The Role of the Educator in the IEP Process

1. The Role of the Educatorin theIEP Process

2. A Little History…The 70’s 1. Public Law 93-112: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

3. A Little History…The 70’s 2. Public Law 94-142: Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.

4. PL 94-142: Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 Five major components that affect the classroom and instruction: • A right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) • Nondiscriminatory evaluation procedures • Procedural due process • Individualized education programs (IEP’s) • The least restrictive environment (LRE)

5. Section 504 and IDEA All Children IDEA Eligible Section 504 Eligible

6. A Little History…The 90’s October, 1990 – PL 94-142 becomes Public Law 101-476: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 June, 1997 – Public Law 105-17: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997

7. IDEA 1997 The changes are too numerous to identify individually but were primarily made in the following three areas: • Strengthening parental participationin the educational process • Remediation and disciplinary actionsaddressing behavior problems at school and in the classroom

8. IDEA 1997 • Accountability for student’s participation and success in the general education curriculumand mastery of IEP goals and objectives in the LRE.

9. IDEA 2004 – The Role of the Educator in the IEP Process 5 Phases of Involvement • Pre-referral Intervention • Evaluation & Data Collection • IEP Team Meetings • Implementation of IEP • Evaluating & Reporting Student Progress

10. A student must not be determined to be a student with a disability if the determinant factor for that determination is: • Lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of reading instruction • Lack of appropriate instruction in math; • Limited English proficiency.

11. IDEA – The Role of the Educator in the IEP Process Phase 3 IEP Development & Team Meetings “The IEP team for a child with a disability must include at least one regular education teacher of the child if the child is or may be participating in the general education environment.” [Sec. 300.344(a)(2)]

12. IDEA – The Role of the Educator in the IEP Process “The regular education teacher of a child with a disability, as a member of the IEP team, must, to the extent appropriate, participate in the development, review, and revision of the child’s IEP.” [Sec. 300.346(d)]

13. IDEA – The Role of the Educator in the IEP Process What does that mean? The general education teacher must assist with the following seven components of the IEP: • Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) • IEP goals and objectives

14. IDEA – The Role of the General Education Teacher • Positive behavioral interventions and supports • Supplemental aids and services Defined: Specialized equipment, accommodations, or services to assist the student to be successful in the LRE and curricular program (generally the general education curriculum)

15. IDEA – The Role of the General Education Teacher • Program Modifications - Classroom management - Teaching strategies - Instructional accommodations • Program(s) and Services based upon LRE & FAPE • State and District Assessments

16. IDEA – The Role of the General Education Teacher How do we determine the least restrictive environment? • What factors must be considered?

17. Determining LRE – With Use of Supplemental Aids and Services Each public agency shall ensure: “That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nonhandicapped;

18. Determining LRE – With Use of Supplemental Aids and Services and that special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplemental aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. [Sec. 300.550]

19. Determining LRE – With Use of Supplemental Aids and Services Three factors to consider in placement: • Must be individually determined • Cannot be based solely on factors such as the category of disability, significance of the disability, availability of services or space configurations.

20. Determining LRE – With Use of Supplemental Aids and Services • Regulations prohibit denying placement in an age appropriate regular education classroom solely because the student requires curriculum modifications.

21. What’s My Role at an IEPT Meeting? • General Educator • Special Educator • Educator • Administrator

22. In summary, The reality is that no individual can or should assume full responsibility for a student’s success.

23. Teachers, parents, administrators, related services personnel, counselors, students, and the general school community must accept the shared responsibility to provide equal educational opportunities to all students, regardless of their ability levels and individual needs.