Describing Special Education Related Services Supplementary Aids and

Describing Special Education, Related Services, Supplementary Aids and Services, and Program Modifications or Supports Christina Spector, Marge Resan, & Paula Volpiansky Special Education Team Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction July, 2011

Using Microsoft Live Audio Difficulties & Accessibility Choose an audio source Make sure the volume on the computer is turned up Contact your local IT department If you are deaf or hard of hearing or otherwise want to access the speaker notes: Click on the Power. Point presentation icon next to the Webcast you’d like to view. If you are using a PC, right click on the screen when the Power. Point opens and select “full screen. ” Right click again and select “speaker notes. ” The notes will appear in a small box which can be moved and will automatically change as the slides change. July, 2011 2

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Why is this important? FAPE: All students enrolled in public school have the right to a… Free Appropriate Public Education The IEP is the legal document that describes how the LEA will provide FAPE to the student in accordance with IDEA. July, 2011 4

Why is this important? The IEP must accurately describe the LEA’s commitment so parents and other IEP team members know what to expect. General supervisory responsibility (DPI) July, 2011 IDEA state complaints Procedural Compliance Self-Assessment 5

How are we doing as a state? FY 2006 -2011 monitoring cycle FY 2012 -2016 Cycle (beginning Fall 2011) 80. 3% of LEAs reported errors related to amount and frequency IEP-10 IEP-11 IEP-12 http: //www. dpi. wi. gov/sped/spp-selfassmt. html July, 2011 6

“Special Education” is Specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability which is provided at no cost to the student or the student’s parent by appropriately licensed staff. It is provided in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings. July, 2011 7

“Related Services” are Transportation and developmental, corrective, and other supportive services required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education. May include occupational therapy, orientation and mobility training, etc July, 2011 8

“Supplementary Aids & Services” are Aids, services, and other supports provided in general education classes or in other educationrelated settings to enable a student with a disability to be educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate. May include assistive technology devices, specific modifications made to assignments, etc. July, 2011 9

“Program Modifications or Supports for School Personnel” are Services or activities provided to school personnel on the behalf of students. May include training, consultation, etc. July, 2011 10

General Standard for ALL Services are based on the student’s unique educational needs. The IEP must clearly state the amount of time and resource committed to each services. The IEP must clearly describe the LEA’s commitment of resources to the parents and all involved in developing and implementing the IEP. July, 2011 11

General Standard for ALL Services The IEP must include a description, appropriate to each service, of the: July, 2011 Projected date for the beginning of the services Amount of services(how much? ) Frequency of services (how often? ) Location of services (where will the service be provided? ) Duration of services (how long will the service be provided? ) 12

DPI’s General Guidance Whenever possible, the IEP should describe services using daily allotments of hours or minutes. If the student’s unique needs are such that daily allotments are not appropriate, the IEP should describe services in weekly allotments of time. If it is impossible to describe the service in allotments of time, the IEP must clearly describe the circumstances under which it will be provided. July, 2011 13

Daily or Weekly Allotments of Hours or Minutes – Special Education Frequency/ Amount Location Duration Small group three times per General math instruction week; 20 education to reinforce minutes classroom concepts IEP term Individualized instruction in reading and written expression IEP term five days per week; 40 minutes Special education classroom Vocational skills Daily for 3 hours Community training setting July, 2011 IEP term 14

Daily or Weekly Allotments of Hours or Minutes – Related Services Frequency/ Amount Location Duration Physical Therapy Two times per General week; 25 education minutes each classroom IEP term Speech and Language Therapy Twice weekly Speech and for 30 minutes Language each session, 3 Room out of 4 weeks each month IEP term Orientation and Mobility 30 minutes per All school September 1 week environments September 30 July, 2011 15

Daily or Weekly Allotments of Hours or Minutes–Supplementary Aids & Services Supplementary Aids Frequency/ and Services Amount One-on-one daily for 5 check-out at end minutes of school day with general education teacher to ensure organization of materials and supplies needed for homework July, 2011 Location Duration General education classroom IEP Term 16

Daily or Weekly Allotments of Hours or Minutes–Program Modifications or Supports Program Modifications Frequency/ Amount or Supports General education teacher and occupational therapist to consult on student’s sensory diet July, 2011 Location 10 minutes General weekly education classroom Duration IEP Term 17

Are Monthly Allotments of time Acceptable? Yes, but only in the rare circumstance where it is appropriate to the specific service and based on the student’s unique needs July, 2011 18

Student or Staff Absences LEAs must consider the impact of interruption in services on the provision of FAPE. Whether an interruption in services is a denial of FAPE is an individual, case-by-case determination. July, 2011 19

Are “Minimums” Acceptable? For example, “a minimum of 15 minutes, three times per week” NO! Unacceptable because the commitment of LEA resources to the student is unclear July, 2011 20

Are Narrow Ranges of Time Acceptable? Only acceptable if… July, 2011 Stating the service as a narrow range is appropriate to the specific service, and The IEP team determines it is necessary to meet the unique needs of the student, and A range is not used for administrative convenience, and The range is not unreasonably wide (generally no more than 15 minutes). 21

Use of a Narrow Range – Acceptable Example Related Services Occupational Therapy July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Location One 20 -30 minute Therapy session per week room depending on student’s level of fatigue indicated by inability to maintain upright posture for more than 5 minutes Duration IEP Term 22

When allotments of time are not appropriate to the service… The IEP must clearly describe the circumstances under which the service will be provided. Describing circumstances requires more detail. The statement must still describe type of service amount (how much? ) frequency (how often? ) location (where? ) and duration July, 2011 “as needed”, “upon student request”, “as determined by teacher” are not acceptable 23

Describing Circumstances Special Education Crisis intervention to include direct instruction on anger management and deescalation until student exhibits in control behavior for 15 consecutive minutes July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Location Duration When student Special IEP term exhibits Education dangerous Resource Room behaviors such as throwing things or physical aggression 24

Describing Circumstances Related Service Physical Therapy July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Location 45 minutes Gym during the first week of each new unit in physical education Duration IEP term 25

Describing Circumstances– Supplementary Aids and Services Supplementary Aids & Services Second staff person to work with student 1: 1 July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount When the student refuses to work after two teacher prompts until the student resumes work Location Duration In all IEP Term school environme nts 26

Describing Circumstances Supplementary Aids and Services Supplementary Aids & Services Frequency/ Amount Location Duration Replace fill-in-the All tests in General IEP Term -blank and short science and education social studies classroom answer questions with three-choice multiple choice questions Easy-Stand stander July, 2011 When class Chemistry IEP term assignment class requires work at the lab counter 27

What about student self-advocacy? If “upon student request, ” “as needed, ” etc. are unacceptable, how do we address self-advocacy on the IEP? Self-advocacy may be appropriately addressed in other parts of the IEP such as the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance, and annual goals. July, 2011 28

What about student self-advocacy? Self-Advocacy Goal: Given a problem involving math calculation of more than two columns, Jamal will recognize his need for a calculator and ask teacher for it, 7/10 opportunities, as measured by teacher checklist. The program summary describes services needed as student develops self-advocacy skills. Supplementary Aids & Services Calculator July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Whenever assignment requires math calculation Location All classrooms Duration IEP term 29

In Summary… The student’s unique educational needs drive the IEP team’s determination of services to be provided. Services may not be driven by administrative convenience, concerns about unavailability of staff, or to accommodate a particular service delivery model. July, 2011 30

In Summary… To be clearly stated, the description of each service listed on the IEP must answer the following questions: July, 2011 How much of the service will be provided (the amount)? How often will the service be provided (the frequency)? Where will the service be provided (the location)? How long will the service be provided (the duration)? 31

Self-Check: What’s wrong here? Special Education Direct instruction in reading Related Services Frequency/ Amount Location 1 class period Resource room Frequency/ Amount Location Duration IEP term Duration Occupational Therapy Minimum of 15 minutes, three times per week Therapy room IEP term Anger management July, 2011 counseling Weekly Counselor’s Office IEP term 32

Here’s what’s wrong ing s s i M ncy Special e u eq how r f Education s e. g. ( ime t y man eek? ) w per Direct instruction in reading Related Service Occupational Therapy Anger management counseling July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Location 1 class period Resource room Frequency/ Amount “minim um” is not a clear com Location mitm of reso ent urces Therapy room Minimum of 15 minutes, three times per week Weekly Duration IEP term Missing Counselor’s amount. Office IEP term (e. g. how many minutes/hrs? ) 33

Self-Check: What’s wrong here? Related Services Speech and language therapy Supplementary Aids & Services Laptop computer to complete written assignments July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount 180 minutes per month Frequency/ Amount Daily, 15 minutes Location Special & general education classrooms Location All academic classes Duration IEP term 34

Self-Check: What’s wrong here? Related Services Speech and language therapy Supplementary Aids & Services? Implementation of service is unclear Frequency/ Location Amount 180 minutes per month Frequency/ Amount Laptop computer Daily, 15 to complete minutes written July, 2011 assignments Special & general education classrooms Duration IEP term Location Duration Freq/a mt not a p propria All academic IEP term service te to classes ; conditi on use un s for clear 35

Self Check: What’s wrong here? Supplementary Aids & Services Calculator Use Supplementary Aids & Services Student removed from general ed. class to work one-on-one July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount Location Duration Upon student In all school IEP term request environments Frequency/ Amount When appropriate for behavior problems Location Special education resource room Duration IEP term 36

Here’s what’s wrong Supplementary Aids & Services Frequency/ Amount Circumstanc es when calcula tor is required a re Location not clear Duration Calculator Use Upon student In all school request Supplementary Aids & Services Student removed from general ed. class to work one-on-one July, 2011 Frequency/ Amount When appropriate for behavior problems IEP term environments Location Duration Special Circumstan. IEP ces term when removal education needed is unclear resource room b ecause problem behavior not described 37

For More Information… DPI Information Update Bulletin 10. 07 Describing Special Education, Related Services, Supplementary Aids and Services, and Program Modifications and Supports http: //www. dpi. wi. gov/sped/bul 10 -07. html Additional Frequency and Amount Examples for Therapy http: //www. dpi. wi. gov/sped/speech. html July, 2011 38

Questions? Christina Spector, School Administration Consultant 608 -267 -3747 christina. spector@dpi. wi. gov Marge Resan, School Administration Consultant (608) 267 -9158 Margaret. resan@dpi. wi. gov Paula Volpiansky, School Administration Consultant 608 -267 -3725 paula. volpiansky@dpi. wi. gov July, 2011 39