Special Education The Basics Rachel J Valleley Ph

Special Education: The Basics Rachel J. Valleley, Ph. D. Munroe Meyer Institute

Federal Laws Pertaining to Special Education n Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) n Designed to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free and “appropriate” public education n Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973): n Federal fund recipients make programs accessible to persons with disabilities

State Law n Rule 51: Nebraska’s interpretation of IDEA n Rules & regulations for special education programs n n Eligibility categories IEP requirements Discipline Due Process

IDEA Components n Individual Education Plan (IEP)/Individualized Family n n Service Plan (IFSP, for children under 3) Served in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Parents are integral part of child’s education & must give written consent Reevaluation every 3 years Plan for transition no later than 14

The Process n Student Assistance Teams n Evaluation/Eligibility n IEP/IFSP Development n Placement n Progress monitored & reported to parents n Yearly IEP reviews

Student Assistance Teams n Organized to assist teachers in problem solving to address learning and behavior problems BEFORE referral for evaluation n May include regular education teacher, counselor, psychologist, administrators n If interventions do not work, child is referred to have a multidisciplinary team evaluation

Evaluation/Eligibility n Referred from SAT or parents can request evaluation n Parents must consent before evaluation n Initial evaluation n determines if child has a disability and needs Special Education n present levels of performance & educational needs n Results help develop IEP

Evaluation/Eligibility n Independent Educational Evaluation n If parent disagrees with evaluation results, IEE provided at school expense n Reevaluation n At least every three years or more often n Child continues to have disability? n Present level of performance & educational needs

Eligibility n The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT): a group of qualified professionals AND the parents determine the need for special education & related services based on the evaluation

Nebraska’s Eligibility Categories n Autism n Other Health Impaired n Behavioral Disorder n Specific Learning n Deaf-Blindness n Deafness &Hearing Loss n Mental Handicap n Multiple Impairments n Orthopedic Impairments n n Disabilities Speech-Language Impairments Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairments Developmental Delay

IEP Development n A working document that outlines a child’s educational program Written goals & objectives n How progress will be monitored n Accommodations/modifications n Related services n Dates, duration, & frequency of services n Must be reviewed at a minimum annually n

IEP Goals n Annual Goal: A statement of what a student is expected to accomplish in a year n Objective: Intermediate steps between the student’s present level of performance & the related annual goal n Goals should be measurable, observable, & functional n Address both academic & nonacademic needs (behavior skills, job skills, independent living, social skills)

Accommodations n Changes made to teaching environment n Should be listed on IEP n Include physical arrangement of room, lesson presentation, assignments & homework, test taking, organization, behavior management

Placement n Least Restrictive Environment: As much as possible, child participates & interacts with non-disabled, ageappropriate students in all activities n Regular Education to Inpatient n Considerations: n n Where can the child’s goals/objectives best be met? Will provision of services to the child disrupt the education of other students in the classroom?

Parent Rights n Prior written notice evaluation, verification, or placement of child n Written Consent must be given before evaluation n Review records n Independent Educational Evaluation n Complaints to the state n Due process hearing n Civil action

Questions?