MNPS Policy & Procedure: Exceptional Education

1. MNPS Policy & Procedure: Exceptional Education August 10, 2010

2. Welcome! Overview • Lopez Decree • Student Support team • Revocation • Restraint and Isolation

3. Lopez Decree

4. What do I need to know? • All Special Education buses will be equipped with video monitoring equipment and a bus monitor. • Students with a disability who are determined to pose a risk of sexual harassment while riding a general education bus will be transferred to a special education bus. • Students without a disability who are determined to pose an unreasonable risk of sexual harassing another student shall not be allowed to ride any MNPS school bus.

5. Transportation for Students with Disabilities • Policy SS 3.115 • The need for special transportation must be described and documented in the student’s IEP • The school’s compliance facilitator processes the Transportation Order and notifies the Designated Official. • All special education buses will have a full time monitor. If a monitor is needed on a general education bus due to an unsafe situation such as inappropriate behavior and/or sexual acting out: this should be discussed in IEP meeting. • Any request for a bus monitor must be documented in the Prior Written Notice (PWN), regardless of whether the student is ultimately provided with a bus monitor.

6. Principal’s Responsibilities(SS 3.115-Transportation) • Communicate, verbally and in writing, with any bus driver, especially substitute drivers and bus monitors, the following: • Behavior issues and directions on managing conduct. • Details of any existing individual safety plans and/or the need to collaborate and establish an individual student safety plan. • Provide a copy of a written individual safety plan • Ensure staff will receive and supervise students who ride special transportation during arrival and dismissal times. • Maintain and update the Department of Transportation reference notebook. • Be available by district provided cell phone for notification of bus emergencies.

7. Transportation’s Responsibilities • Bus drivers may initiate a request for a bus monitor to support a student with a disability • MNPS shall ensure, to the extent feasible, substitute bus monitors are available to staff school buses in the event that the regularly-assigned monitor is absent from work. • Bus Rosters • Maintained in a format accessible to principal • All bus drivers and monitors are required to complete extensive training • Any time a student assigned to a special education bus is arrested with a confirmed or suspected act of sexual harassment the Principal shall contact the Special Education Transportation Coordinator. Within 5 business days the coordinator, in consultation with the principal shall: • Input a temporary emergency bus transportation order into HELPSTAR • Disseminate the Bus Transportation Order to the bus driver and bus monitor. • Route Coordinator makes final bus assignment with input from principals • Every bus roster and transportation order shall be reviewed at least twice per school year by Special Education Transportation Coordinator and Principal to verify the information documented on the bus roster and transportation orders does not reveal an unreasonable risk of sexual harassment to another student which would necessitate changes.

8. Reporting Sexual Assault • Reports of sexual assault must be reported to the MNPS Customer Service Center (CSC) and then communicated to Department of Transportation within 24 hours. (Protocols being negotiated) • All parents shall be notified verbally and in writing about the methods of contacting the school’s principal and how to contact CSC to report an alleged incident of sexual harassment • Ride Guide • IEP Meetings • Web site

9. Section 504Protection Against Discrimination • No otherwise qualified individual with a disability . . . Shall, solely by reason of his or her handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. • Discrimination is the exclusion from participation in, the denial of benefits of, any program or activity receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance. Students may not be denied participation in or be denied benefit from services that are afforded nondisabled students.

10. The School District’s Obligations Appropriate…. • Regular education, or • Special education and related aids and services How far do school officials need to go to comply with this requirement?

11. Retaliation and Harassment • Retaliator: School districts may not intimidate, threaten, coerce, or retaliate against anyone who asserts a right protected by the civil rights laws that ORC enforces, or who cooperates in an investigation. • Harassment: Intimidation or abusive behavior toward a student based on a disability that creates a hostile environment by interfering with or denying the student’s opportunity to benefit from school programs and services.

12. SUPPORT TEAM MNPS Policies and Procedures 2010-2011

13. Support Team Policy and Process • Support Team Policy SS 3.120 • Support Team Process SS 3.111

14. A Support Team is… • A team of school personnel that provides behavioral, social, emotional, academic, and attendance support for a designated student. • The responsibility of general education staff. • A problem-solving process

15. The Primary Objectives are… • To determine what resources are needed in order for a student to be successful in the learning environment. NOTE: A student referred for Support Team intervention is not necessarily being referred for exceptional education, because the Support Team functions as an intermediate step between recognition of a problem and formal referral of the student for a comprehensive evaluation, at which time, exceptional education procedures begin.

16. A Support Team is for… A student exhibiting difficulties in one or more of the following areas: • Academics • Behavior • Communication • Physical (e.g., fine & gross motor skills) • Attendance

17. A Support Team must consist of… • Members from general education, support services, parents, and, if appropriate, exceptional education. Specifically: • Parent(s)/Guardian(s)* • Support team chair Principal or designee • Referring person • General education teacher** * It is strongly encouraged that the parent(s)/guardian(s) be involved with the support team **If the student’s teacher is not available, one who is qualified to teach that student, preferably one teaching in the academic area(s) of concern, may attend in his/her place.

18. A Support Team may consist of… Additional personnel when appropriate: • School Counselor • Exceptional Educator • School Psychologist • School Social Worker • Speech/Language Pathologist • Behavior Specialist Support Teams may vary in accordance with the staffing patterns of the school and the nature of the presenting problem.

19. A Support Team can be called by… • Parent/Guardian • Teacher • Administrator • Student • Community agency (e.g., DCS, TN Voices) • Other school personnel (e.g., school psychologist, behavior specialist, bus driver, school nurse, counselor, etc.)

20. Support Team Process

21. Support Team Chair • Ensures copies of Support Team forms are available to team members • Schedules & maintains calendar of meetings • Invites and notifies participants • Sets agenda • Identifies Monitor and Recorder for each meeting • Keeps team focused • Makes copies for parents • Keeps Support Team Tracking Sheet current (Form 102)

22. Support Team Chair Designation By Sept. 1st of each school year, the building principal or designee should report the name, phone number, email, and fax number of the assigned Support Team Chair(s) in that building to Stephanie Dahmer (stephanie.dahmer@mnps.org)

23. Pre-Referral to the Support Team Process

24. Pre-Referral to the Support TeamStep 1: Parent-Teacher Conference • A parent/teacher conference should be held to discuss student’s challenges. • Interventions should be developed during the parent/teacher conference . • Documentation of both the meeting and interventions to be implemented is necessary. • Form 100 (page 1): Grade Level Conference and Intervention Record completed. • Monitor the effectiveness of interventions. If data indicates the need for additional supports, proceed to Step 2.

25. Pre-Referral to the Support TeamStep 2: Grade-Level Conference • Schedule a conference consisting of grade-level and special area teachers. • The team of teachers and the parent meet to discuss concerns and develop interventions for student success. • Documentation of both the meeting and interventions to be implemented is required (Form 100 Page 2) • If the data indicates the need for additional interventions, request a Support Team Referral from the Support Team Chair.

26. Support Team Referral Process

27. Referral to the Support Team • Grade-level team makes referral to Support Team Chair 2. Support Team Chair gives the referring or homeroom teacher a yellow Support Team folder, which includes: • Support Team Referral by Teacher/Agency (Form 101-A) • Teacher Observation Checklist (Form 101-A) 3. The documentation must be returned to the Support Team Chair within 10 school days.

28. Referral to the Support Team Cont’d 4. Support Team Chair contacts the parent to schedule a Support Team meeting within 10 school days of receiving completed documentation. (Forms 101-A) 5. Support Team Chair sends: • Support Team Invitation Letter (Form 103) • Support Team Referral Parent/Guardian (Form 101-B) 6. Student interview completed to gather information on student’s strengths and weaknesses. • Support Team Referral Student (Form 101-C) Note: If a parent requests testing (of any kind) in writing, parents complete form 101-B and Support Team is convened within 10 days.

29. CONVENING THE Support Team

30. Support Members will bring… • Cumulative Record • Data from Pre-referral Interventions • Work Samples • District and Informal Assessments • Discipline/Attendance Record • Open Mind • Positive Attitude • Intervention Ideas • Accommodation Ideas

31. Support Team Agenda Support Team Chair will conduct meeting using an agenda. Sample Agenda • Introductions • Purpose of Meeting • Parental Input • Review of Pre-Referral Interventions/Data • Discuss Additional Appropriate Interventions • Complete Support Team Intervention Plan (Form 104) • Schedule Next Meeting

32. Roles of Support Team Members • Recorder - assists the Support Team Chair in completing documentation during the meeting. • Monitor - ensures that the intervention plans are implemented appropriately with fidelity.

33. Purpose of the Support Team Meeting • Brainstorm ideas to address specific concerns in the classroom • Consider hearing, vision, health, nutrition, and environmental factors • Determine interventions • Discuss future actions, progress, and outcomes • Designate who is responsible for each intervention • Complete the Support Team Intervention Plan (Form 104) • Schedule follow-up meeting

34. Interventions must be… • Research based • Address the specific area(s) of concern • Attempted for a reasonable for period of time • Observable and measureable i.e. Preferential seating and peer tutoring are not adequate readinginterventions, although they are nice accommodations.

35. Intervention Resources • jimwrightonline.com • starfall.com • inventioncentral.org • nasagov.com • pbskids.org • ldonline.com • colorincolorado.org

36. Support Team Follow-Up Meeting Includes… • Review Support Team Plan • Review data in the area(s) of concern • Determine progress or lack of progress • Modify the plan accordingly • Determine if there is a need to invite an assessment specialist

37. Support Team Outcomes… • Interventions were successful. • Interventions partially/not successful. • Consider 504 eligibility. • IDEIA-Disability suspected. • Parent(s) request a comprehensive evaluation. • Parent(s) request a 504 evaluation. Support Team Outcomes (Form 105) to be completed by recorder. This must remain in the student’s yellow Support Team folder.

38. Support Team Outcomes Cont’d… 1. Interventions were successful. • Student remains in general education without the need for further interventions. (Exit the Support Team Process) 2. Interventions partially/not successful. • Continue Support Team and develop new Support Team Intervention Plan. 3. Consider 504 eligibility. • Consult MNPS policies for information on how to conduct a 504 eligibility meeting

39. Support Team Outcomes Cont’d … 4. Disability suspected: • Complete the following forms: • Reading Instruction Worksheet (Form 106) • Mathematics Instruction Worksheet (Form 107) • Classroom Observation (Form 108) • Invite the appropriate assessment specialist. • Follow IDEIA procedures

40. Support Team Outcomes Cont’d… • Parents request a comprehensive evaluation or a 504 evaluation. • Parent must sign and date Support Team Outcomes Form ( Form 105) • Follow 504 and/or IDEIA procedures

41. The Yellow Folder Includes… 1. Grade Level Conference and Intervention Record Form (Form 100) to be completed by referring teacher. 2. Support Team Referral Forms • Support Team Referral Completed by Teacher/Agency & Teacher Observation Checklist (Form 101-A) • Support Team Referral Completed by Parent/Guardian (Form 101-B) • Support Team Referral Completed by Student (Form 1010-C) 3. Support Team Invitation Letter (Form 103) 4. Support Team Intervention Plan (Form 104)

42. The Yellow Folder Includes… 5. Support Team Outcomes (Form 105) 6. Reading Instruction Worksheets (Form 106) 7. Mathematics Instruction Worksheets (Form 107) 8. Classroom Observation (Form 108)

43. Special Situations If a student with a severe and/or observable disability (e.g. medically fragile, visually, hearing, or physically impaired, severe cognitive delays) is in your school building: • Schedule an expedited initial S-team meeting • Conduct observations • Complete vision and hearing screenings • Invite Assessment Specialists • Invite Compliance Facilitator • Quickly complete the referral form

44. Helpful Hints!!!!!!!!!! • What we need from parents: • Input • Feedback • Collaboration • Communication (ongoing) • Review plans regularly • Confer with consultants (e.g. psychologists, SLPs, social workers, behavior specialists, etc.) outside of support team meetings.

45. Isolation or Restraint • Free from the unreasonable unsafe and unwarranted uses of isolation and restraint practices. • Positive behavioral interventions and support methods in schools. • Develop properly trained staff.

46. Restraint Must be in Individualized Education Plan Only the principal, or the principal’s designee, may authorize the use of isolation or restraint. When the use of restraint or isolation is proposed at an IEP meeting, parents/guardians shall be advised of the provisions of T.C.A. 49-10-1301, et seq., this rule and the IDEA procedural safeguards. An IEP meeting convened pursuant to T.C.A. §49-10-1304(b) may be conducted on at least twenty-four (24) hours notice to the parents.

47. Revocation of Services • Parent/Guardian may revoke special education and related services by submitting a written statement • Procedural Safeguards reviewed and given to parent • Prior Written Notice and written statement should be placed in student cum file. • Prior Written Notice and copy of written statement should be given to Compliance Facilitator for processing. • *All Services should end IMMEDIATELY*

48. Functional Behavior Assessment • Completed for any student whose behavior impedes learning or learning of others. • Identify behaviors • Collection of data • Gathering of information • Assess function of behavior • Determine interventions • Implement Interventions • Evaluate effectiveness

49. FBA Cont’d • Determine need for Intensive Plan (BIP) • Review FBA • Revise FBA as new behaviors surface • Parental Consent is required .

50. Questions/Answers