Special Education Draft Comprehensive Plan Amy L Pastorak

Special Education Draft Comprehensive Plan Amy L. Pastorak, M. Ed. Director of Special Education

Student Highlight- Tyquan Sinkler � Chambers Hill Elementary School � 5 th Grade, SUP/FT Learning Support Program

Plan Timeline � February 12, 2018 � February 13, 2018 ◦ Committee Meeting ◦ School Board presentation of draft plan ◦ Starts Public Review and Comment Period ◦ Posted on Front Page of District Website, February 13 - March 14 � March 26, 2018 ◦ School Board presentation/review of draft plan changes per public review and comment period � April 9, 2018 ◦ School Board vote on final Special Education Comprehensive Plan � May 1, 2018 ◦ Plan submission to the Bureau of Special Education

Regulatory Background � Federal Law- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) � State Law-Pennsylvania Ch. 14 � Special Education Plan ◦ 22 Pa Code § 14. 104 ◦ Time table and format is established by the state ◦ The special education plan is developed every three years on the same cycle as the District Level Plan ◦ Per school code, the Special Education Plan is completed prior to the District Comp Plan

Regulatory Purpose � This District must affirm to the Bureau of Special Education that: ◦ Services and programs are designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities ◦ A full range of services and programs are available to students with disabilities ◦ Placement of students with disabilities in settings other than regular education settings may not be based on lack of resources, facilities or staff

Comprehensive Plan Structure � District Profile ◦ Planning Committee � Core Foundations ◦ Data Review ◦ District Process and Procedures � Assurances ◦ Facilities ◦ Program Profile ◦ Support and Contracted Services � District Level Plan ◦ Personnel Development

Planning Committee � PDE only recommends one representative in each category: Administrator, Parent, Regular Education Teacher, Special Education Teacher � This mirrors the required attendees at an IEP Meeting � The District Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) provided input to the draft in January

Planning Committee

Core Foundations - Students � Special Education Students ◦ December 1, 2017 Child Count: 1756 ◦ CDHS Enrollment December 1, 2017: 1695 � The District has experienced steady growth in our special education population since 2011 � The growth primarily has been in the area of students with significant disabilities such as: ◦ Autism ◦ Emotional Disturbance ◦ Multi-Disabilities

Core Foundations - Identification Two Identification Procedures for eligibility and need for specially designed instruction 1. Discrepancy model, Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation Process (MDE) 2. RTII - Response to Intervention and Instruction Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in Reading only ◦ PDE Approved Schools: �South Side Elementary �EH Phillips Elementary �Rutherford Elementary �Lawnton Elementary �Tri-Community Elementary

Core Foundations - Enrollment Data � The Special Education Comprehensive Plan must examine three data categories per the Special Education Data Report, Data at a Glance ◦ Disability Category ◦ Educational Environment ◦ Race/Ethnicity Data is complied from the district’s yearly Enrollment (PIMS) and Child Count state submissions. Data for the state is managed by Penn State Harrisburg with oversight by the Bureau of Special Education

https: //penndata. hbg. psu. edu/Public. Reporting/Dataata. Glan ce/tabid/2523/Default. aspx

Data by Enrollment � PDE sets a state range of 10% above or below the state average for disability analysis purposes � The District falls above the state range by: ◦ Autism -1. 93% ◦ Intellectual Disability - 0. 35% ◦ Multi-Disability - 0. 09% AUTISM State LEA (CD) State Range (9. 63 % to 11. 77 %) 13. 7 % - 11. 77 % = 1. 93 % 10. 7 % 13. 7 % CD is 1. 93 % above the state range for Autism

Data by Enrollment � The District falls below the state range by: ◦ Other Health Impairment (OHI)- 1. 31% � The District falls within the state range for all other disability categories � Overall, the District is below the state percent for total special education students CD- 14. 7% � State- 16. 5% �

Data by Educational Environment � Educational Environment is the calculation of a student with an IEP’s time during the school day they are with regular education students � The District is 11. 4% below the state average in the area “Inside the Regular Class by 80% or more” or 5. 26% below the state range � Targeted areas of improvement have already been identified to increase the percent of students with disabilities in the regular education classroom

Data by Race/Ethnicity � PDE requires us to review the data and ensure referral procedures and cultural awareness/responsiveness strategies are in place � Race/Ethnicity is not a single determining factor for eligibility of special education services � The District adheres to clearly defined referral and child find procedures � The District provides cultural responsiveness training to staff

Core Foundations - Section 1306 � Section 1306 of the Public School Code requires the District to have Non-Resident Student Oversight and Incarcerated Student Oversight. � The plan outlines delivery of special and regular education services to students in Dauphin County Prison and Schaffner Youth Center.

Core Foundations - LRE � Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) � The District must ensure comprehensive practices are in place to ensure students with disabilities are educated with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible District Practices: ◦ ◦ ◦ Rt. II PBIS Assistive Technology practices Community Based Instruction Work Experience Programs

Core Foundations – Behavior � PBIS – Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports in 17/19 schools � Partnership with True North Wellness for school based outpatient counseling � 4 Behavioral Specialists support 19 schools � Masters level Therapist assigned to every fulltime Emotional support program � Safe Crisis Management annual trainings

Strengths and Highlights � The district offers a full continuum of services by supporting all disability categories in our 19 schools � Strong partnership with Pa. TTAN’s Autism Initiative � Andrew’s Gift Grant ◦ Technology and Literacy grant program at Mt. View Elementary School � SPAC- Special Education Parent Advisory Council ◦ Parent Trainings offered 3 xs per year � Work Experience Program- CDEHS & CDHS ◦ Over 100 secondary students with special needs working in our community

Assurances - LRE Facilities

Assurances - Program Profile � Provides a snapshot of professional staff who carry caseloads � The BSE approves additions and deletions to this section of the plan � The district has 125 program positions � Program positions only account for staff/programs who carry caseloads ◦ District Special Education Teachers ◦ District Speech, DHH, BVI staff ◦ IU Classrooms operated within the District

Assurances - Program Profile � Ch. 14 dictates caseload requirements

Assurances - Support Services � Accounts for district staff that do not carry caseloads per Ch. 14 requirements

Assurances - Contracted Services

Personnel Development � The plan outlines training in the following required areas during the life of the plan: ◦ ◦ ◦ Autism Behavior Transition Reading Paraprofessionals � The District exceeds the expectations for training beyond these four categories due to Summer Academy and other in-service requirements

Student Highlight- Gary Gifford � Senior, Central Dauphin High School � Project Search; CAIU Program

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