Transcript Slide 1

Exceptional Children Program
“Serving Today’s Students”
Student Assistance Team
What is a Student Assistance Team?
 Each school in the Richmond County School
System has at least one Student Assistance Team
(SAT).
 These teams usually meet two times or more per
month (ie. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month).
 The teams work with teachers in determining why
students are not progressing as expected and to
make recommendations for additional support to
ensure the student’s future success.
What is the mission of the Student
Assistance Team?
To support teachers in assisting students to
achieve socially, academically, emotionally,
and behaviorally to his or her fullest
potential by involving parent; by effectively
using school and community resources; and
by utilizing scientifically based interventions.
Who is on the Student Assistance
Team?
 Regular Education
Teachers
 Exceptional Children
Teachers
 Administrators
 Counselors
 Nurses
 Social Workers
 Parent
 Speech-Language
Therapist
 Literacy/Math Coaches
 Other Specialists
 Community Rep.
 School Psychologist
(when appropriate)
Why would a student be referred
to the Student Assistance Team?
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Chronic Absenteeism
At Risk for retention
Behavioral issues
Suspension
Expulsion
Serious illness
Serious injury
Chronic health issues
 Substance abuse
 Violent Acts
 At Risk for “dropping
out”
 Cognitive deficits
 Mental health issues
 Family crisis
What happens once a referral has
been made?
 The classroom teacher contacts the
parents/guardians.
 The SAT notifies the parents/guardians of the
referral.
 Information on the student is collected.
 An intervention meeting is held.
 The teacher uses the interventions in the
classroom.
 A follow-up meeting is held.
 If necessary, a referral is made to the IEP team.
The Student Assistance
Team Process
A referral is made.
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Anyone can refer a student to the SAT by
contacting the SAT Chair
Parents
Teachers
Specialists
Others who know the student
The classroom teacher contacts
the parents/guardians.
 The student’s teacher will contact the parents
requesting a conference to discuss his/her
concerns about their child’s progress in school.
 During the conference the teacher will discuss
referring the student to the Student Assistance
Team.
 If the teacher is unable to schedule a direct
conference, a phone conference may be held.
The SAT notifies the
parents/guardians of the referral.
 The SAT Chair sends a form letter to the
parents/guardians.
 The letter notifies the parents/guardians of the
referral and asks permission to do some basic
screenings.
 Parents/guardians may be asked to complete a
Social Developmental History form. The social
worker can assist if parents/guardians have
difficulty completing the forms.
Information on the student is
collected.
 Grades, both present
and past
 EOG/EOC Test Scores
 Teacher Assessments
 Work Samples
 Attendance records
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Medical Records
Vision Screening
Hearing Screening
Discipline Records
Two intervention meetings are held.
 The team meets to hear the teacher’s
concerns for the student, to hear a report on
the parent’s concerns, and to review all
information that has been gathered.
 The team then uses this information to
design interventions that will help the
student be more successful in the
classroom.
Interventions are focused on the
needs of the individual student
and might require changes in:
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Instructional Intensity
Curriculum
Instructional Goals
Instructional Setting
After discussing various interventions, the team
decides on two or three that will be used for a
specified length of time. They will also determine
how the success of the interventions will be
measured.
The teacher uses the
interventions in the
classroom.
A Follow-up Meeting is held.
The team determines how successful the
Interventions were and makes a decision:
 Continue the interventions and exit the
student from SAT
 Continue the interventions and monitor
 Implement new interventions
 The IEP team conducts a referral meeting
If the student is referred to the IEP
Team, the SAT process is halted until
the IEP Team has completed all
requirements.
At this point the student may be:
 Placed in an Exceptional Children’s
Program, if so, the student is exited from
SAT
 Referred back to the SAT for more
interventions
 Recommended for a possible Equal
Education Opportunity Plan under Section
504.
EC Referral Process
Written Referral
 A referral for evaluation must be in writing.
By parent, teacher…….
 90-day timeline begins when school receives the
written referral.
 90 calendar days from written referral to
placement decision.
NC 1503-2.2(b) and 1503-2.2(c)
Timeline
 An initial referral must be completed within 90
calendar days from receipt of the written
referral.
 Exceptions to the 90-day Timeline Student
moves to a different LEA during evaluation time
frame.
- does not apply if parents and LEA agree on new time
frame and LEA is making progress toward compliance.
 If the parent repeatedly fails or refuses to make
the student available for evaluation.
NC 1503-2.2(c-d)
Review of Existing Evaluation Data
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The IEP team must review existing
evaluation data on the child including:
1. Evaluations & information provided by
the parents;
2. Current classroom-based, local, or State
assessments, and classroom-based
observations; and
3. Observations by teachers and related
services providers.
NC 1503-2.6 (a-d)
Review of Existing Evaluation Data
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Therapist, psychologists or other
evaluators may review the data without a
meeting with the parents.
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On the basis of that review, & input from
the child’s parents, the IEP team must
identify what additional data, if any, are
needed and if the child will be evaluated.
NC 1503-2.6 (a-d)
Out of State Transfers
 Require a review of existing data to
determine what, if any, additional
information is needed to determine eligibility
in North Carolina.
 If any additional data is needed based on
the reviews, it is considered an initial
evaluation for purposes of determining
eligibility and placement.
Out of State Transfers
 Until the above stated process is complete,
the LEA must provide comparable services
in accordance with IDEA. The LEA has
responsibility to expedite this process for out
of state transfer students.
Consent
 Informed consent must be provided by
parents for each proposed area of
evaluation.
 IEP teams are obligated to conduct
screenings and evaluations to address all
areas of needs regardless of the suspected
disability.
 All areas of need identified on DEC1 must
be included in the assessment measures
found on DEC2.
Consent
 In event the IEP team determines during the
evaluation that other evaluations are
needed, another DEC 2 must be obtained.
 The team decision and consent may occur
without a meeting but parents need to be
notified and how the parent is notified must
be documented.
Research-Based Interventions
Research-Based Interventions
With the revision of the Individuals with
Disabilities Improvement Act I 2004 and the
approval of the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction’s Policies Governing
Services for Children with Disabilities in
November 2007, research-based
interventions are now required prior to
determining eligibility for special education
and related services in some areas of
disability.
Research-Based Interventions
In addition, a child must not be determined
to be a child with a disability if the
determination is based on a lack of
appropriate instruction in reading, including
the essential components of reading
instructions as defined in section 1208(3) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA), lack of appropriate instruction in
math, or limited English proficiency.
Research-Based Interventions
 Strategies, teaching methodologies
and supports that have been
shown through one or more valid
research studies to help a student
improve academic,
behavioral/emotional or functional
skills