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ADVOCACYDENVERADVOCACYDENVER

Special Education 101Special Education 101Pamela BiscegliaPamela BiscegliaAdvocate for Children and Inclusive Policy Advocate for Children and Inclusive Policy ImplementationImplementationAugust 31, 2011August 31, 2011

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WelcomeWelcome

The purpose of this Webinar is to help The purpose of this Webinar is to help parents (and guardians) gain a better parents (and guardians) gain a better understanding of:understanding of:– Individualized Education Program (IEP) Individualized Education Program (IEP)

processprocess Members of the IEP TeamMembers of the IEP Team Types of IEP meetingsTypes of IEP meetings Special education programming and servicesSpecial education programming and services Some of the terms commonly used by the IEP Some of the terms commonly used by the IEP

teamteam

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Who Are the Members of Who Are the Members of the IEP Team?the IEP Team?

The Parent/GuardianThe Parent/Guardian Whenever appropriate, your childWhenever appropriate, your child General education teacher General education teacher Special education teacher/providerSpecial education teacher/provider Special Education Director/Designee Special Education Director/Designee An individual who can interpret the An individual who can interpret the

instructional implications of the instructional implications of the evaluationevaluation

Other people invited by you or by the Other people invited by you or by the schoolschool

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Other possible members of Other possible members of the IEP Teamthe IEP Team

If your child is transitioning from a If your child is transitioning from a birth to three program, with your birth to three program, with your permission, the birth to three (Part C) permission, the birth to three (Part C) service coordinator or providerservice coordinator or provider

If your child is 15 or older, with your If your child is 15 or older, with your permission, the representative of any permission, the representative of any outside agency that is likely to be outside agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for responsible for providing or paying for transition servicestransition services

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Who Schedules the IEP Who Schedules the IEP Meeting?Meeting?

The school must notify you of the meeting The school must notify you of the meeting early enough to ensure you have an early enough to ensure you have an opportunity to attend. The meeting notice opportunity to attend. The meeting notice must:must:– Identify the reason for the meetingIdentify the reason for the meeting– Propose a date, time and location of the meetingPropose a date, time and location of the meeting– Offer to reschedule the meeting at a mutually agreed Offer to reschedule the meeting at a mutually agreed

upon time and placeupon time and place– Identify who the school has invited to the meetingIdentify who the school has invited to the meeting– Offer you the opportunity to invite others with special Offer you the opportunity to invite others with special

knowledge or expertise regarding your childknowledge or expertise regarding your child You can waive your right to a timely notice of You can waive your right to a timely notice of

the meeting.the meeting.

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Can I ask for an IEP Can I ask for an IEP Meeting?Meeting?

Yes! Yes! Recommend you submit the Recommend you submit the

request in writingrequest in writing The school can either:The school can either:

– schedule the requested meeting; or schedule the requested meeting; or

– refuse your request for a meetingrefuse your request for a meeting

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What is an Individualized What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?Education Program (IEP)?

The IEP is a written statement of:The IEP is a written statement of:– Your child’s present level of academic Your child’s present level of academic

achievement and functional achievement and functional performance (PLAAF)performance (PLAAF)

– Measurable annual goalsMeasurable annual goals– Special education and related services Special education and related services

and supplementary aids and services and supplementary aids and services – Accommodations and Modifications Accommodations and Modifications

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Written statement of Written statement of PLAAFPLAAF

Present level of academic Present level of academic achievement and functional achievement and functional performanceperformance

– Academic achievement:Academic achievement: your your child’s child’s currentcurrent performance in performance in reading or language arts, reading or language arts, math, science, and history math, science, and history

– Functional performanceFunctional performance.. skills skills and activities of daily livingand activities of daily living

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Written statement of Written statement of PLAAFPLAAF

Additionally, a statement of how Additionally, a statement of how the disability affects your child’s:the disability affects your child’s:

– Involvement and progress in general Involvement and progress in general education curriculum; oreducation curriculum; or

– Participation in appropriate activities Participation in appropriate activities (preschool) (preschool)

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GoalsGoals

Academic, Functional and/or Academic, Functional and/or BehavioralBehavioral

AnnualAnnual MeasurableMeasurable Report of Progress Report of Progress

– How your child’s progress will be How your child’s progress will be measuredmeasured

– When reports will be providedWhen reports will be provided

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As AppropriateAs Appropriate

Description of benchmarks/short-Description of benchmarks/short-term objectives:term objectives:– for children who take an alternate for children who take an alternate

assessment (CSAP A) that is aligned assessment (CSAP A) that is aligned with alternate achievement with alternate achievement standards.standards.

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Special Education Special Education Services Services

The IEP must include a statement of:The IEP must include a statement of:– Special education and related services and Special education and related services and

supplementary aids and services; andsupplementary aids and services; and– Program modifications or supports that will Program modifications or supports that will

be provided to enable your child:be provided to enable your child: To achieve the IEP goals;To achieve the IEP goals; To be involved and make progress in the To be involved and make progress in the

general education curriculum.general education curriculum.

– The extent, if any, to which your child will The extent, if any, to which your child will not participate with nondisabled children not participate with nondisabled children in the general education class.in the general education class.

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Least Restrictive Least Restrictive EnvironmentEnvironment

Individuals with Disabilities Education Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that:Act (IDEA) provides that:

““To the maximum extent appropriate, children To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities will be educated with with disabilities will be educated with

children who are not disabled, and special children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal classes, separate schooling, or other removal of the children from the regular educational of the children from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or environment occurs only when the nature or

severity of the disability is such that severity of the disability is such that education in the regular classroom with the education in the regular classroom with the

use of supplementary aids and services use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily”.cannot be achieved satisfactorily”.

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What are special What are special education services?education services?

Special education means specially Special education means specially designed instruction to meet the designed instruction to meet the unique needs of your child.unique needs of your child.

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What are related What are related services?services?

Related services may be Related services may be identified to help your child identified to help your child benefit from special education by benefit from special education by providing extra help and support providing extra help and support in needed areas. in needed areas.

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What are What are supplementary aids supplementary aids

and services?and services?

Supplementary aids and services means Supplementary aids and services means aids, services, and other supports that aids, services, and other supports that

are provided in regular education are provided in regular education classes, other education-related classes, other education-related

settings, and in extracurricular and settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable nonacademic settings, to enable

children with disabilities to be educated children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate…maximum extent appropriate…

National Dissemination Center for Children with DisabilitiesNational Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

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What kinds of What kinds of supplementary aids and supplementary aids and

services could be identified?services could be identified? Supplementary aids and services must Supplementary aids and services must

be based on your child’s individual be based on your child’s individual needs; examples include:needs; examples include:– Supports to address environmental needs Supports to address environmental needs – Levels of staff support Levels of staff support – Planning time for collaboration needed by Planning time for collaboration needed by

the staffthe staff– Child’s specialized equipment needs Child’s specialized equipment needs – Pacing of instructionPacing of instruction

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Additional Examples:Additional Examples:

Supplementary Aids and Services:Supplementary Aids and Services:– Presentation of subject matter Presentation of subject matter – Materials Materials – Assignment modifications Assignment modifications – Self-management Self-management – Test adaptations Test adaptations – Social interaction supportSocial interaction support– Training needed for personnelTraining needed for personnel

New Mexico Public Department of EducationNew Mexico Public Department of Education

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Accommodations and Accommodations and ModificationsModifications

Accommodations: Accommodations: provisions provisions made in made in howhow a student accesses a student accesses and demonstrates learning. and demonstrates learning.

ModificationsModifications substantial substantial changes in changes in whatwhat a student is a student is expected to learn and expected to learn and demonstrate. demonstrate.

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What else is in the What else is in the IEP?IEP?

Participation in district and state-wide Participation in district and state-wide assessmentassessment

Extended school year eligibility:Extended school year eligibility:– Regression and recoupmentRegression and recoupment– Predictive factorsPredictive factors

Child’s ability to maintain learned skills Child’s ability to maintain learned skills Consideration of the child’s individual situation Consideration of the child’s individual situation

at home and in the child’s neighborhood and at home and in the child’s neighborhood and communitycommunity

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Additional Additional Considerations Considerations Assistive Technology Assistive Technology TransportationTransportation Health Care PlanHealth Care Plan Behavior Intervention PlanBehavior Intervention Plan

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As appropriate…As appropriate…

For children age 4, planning for For children age 4, planning for the child’s transition to the child’s transition to kindergartenkindergarten

For children age 15 and older, For children age 15 and older, planning for life after schoolplanning for life after school

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Types of IEP meetingsTypes of IEP meetings

Initial/eligibilityInitial/eligibility AnnualAnnual TriennialTriennial Amendments (Special Request) Amendments (Special Request)

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In addition…In addition…

Parent written permission:Parent written permission:– Initial evaluation Initial evaluation – Initial servicesInitial services– ReevaluationReevaluation– Excuse member of the IEP teamExcuse member of the IEP team

Procedural Procedural safeguards/educational rightssafeguards/educational rights

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After the IEP meetingAfter the IEP meeting

Copy of the IEPCopy of the IEP Report of your child’s progress to Report of your child’s progress to

reach the IEP goalsreach the IEP goals

Other:Other:– Prior Written NoticePrior Written Notice

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How can I prepare for How can I prepare for the IEP meeting?the IEP meeting?

Make a list of your child’s strengths and Make a list of your child’s strengths and your concerns for your child’s learningyour concerns for your child’s learning

Prior to the meeting provide the school Prior to the meeting provide the school with a copy of private evaluations with a copy of private evaluations completed within the last year or completed within the last year or relevant medical informationrelevant medical information

Ask the school to provide you with a Ask the school to provide you with a copy of current assessments completed copy of current assessments completed by the school and draft IEP information by the school and draft IEP information

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The IEP is essentially a The IEP is essentially a contract between the contract between the parent and the school parent and the school district; as such, the district; as such, the district has a legal district has a legal

obligation to meet the obligation to meet the terms of that contract.terms of that contract.

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Questions? Questions? Raise your “hand” or use the chat feature to pose them!Raise your “hand” or use the chat feature to pose them!

If you have a If you have a personal question pertaining to personal question pertaining to your childyour child please contact AdvocacyDenver for please contact AdvocacyDenver for support (303.974.2530).  Advocates respond to all support (303.974.2530).  Advocates respond to all requests for assistance within 3-5 business days.requests for assistance within 3-5 business days.

If you have If you have questions for me regarding the questions for me regarding the webinar presentationwebinar presentation feel free to contact me at feel free to contact me at pbisceglia@advocacydenver.orgpbisceglia@advocacydenver.org

ALSO: The full webinar recording, power point ALSO: The full webinar recording, power point presentation, and a transcribed version of the live presentation, and a transcribed version of the live webinar will be available by September 3, 2011 at webinar will be available by September 3, 2011 at http://http://advocacydenver.orgadvocacydenver.org/news-events/webinars/webinar-archives//news-events/webinars/webinar-archives/