Graduate Assistance
Please read the directions carefully! This is a two-part assignment. All information is included within the attachment. This is due within 28 hours!
Attached you will find information from a school district. This should assist with the answers for the interviews. Ive included a job description of the ESE Supervisor Teacher which is one person Id like to interview. This person is listed as the (ESE Chair) which is the person who oversees the IEP meeting. Another interviewee is the General Education Teacher, you can simply find information about the teacher. You will have to include transition services (all listed within the document) since Im interviewing secondary teachers.
Part 1
The role of the special education teacher is collaborative and requires a specific skill set and understanding of the laws and regulations related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the IEP process, and implementation of the IEP. Additionally, special education teachers frequently collaborate, communicate, and co-teach with general education teachers to provide educational services for students with exceptionalities. Developing understanding of the roles and responsibilities of special and general education teachers in the IEP process and delivery of services to students with exceptionalities is of primary importance in professional practice.
In person or via phone, interview a certified special education teacher and a general education teacher specific to a grade range relevant to your program of study.Your interview notes will be submitted as part of the assignment deliverable.
In the interviews, address the following:
Describe your role in the IEP process.
Summarize the steps that should be followed prior to creating an IEP for an individual with disabilities.
Describe how you involve parents/guardians and students in the special education process.
Describe strategies that can be used to ensure confidentiality of information and instill trust with parents/guardians. Discuss other legal, ethical, and policy responsibilities teachers have related to the educational, developmental, and medical services for individuals with disabilities and their parents/guardians.
Explain how you offer support to parents/guardians of individuals with disabilities. Include discussion of specific types of support and resources you typically provide.
Describe how you collaborate with the school psychologist and administration as team members in the special education process.
Describe the special education resources and training provided by your district.
Explain how you collect data for IEP progress monitoring.
Describe the collaboration between special education and general education teachers to meet the needs of students.
Part 2
In a 750-1,000 word reflection, identify the school settings for the teachers you interviewed and discuss the following:
All team members are accountable for understanding the procedures and guidelines for the special education process. Discuss how you plan to comply with this requirement and explain how you will ensure that other team members understand their roles.
Describe strategies you could employ for ensuring confidentiality of information and instilling trust with parents/guardians. Discussthe legal, ethical, and policy responsibilities teachers have related to the educational, developmental, and medical services for individuals with disabilities and their parents/guardians.
Describe how you will encourage the involvement of parents/guardians and students in the IEP process. Include discussion about how you will document all efforts to involve parents/guardians and students in the process.
Describe the major differences in roles between the special education teacher and the general education teacher. Discuss whether your frame of reference about the roles of educators in the special education process has changed, and if so, explain how.
Describe strategies that could be used for effective collaboration between the special education teacher and general education teacher to support learning for students with disabilities.
Data collection should be completed by both special education and general education teachers. Describe specific strategies you can employ in your future professional practice to streamline the data collection process and support team members in the process of data collection JOB DESCRIPTION
MIAMI- DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
POSITION TITLE: Special Education (SPED) Specialist JOB CODE: TBD
DEPARTMENT: Special Education (SPED)
August 26, 2009
CONTRACT YEAR: Ten months teacher
PAY GRADE Teacher Salary Schedule
SALARY SCHEDULE: AO/CO
SUPERVISION: Designated Region and/or District SPED Administrative Supervisors
GOAL: To provide on-site procedural and curricular assistance to all school-based
personnel with regard to the education of students with disabilities.
ACCOUNTABILITY PROCEDURES: The District SPED office will assess the effectiveness
of the SPED Specialist annually in collaboration with region and school-based
administrators with respect to the performance of specific responsibilities.
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The SPED Specialist shall serve as the school’s Local Education Agency (LEA)
representative for SPED staffings.
2. Ensure that school staffings, re-evaluations and parent conferences for students with
disabilities are scheduled and completed.
3. Assist with on-site in-service training to school-based personnel on an ongoing
basis.
4. Coordinate and/or conduct interventions, achievement evaluations and observations
of students with disabilities.
5. Serve as the LEA representative of the Multi-Disciplinary Team for eligibility,
placement and dismissal decisions for students in the least restrictive environment.
6. Ensure that appropriate Individual Education Plans (IEP), Educational Plans (EP)
and 504 Accommodation Plans are developed and implemented.
7. Implement protocols for monitoring Matrix of Services on a regular basis utilizing
available reports.
8. Review Matrix of Services to verify alignment to the services as written in the IEP.
9. Provide technical support for transition services and ensure the completion of the
transition IEP meetings for secondary students with disabilities in grades 8-12.
10. Monitor the review of SPED cumulative folders for accuracy and compliance for FTE
purposes.
11. Assist teachers in implementing School-wide Positive Behavior Support and
effective classroom management strategies including Functional Assessment of
Behavior and Behavioral Intervention Plans.
12. Provide information regarding curriculum, related services, and program delivery
systems to the SPED region and District supervisors as requested.
13. Participate in inservice training programs designed to provide procedural and
curricular assistance.
14. Keep current on best practices, research, trends, literature and technical sources of
information related to job responsibility.
15. Ensure adherence to maintaining a safe learning environment.
16. Perform other duties as assigned by the school principal, region or District SPED
administrators.
17. Adhere to federal and State laws, as well as School Board policies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Education An earned master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution;
Florida certification in at least one area of exceptionality.
2. Experience – Minimum of five (5) years of successful Special Education teaching
experience.
3. Computer skills are required for the position.
Note: Behavior Management Teachers, Placement Specialists and Program
Specialists assigned as a SPED Specialist at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school
year, who do not meet the qualifications, will be grandfathered in. i
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY
(LEA) IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Exceptional Student Education
School Board of Miami-Dade County Public Schools
ii
Ms. Perla Tabares Hantman, Chair
Dr. Martin Karp, Vice-Chair
Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall
Ms. Susie V. Castillo
Dr. Steve Gallon III
Dr. Lawrence S. Feldman
Ms. Lubby Navarro
Dr. Marta Prez
Ms. Mari Tere Rojas
Mr. Alberto M. Carvalho
Superintendent of Schools
Ms. Marie Izquierdo
Chief Academic Officer
Office of Academics and Transformation
Dr. Magaly C. Abrahante
Assistant Superintendent
Division of Student and Family Support Programs
Ms. Ava Goldman
Administrative Director
Exceptional Student Education
This product is funded by the State of Florida, Department of Education, Division of Public Schools
and Community Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, through
federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, Special
Projects, and state general revenue funds. It is developed by Professional Development and
Educational Services, Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
iii
Table of Contents
School Board of Miami Dade County ii
Table of Contents iii
Purpose of the LEA Guide vii
ESE District and Service Center Contacts vii
Introduction – The Role of the Local Education Agency Representative 1
Ten Essential Areas 2
#1 The Individual Educational Plan (IEP) 2
IEP Development: IEP Areas of Concern 3
Preparing for the IEP Initial and Annual Meetings 4
Initial IEP Meeting 4
Annual IEP Meeting 4
Notifying IEP Team of a Meeting 5
IEP Annual Meeting and ESE-EMS
During the IEP Annual Meeting
6
Procedural Safeguards for Parents of Students with
Disabilities
6
Related Services and Supplementary Aids 8
Counseling 8
Prohibiting School District Personnel from Discouraging
Parents/Guardians from Inviting Another Person of their
Choice to a Meeting
9
Change of Placement 9
After the IEP Annual Meeting 9
The Interim IEP Meeting: Before, During and After 10
After an IEP Meeting and the Matrix of Services 10
IEP Implementation and Monitoring 12
Implementation 12
Monitoring Student Progresss IEP Status of Goals 12
Recording IEP Meetings 13
District Policy 13
The IEP and Medicaid Eligibility and Reimbursement 14
# 2 Transition IEP, Diploma Options and Deferral 15
Transition IEP – Transition Service by Age Category 16
Transition IEP Service Activity Areas 17
Transition – Diploma Options High School Diploma Options 19
Standard Diploma 19
Standard Diploma via ACCESS Courses 19
Deferral of Standard High School Diploma 20
Special Education to Qualified Students with Disabilities Ages
3 Through 21
21
# 3 Continuum of Services 22
Continuum of Services and Inclusion 23
Scheduling for Inclusion 23
Individual Student Planning 24
# 4 Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)/Social Emotional –
Behavior Intervention Plan (SE-BIP)
25
FBA/SE-BIP Multiple Uses 26
FBA/SE-BIP Procedures 26
iv
SE-BIP Implementation and Monitoring 26
# 5 Statewide District Testing: Florida Standards Assesment, Florida
Standards Alternate Assessment and End of Course Assessment
Waivers
27
DSIS PF 18 Update 28
Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) 28
Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA) 28
School Level Coordinator (SLC) 29
FSAAPerformance Task (PT) 29
Teacher Training Procedures for the FSAA-PT 30
Information Sessions for School Administrators and School
Level Coordinators (SLCs)
30
Practice Materials 30
Testing Materials 30
School Administrator Observations 31
Individual and School Reports 31
FSAADatafolio 31
Previous FSAA Performance (If Applicable) 31
Teacher Training Procedures for FSAA Datafolio 32
Collection Periods 32
Waiver of Statewide, Standardized Assessment Results for
Students with Disabilities
33
Waiver – EOC Assessments 33
Waiver FSA/FSAA and Graduation Requirement 34
Exemptions to Statewide Programs 35
Medical Complex Exemption 35
Extraordinary Circumstance and Condition 35
# 6 Classroom Assistance 36
# 7 Curriculum Decisions: Standard versus Modified 38
Curriculum Decision Modified vs. Standard 39
Curriculum 39
Grading Students with Disabilities Grades K-12 40
Florida Standards (FS)/New Generation Sunshine State
Standards (NGSSS)
40
FS/NGSSS Access Points 40
# 8 English Language Learners with Disabilities 42
English Language Learner Students with Disabilities
Procedural Guidelines
43
Schedules and ESOL Courses for ELL SWD
(ESOL Levels 1-4)
43
SWD in Elementary Schools 43
SWD in Secondary Schools 43
ACCESS ELL Courses 43
ELL Students Determined Eligible for Exceptional Student
Education (ESE)
43
ELL Students Eligible for Speech Impaired, Language
Impaired or Gifted*:
43
Initial IEP Eligibility Meeting and ESOL Assessments 44
Current ELL Students Entering ESE 44
v
Annual ESOL Level Update (ESOL Levels 1-4) 44
Students who did not participate in the Spring
administration of ACCESS for ELLs Assessment
44
SWD with ESOL Levels 1-4 and the IEP in ESE-EMS 45
Inconsistent Test Data Report for Grades 3-12 45
ELL SWD and IEP Exit Procedures 46
Exiting ELL SWD Participating in any of the ACCESS
for ELLs Assessments
46
Revising Students Schedules to Reflect Exiting from
the ESOL Program
47
ELL Exit Criteria 47
Three Years or More in an ESOL Program – Exiting or
Extension of Services
47
Six Years or More in the ESOL Program 48
DSIS J-Screen Data Update for ESOL Exiting (Level 5) 49
Post Exit Monitoring in ESE-EMS 49
Free Appropriate Public Education 49
State Board Rule 6A-6.0902 3.d, F.A.C. to Opt-Out of ESOL
Services
49
IEP Conference Notes of IEP 50
Procedures to Request a Language Proficiency Dominance
Screening
50
Referral for Assessment 50
ESOL levels 1 and 2 students with less than 2
years in the ESOL program
50
ESOL levels 1- 4 students with more than 2 years in
the ESOL program
50
ESOL level 5 students during Post Program Review
Monitoring Period
50
Reevaluation 51
Results of Screening 51
LPDS Reports Validity Period 51
Retention of ELL SWD 51
# 9 Multi-Tier System of Supports 52
Response to Intervention Tier Description 53
M-DCPS MTSS Flow Chart 54
School Site MTSS Checklist 55
# 10 Initial Evaluations 56
Initial Evaluation Process 57
Initial MTSS Meeting 57
SST meeting Follow Up 58
Procedures for Completed Evaluations 58
Parental Request for an Evaluation 60
Evaluation Process: Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) 64
#11 Reevaluations 65
Before the Reevaluation Team meeting 66
During the Reevaluation Team meeting 66
After the Reevaluation Team meeting 67
General Procedures 71
vi
Nursing Services 72
Speech/Language Therapy 75
Occuptational and Physical Therapy 78
Eligibility for Visually Impaired Programs 82
Orientation and Mobility 82
Specialized Transportation Services 83
Assistive Technology 88
Model Communication Plan 91
Extended School Year 92
Service Animals 93
Due Process/Mediation 94
Due Process 94
Mediation 94
Informed Notice of Revocation for Special Education Services 96
Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents of Students with Disabilities 97
Parental Consent for Specified Services 97
Discipline Manifestation and Determination 99
Procedures for Implementation The 45 Day School Alternative
Placement Rule for Students with Disabilities
100
Gifted Referral Process Flow Chart 104
Homebound or Hospitalized Instruactional Program (HHIP) 105
Physical Restraint: Safe Crisis Management 109
Permitting Private Service Providers in Educational Setting 111
Procedures for Requesting Sign Language Interpreters, American Sign
Language (ASL) Interpretation or Transliteration Services
112
Requesting Interpreters Spoken Language 113
Referrals to Center Schools Ruth Owens Kruse and Robert Renick
Educational Center
114
Surrogate Parents 115
School Site LEA Organizational Recommendations 116
Appendices 120
Appendix A – Acronyms 121
Appendix B Exceptionality Codes 122
Resources 123
The IEP 124
Parent Information 131
General Policies and Procedures 134
vii
Purpose of the Local Education Agency (LEA) Guide
This LEA Guide is developed to provide school-based LEA representatives including exceptional
student education administrators, program specialists, and ESE chairpersons guidance that provides
answers to common compliance questions. The guide has been divided into the following five sections.
1. The 10 Essential Areas for the School Site LEA
2. General Procedures to Implement Policies
3. School Site LEA Monthly Organizational Recommendations
4. Appendices
5. Resources
Red font throughout this guide indicates specific details related to procedures that are
extremely important and must be adhered to and/or followed.
Selected sections of the guide have Portable Document Formats (PDFs) listed at the end of
the section. These PDFs provide essential information related to the content and are located
in the column titled LEA Guide – PDFs at the following link: https://padlet.com/fdlrssouth/lea .
Individuals who may have questions related to LEA compliance can e-mail their questions to
the following e-mail address [emailprotected] .
This document is available as an e-handbook on the dadeschools.net website. Any changes in policies
and procedures that affect the contents of this document will be transmitted via weekly briefing.
If assistance is needed, please contact the District or respective ESE Service Center as listed below:
District Office:
Exceptional Student Education (ESE)
1450 NE Second Avenue, Suite 407, Miami, FL 33132
Phone: 305.995.2037 Fax: 305.995.2049
ESE Service Center North 9952
Crestview Elementary
2201 NW 187th Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056
Phone: 305.430-1055 Fax: 305.430-1056
ESE Service Center Central 9734
[emailprotected] A. Edison Ed. Center
6101 N.W. 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127
Phone: 305.756.2132 Fax: 305.756.2135
ESE Service Center South 9956
JRE Lee Educational Center
6521 SW 62nd Avenue, South Miami, FL 33143
Phone: 786.268.4757 Fax: 786.268.4758
ESE Service Center South Satellite 7151
Homestead Senior High School
2351 SE 12th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33034
Phone: 305.242.8432 Fax: 305.242.8433
https://padlet.com/fdlrssouth/lea
mailto:[emailprotected]
1
Introduction
The Role of the Local Education Agency Representative
The Local Education Agency (LEA) representative is an integral member of the Individual Education
Plan (IEP) Team. The LEA is a representative of the public agency, who is responsible for making
decisions on behalf of the District and ensures that the IEP is complying with the procedural and
substantive requirements of the State and Federal regulations. The LEA ensures that the provision of
specially designed instruction through the IEP meets the unique needs of children with disabilities. The
LEA Representative is a required member of the IEP Team and must attend each IEP meeting in its
entirety.
The LEA must possess knowledge and understand the following:
1. sections of the Exceptional Student Education Policies and Procedures (SP & P);
2. procedural safeguards;
3. parental revocation of consent for special education and related services;
4. transfer of rights at age of majority;
5. Medicaid;
6. Individual Education Plan (IEP);
7. Transition IEP
8. Discipline and Manifestation Determination;
9. participation in State and District assessments; and
10. the John M. McKay Scholarships Program
The LEA must ensure that:
1. IEP decisions are based on consensus and not on a majority vote;
2. the IEP includes appropriate services for the student to receive a free and appropriate public
education (FAPE);
3. parents are provided with prior written notice of the services offered and of the parents right to
seek resolution of any disagreements;
4. every member of the IEP team has important knowledge to contribute in the development of the
students IEP;
5. every effort is made to reach an agreement;
6. in extenuating circumstances, the LEA, as the IEP team leader, may override the consensus of
the IEP team or make the final decision if consensus cannot be reached by the team, if
necessary, to ensure that a student is offered an appropriate education [Case name: Letter to
Richards, 55 IDELR 107 (OSEP 2010)]
2
Ten Essential Area # 1:
The Individual Education Plan (IEP)
3
The Individual Education Plan (IEP)
IEP Development
The IEP, a legal document, is the student with disabilities specially designed instruction and is the
school districts IDEA obligation to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The
designated school site LEA is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of IEPs.
There are five major areas on the IEP that are used to address a students individual needs and present
performance levels. These five domains, which are listed in the table below, should be reviewed during
the development of each IEP.
IEP AREAS OF CONCERN
Area of Concern: Description: Student Service Needs to be
Considered:
Curriculum and Learning
Environment
Addresses students needs related
to their involvement in the general
curriculum.
Adjustments in the learning
environment, including instruction
and assessment procedures,
materials, and equipment and
adaptations to the classroom
setting.
Social or Emotional Behavior Addresses the students needs for
positive behavioral supports,
behavioral interventions, social
skills development and
socialization.
Behavior management techniques,
therapeutic programs, other
support services or counseling as
a related service
Independent Functioning Addresses knowledge and skills
associated with activities of daily
living and self-care, accessing
community resources, and
organizational strategies.
Instruction, coaching and personal
assistance; Assistive Technology,
Physical and/or Occupational
Therapy as a Related Service;
organizational Skills; Orientation
and Mobility training; adaptation to
the Instructional setting; and/or,
personal supervision to ensure
physical safety, classroom
assistance (e.g.,paraprofessional).
Health Care Addresses services provided to
students with disabilities who have
health care needs and require
health services to benefit from
special education.
Monitoring and assessment of
health conditions; provision of
related health care services, such
as medication, suctioning or tube
feeding.
Communication Addresses the students ability to
participate effectively in initiating
and responding to communication.
Interventions and therapy,
assistance and the use of
alternative and augmentative
communication systems.
PDF Accommodations and Modifications
PDF Individual Student Accommodations Monitoring Sheet
PDF Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)
4
Preparing for the IEP Initial and Annual Meetings
Initial IEP Meeting
The Initial IEP meeting is coordinated by the ESE Service Center Staffing Specialist assigned to the
respective school. The Staffing Specialist, who is the LEA for an initial IEP meeting, schedules, notifies
all IEP Team members in conjunction with the school site, and gathers all information (e.g., evaluations)
to conduct the Initial IEP meeting.
The school site LEA can support the Staffing Specialist and assist in the Initial IEP Meeting process by
notifying the parents, ensuring that there is a room to hold the meeting and that technology is available
to complete the IEP on Exceptional Student Education-Electronic Management System (ESE-EMS).
Annual IEP Meeting
The schools LEA identifies the IEP team members who will participate in the Annual IEP. The LEA
should gather data related to the students pre-academic or academic achievement, functional
performance and progress toward annual IEP goals.
The LEA may draft IEPs on ESE-EMS to allow the team to synthesize information and analyze the
areas of concern that the student may be demonstrating a need for specially designed instruction. The
draft of the IEP can be sent home to the parent for review. Under no circumstances should the final
IEP be completed before the IEP team meeting begins (USDOE, 2006, August 14, p. 46678).
IEPs must be completed before a final copy can be distributed.
5
Notifying IEP Team of a Meeting: Notification of Meeting (NOM)
As part of any IEP Event the NOM is created in ESE-EMS
Provide the parent notice of the IEP team meeting with a reasonable amount of time prior to
the meeting with at least one attempt through written notice.
A week to 10 days is generally considered reasonable although a shorter notice would be
considered reasonable if the parent is able to attend.
If notice is provided in a shorter time before the meeting (i.e., less than one week), and the
parent attends; consider whether the following mitigating circumstances apply:
Parent agreed to or requested a meeting as soon as possible
Meeting include
