Changing LRE When the Class Isn’t Available

April 6th, 2015  

When making a decision about what classroom setting a student will have, convene the IEP team!  A Nevada school district decided to stop providing a high school student’s language arts instruction in a co-taught class and provided it in a special education class because the co-taught class was not available to juniors at the school.  This violated the student’s IEP because the team did not meet and the parent was not provided an opportunity for input and was not provided written notice.  To avoid the same issues, do this instead:

bullet-point-image-7Convene the IEP team because a decision to change placement must be made with team member input.

bullet-point-image-7Don’t base these decisions on administrative convenience.  Schools need to have a continuum of placements that are available for students’ unique needs.

bullet-point-image-7Comply with the least restrictive provisions for the needs of each student.

bullet-point-image-7Provide written notice of the change that includes an explanation of the changes that are to be made before actually implementing the changes

~From LRE’s Special Ed – connections newsletter

January 2015 FAQs

January 12th, 2015  

FAQs

Q: Is it appropriate for me to invite the P.E or music teacher to be the general education rep at an IEP meeting?

A: The teacher serving as the general education representative must have knowledge of the general education curriculum and should have information related to the area of disability.  So, if the student has motor planning issues, or social skills issues of which a music or P.E. teacher may have knowledge relevant for the IEP team, they can certainly be the general education teacher. For a student with difficulties reading, it would likely not be appropriate.

Q: Do I have to have a district rep and who can be the district rep at my IEP meeting? 

A: A District Representative must be in attendance at all IEP meetings. This duty falls on the principal unless a designee is appointed by the principal to function as the District Representative (this should happen only on rare occasions).

The following criteria must be considered when appointing a teacher to act as a District Representative for the KPBSD.  According to the state special education handbook, the appointee must be:

  • Qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of special education
  • Knowledgeable about the general education curriculum
  • Knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the District with the authority of commit district resources and ensure that whatever services set out in the IEP will be provided.

Based on the above criteria, only another administrator, special education teacher, or a related service provider can be assigned to act as District Representative.

Parents Couldn’t Make it to the Meeting? Follow Up!

January 7th, 2014  

You’ve emailed a student’s parents about an upcoming IEP meeting. You’ve left voicemail messages and sent invitations by regular and certified mail. You’ve visited the parents’ home in an attempt to speak to them in person. Still the parents do not attend the meeting. Take steps to address the parents’ concerns about the student’s proposed services and placement to ensure their participation in the development of the program.

bullet-point-image-7 Document all contacts with parents. IDEA regulations require districts to keep records of all telephone calls, correspondence, and home visits made to arrange an IEP meeting at a mutually agreeable time and place. This is why completing the meeting contact information section of our KPBSD meeting invitations is required.

bullet-point-image-7 Let parents know about alternate means of participation. Some parents may not be aware that they may participate in IEP meetings by phone or by other means. Including this information in your contacts with parents may influence their participation.

bullet-point-image-7 Take steps to follow up. In addition to sending parents prior written notice of the student’s program and placement, the district should provide contact information for employees who can address the parents’ concerns about the program. The district should follow up with the parents to make sure they received the notice and to ask about any concerns the parents might have.

-November 13, 2013.  Slater, Amy E., Esq., LRP Specialedconnection.com.

 

More Collaborative IEP Meetings this Year!

November 1st, 2012  

In the spirit of collaborative, amicable and efficient IEP meetings (and the new part of the sped teacher evaluation), here are some tips. “IEP team leaders need to run their meetings in a way that gives everyone an equal opportunity to participate in and understand the proceedings. [They] also need to foster a climate of respect and trust,” Eric Hartwig, administrator of pupil services for Marathon County Schools, Wisconsin.

 

1. Don’t tolerate personal attacks. School staff and parents can be demeaning or confrontational when they are angry or frustrated. For example, a parent may turn a discussion about the child’s speech/language services into a discussion about whether the provider is qualified. Personal attacks against parents are most likely to be critiques of their parenting skills. Always intervene and shift the conversation back to the student’s needs. Realize that it is permissible to call for a break if a staff member or a parent needs to be spoken with one-to-one.

2. Don’t allow parents to pick and choose. “There should never be an IEP that says, ‘We didn’t do this because the parents didn’t want it,’” said Hartwig. “If the child needs something, you have to find a way to get it to him.”

3. Do summarize reports, evaluations.  In some meetings, evaluators go on for hours regurgitating every piece of data from a test or evaluation. Parents want to know what the information means for their child in an easy to understand, meaningful way.

4. Do instruct staff on how to talk about disabilities.  Demonstrate professionalism and compassion. Ask that staff avoid any language that may be interpreted as offensive, derogatory, or negative.

5. Don’t let staff members leave during the meeting.  Parents may believe that they don’t have the full attention of all the team members, while team members who miss out on parts of the meetings may not understand why certain decisions were made.

Source: Special Ed Connection®. Copyright 2012 by LRP Publications, P.O. Box 24668, West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4668. All rights reserved. For more information on this or other products published by LRP Publications, please call 1-800-341-7874 or visit our website at www.shoplrp.com/special_ed.html.