Two New Checklists for your IEP Writing Pleasure

November 5th, 2013  

7. Checklist

The most common question on this transition checklist is #3. This question is only asking if the team discussed DVR services and whether the student should apply for the service. This question is not asking whether the student applied. This question should be answered “Yes” in nearly all cases as information can and should be provided about DVR to all students with transition plans. Brochures are available through Denise Kelly if you are not ready to invite DVR to a meeting, but want to provide information to the student and family for consideration or discussion later.

If there are transition agencies (agencies that will be providing transition services to the student) involved with the student, then the contact information would be included in the table at the bottom of the checklist.  If you have questions, contact Pupil Services.

 

7. Placement Checklist

The most common question / error on this LRE checklist is question #2. This question will generally be “No” as a student who is receiving any type of pull out instruction is not “satisfactorily educated in the general ed environment for the entire school day.” #5 is also one that is difficult in some circumstances. #5 is only a “No” if the student’s IEP placement is implemented at a school other than his / her homeschool. So, for students who are at Marathon, for instance, #5 would be “Yes” still because the IEP team did not place the student at Marathon. #5 would be “No” if the student’s IEP placement or LRE is a self-contained setting and the district had to change the location due to a school not having that LRE. The placement is the IEP team’s decision. The location, if different than the home area school, is the district’s decision.

Any “No” responses require a justification specific to the question that had a “No” response.

If you have questions, please contact Pupil Services.

 

Invisible Skills Needed in Physical Education

November 5th, 2013  

Ever wonder why PE is so hard for some students? Think that including a student in PE for general ed is the best time to include them? Think about these “invisible skills” that are needed for success in the PE environment.

bullet-point-image-7Knowing WHEN to move

  • Your turn versus someone else’s turn
  • Moving in relation to opponent (don’t get caught; score)
  • Move with a teammate or on your own
  • Defensive movements / offensive movements
  • Anticipation – when and where to move (around bases; across field)
  • Adjusting position in unpredictable moments during game

bullet-point-image-7Knowing WHEN to wait

  • For a turn
  • For an opportunity to pass an opponent
  • To protect your goal

bullet-point-image-7Knowing HOW to move

  • Amount of speed
  • How much force to use
  • Movement required in the game
  • Moving cooperatively with a teammate
  • Knowing where to move (boundaries, direction – especially for flee / chase games, sequence of movements across play area)

bullet-point-image-7Knowing WHAT task to accomplish

  • Defensive task vs. offensive task
  • Changing player roles and task to complete for the game
  • Get an object (retrieval, exchange with teammate)
  • Propel an object (direction of trajectory)

 bullet-point-image-7Knowing what direct SOCIAL SKILLS are needed to participate

  • Communicating to help your team (warning of opponent coming, gesturing “I’m open”, asking for a turn, asking for help, responding to a request for help, sharing equipment)
  • Contributing to team function
  • Encouraging (cheering, words of encouragement, making an effort)
  • Congratulating (thumbs up, high five, “good game”, hand shake)
  • Accepting a loss or winning with dignity and fairness to others
  • Commenting respectfully to opponents and / or teammates

Thank you to our APES Carolyn Hitzler for submitting this information!

 

What is FAPE?

September 4th, 2013  

FAPE is broadly defined in the IDEA as special education and related services that:

1. Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge,

2. Meet the standards of the SEA,

3. Include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education in the state involved,

4. Are provided in conformity with an IEP.

 

The contours of an appropriate education must be decided on a case-by-case basis, in light of an individualized consideration of the unique needs of each eligible student. FAPE must be available to all children with disabilities residing in a state between the ages of 3 and 21, including children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from school.

‘Cadillac vs. Chevrolet’ analogy:  According to a well-worn analogy from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, FAPE does not require a “Cadillac,” but it does require a “Chevrolet.” In other words, school districts are not required to maximize the potential of children with disabilities. Furthermore, districts need not cater to a parent’s preference and place the student in what the parent considers the “better” placement.

The Supreme Court made it clear that the IDEA does not require the best possible education. Referring to the minimal level of benefits that an appropriate educational program must confer, the Supreme Court termed the state’s obligation as being the provision of a “basic floor of opportunity.”  The Supreme Court recognized that the IDEA is a floor of educational opportunity, not a ceiling. A state, however, may adopt a more demanding standard of appropriateness than the IDEA.

A district’s obligation to provide FAPE to a student with a disability is satisfied when the district provides the student with the personalized educational program necessary to allow the child to derive an educational benefit from that instruction.

Generally, it is not advisable for school districts to include non mandatory items in an IEP. An IEP is a document with legal, as well as educational, significance. Injection of superfluous information should be minimized. Moreover, when the “extra” items included in the IEP are programming or related services that are not required for FAPE, inclusion of the items may be not only superfluous, but also ultimately prejudicial to the school district. For example, a district may include in an IEP programming or related services that exceed the obligation to provide FAPE in order to be responsive to or settle a disagreement with parents. The potential for prejudice arises from the fact that inclusion of a particular service in an IEP may create an obligation to provide that service throughout the period covered by the IEP, regardless of whether it is necessary for FAPE.

Achievement of passing grades and advancing from grade to grade in a general education classroom is not necessarily an indication that the student is receiving FAPE under the IDEA. According to the 4th Circuit, an evaluation of the student’s circumstances as a whole is still required.

Excerpted from  Special Ed eConnection newsletter from LRP

 

How to Change Your Printer in FileMaker

March 28th, 2013  

The program that runs the Special Education database is called FileMaker Pro.  The print setting for FileMaker are separate from the print settings for most other programs on your computer, and changing the default printer in your Control Panel will not affect your printer settings for FileMaker.

To change your printer in FileMaker, open the Special Ed database and then select File –> Print Setup:
Snapshot of File Menu - Where to find Print Setup

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the next window use the drop down list to select the printer that you would like to use and click OK.
Snapshot of Print Setup screen

Previewing IEPs and Printing Individual Pages

March 7th, 2013  

Minor revisions or amendments to student IEPs will often create the need to print a single page of a student’s IEP.  The print menu allows you to select individual pages of a student’s IEP, but you will need to know which page contains the content you are looking for.

Snapshot of IEP print screen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because every student’s PLAAFP is different, each IEP is a different length.  One student’s “Program Modifications & Accommodations” may appear on page 3, while a different student’s may print on page 5. To avoid printing extra pages, you can preview a printed version of the IEP first, to be sure you are printing the correct page.

1. Select the student record that you wish to print, and click on the “Preview IEP” tab at the top of the screen:
Snapshot of IEP Database Tabs

 

 

2. When the preview of the IEP comes up, use the rolodex arrows in the upper left hand corner to scroll through the individual pages of the IEP:
Snapshot of IEP database Rolodex

 

 

3. Once you’ve located the page you need, hit ‘ENTER’ on your keyboard, or click the blue “Continue” button: Snapshot of "Continue" button

 

4. The database will then prompt you with a series of popup windows:

Print this IEP? (hit Cancel)
Print Assessment Participation Page? (hit Cancel)
Preview Additional Comments Page? (hit Cancel)
Preview Goals and Objectives? (hit Cancel)

5.  The database will take you back to the Print Menu.  Use the checkboxes to select the individual IEP page(s) that you wish to print, and hit the “Print Selected Forms” button.
Snapshot of "Print Selected Forms" button