lunch, art and adapted physical education classes.

17. 4 Components of thePresent Levels of Performance including Strengths, Preferences, and Interests, Needs, Parent Concerns • Academic Achievement Functional Performance & Learning Characteristics Social Development Physical Development Management Needs

18. Academic Achievement, Functional Performance, and Learning Characteristics Intellectual Functioning Daily Living Skills Adaptive Behavior Rate of Progress Learning Styles

19. Relationships with Peers & Adults Feelings about Self Social Development Adjustment to school & community

20. Degree and quality of motor and sensory development Physical Development Health and Vitality Physical skills or limitations related to learning

21. Management Needs Nature and degree to which the following are required to enable the student to benefit from instruction: Environmental modifications Human Resources Material Resources Note: Management needs must be developed in consideration of student needs identified in other PLP areas.

22. What are the student’s strengths/needs in each need area? • What are the student’s unique needs that result from his disability? • What are the parents’ concerns for the education of their child? Jigsaw ActivityReview Damien’s PLP: Evaluation, Academic, Social, Physical, Management IEP

23. Effect of Student Needs on Involvement and Progress • summary of how student’s disability affects student’s involvement and progress in general education curriculum, or • for preschool, participation in appropriate activities

24. Effect of Student Needs…

26. Student Needs Relating to Special Factors

27. Assistive Technology Does the student requires an assistive technology device or service to benefit from instruction and do school-purchased devices have be used outside of school for the student to receive an appropriate education. A student’s access to alternative formats for print materials may require devices, software, or memberships that constitute a special factor in this area. www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/AIM

28. Create a clear picture of the student. If the student moved to Montana tomorrow, could his new teacher read the PLP and know his instructional strengths & needs?

29. Transition in the PLP • Transition must be addressed beginning with the IEP in effect at age 15 or earlier, as appropriate. • The PLP must include the student’s strengths, preferences, and interests as they relate to transition from school to post-school activities.

30. Transition in the PLP • Steven’s strengths in the area of writing and interpersonal skills match his expressed interest to pursue a career in journalism. He prefers working with words to math or hands-on activities. • Need: develop keyboarding skills… parent concerns related to use of accommodations in college settings

31. MeasurablePost-Secondary Goals (MPSG)

32. Measurable Post-secondary Goalsand Transition Needs

33. Measurable Post-secondary Goals Education/Training: Lisa will attend a two year college to take courses in animal care. Employment: Lisa will work as a dog groomer as she participates in veterinary science course work. Independent Living Skills Lisa will obtain her driver’s license. She will live in an apartment assisted by friends and family.

34. Transition Need Statements • a statement of the student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests, as they relate to transition from school to post-school activities • a statement of the transition service needs of the student that focuses on the student’s courses of study, such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a CTE program

35. Transition NeedsCourses of Study Transition needs statements: Lisa needs to develop self-advocacy skills Lisa needs to learn computer and time management skills Courses of study statements: Lisa should take courses of study that include animal biology and computer word processing as well as courses that include career and technical education courses in veterinary science. In consideration of the Present Levels of Performance….

36. Check-in • Take out your “To Do” list • Make note of those things to note, change, or reexamine in your current practice • Share your thoughts and notes with a neighbor • Jot down any questions you have for later.

37. Annual Goals & Reporting Progress to Parents

38. Measurable Annual Goals

39. Annual Goals: Section 200.4(d)(2)(iii)(a-c) • are student’s goals, not program goals • Based on identified needs • Reasonable to achieve within one year, based on student’s present abilities and rate of progress • must be written in observable and measurable terms – clearly state what student will do • Describe the skill, behavior or knowledge • Extent to which it will be demonstrated (anticipated level) • Conditions or givens for performance identified

40. Accessing the General Education Curriculum Develop goals that answer the question: “What skills does the student require to master the content of the curriculum?” NOT “What curriculum content does the student need to master?”

41. Sample Goal Template

42. Annual Goal Template

43. Measuring Progress Example: Comments Mike’s oral reading has increased from 60 to 68 correct words per minute. If Mike maintains this rate of progress he will reach his goal target by June.

44. Making Social Goals Measurable“will improve peer relationships” becomes…

45. Short Term Objectives The intermediate knowledge, skills and/or behaviors that must be learned in order for the student to reach the annual goal Objectives break down the skills into discrete components or sub-skills (Task analysis) Goal: Given 3 symbol pictures, Joe will communicate via pointing to at least 1 desired choice, criteria: 4/5 trials per week for 4 consecutive weeks, method: chart/checklist, schedule: weekly • Identify a minimum of 10 symbols per week in a variety of categories (feelings, common objects, people, etc). • Given a question, select the picture that indicates an accurate choice from a group of 3 symbols/objects. • .Independently point to the symbol / picture using unambiguous finger signal of at least 2 sec. duration.

46. Benchmarks Indicate those measurableintermediatesteps between the student’s present level of performance and the measurable annual goal • By November, Mary will orally read 80 – 90 wpm…. • By February, Mary will orally read 91 – 100 wpm…. • By April, Mary will orally read 101-110 wpm….

47. Key ?s for Prioritizing Goals: • What is preventing this student from participating in a less restrictive environment and/or from progressing in the general education curriculum? • What foundation skill needs cross multiple content areas and settings? (e.g. reading) • How many goals are reasonable given the student’s abilities and rate of progress?

48. Developing Measurable Goals • examine - the evaluative information in the PLP around key needs identified • evaluate – is this sufficient to tell: • What can the student do? (baseline) • What deficits/difficulties does the student demonstrate that require specially designed instruction? (diagnostic information) • ask – what measurable student outcome is desired? (baseline + growth = measurable student outcome) • consider - what other data might need to be collected to answer any of the questions above?

49. Evaluation Results (including for school-age students, performance on State and district-wide assessments) • Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-Third Edition (WJ-III ACH): standard (and percentile) scores of 85 (14) in broad math,80 (11) in basic reading skills, 87 (9) in math calculation skills, with decoding as an area of concern affecting reading at grade level • SRA Independent Reading Inventory – Reads independently and answers comprehension questions re: vocabulary, main idea, details, and prediction correctly at the 2.8 grade level. • Classroom Observation - 10-15-09 - Difficulties with transition to independent reading and writing activities. When presented with independent reading tasks, he flips through pages from the book without attempting to read….-

50. Reading: Although Damien’s listening comprehension is age- and grade appropriate, his ability to read and understand grade level materials is hampered by decoding errors that appear comparable to those of a “typical” second grade student. Specifically, when reading material is too difficult, Damien tends to use the initial and final letters/sounds to guess unfamiliar words, skipping over the middle of multi-syllabic words. As the percentage of errors increases, Damien soon abandons any attempt to self-correct and make sense of what he is reading. Fluency is dependent on both automatic decoding and comprehension of the passage; when faced with overly challenging tasks, strategy use is replaced by random guesses. • When Damien attempts books written at the mid-to-late second grade level, his oral reading fluency is within normal limits (for a second grade student) at 85 words per minute. In contrast, when he attempts grade level text, fluency is greatly reduced to approximately 40 words per minuteand Damien resorts to “word calling” with little attention to accuracy or meaning.