Transcript SPECIAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW - Educational Service Unit 7

SPECIAL EDUCATION
OVERVIEW
What is Special Education?
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
 A federal law designed to protect the rights of
students with disabilities.
 Ensures students with disabilities are provided a Free
Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
 Ensures students with disabilities are provided an
education based on their unique individual needs.
 Designed to ensure all children are allowed access to
the public schools with no regards to disability.
What is Free Appropriate Public Education
(FAPE)
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Students ages 3-21 have a right to attend public
school without cost to parent
Students are provided an individualized education
plan
FAPE is mandated for students in preschool,
elementary, secondary and to those suspended
Students are provided an appropriate education in
the public school in the Least Restrictive
Environment
What is meant by
LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT?
(LRE)
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Students with disabilities are removed from
regular classes only when the nature and
severity of the disability is such that education in
the regular class with the use of supplemental
aids and services cannot be achieved
satisfactorily.
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Before a student is removed from regular
education classes, the IEP team must
document justification as to why removal
is appropriate and why regular education
classes with accommodations,
modifications and supplemental services
cannot meet the student’s needs.
The LRE is a continuum of service placements
which must be considered when addressing
the individual student’s needs.
Placement consideration must always begin
with the least restrictive placement and move
toward more restrictive.
The LRE Continuum
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REGULAR CLASS FULL TIME – (Least Restrictive)
21% of the education and related services outside of the
regular classroom.
SPECIAL CLASS PART TIME
services outside of the regular education room 21%-60% of
their day
SPECIAL CLASS FULL TIME (HOME SCHOOL)
services outside the regular class the majority of the day in
their home attendance school.
SPECIAL CLASS FULL TIME (TRANSFER)
services outside of the regular education for more than 60% of
their day and have been transferred to a school other than
their home school.
Other placements outside typical school environment which
constitutes most restrictive environments.
How Is a Student Identified as
Having a Disability?
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A student is suspected of having a disability.
The pre-referral process is completed
The parent gives informed consent to
evaluate their child for a suspected disability
Testing is completed for suspected disabilities
Eligibility is determined by a team
If appropriate, an Individualized Education
Plan is developed and implemented.
Disabilities
AUTISM
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Developmental disability significantly
affecting verbal and non-verbal
communication and social interaction.
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Generally evident before age 3
Adversely affects a child’s educational
performance.
DEAF-BLINDNESS
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Both hearing and vision impairments
The combination of which causes severe
communication and educational problems
that cannot be accommodated in special
education programs solely for children with
deafness or blindness.
BEHAVIOR DISORDER
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One or more of the following:
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An inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory,
or health factors;
An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships
with peers and teachers;
Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal
circumstances;
A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or
A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with
personal or school problems.
Includes Schizophrenia. Does not include socially
maladjusted.
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY
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Delay in one or more of the following:
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Cognitive development
Physical development
Communication development
Social or emotional development
Diagnosed physical or medical condition
with high probability of delay in function
Eligible through the school year in
which the child turns 5 or 9
MENTAL HANDICAP
Significantly sub-average general intellectual
functioning existing concurrently with deficits
in adaptive behavior
MULTIPLE IMPAIRMENTS
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Students who are identified as having
multiple disabilities usually exhibit significant
cognitive impairments and also require other
special services due to accompanying motor
impairments, communication, visual and
hearing impairments and/or medical
conditions.
ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENTS
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Most diverse population
Many people recognize as physically
handicapped.
OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS
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Wide range of acute health problems that adversely
affect educational performance.
Included in this are children who are chronically ill, or
medically fragile.
Examples are heart problems, cancer, asthma,
diabetes, epilepsy or Tourette’s Syndrome.
Sometimes used for children with ADHD.
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
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A Disorder that may manifest itself in
an imperfect ability to listen, think,
speak, read, write, spell, or do
mathematical calculations
SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT
A communication disorder such as stuttering,
impaired articulation, a language impairment,
or a voice impairment, that adversely affects
a child’s educational performance.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
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It is an acquired brain injury caused by an external
physical force, that occurs after birth.
Three of the main causes are
 car accidents
 gunshot wounds
 falls
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
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Visual impairment including blindness means
an impairment in vision that, even with
correction, adversely affects a child’s
educational performance.
The term includes both partial sight and
blindness.
Eligibility & Then What?
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
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An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is
developed by a team
Plan is based on the student’s needs
Plan is a legally binding agreement
School is obligated to implement the IEP as
written
IEP MEETINGS
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Must be held periodically for the purpose of
developing, reviewing and revising the IEP at
least once a year
An IEP can be rewritten prior to annually if
any team member suspects a concern
Should be granted by the School when
parents believe the child is not progressing or
that there is a problem with the child’s
current IEP
IEP MUST BE IN EFFECT:
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At the beginning of each school year for
each child currently eligible under IDEA
Before special education and/or related
services are provided
Discipline
Suspension
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A student cannot be suspended more than 10
days cumulatively without:
 Services in accordance with IEP
 Services in the regular curriculum
 Student progressing toward their goals &
objectives
Confidentiality
Confidentiality Basics
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Confidential records must be kept in a
secured location
Every file must have record of who accessed
the folder, what date and why
Students’ cumulative folder must not identify
the student as a special education student
Who Has Access to the IEP?
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Each regular education teacher
Special education teacher
Related service provider
Any other service provider who is
responsible for implementation
Unauthorized individuals must have written
parental permission
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA)
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Parents and students are guaranteed the
right to:
 Inspect and review records
 Amend records (inaccurate/inappropriate)
 Give consent to disclosure of info
 Obtain copies of records
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
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The school district is held responsible for the
identification of students with disabilities.
The district is held responsible for keeping
student’s IEPs current.
The district is held responsible for the
implementation of the IEP as it is written, or
revising the IEP to meet the student’s
changing needs.
The district is held responsible for all students
receiving a free appropriate public school
education in the least restrictive environment.
Other topics…
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Scheduling classes
Summary of Performance
Graduation