Special Education Directors

1. Special EducationDirectors Fall Regional Meetings 2018

2. Welcome Russell Johnston, Senior Associate Commissioner & State Director of Special Education The Special Education in Institutional Settings Program & Working With School Districts Mary Lou Chapman from SEIS New Resources and Tools for Working With Your Early Intervention Programs Lauren Viviani & Martha Daigle from Special Education Planning & Policy 01 AGENDA 03 02 04 Questions/Comments/Ideas Agenda

3. Approved Public Special Education School Enrollment Regulatory language: • “Approved public special education school shall mean a program operated by a public school or an educational collaborative providing…services to eligible students in a facility serving primarily students with disabilities.” • Regulations also call for “a majority of students who have been determined eligible for special education services.” Implications for new applications and revising existing school applications

4. Dyslexia • Professional development opportunities will be available in 2019 • DESE website with repository of tools, resources and information • Reminder of OSEP letter • Share effective practices

5. Home or Hospital Tutoring Form Enhancements intended to: • Improve the physician’s authorization process by narrowing the scope of orders to comply with regulation • Provide additional clarity and certainty to districts by requiring the provision of clear and specific information by the authorizing physician Link to new form: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/28MR/

6. IDEA Grant Submission • Oct. 31 due date for Fund Codes 240 and 262 • Submit recalculated FY18 proportionate share form if your LEA had an increase in its allocation • Federal grant related questions hotline: 781/338-6230

7. IEP Improvement Project Update • Thank you for your input last spring • Report available by end of December (or sooner) • Report will include • review of IEP tools and processes from various other states • recommendations for process improvements in MA • recommendations for IT solutions • Next steps will follow, such as focus groups and work groups

8. Private School Enrollment Data • Students who attend private schools located in your district contribute to your IDEA grant funds • FY19--$142/student • Based upon enrollment data on Oct. 1 • Reminder from you might be useful

9. New Resources and Tools for Working with Your Early Intervention ProgramsLauren Viviani & Martha Daigle from Special Education Planning & Policy 02

10. Overview Joint Technical Assistance Advisory Regarding Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Transition from Early Intervention (EI) • How and why the advisory was created • DEC recommended practices for implementation • Advisory: Transition from Early Intervention Programs to Early Childhood Special Education • Engage with the transition planning tool

11. How and Why this Advisory was Created • Provide resources for early childhood programs Technical Assistance Guidance: • Developed by your colleagues and EI providers • Jointly issued by the Departments of Public Health (DPH) and Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) • Develop implementation strategies for EI and ECSE • Include common transition concerns for EI and ECSE • Advisory: Guidelines that can be adopted by EI and ECSE programs to support a smooth and timely transition

12. DEC: Evidence-Based Recommended Practices

13. DEC Recommended Practices: Transition • Transition: Events, activities and processes associated with the changes between environments/programs • Practices that support the adjustment of the child and family • Home • EI programs • Childcare • Educational programs and supports • Positive relationships • Program-program • Educator-child • Educator-family

14. DEC Recommended Practices with Examples • Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: NAEYC. • DEC/NAEYC. (2009).Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Retrieved from DEC website: http://www.dec-sped.org/papers

15. Advisory Overview Early Intervention (Part C) Early Childhood Special Education (Part B) • Provides integrated developmental services to families of children; birth-3 years • Eligibility determined • if the child has developmental difficulties due to an identified disability • if there is a risk due to birth or environmental circumstances • Family Centered • Provides educational supports for children; 3-5 years • Eligibility determined • If the child has a disability • If the disability affects academic progress • Based on student’s individual educational needs

16. Advisory Overview Early Intervention Early Childhood Special Education • Individual Family Support Plan (IFSP) developed for all children leaving EI • Transition Planning Conference (TPC) to plan for services when the child turns 3 • Referrals to ECSE must be made to the district where the child lives no fewer than 90 days (and up to 9 months) before the child’s third birthday • Eligibility determination process must be completed for every referral from EI program • The local school district attends the TPC • If determined eligible for special education, the IEP must be developed and implemented by the child’s third birthday

17. Structure of the Advisory

18. Main Topics of the Advisory • EI Responsibilities • School District Responsibilities • Eligibility • Implementing the IFSP/IEP • EC Transition Planning Tool

19. Transition Planning Tool Sample Student

20. Timeline Suggestions

21. Advisory Walkthrough • Pass out the 5 index cards found on your table • For 10 minutes: • Review that section (individually or in pairs) • Pick out main points • What’s new for you? • For 5 minutes: • Each section shares out with the table

22. Review • Discussed DEC Recommended Practices • Reviewed EI and ECSE Requirements • Engaged with the Advisory and Planning Tool

23. Resources • Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Early Intervention Division: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/family-health/early-intervention/ • DPH - Transition Process: https://eiplp.org/transition-resources-2/ • Continuing the Journey: http://eipop.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Continuing-the-Journey-2014-eng.pdf • EEC - Transitioning from Early Intervention into Preschool Special Education: http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/early-education-and-care/provider-and-program-administration/services-for-children-with-disabilities-and-special-needs/transitioning-from-early-intervention-into-preschool-special-education/ • Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center: http://ectacenter.org/ • Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices: http://www.dec-sped.org/dec-recommended-practices

24. Questions

25. THANK YOU Martha Daigle 781-338-3366 mdaigle@doe.mass.edu www.doe.mass.edu 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148

26. The Special Education in Institutional Settings Program & Working With School Districts Mary Lou Chapman from SEIS 03

27. SEIS Background • Since 1974, SEIS has been a statewide program run by DESE to provide special education services to children and youth with disabilities residing in state facilities operated by: • Department of Youth Services – 51 Sites • Department of Mental Health – 14 Sites • County Houses of Correction – 13 Sites • Department of Public Health – 1 Site • In SY18, SEIS served a monthly average of approximately 450 students in 80 sites statewide

28. SEIS Students

29. SEIS Contracted Education Provider • Contract with the Collaborative for Educational Services through June 30, 2020. • Provider Services: • Educational Staffing in 80 sites • Technology, Data Management, Professional Development and Curriculum

30. SEIS in DYS • DYS provides the general education program and content is aligned with the MA Curriculum Frameworks • SEIS integrates special education services with content curriculum • DYS also provides Title I, HiSET preparation, dual college enrollment, Future Ready vocational programming • More than 50% of DYS youth are students with IEPs • Most SEIS students are served in an inclusive classroom with DYS and SEIS educators co-planning and co-teaching

31. SEIS in CHCs • County Houses provide educational services, but not a full general education program • CHC SEIS population is adult only (18-22) • CHC education services vary by site, but typically include Title I, Adult Basic Education, and vocational programming • SEIS educators provide consultation to CHC educators and 1:1/small group instruction aligned with students’ IEPs

32. SEIS in DMH • Some DMH students do not have IEPs • Full day basic academic program in child and adolescent units • 1:1 tutoring for students in adult units scheduled around clinical programming • Admission/discharge and movement between DMH facilities is determined by DMH

33. SEIS in DPH Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children • Students with multiple physical and cognitive disabilities • Admission and discharge decisions made by DPH • Length of stay for students is longer than other Host Agency sites • After admission, most IEP related services are provided by DPH as medical/clinical services • MCAS-ALT portfolios are frequent

34. Special Education Services • SEIS and public school districts are responsible to ensure that each eligible student residing in these facilities receives special education services according to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed in accordance with special education law • SEIS is the provider of the special education services as resources permit and consistent with applicable special education regulations

35. Special Education Services • When SEIS does not provide a particular service required by a student’s IEP, the school district in which the student resides must provide it, consistent with the policies and procedures of the host agency • The school district responsible for the student develops the IEP, conducts special education evaluations and annual reviews, and, when necessary, coordinates with SEIS on the implementation of the student’s IEP in the host agency setting

36. Non SEIS Services (NSS) Technical Assistance Advisory • If IEP services are identified as NSS, the school district is notified in writing: • Identify service providers • Discuss other options with parent, guardian, or adult student • SEIS School District Liaisons helps to coordinate with the host agency.

37. Non SEIS Services (NSS) Technical Assistance Advisory • Counseling and Other Clinical Services • Discuss with parent • May agree to suspend services while the student is in the setting • Create an amendment

38. Role of the School District Liaison (SDL) • SEIS SDL is primary liaison with school district • Notifies district when student enters SEIS • Requests current IEP and copies of relevant school records • Maintains records in Aspen – SEIS student database • Ensures district conducts timely Team meetings and re-evaluations • When appropriate, works with district to enable student to receive academic credit for completed SEIS coursework

39. SEIS Challenges • Providing SEIS services requires accommodating to the: • Host Agency setting • Sending school district requirements • Specific student circumstances • Making teaching and learning successful for the students while working in partnership with school districts in providing access to the general curriculum

40. THANK YOU Mary Lou Chapman, SEIS Director Shawn Connelly, SEIS Asst. Director mchapman@doe.mass.edushawn.connelly@doe.mass.edu www.doe.mass.edu 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148