Special Education Handbook Big Sur Charter School 2014 - 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION – Parents are Partners in Learning! ………………………………………………3 WHAT IS PERSONALIZED LEARNING? ……………………………………………………………...4 EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN: THEIR STORIES ………………….…………………..……………...5 THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILD AT HOME …………………………………………..…………….…..10 IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT ………………………………………………………..……14 WHO IS ELIGBLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES? ………………………………..….15 WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION? ……………………………………………………………….…..16 WHAT IS A 504 PLAN? …………………………………….………………………………….……….16 THE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) …………………………………….…….……17 SPECIALLY DESIGNED ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION & RELATED SERVICES …………….18 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ………………………………………………………..……….19 GLOSSARY ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………21 RESOURCES ……………………………………………………………………………………………..23 PARENT RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES ………………………………………………………….24
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“It takes a village to raise a child.”
Introduction Parents are Partners in Learning! This handbook is designed to help parents, teachers and students understand our school’s approach to helping all children achieve success and meet their personal learning goals. Every student has unique interests, strengths and challenges. That’s why our BSCS personalized learning programs are designed by parents, students, and teachers to meet the individual needs of every student. BSCS recognizes that some students need extra support to meet their goals and our teachers are trained to identify students with special needs. 3
BSCS offers programs including, Student Success Team, Response to Intervention (RtI) and Special Education to provide students with the tools and strategies they need to learn and grow. Our hope is that this handbook is a useful guide for both parents and school staff as we work together to develop a personalized program for your child’s unique way of learning. Welcome to the family~school partnership that will support your child’s academic and personal success!
“I am so grateful for the Big Sur Charter School and it’s approach to personalized learning for the student. Here, the child is the focus. I am also educating myself and as a result my kids are loving it!” BSCS Parent
What is Personalized Learning? Because not all students share the same abilities or learn the same way, Big Sur Charter School is committed to providing academically challenging programs that meet the individual needs of each student. Our teachers will work with you to identify your child’s unique strengths, challenges and interests. Together you will create a Personal Learning Plan that includes a curriculum tailored to your child. At BSCS, we believe all students can become self-directed learners who follow their passions and interests, while setting goals and monitoring progress through self-assessment and reflection. Our Personalized Learning approach recognizes that each student is unique and shifts the focus from teacher-centered education to student-centered learning. We have found that all children, including children with special needs, benefit from our personalized learning approach. BSCS staff will support you in implementing your child’s Personal Learning Plan through a combination of parent/student/teacher conferences, Home Educator Learning Programs and parent resources. This collaborative homeschool partnership is at the heart of our students’ success. 4
Exceptional Children: Their Stories * The names of the students in the stories have been changed to protect privacy.
Josh These stories of exceptional children are included to deepen understanding of learning differences and to provide parents with a way of connecting their own child’s experience with one or more of the stories. No two children share the same story, but there are similarities. We believe becoming familiar with patterns of behavior and ways of learning can be helpful to families and teachers working with exceptional children. While we have provided the name of the particular disability or learning difference associated with each story, it’s important to note that every child, even those without special needs, may have some of the characteristics or behaviors described here. We caution parents not to label or diagnose their own children. A diagnosis of a disability requires an evaluation by medical and educational specialists.
is an active and talkative 8th grade boy with many
interests and a wealth of knowledge to share. He has an amazing memory for details and facts and can talk at length on many subjects that interest him. Josh enjoys learning new information and looking up facts on the computer. He is a “walking encyclopedia” who loves sharing what he knows through conversation. Josh is especially interested in hands-on science and the outdoors. In class, Josh has all of the right answers, but he knows more than he can demonstrate through writing and this frustrates him. He can talk at length on a variety of subjects, but Josh has difficulty organizing his thoughts on paper. Josh is good natured and friendly and the other students engage with him, even though sometimes his peers show signs of frustration with the running dialogue of his fast paced thoughts and ideas. His mind seems to race from one thought to the next and he talks out loud to himself, which distracts the other students and gets a lot of attention from the teacher. ELIGIBILITY: 504 Plan Josh is not eligible for special education, though he has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. With his higher than average intelligence, he is doing very well academically and performing above grade level. ACCOMMODATIONS: Josh’s diagnoses of ADHD qualifies him for a 504 Plan and accommodations to his learning environment. Josh’s teachers and parents developed strategies to help Josh improve attention and listening skills. One accommodation is the use of a computer to organize and produce written work. *See pg. 16 for more information on 504 Plans. 5
Later, on the way to the garden, the other children are noisy and Sarah covers her ears with her hands as if trying to shut out the sounds. In the garden, the children are having a treasure hunt, but Sarah doesn’t find a treasure and becomes frustrated. She stomps her feet and yells that the treasures don’t exist. Her face turns red and when the teacher tries to help her, Sarah responds with a loud, “No, they don’t exist!” Her teacher reports that Sarah often becomes angry or frustrated, especially during free play.
Sarah is a tall and lanky six-year old girl who seems dreamy and lost in fantasy much of time. She will often stare off or make faces as if she is acting out a story in her imagination. She becomes engrossed in a project and when she is focused on her individual work, she will often refuse to transition to a new activity. At school, during the circle time, Sarah is invited to share her special toy in front of the group. She describes the squishy material, the fluffy tail and the way the toy feels. When the other children ask questions, she answers without making eye contact. When her turn is finished, she goes back to the circle and sits down for a few minutes, but soon gets up to go get a drink of water.
Sarah loves numbers and easily grasps the new math concepts. She is far ahead of her peers in both math and reading. Sarah needs support participating in group activities and communicating with peers.
At the water cooler, she fills the cup full and splashes the water with her fingers. Sarah doesn’t rejoin the group, but finds a bench and slides back and forth on the smooth wooden surface as she continues to seek sensory stimulation. When the teacher invites Sarah to join the circle again, she moves towards the other children making jerky robot movements with her hands and makes her eyes big and wide. Sarah sits for a few moments and then gets up to go sit in her wooden cubby covering her ears with her hands. She often likes to squeeze her tiny body into the tight space and look out onto the group.
ELIGIBILITY: Autism Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have challenges with social interactions and communication, as well as a tendency for repetitive behaviors. SERVICES: OT, S/L, Behavior Services The occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and the behavior specialist work together with parents and school staff to help the child develop strategies and skills to improve learning and communication. *See pg. 18 to learn more about services.
"There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child can do instead of what he cannot do." ~ Dr. Temple Grandin 6
Bella is a nine-year old girl with a sweet and quiet demeanor.
She is kind to everyone
and especially to her two younger sisters. Bella moves slowly and deliberately. She observes the world around her and takes her time to join in a game or activity with her peers. Time seems to move slowly for Bella and she is patient with herself and others too. She has many friends and follows the lead of her peers easily getting along with everyone. If there is a disagreement among the group, Bella will be the peacemaker. She is happy playing or working with others and her easy-going temperament makes her popular with adults too. Bella is so pleasant and compliant that she has a way of not drawing attention to herself. So, it wasn’t until the end of second grade that her math difficulties attracted the notice of her teachers and parents. Bella began to fall behind her peers in math and her confidence began to suffer. Place value and number lines didn’t make sense to her. Bella had neat handwriting, she liked to read, and her parents and teachers knew that she was just as capable as the other children. Why was math so difficult for Bella? Bella’s teacher reports that she is reluctant to try new approaches to solving math problems and will give up easily. Bella tells her teacher, “I haven’t learned this yet.” Even when she was taught the math concept on the previous day, she doesn’t remember seeing it before. Memorizing math facts is a challenge and remembering steps to solve a problem is even more of a challenge. Bella has a strategy of guessing at answers. But now in fourth grade this strategy is not working for her and her confidence is waning. ELIGIBILITY: Specific Learning Disability in the area of math. Bella was diagnosed by the school psychologist with “dyscalculia.” She qualifies for special education services. SERVICE: Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) Bella receives weekly intensive instruction with the Education Specialist. She is learning strategies for addressing her particular need in math. Bella also enjoys the ST Math online program where she is practicing spatial skills and problem solving. CONSULTATIVE SERVICES: The Education Specialist meets with Bella’s mother, the primary home educator, weekly. Parent and teacher discuss strategies and create a weekly plan to help Bella at home. Monthly progress reports help to inform their decisions. ACCOMMODATIONS: Use of a calculator, increased time to complete math assignments and reduced number of problems. *See pg. 21 for a definition of accommodations. 7
Oscar is an athletic, outgoing, ten-year old boy. He is polite and engaging and gets along with both peers and adults. Oscar enjoys soccer, martial arts and exploring nature. His family spends a great deal of time outdoors camping and hiking. Oscar can identify local plants and knows their uses. He is just as knowledgeable about animals and their habitats and enjoys sharing his knowledge of nature and science. Oscar reads at a second grade level so his depth of knowledge is remarkable. He has learned so much from observation and listening to experts in the field and has an amazing memory for facts that interest him. Oscar works hard to achieve his goals and gives his best effort consistently. He likes math and science and enjoys listening to books on tape. He makes friends easily and enjoys playing with his little brother. Oscar has struggled with reading since kindergarten. His mother is a trained teacher and decided to home school him in the first grade. Oscar has been tutored by a reading specialist and has a strong foundation in phonics instruction. He can identify letter sounds and symbols and has strong word attack skills. Sight words, especially don’t seem to stick and this makes reading fluency a challenge for him. When reading a loud, he will skip over sight words and often confuse words with similar spellings. Mostly, Oscar tires easily from reading and it requires a great effort for him. Oscar loves to figure out how things work. He spends long hours building models of bridges and other contraptions from his imagination. He will build dams in the creek near where he lives and analyze patterns in the water flow. He says that he would like to be an engineer. 8
ELIGIBILITY: Specific Learning Disability in the area of reading. Oscar is diagnosed with “dyslexia.” SERVICE: Specialized Academic Instruction Oscar receives daily SAI at home through online tutoring. He is making good progress and enjoys working with his tutor on reading and spelling. *See pg. 18 for a description of SAI.
Charlie
is an exceptional student
who has never attended traditional school. With his quick thinking and talking he could be labeled “gifted.” Charlie is twelve years old and loves math. He is currently studying calculus and computer programming and even tutoring college students on the side. This year he won first place in the county math contest. Charlie is engaging and enjoys talking with interesting adults. He likes to read science fiction and keeps informed of the latest developments in science with journals, videos and books. His unique mix of interests combined with not attending school has not provided Charlie with many opportunities to meet kids his age. His mind is hungry for new information and he needs a lot of mental stimulation. This sometimes exhausts his dad who is the primary teacher and playmate at home. ELIGIBILITY: Charlie does not meet the eligibility criteria. Though he learns differently, there is no adverse impact on his academic performance. *See pg. 15 for more information on how eligibility is determined.
Jack
is a shy high school freshman with a big
vocabulary. Elementary school was hard for Jack. His handwriting was messy, his assignments were always late, his backpack and desk were cluttered and he kept losing things. His teachers were convinced that Jack was choosing not to apply himself. His work was “careless,” yet he was reading way above grade level and he was so articulate. When Jack was 10, he begged his parents to homeschool. Desperate for a change, they agreed and began their journey of figuring out how Jack learned. Jack’s parents hired tutors to try to improve his handwriting, but regular practice did not seem to help. They enrolled him in martial arts hoping it might help Jack to be more organized and disciplined. But, Jack couldn’t remember the movement sequences and was so clumsy and uncoordinated that he cried after every class. Jack was a picky eater and he refused to eat foods that were too mushy, too hot, or too cold. He complained that his clothes were too “scratchy” and all labels and tags had to be removed before he would get dressed. Still, Jack was a compliant and kind kid and got along with peers, though he sometimes had his feelings hurt by other children when he took their words literally. His vocabulary was advanced, but he used and understood language very concretely and often missed non-verbal cues. When he was ten years old, Jack still couldn’t tie his shoes or tell time. Yet, he read for hours and could easily converse with adults on almost any subject. Jack’s parents could not figure out why their son was so overly sensitive and when he didn’t seem to be outgrowing the difficult behaviors, they took him to a neurologist. Jack was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and “dysgraphia,” a writing disability. The neurologist told Jack’s parents that practice would not help Jack much with handwriting. So, Jack learned to keyboard. Occupational therapy helped Jack with sensory integration and now he is enjoying learning and even completed a community college class as a high school freshman. 9
ELIGIBILITY: 504 Plan The IEP Team found that Jack is not eligible for special education services because of his higher than average academic performance. Jack does have a diagnosed disability in the area of writing and this qualifies him for a 504 Plan under the Americans with Disabilities Act. SERVICES: Because Jack does not have an IEP, no services were available to him through the school. His parents decided to provide Jack with occupational therapy and the family medical insurance covered the costs. ACCOMMODATIONS: The 504 Plan allows Jack to have accommodations in his learning environment. In addition to having class notes provided, Jack is able to use a keyboard in place of handwriting and is allowed extended time on tests and all written assignments. *See pg. 14 to learn more about the identification and assessment process.
The Exceptional Child at Home
Routines and Schedules Weather you are new to home education or you’ve been doing it for years, routines and schedules will be a challenge. Each family and each child has different needs for structure and planning. Finding what works for your family takes trial and error. Often, families new to home learning try a “school at home” approach, with scheduled times for different subjects confined to the hours in a regular school day. While this approach may work well for some families, most veteran home educators become skilled at integrating learning into the flow of family life. Visiting the local library, listening to books on tape in the car, going for a hike, preparing meals together, or even grocery shopping are opportunities for learning. One of the joys of not having your children attend school each day is the flexibility to create your own routines that support your child’s well being. Rushing through breakfast in the morning to get the kids out the door for school isn’t fun for anyone, but for the special needs child who struggles with transition times, mornings can be a disaster and set the tone for the rest of the day. 10
Encouraging children to discover how they learn best means that we must allow for unscheduled time. Children are naturally creative and we can help them develop that creativity by paying attention to their natural rhythms. For many children with special needs, just getting through the day can be exhausting. Children who struggle with learning and sensory processing expend a great deal of energy trying to regulate their bodies. Poor posture, fidgeting, distractibility and sensory seeking behaviors are all signs that children are overwhelmed and trying to make themselves feel comfortable. Noticing when your child needs a rest can help them learn to self-regulate and find their own rhythm. Flexibility doesn’t mean allowing the child to do whatever they like. Given a choice, most kids won’t brush their teeth, eat their vegetables or go to bed at a reasonable hour. Some things are nonnegotiable and firmly insisting on certain routines also helps your child to internalize healthy behaviors. Many children with special needs thrive with routines and have trouble transitioning between activities. Children with autism especially need familiar routines and predictable transitions. Calendars and charts hung on the wall help the special needs child keep track of daily activities and give them a feeling of control over the day. Many exceptional children find changing to a new activity challenging and visual charts and schedules are beneficial for them. This strategy is also useful for the ADHD child, who constantly seeks new activities and needs reminders to stay on task.
As a parent, you are uniquely qualified to help your child find the balance between structured and unstructured time and to provide healthy conditions for learning and growing.
Learning with Others All parents want their children to be happy and this often means making friends. Providing opportunities to develop positive relationships with peers and other caring adults will contribute to your child’s happiness. Children with special needs will benefit from being explicitly taught social skills that come naturally to other children. Taking words literally and not correctly reading social cues is common among exceptional children. You can help your child by talking about how people typically interact in games, conversation or free play. Practice listening and responding appropriately with your child in a pretend conversation they might have with peers. Make funny faces in the mirror together and see if your child can identify emotions from facial expressions or body language. Teach your child that games have rules, like taking turns and sharing. Fairness is an important concept to children and one that is constantly negotiated. Roleplay with your child scenarios where they can explore fairness and practice listening to others. At BSCS, your child has the opportunity to participate with peers in weekly classes and activities. This is one of the ways that our program is different from homeschooling on your own. Our teachers strive to help every 11
student to develop strong peer relationships. In fact, building relationships is a primary focus of our weekly programs. Talk to your child’s teachers about how you can support friendships that your child is making in their weekly classes.
The Community is our Classroom At BSCS we offer students learning opportunities in the community. Children in our programs attend classes at the martial arts or music studio, museum, community garden, local recreation center and outside in nature. The community truly is our classroom. Sitting at a desk under fluorescent lights for many hours is not an ideal learning environment for a child with special needs. The BSCS community-based model of learning allows for a high level of engagement with peers and mentors for a shorter period of time than the traditional school day. Students enjoy this hands-on learning in their community. Another benefit of learning in the community is the opportunity for your child to make friends with adults and mixed aged groups of children outside of the school. Students in our program have found that many people are eager to share their interests with children. Our students have developed relationships with retired engineers, librarians, pre-school teachers, the local beekeeper and fishermen. Integrating your child’s learning program with the local community helps them develop social skills in different contexts and connects them to the people and places where they live.
Taking Care of Yourself Parenting a special needs child is not easy. Quiet time alone, exercise and supportive friends are essential for your health and well-being. Surprisingly, many parents who choose to educate an exceptional child at home find that they feel less stress than when the child attended traditional school. It can be a relief to let go of the strict schedules, meetings and the conflicts that arise with well meaning school staff who don’t always have the training or resources to support special needs in the traditional classroom-based school. One of the most common challenges and source of stress for parents is dealing with family members and friends who question your choice to have your child learn at home. Talk to the BSCS Education Specialist about joining a support group of other parents with exceptional children. Surrounding yourself with people who understand and share your experience can help you be a better parent and teacher for your child. At BSCS, we recognize that you know your child best and we respect your expertise and intimate knowledge of your child’s individual needs. Trusting yourself to make the right decisions for your child will help you relax into your dual role as home educator and parent. 12
Online Learning at Home Daily, direct instruction is essential for students with special needs. Online learning allows your child to access these research-based intervention programs from home.
“All kids are smarter than we think. We just need to give them the opportunity to develop their abilities.” Dr. Gordon Shaw Co-founder, ST Math
For students identified as needing intervention with English Language Arts, we offer the LEXIA reading program. Based on identified area of need, students will practice: •
Foundational Reading and Spelling Skills
•
Comprehension
•
Vocabulary
ST MATH is an online program that has proven results with all types of students. Kids love this fun, engaging program that uses no words and strengthens problem solving and critical thinking skills.
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Identification and Assessment Does my child need special education services? Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Student Success Team
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Assessment & Eligibility
When parents or teachers have a concern about a child’s learning needs, the first step is to convene a Student Success Team. Members of the team will include parents, teachers, the student, if appropriate, and anyone else with knowledge of the child and an interest in his or her education. The BSCS Education Specialist will contact parents to schedule a meeting time.
The BSCS Response to Intervention (RtI) program provides targeted support and instruction for the student’s individual needs. This may include one of our on-line programs, individual tutoring or parent coaching. The Educational Specialist will collect data and closely monitor student progress. Students making adequate progress in the RtI program will continue to receive the extra support until it is no longer needed.
When a child is referred for a special education evaluation, the SST Team will consider different specialists who may evaluate the child and the Education Specialist will guide the SST Team in developing the Assessment Plan.
At the meeting, the team will discuss the child’s learning challenges and develop a plan for success that might include tutoring or other supports. The Education Specialist will monitor the child’s progress and the team will meet again in a few weeks to take next steps.
If the data shows the student is not making progress and a disability is suspected, the SST Team will meet to review the RtI data and make a referral for a special education evaluation. The evaluation will be conducted by specialists familiar with the suspected disability. 14
Once parents have given signed consent for the plan, the Education Specialist will make arrangements for the child to be assessed within sixty (60) calendar days, excluding school breaks. The school psychologist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist or other specialists conduct the evaluation and provide written reports. The team will meet again to discuss results of the evaluation and make a final determination of eligibility.
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Who is eligible for special education services?
Eligibility Every child has learning strengths and challenges, but when a disability impacts a student’s academic performance, special education services may be needed. Educational and medical specialists, including school psychologists, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists are qualified to identify disabilities. To be eligible for special education services, the student must be identified as having one of the following disabilities and meet the second condition that the disability adversely affects educational performance. o Autism
o Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia)
o Emotional Disturbance o Language/Speech
o Blind or Visually Impaired
o Intellectual Disability
o Deaf or Hard of Hearing
o Multi Handicapped
o Other Health Impairment (May include ADHD, severe asthma, or other health conditions.)
o Traumatic Brain Injury o Severe Orthopedic Impairment
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What is Special Education? Special Education is governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and ensures that children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. The school provides specialized academic instruction and other related services to eligible students designed to meet their individual needs. Accommodations and modifications to the learning environment or the curriculum may also be part of special education. Determining the eligibility of a student for special education involves parents, teachers, the school administrator, and other professionals. These people make up the team that works collaboratively to design and implement the child’s individualized Education Program.
What is a 504 Plan? A 504 Plan is a written educational plan that provides for accommodations in the general education program, but does not provide special education services. Students with ADHD, medical conditions, physical disabilities or psychological disorders may have a 504 Plan. Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and protects students with disabilities from discrimination. Section 504 protects students having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including learning. All students with exceptional needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are protected under Section 504. But, not all students protected under Section 504 will have exceptional needs as defined by IDEA. 16
“The support we receive from BSCS is invaluable. I have seen my son’s confidence g row so much because of this individualized path. He is challeng ed in the areas he needs to grow, encourag ed in his areas of strength, and is truly becoming a lifelong learner. The support from BSCS is the catalyst for his g rowth.” BSCS Parent
The Individual Education Plan (IEP) & the IEP Team The IEP Team may include: parents, the student, school staff, specialists and service providers. The written IEP will include: *The child’s current levels of academic performance. *Yearly goals and short‐term educational objectives. *How the goals and objectives will be measured and who will be responsible for implementing the plan and measuring the goals. *Accommodations and modifications to the learning program or environment. *The related services offered to help the student meet the goals and the time and frequency of services. *How the student will participate in state‐wide assessments.
Team
The IEP Team Meeting When a student is found eligible for special education, the IEP Team will meet to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Parents have a role to play in developing the plan along with school staff. The IEP team will consider the reports and recommendations made by the specialists who evaluated the child when considering the services and supports to provide. When the IEP is complete, all participants approve the plan by signing the written IEP. The student’s goals and the plan will be reviewed annually and the team will make adjustments to the goals and services as needed. Every three years the student will receive another full evaluation conducted by specialists. The student’s education program is a cooperative effort and shared responsibility between school staff, parents, and the student. Ongoing and regular communication is important. The Education Specialist will keep records and report your child’s progress to you. Parents may also be asked to keep records and monitor goals at home. Parents have the right and responsibility to ensure that the IEP is implemented as written. If you have any questions or concerns, you are encouraged to contact the Education Specialist for assistance. Parents and any member of the IEP team may request an IEP team meeting at any time.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller 17
Related RelatedServices Servicesand andService ServiceProviders Providers The IEP Team will consider how to ensure that your child has access to the curriculum and educational program required by the school. Outlined here are a few of the services typically offered to students with special needs. * The IEP Team may consider other services and supports not listed here.
Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI)
If the IEP Team determines that your child needs SAI, the Educational Specialist may provide tutoring in a one to one or small group setting. BSCS also offers SAI with a qualified specialist online. If this method meets the child’s learning style, the IEP Team may decide that online SAI would benefit your child. Our students have had great success with this method and parents like the convenience of the service delivered right to the home.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational Therapy is a service that can help a child access the curriculum and participate in learning at home and school. Occupational therapist help children with handwriting or other motor skills related to learning. Some children may receive assistance with mastering self-care tasks or with sensory integration exercises.
Speech & Language Therapy (S/L)
The Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) may evaluate your child for speech services and make a recommendation to the IEP team. If the IEP Team determines that services are needed, the SLP will work closely with you and your child’s teacher to create goals and monitor progress. SLP’s work with students in the areas of articulation, fluency of sounds, voice quality, and how a child uses and understands language.
Consultative Services
Regularly scheduled consultations with the Education Specialist or other service providers can offer much needed support for you and your child’s learning program. Consultations may be for parents and/or students to demonstrate, model, coach, and provide feedback on instructional strategies related to the student’s IEP goals. 18
Frequently Asked Questions Q. Can I bring someone with me to the IEP Meeting? A. Yes, parents may bring specialists or anyone who has an interest in the child’s welfare. Q. What if I need more time to consider the IEP and don’t want to sign it at the meeting? A. You may request time to review the IEP and sign at a later date. Q. Do all students with disabilities require special education? A. No. The child’s disability must adversely affect the child’s academic performance to qualify for services. Q. Is the Student Success Team (SST) part of special education? A. No. The purpose of the SST is to identify the child’s learning challenges and to provide resources and support in the general education environment. The team will rule out possible causes for the child not making progress in the academic program. These may include health issues, emotional problems or a lack of instruction in math or reading. The SST process allows parents and the school to work together to help the child through interventions such as intensive instruction or modifications to the curriculum. Data collection and documentation of the child’s progress will help the team decide if a referral for special education services is necessary. Q. What is a referral for special education? A. A referral is a written request for an assessment to determine eligibility for special education services. Parents or the school may make a referral. Once the school has received the referral, a written assessment plan will be presented to parents within 15 days for their signed consent to have the child evaluated by specialists. The school may also refuse a parent’s request for assessment within 15 days with a written explanation of the reasons for not assessing the child. 19
Q. Can the school evaluate my child without my consent? A. No. Parental consent is required before any assessments to determine eligibility for special education. Q. Who will evaluate my child and what types of assessments will be given? A. Each evaluation is individualized for the student depending on the type of suspected disability. The Assessment Plan will include tests to determine if your child has a disability and which services the child needs. The school psychologist will administer tests to give the team information about how your child learns and processes information. An occupational therapist or a speech and language pathologist may also assess the child. Vision or hearing screenings may be performed by a nurse. Your child’s teacher will provide insights from observations and school work completed. Parent concerns, knowledge about how your child learns, and ideas for supporting the child will also be considered in the evaluation. Q. What if I want to have my child assessed independently of the school? A. Parents may have their children evaluated by any professionals they choose at their own expense. The school will consider the independent evaluation and may also decide to have the child assessed by school employees or service providers. Q. What if my child already works with an occupational therapist? Will the school pay? A. If the IEP Team determines that occupational therapy or other related services are appropriate for your child, the school will provide the service free of charge. Parents sometimes do request a particular service provider, but this is a human resource decision and falls completely under the school’s discretion. Q. What if I decide to stop the special education services? A. Parents have the right to revoke their consent for all special education and related services by providing the school with a written statement. The school will acknowledge in writing that your child is no longer designated as a special education student. If you later decide to reinstate your consent, the school will initiate the process of determining eligibility for special education with the same timelines and procedures as an initial referral.
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Glossary Accommodation: A change to the learning environment that allows a student to overcome the challenge or disability. The learning expectations are not altered, but how a student accesses the curriculum or demonstrates that they are learning may be. Some examples of accommodations include providing students with audio books, providing notes to the student, allowing extra time on tests or assignments, or allowing the student to answer orally rather than in writing. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD): A condition where the child exhibits inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity that is developmentally inappropriate. Autism: A brain development disorder characterized by limited social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. Behavior Disorder: A disability characterized by chronic behaviors that adversely affects the child’s ability to learn. Consultative Services: This is an important service in our school and is primarily offered to parents to coach, model and provide feedback for the parent as they implement learning strategies at home. Disability: Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Dyslexia: Difficulty in reading, writing, and spelling. Education Specialist: A teacher who has completed training in how to address the needs of special education students. The Education Specialist is your child’s teacher, advocate and case manager, taking on the primary responsibility for your child’s success at school. Parents work closely with the Education Specialist to monitor progress and ensure that the IEP is being implemented faithfully at home and school. Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE): Schools must offer special education to students with disabilities free of charge to parents. The services offered must be appropriate for the individual student. Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Each student who is eligible for special education will have an IEP. This plan identifies areas of need, defines goals and provides for services to be delivered to the student. The IEP is developed by a team of people, including parents, teachers, and other specialists and is reviewed annually. Modification: A change to the curriculum or the learning outcomes. The student may work on skills above or below their grade level, have reduced work to complete, or be graded on different criteria than other non-disabled students. 21
Occupational Therapists: Trained specialists who may provide consultation to parents and school staff or direct services to the student to improve educational performance related to motor skills or sensory processing. Other Health Impaired: One of the 13 categories that may qualify a student for special education services if the health impairment adversely affects educational performance. May include severe asthma or allergies, ADHD, or other chronic health conditions. Parental Consent: You must give your consent in writing before the school can give any assessments or make changes to your child’s placement in special education programs. School Psychologist: A trained specialist who will identify the intellectual, social and emotional needs and abilities of students. The psychologist will make suggestions to the IEP team for appropriate services, accommodations, and modifications. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): A neurological disorder that results in children misinterpreting sensory information. Children with SPD may seek sensory stimulation or feel overwhelmed by sensory input. Typically, the child will have trouble with handwriting, posture, and may be clumsy or overly sensitive to touch or light. Specific Learning Disability (SLD): A disorder in the psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language resulting in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. Examples of SLD may include dyslexia or dyscalculia. Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI): A special education service delivered by the Education Specialist. Most children with exceptional needs will benefit from this type of individualized instruction. Specialized Academic Instruction will typically include one to one or small group instruction that tailors the curriculum to your child. The Education Specialist will help your child develop strategies for learning that support his or her individual needs. SAI may also be delivered online by qualified specialists. Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP): A professional trained to administer evaluations and provide services for students with speech and language disorders. Student Success Team: The group of people, including parents, teachers and other specialists, working together to identify a child’s learning challenges. The Student Success Team will create a plan to support the child. The plan may include intensive instruction in the area of need, modifications to the curriculum or other interventions appropriate for the individual child. The child’s progress will be monitored closely and the team meets every few weeks to evaluate the child’s progress. If the team determines that the interventions are not working, they may refer the child for a special education evaluation. 22
Local Resources Sonoma County Charter SELPA The goal of the SCC-SELPA is to support the implementation of appropriate and compliant special education services in Northern California charter schools. 5340 Skylane Blvd Santa Rosa, CA 95403 http://charterselpa.squarespace.com/ Special Kids Crusade Provides services, programs and events for children with disabilities and their families, including support groups and parents night out. 1900 Garden Road, Suite 230 Monterey, CA 93940-5334 831-372-2730 http://www.specialkidscrusade.org/ Parents Helping Parents Services, resources and support to improve quality of life for children with disabilities and their families. 1400 Parkmoor, Suite 100 San Jose, CA 95126 (408) 727-5775 http://www.php.com Easter Seals Works with families and schools to provide education and support to children with disabilities, including autism. 9010 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 831-684-2166 http://www.easterseals.com/centralcal/
Online Resources LD OnLine The leading website on learning disabilities, learning disorders and differences. www.ldonline.org National Center for Learning Disabilities This organization has a 35 year history of providing information and advocacy for parents, educators and policy makers on learning disabilities. http://www.ncld.org Resource Room Many web resources and articles with very practical strategies and programs for teaching children with learning differences. http://www.resourceroom.net/index.asp Teach with Movies Lesson plans and movies for students with reading challenges or anybody else. http://www.teachwithmovies.org Presence Learning Provides live online speech therapy and online occupational therapy for K-12 students. http://presencelearning.com/ Webwise Tutors Online Specialized Academic Instruction delivered to your home by qualified education specialists. https://www.webwisetutors.com/ ST Math Spatial Temporal Math online home program. http://www.mindresearch.net/home/ LEXIA K-5 literacy skills development online to be used at home. http://www.lexialearning.com/ 23
“Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.” John F. Kennedy
Parent Rights This is a summary of parent rights. Parents will be provided with a copy of their complete rights and procedural safeguards annually. •
Parents have the right to request an assessment for special education at public expense.
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Parent’s written consent is required to administer assessments, or to make a change in the educational placement of a student with exceptional needs.
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Parents have the right to participate in the IEP process and to request an interpreter to provide assessment results in the parent’s native language.
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Parents may request a meeting to review the student’s Individualized Education Program at any time.
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Parents may request and receive copies of student education records and reports.
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Students have the right to confidentiality and privacy.
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Parents have the right to an impartial due process hearing.
Parent Responsibilities Parents share the responsibility with the school for ensuring that the Individualized Education Plan is implemented faithfully. This responsibility includes monitoring your child’s progress at home and attending all required school meetings. Parents have the responsibility to communicate any concerns or problems to the appropriate school staff. 24
B S C S
Aimee Alling Education Specialist
[email protected]
Shawna Garritson School Director
[email protected]
Big Sur Charter School PO Box 138, Big Sur, CA 93920 www.bigsurcharterschool.org
BSCS Monterey Program 135 Webster St. Monterey CA 93940 phone: (831) 667-0203 fax: (831) 884-5454
