Assistive Technology ~ Behavior Internvention Plan (BIP) ~ Case Manager ~ Checklists ~ Classroom Observation ~ Compliance / Sped Secretary ~ District Wide Programs ~ Eligiblity Categories ~ Eligibility Timeline ~ Evaluation Summary and Eligibility Report (ESER) ~ Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) ~ Infant Learning Program (ILP) ~ Intensive Funding ~ Intensive Needs (IN) Programs ~ Program Coordinators ~ Progress Monitoring ~ Pupil Services ~ Resource Programs ~ Secondary Transition ~ Special Education or Related Service ~ Student Restraint ~ Student Seclusion ~ Surrogate Parent ~ Videotaping Students ~ Vision / Hearing Screening ~ Written Notice
Assistive Technology (AT): Assistive Technology includes low-tech items, as well as those more advanced. Some examples of AT devices include: alternate keyboards, anti-slide mat, highlighted bar magnifier, correction tape, reading text guides, graphic organizer, grid paper, handheld audio reader, highlighter tape, interactive white boards, jumbo rulers, magnetic sheets, on screen keyboards, pencil grips, raised line paper, rubber stamps, screen magnification, screen reader software, speech recognition software, switches (access, voice output, etc.), tactile rulers, templates, timer, touch screens, Velcro, white board / chalk board, word prediction software, word rings, and many, many more. Contact the district’s Assistive Technology Specialist with questions.
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): Consult your school psychologist for assistance with students who require behavior modifications due to persistent and pervasive behaviors that interfere with their own learning or the learning of others. Behavior Intervention Plans result from a completed Functional Behavior Assessment. All Behavior Intervention Plans are educational records and MUST be sent to District Office for inclusion in the student’s file.
Case Manager: This person is the manager of all the paperwork and is responsible for meeting all timelines in special education for their caseload of students. Case managers have sped database access to the students for whom they are designated the case manager. Case managers must coordinate with related service providers, maintain accurate records and keep parents informed of student progress. This list is not exhaustive of the critical duties of a case manager.
Checklists: Our checklists are invaluable and should be included with each packet of paperwork submitted to district office. They will assist you in knowing that all the components of your paperwork are complete. Checklists are available in the Print Menu of the sped database.
Classroom Observation: The classroom observation form is part of the referral packet. This observation is required for all students being evaluated for eligibility under the category of Specific Learning Disability, but should be considered as part of any evaluation. The classroom observation date should be filled out after the parent signs the consent to evaluate form. A certified staff member who is not the student’s general education teacher must complete the classroom observation. The observation should be conducted in a class and during a content area that is designated as an area of challenge for the student.
Compliance / Sped Secretary: This person works at District Office in the Pupil Services Department. This person is assigned to your school and is there to make sure all of the paperwork is completed correctly. Your compliance secretary is the person to whom you ask questions related to paperwork. He or she has access to the students’ permanent files. Your compliance secretary is the person to whom you send all of your original paperwork. Keep a copy of the paperwork in students’ school files and send a copy home to parents. Compliance secretaries are listed by school at the Pupil Services Resource page. http://pupilservices.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/
District Wide Programs: KPBSD has several programs that students may be placed in even though they are outside of their home area attendance school’s boundaries. These include: behavior programs, pre-school programs, and Project SEARCH. In addition, some students may attend another school because their home area attendance school does not have a particular program / class to meet their needs. For instance, not all of our schools have an intensive needs classroom / self-contained classroom. These would all be considered district wide programs.
Eligibility Categories: There are 14 defined eligibility categories of disability. The categories and their requirements are specified in the state’s special education handbook. http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=27352
The following KPBSD resources were developed to assist teams in making eligibility decisions:
- Learning disability: See KPBSD Learning Disabilities Manual http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/departments.aspx?id=42
- Speech or language impairment: See KPBSD Speech Handbook which will be available on the Pupil Services Resource page.
Eligibility Timeline: Once the consent to evaluate form is signed by the parent and received by the district, the team has 75 calendar days to complete the evaluation and to develop the IEP (state regulation says 90 days and IDEA says 60 days. KPBSD requires the evaluation process to be completed within 75 calendar days). This timeline includes both school days and non-student days. The date the district receives the consent is “day 1” of the 75 days. The compliance date is the date when the 75 calendar day deadline ends. Eligibility determination and IEP must be completed within the 75 calendar day window.
Evaluation Summary and Eligibility Report (ESER): A reevaluation occurs at least every three (3) years. A reevaluation is summarized in the Evaluation Summary and Eligibility Report. Its pages are found in the sped database under Evaluation Summary and Eligibility Report. The Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) and IEP goals must be generated from the content of this report. The Educational Needs and Recommendations section of the ESER will drive the IEP content.
FAPE: Free and Appropriate Public Education includes special education and related services provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction and without charge to the parent or guardian.
Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA): Students whose behavior persistently and pervasively interferes with their own or others’ learning may require a FBA to determine the function of that behavior. A FBA is an assessment that requires parental consent. For students who are not already eligible for special education services, consent is obtained through the KPBSD Tier III intervention permission form. For students who are already eligible for special education, the consent to evaluate form is used. Consult your school psychologist when behaviors are at this level.
Infant Learning Program (ILP) or Sprout Transition: ILP / Sprout schedules a transition meeting with the district liaison 90 days before the child’s third birthday. At the transition meeting, the evaluation for preschool eligibility is planned. Following the completion of this evaluation, an eligibility team meeting is convened. If eligible, the IEP must be in place by the child’s 3rd birthday, and the child may enroll in the preschool program.
Intensive Funding: Determinations of submission of students eligible for intensive funding will be made by the Director of Pupil Services. Program Coordinators will work with special education teachers to ensure that appropriate IEPs meet all criteria. **Note: Not all students in an Intensive Needs / Self – Contained Program qualify for the state’s intensive needs funding.
Intensive Needs (IN) Programs / Self – Contained Programs: These programs serve students with multiple disabilities and typically students are educated through a collaborative team approach with therapy goals and activities becoming part of their daily schedule. IEPs generally focus on behavioral / social goals, daily living skills, and / or adaptive skills. Staffing in programs with intensive needs typically approaches a 3:1 (student to staff) ratio. Self – contained / IN is a placement that shows the student is in general education for less than 40% of the day.
Program Coordinators: Administrative program coordinators work from the Pupil Services Department at district office. These coordinators are available to answer questions related to placement options / changes, program consultation, clarification of sped legal issues, clarifications of procedures, dispute resolutions, etc. The program coordinator can answer questions about the paperwork, or provide guidance concerning difficult situations. In cases where a child requires several services and / or an intensive placement, it is advisable to request your program coordinator’s attendance at the meeting.
Progress Monitoring: Students learn best when instruction is designed based on continuous assessment of their progress. Consistent, regular progress monitoring is required for all students receiving instruction in math and reading. Weekly progress monitoring using AIMSweb is most often appropriate for students receiving instruction in reading and math between grades K – 8. Behavior must be progress monitored as well and is generally done through daily data collection and consistent review of the student’s Behavior Intervention Plan.
Pupil Services: Department includes special education, 504, intervention, nursing, gifted/talented, related services, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and child find. We are located at the Borough Building in Soldotna at 148 N. Binkley St.
Resource Programs: These programs are non-categorical, and provide IEP services to students who have minimal to moderate needs. IEPs may include goals addressing academics, attention and behavior. Students do not qualify for these programs; placement decisions are made based on the amount and type of services deemed necessary by the IEP team.
Secondary Transition: Beginning at the meeting before the student turns 16, the IEP team must view transition planning as the focus of the IEP. Transition planning is an integral component of the IEP, rather than a single or separate event in the IEP process which is why the IEP forms require IEP teams to identify the student’s desired post-school outcomes before proceeding to the other IEP components. The transition statements, LRE sections, related services, participation in general education curriculum, annual goals, objectives, etc. must all be integrated. Written permission must be obtained to invite outside agencies that may provide transition services.
Special Education or Related Service:
- Special education services: These are described on the summary of services page of the IEP. Academic, social and behavioral support and adapted PE are always special education services. Special education services must be necessary for the student to benefit from his or her general education program.
- Related services: When services such as Speech or Language, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Counseling, etc. are provided in addition to the special education service, they are related services. Related services must be necessary for the student to benefit from his or her special education program.
- Speech-language is the only service that can be either a special education or a related service.
Student Restraint: Restraint is defined by the Office of Civil Rights as personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head freely. Refer to memo from Pupil Services Director at the beginning of each school year for guidelines and expectations regarding appropriate use and documentation of restraint (see appendix). District policy may be forthcoming. A link to the policy will be added when that occurs.
Student Seclusion: Seclusion means the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area in a manner that prevents the student from leaving. The use of seclusion or “time out rooms” must be outlined by the student’s team in his or her Behavior Intervention Plan. Refer to memo from Pupil Services Director at the beginning of each school year for guidelines and expectations regarding appropriate use of restraint (see appendix). District policy may be forthcoming. A link to the policy will be added when that occurs.
Surrogate Parent: Students in Alaska ages 3 – 17 (or 18 – 21 when “adjudicated incompetent by a court”) are entitled to a surrogate parent under Alaska regulation 4AAC52.590 if
- The district cannot identify a parent of the child;
- The district, exercising reasonable diligence cannot locate at least one person acting as a parent of the child;
- The district located one or more persons acting as a parent of the child, but each person affirmatively disclaims responsibility for the child’s educational program and relinquishes it in writing to a surrogate parent; or
- The child is committed to the custody of the Department of Health and Social Services under AS47.10.080 or AS47.12.120*.
If you think a surrogate parent is needed you must contact your school’s program coordinator as soon as possible. If a surrogate is needed, the surrogate must be involved with the special education process from the very beginning and the first time that any consent is signed for the student regarding the sped process.
*Case workers or other employees from the Office of Children’s Services or the Department of Health and Human Services cannot act as a surrogate or sign special education paperwork for students under their custody.
- Parent / Guardian permission should be acquired before recording; explanation of purpose should be shared with parents.
- No emailing of videos – use thumb drive or disc to share with team members (limit number of copies) or view as a group.
- Video copies are considered part of a working file and should be destroyed after use or the current academic year.
- No other students may be included in the video
Notify your program coordinator if you have a need to video tape a student in your class.
Vision/ Hearing Screening: Results of these screenings are to be documented on the referral form and on the ESER. These are performed by the school nurse and do not require parental consent.
Written Notice (formerly PWN): IDEA requires that the district provide the parent with Written Notice any time the district proposes or refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, placement or IEP of a student. See Written Notice section.