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.

February 2014 FAQs

February 13th, 2014  

FAQs

 

 

 

Q: Am I allowed to videotape a student in my class?

A: Our KPBSD Special Education Manual provides information regarding videotaping students. It says:  (1) Parent / Guardian permission should be acquired before recording – explanation of purpose should be shared with parents (purpose cannot be to document behaviors or to show parents how a student acts at school); (2) No emailing of videos – use thumb drive or disc to share with team members (limit number of copies) or view as a group; (3) Video copies are considered part of a working file and should be destroyed after use or the current academic year; (4) No other students may be included in the video; (5) Video recordings are to be taken on borough-labeled devices only, not on personal phones or devices.   Notify your program coordinator if you have a need to videotape a student in your class.

Q: I have a student who has been suspended long term. How do I know what services need to be provided while the student is out?

A: The most famous legal answer for a situation like this is “It depends!” It depends because the law requires that “the child is afforded the opportunity to continue to appropriately progress in the general curriculum, continue to receive the IEP services and continue to participate with non-disabled children to the extent they would in their current placement.” In order to accomplish this, the IEP team, including a general education teacher, must meet to make an individualized determination for that student. A general guideline is to provide at least the amount of service time allocated in the student’s IEP; however that may be too much or not enough depending on the suspension, situation, placement, etc. When in doubt, consult your program coordinator!

Q: I have an student in an intensive needs / self-contained classroom who doesn’t participate in a general education class at all. Am I required to have a general education teacher at the IEP meeting?

A: The answer is once again, “It depends! (but usually yes)” IDEA says that members of the IEP team include “not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment).” Their role is specifically to assist with the “determination of (i) Appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies for the child; and (ii) Supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel.” With those legal requirements in mind, there could be a perception to the team, the parent and to the student if a general ed teacher is not present – “this child is not or may not ever participate in the general ed environment.” Input from a general ed teacher assists teams for ALL students and even if not currently participating in general ed classes, all students should have the expertise of a general ed teacher available at their IEP meetings.

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.

 

Teleconference Meeting Etiquette

February 1st, 2013  

In the days of everyone being too busy to even sit down, we are holding more and more school meetings with team members participating via telephone or video.

It is incumbent on all members of the meeting, but especially the facilitator and administrator, to ensure that phone participants feel included in the meeting. Here are some things to do:

 Introduce all members at the beginning of the meeting and any new
person as they enter the meeting,

 When you speak to the participant on the phone, identify yourself, and

 Check in periodically, at least every 10 – 15 minutes, to make sure the
connection is still working, provide the phone participant an opportunity
to provide information, etc.

Change to Meeting Invites in Database

August 10th, 2012  

Those of you who are back to work already may have noticed a change to the Meeting Invites section of the Sped Database.

We have gotten rid of the “Name” fields in the database, and are requiring only the positions of those invited to the meeting.  This will hopefully help to eliminate situations where case managers must excuse staff members who were invited to a meeting, but unable to attend and subsequently send a counterpart in their place (ex. principals and vice principals).

This does not eliminate the need to excuse members who were not able to attend, and no one else attended to fill that role.

Please remember that Administrators, GenEd Teachers, and SpEd teachers CANNOT be excused from an IEP or ESER meeting.  

Snapshot of data entry screen for meeting invites