Cairo Durham Central School District Special Education Action Plan Action Plan 2016-2019 Purpose of this Action Plan The Superintendent of the Cairo Durham Central School District requested a review of the district’s special education programs and services and the development of an action plan for the 2016-2019 school years. A report reviewing the district’s special education programs and services was presented to the Board of Education at their February 11, 2016 meeting. This Action Plan was developed collaboratively with the Department of Pupil Personnel Services. This action plan includes goals, strategies, activities and recommendations for monitoring progress and, where appropriate, integrates activities from other district initiatives. The district’s implementation of a balanced approach to the teaching of literacy will further support the achievement of general and special education students. This action plan requires the collaboration of all staff and administrators and a fundamental change in the belief that special education students are not the responsibility of general education principals or staff. Goals The percentage of students with disabilities achieving proficiency on the English Language Arts and Math assessments will improve by 10% in the 2016-17 school year. This goal will be increased every year thereafter. Strategies and Activities Strategy 1: A vision and set of principles will be developed to provide a foundation for all special education services and supports by June 2016. Activities §
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The Director of Pupil Personnel Services will develop, in collaboration with District administrators, a dashboard of critical indicators to assess progress for students who are struggling and not identified and for students classified in need of special education services. Convene a committee of district stakeholders to develop a vision and set of principles that will provide a clear focus for the Department of Pupil Personnel Services. Share the vision and principles with all stakeholders by designing and implementing a communication plan to effectively communicate the vision and
Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
principles to all stakeholders. The vision and principles will be communicated via the district newsletter, student handbook, open house meetings for parents, teacher parent conferences, district website, Registrar’s Office, faculty meetings, administrative meetings and communication with community partners. Progress Monitoring § The vision and set of principles will be developed during the spring of 2016 with a group of district stakeholders. § All Department of Pupil Personnel Services discussions and publications will be based on the vision and principles. § A communication plan will be implemented to all stakeholders. § The Director of Pupil Personnel Services will provide an annual report to the Board of Education assessing progress towards student proficiency. Strategy 2: The district’s continuum of special education will be reviewed, evaluated and revised to ensure that appropriate services are provided to students with disabilities for IEPs developed for the 2017-18 school year. Activities §
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A committee will be established to review, evaluate and revise the current continuum of district special education services. The continuum will be based upon the learner characteristics of students with disabilities currently in the District. Program descriptions for the district’s new continuum will be developed for each special education service. The revised continuum and program descriptions will be shared with all stakeholders. o A special education handbook will be developed that describes the continuum and program descriptions for teachers, parents and administrators. The handbook will be available on the district website. o A brochure summarizing the new continuum and program descriptions will be developed and shared with community partners. An Eligibility Guide for all special education supports and services will be drafted. The criteria for each service will be assessed against national standards and research. The Director of Pupil Personnel Services will work with a team annually to assess emerging student needs and assess program design.
Progress Monitoring Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
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The district’s revised special education continuum will be used consistently at all CSE meetings beginning September 1, 2016. The special education continuum will be reviewed annually based on an assessment of incoming school-age students.
Strategy 3: Student needs will be used to develop learner characteristics for every special education service to ensure that these services appropriately support students with disabilities by June 2017. Activities § §
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A committee will be established to develop learner characteristics for every special education service on the revised continuum. Learner characteristics for special education services and programs will be used at CSE meetings to determine appropriate services and supports for students with disabilities. Parents will be provided descriptions of the special education services and supports their child needs. In the summer of 2016 Cornell University faculty on Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCIS) will train three staff. The TCIS program provides staff with skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage students in crisis. By applying the principles of TCIS training, staff can maintain the dignity of both adults and children during most difficult crisis experiences. TCIS aligns with the intent of both “Dignity for All” and Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS). By June 2018, all special education classroom teachers and teacher assistants will be trained on TCS.
Progress Monitoring § §
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The learner characteristics will be used consistently at all CSE meetings beginning September 1, 2017. Records of all staff initially trained and recertified in TCIS, as required by Cornell University, will be maintained by the Department of Pupil Personnel Services. The number of restraints conducted by district special education staff will decline. The number of in-school and out-of-school suspensions of special education students will decline annually.
Strategy 4: Supports and programming will be identified for students whose behavior affects their ability to benefit from instruction or whose behavior interferes with the learning of others. Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
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All Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) will be reviewed by the CSE chairperson and Behavior Specialist to ensure consistency with both State and federal regulations and policies. Professional development will be provided on the development and monitoring of Behavior Intervention Plans. Staff will become proficient at gathering and analyzing student data. The district will identify the current supports for students with social emotional issues and the gaps that exist in these supports. The expectations and roles of social workers, school psychologists, and guidance counselors will be reviewed and clarified to meet the emerging needs of students whose behavior interferes with social and instructional learning. The district will require the implementation of classroom behavior management plans in all self-contained special education classes. The District will implement restorative practices to help build resiliency in students. Staff will be provided training in Trauma Informed Care to deepen their understanding of the impact of trauma on student learning and behavior.
Progress Monitoring § § § §
Documentation of staff who participated in professional development. The number of restraints conducted by district special education staff will decline. The number of suspensions (in-school and out-of-school) of special education students will decline annually. Roles of social workers, school psychologists, and guidance counselors are clearly defined to better meet the needs of students whose behavior interferes with learning.
Strategy 5: High quality instruction in special education classes will be based on Common Core Standards, research-based literacy instruction and classroom behavior management strategies. Activities §
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Special education staff will participate in all K-12 professional development provided to general education teachers on the Common Core Standards and literacy based strategies. The District will develop a literacy plan for ELA instruction for all students, including students in special education. Explicit Systematic Direction Instruction practices will be used in resource rooms and throughout all special education services.
Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
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Require the implementation of classroom behavior management plans in all self-contained classes. Students in special education classes will be grouped flexibly to ensure that instruction can be effectively delivered. Provide co-teach training for general and special education teachers. Special education teachers will be assigned to specific special education programs based upon appropriate certification and skill sets.
Progress Monitoring §
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The district will maintain records of all special education staff that are trained in the literacy, research-based instructional models and positive behavior management. In their observations of special education staff, special education and general education administrators will look for evidence of research-based literacy instruction, student engagement and positive behavior management. The percentage of students with disabilities achieving proficiency on the English Language Arts and Math assessments will improve by 10% in the 2017 school year. This goal will be increased every year thereafter.
Strategy 6: Procedures will be adopted to ensure consistent implementation of the redesigned special education programs and supports. §
The following procedures will be developed, shared with all staff and implementation monitored for fidelity during 2016-17: o Eligibility Criteria o IEE Procedure o Re-evaluation Process o FBA/BIP Process o Agreement to Withdraw Referral o ESY Regression Data Form o Annual Review and Re-evaluation Procedure o CSE/CPSE Minutes Form o IEP Amendment Request Form o Initial CSE Referral Procedure o Restraint Procedure o Procedure for the Use of Time Out Rooms o Aide Justification Process
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The following Guides will be developed for 2017-18: o Eligibility Guide (Including criteria for each related service) o Response to Intervention Team Guide o Annual Review Guide for 2017-18
Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
o Guide for Teacher Assistants §
Implement the Teacher Assistant and Aide Justification Process including the required data collection to assess need.
Progress Monitoring §
A sample of 50 IEPs will be reviewed annually to assess quality of IEPs and adherence to District policies and procedures.
Strategy 7: Establish Functional Response to Intervention (RtI) Teams in each school building. § § § § §
Develop RtI meeting protocols and forms. Identify and train RtI facilitators in each building. Survey current student supports available in each building. Realign student supports based on student need. Monitor all Tier 1, 2 and 3 interventions to assess emerging student needs.
Progress Monitoring §
Track referrals to the Committee on Special Education (CSE).
Strategy 8: Establish clear fiscal procedures to track special education expenditures, realign resources to meet the emerging needs of students and increase internal capacity within the District. § § §
Assess current fiscal procedures to ensure that the Director of Pupil Personnel Services has accurate information on expenditures monthly. Establish biweekly meetings between the Business Official and the Director to ensure appropriate fiscal stewardship. Re-assess Medicaid and High Cost revenue procedures with Questar consultants to maximize revenue.
Cairo Durham CSD
January 31, 2016
Rita D. Levay, Ed.D
