cimp compliance training elementary staff november 8, 2013

CIMP Compliance Training

Elementary StaffNovember 8, 2013

Elementary Special Education

“Elementary teachers describe special education staff as calm and resourceful in challenging positions, dedicated in supporting general

education staff and possess solid communication and problem solving skills.”

What we have learned:

Special Education Compliance Review (CIMP):

Education Outcomes: No Concerns!

Governance Process and Implementation: No Concerns!

Staffing: No Concerns!

Facilities: No Concerns!



IEP/IFSP Documentation Process and Implementation: 8 Corrective Action Plans required

Eligibility/Exit/Entrance Documentation and Process: 3 Corrective Action Plans required

Transition Documentation, Process and Implementation: 1 Corrective Action Plan required



We have a plan…

October 11: Secondary Staff Training

November 8: Elementary Staff Training

Building visits to meet with teams

Monitoring and Support

Learning Intentions

We will acquire information to comply with CIMP Compliance.

We will identify how to apply this new information to our work.

We will determine next steps in implementing this information.

IEP team members

All IEP team members are expected to attend. The only exception is if the parent and public agency agree, in writing, that attendance is not necessary because the member’s area of curriculum or related service is not being modified or discussed.

If the IEP team member’s area of curriculum or related service is being modified or discussed the member may only be excused with mutual agreement if they submit in writing input into the development of the IEP prior to the meeting.

Points of clarification: All required members of IEP team must be excused in writing from a

team meeting. Written documentation of parent agreement to excusal must be

included in the file. Written input from excused member must also be included in the file. Dates of the agreement and written input from the excused member

must be prior to or date of the IEP meeting.

Stillwater Area Public Schools

IEP Team Notices

IEP Meeting Notice Requirements

Sent to the parents/guardians between 7 - 10 days prior to the meeting.

If the notice is sent in under 7 days and the parent/guardians attend the meeting, the team is considered in compliance.

What Needs to be on the IEP Meeting Notice?

The IEP Meeting Notice should: Indicate the purpose for the

meeting. Time and Location. Who is invited. Inform parents that they may

invite other to participate. It is understandable for the

parents.

Signing In

Case managers need to make sure that all team members sign in on the notice of team meeting.

This is documentation for the district.

Procedural Safeguards

The case manager is responsible for providing procedural safeguards to the parent/guardian(s).

Make sure to check and initial that this was completed.

Required Members

Parents

District Representative

General Educator - If the student participates with general ed peers.

Special Educator - must have licensure in disability area.

* Student - if they are able and have post secondary transition planning

-It is best practice to invite the student.

Who can be a district rep?

1. Knowledge of curriculum

2. Knowledge of resources Principals should be included to all IEP meetings. Principals will find designee or ask case manager to find

district rep.

A member of the IEP team may be designated as both team member and district rep. if they are not a required team member.

The team notice has to reflect this.

Example: Lady Gaga – School Psychologist / District Representative

Gen. Ed teachers cannot serve as district rep.

Who can be a district rep?

Clarification

All required members are required to stay the entire meeting.

Complete the written agreement for not attending an IEP meeting prior to the meeting and get parent permission.

A blank one can be provided at the IEP meeting.

Parents/guardians have the choice to reschedule the meeting.

Non-Required Members

Related service providers are not required IEP team members, but need to be included on the IEP Team Meeting Notices (SLP, OT, PT, etc.)

It is best practice for related service providers to attend.

Parental excusal is not needed for a non-required member if they are not able to attend. Parent may ask for meeting to be re-scheduled if they want non-required member in attendance.

Other Members

Other members of the IEP team that are not employees from the school district can be invited by the parents/guardians.

Example: Other family members, Social Worker, Lawyer, etc.

Parents/guardians should be

informed of this.

Questions?

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

PLAAFP must include: How the child’s disability impacts their involvement

and progress in the general education curriculum.

Current levels of performance (needs to be more than a list of test scores) as related to the needs identified in the evaluation report or any previous IEP

Either PLAAFP, or annual goal must have a measureable baseline/starting point. Do not use vague or subjective terms; i.e. define what is meant by “improve” (improve from ____ to ____).

PLAAFF

Sample of Noncompliance

Jamal is presently a 5th grade student. Last year his grades were mostly A’s and B’s. He struggles with writing and spelling.

PLAAFF

Sample of Compliance

Jamal knows many mechanical rules. He correctly capitalizes and uses appropriate ending punctuation for all of his sentences. However, in a recent writing sample, he was unable to spell sight words such as “then” and “there” as well as many of the shorter words (four letters or less). Due to his written expression difficulties, he will need to continue work on spelling within a small group. His ability to accurately express himself in writing will impact his participation during independent writing tasks.

PLAAFF

Sample of Non-Compliance

Martin has a Full Scale IQ score of 86. He did not meet expectations on his MCA Reading or Math scores. Martin has many behavior incidents, although the severity of the incidents has lessened.

PLAAFF


Martin’s intellectual abilities fall within the average to low average range. His memorization and processing speed were relatively strong, compared to lower reasoning and conceptual thinking skills. Classroom teachers noted that Martin is turning in assignments on time, responds well to redirection and is beginning to positively interact with peers. Martin has had seven behavioral incidents this school year compared to sixteen during the last school year. Five of these incidents were due to peer conflict and three of those led to disruptive behavior and his removal from the classroom. Although the severity of behavioral incidents has decreased, negative peer interactions are keeping Martin out of class, preventing him from focusing in class and thus result in him falling behind in academics.

Short and Long Term Goals and Objectives

Every IEP must include a statement of measurable annual goals and objectives related to meeting the students needs that result from the students disability to enable the student to be involved in the progress in the general curriculum, and in meeting each of the pupil’s other educational needs that result from the pupil’s disability.

Annual Goals be focused on the following: Each Annual Goal must come from the needs that are on a student’s

most recent Evaluation Report. We should avoid using “age appropriate” and “grade level” as they are

not measurable unless otherwise defined as to the specific meaning of those terms.

Annual Goals should be individualized based on student needs. Goals should not be based on goals of all students like earning passing grades.

Short & Long Term Goals and Objectives

Clarify that Annual Goals must: Be measurable, including a clear baseline and ending

level. Include at least 2 short term objectives used to

demonstrate progress toward goal. Be accomplishable in one year. Meet all the student’s needs resulting from disability

and as identified in most recent evaluation.

Short & Long Term Goals and Objectives

Five Components of a Goal: direction of change ie. “increase or decrease”; skill or behavior; present level of performance; the expected annual ending level of performance.

Questions?

Special Education and Related Services

Related Services are Related services are defined as “transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.”

The IEP must include a statement of the related services and supplementary aids and services based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to or on behalf of the student, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided in order for the child: To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals To be involved and progress in the general curriculum To participate in extracurricular and other non-academic activities.

The following related services have specific requirements: supplemental aides and services program modifications supports for school personnel 1:1 paraprofessionals Assistive Technology.

When Does an IEP Have to be in Effect?

The IEP must include: Projected date for the beginning of services and

modifications. The anticipated frequency, location, and duration of

services and modifications.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

When writing the LRE statement (page 6 of the IEP), we much define and describe to what extent the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in extra-curricular and non-academic activities.

The LRE statement must include the following descriptions: Describe why the nature and severity of the disability is

such that student must be removed from general education to receive services.

Describe what the child is missing with general education peers when pulled out for direct services.


Does your LRE statement answer the following questions?

Why the student must be removed from general education settings in order to receive services?

What is the student missing when receiving services away from general education peers?

Does the LRE match the service grid?



Ricky will spend no less than 79% of his school day in a general education setting with his peers. He will receive the majority of his special education services in the general education setting.



Ricky needs intensive social skills instruction and practice in a small group situation in order to improve his ability to resolve conflict and cooperate with peers. He will receive this instruction from the social worker and EBD teacher during his study hall.



Amanda needs a quiet environment with few distractions in order to progress in her academics. She will also use the resource room to organize her materials and complete classroom assignments.



Due to Amanda’s significant information processing deficits in the areas of auditory acquisition and organization related to sequencing words, she needs small group reading instruction with repeated directions in multiple formats. Therefore, she will be removed from general education reading to receive this instruction.

LRE Explanation- Page 6 of the IEP

Modification of Assessment

The IEP must include a statement of any accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on state wide assessments

If a student takes an alternative assessment there needs to be a statement of why they cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the selected alternative assessment is appropriate.

Prior Written Notice (PWN)

Districts are required to give parents written notice when: they conduct an evaluation for special education, change placement, time, services, goals, in a

student’s IEP, and when discontinuing services through exiting or

graduation.


There are 5 questions on the PWN that must be answered.

1. A description of the action proposed or refused. The IEP itself is not an action that is proposed; the action

is the information included in the IEP. On an annual IEP it is not compliant to write that “the

district is proposing the annual IEP from the meeting of mm/dd/year.”

There must be a greater level of detail. For example, “The district is proposing to provide continued direct instruction in reading to address Johnny’s Specific Learning Disability. He will continue to receive services in the resource room as well as accommodations and modification in the classroom.”


2. An explanation of why the district proposes or refuses to take action. This question should explain the reasons the district is

proposing the action described in question 1. Why is the district proposing #1 above? Because:

“Johnny has not made sufficient progress on his IEP goals and continues to demonstrate a need for special education and related services to address his Specific Learning Disability in reading.”


3. A description of any other options that the district considered and the reasons those options were rejected.

The IEP team made choices about the placement, services, time, location, and accommodations that the child will receive; these are documented in the proposed IEP. Question 3 is asking you to document that there was consideration of more than one option for providing the student with the optimal combination of services, time, accommodations, etc. to ensure success in reaching his/her goals.

This question wants you to discuss the choices that the team considered but did not select and why they were not selected.

Examples: perhaps changing the student’s placement was considered but rejected because his/her needs are able to be met in the classroom. Perhaps increasing service time was considered but the team decided this wasn’t necessary because the student continues to make progress at the current level of service. According to MDE, there are always other considerations. The answer to this question can never be “None.”


4. A description of each evaluation, procedure, record or report the district used as a basis for the proposed action.

This question is asking for a description of the things the team looked at to make their decision. For an IEP the basis could include

parent and teacher input,

classroom performance,

formal assessment results, or

progress on previous IEP goals and objectives.


5. A description of any other factors that are relevant to the district’s proposal or refusal.

This is the place to document any other circumstances that might be important to this student’s particular situation such as behavior, Limited English Proficiency, Blind or Visual Impairment, Communication Needs. It is okay to write “none” or “there are no other factors” if there are none. This section cannot be left blank.


PWN Q & A:

Progress Reporting

When reporting progress on students goals, we must address the extent to which progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

The check box indicating level of progress must be checked for each goal

An explanation of progress toward annual goal needs to be written.

Must include the date

Progress Reporting Continued

The IEP must have a statement indicating how the parents will be informed of progress (Written) and how often (2 times during the duration of the Annual IEP).

Progress Reporting Continued

No matter what the method, documentation must be in the file to show all required components of a written progress report including:

date progress on goals and objectives the extent to which progress is sufficient for the child to

meet the goal by the end of the school year

Extended School Year

ESY is special education services that are provided to a student outside of the normal school year.

ESY is used to maintain skills that a student has acquired from the previous school year.

Extended School Year (ESY)

How do students qualify?

A. If a student displays regression/recoupment.

B. The student needs to maintain self sufficiency.

C. The pupil has unique needs.

Observations and Data Collection

When determining if the student is eligible for ESY, observations and data collection need to be documented.

Data must be collected for each service and the student must qualify for ESY under each service.

Regression/Recoupment

When documenting for regression/recoupment, data collection must be taken before and after the extended break.

When collecting data after an extended break, staff must wait the same number of days as the extended break before collecting data.

Data collection must be a minimum time frame of 10 school days.

Data collection will be done before and after the extended break.

Example…

Susie Q has 10 school days off for Winter Break. Special Education staff will collect data 10 days prior to the break. After school resumes, staff will wait 10 school days until collecting data and doing observations of Susie Q.

If Susie Q shows a regression of the skills after the 10 day waiting period, she may qualify for ESY.

*Documentation must be present in order to qualify a student.

Maintaining Self Sufficiency

Self-sufficiency refers to the functional skills necessary for a pupil to achieve a reasonable degree of personal independence as typically identified in the annual IEP goals for a child requiring a functional curriculum.

To attain self-sufficiency, a pupil must maintain skills consistent with the

child’s IEP goals in any of these skill areas:

① Basic self-help, including toileting, eating, feeding, and dressing

② Muscular control

③ Physical mobility

④ Personal Hygiene

⑤ Impulse control

⑥ Development of stable relationships with peers and adults

⑦ Basic communication

⑧ Functional academic competency, including basic reading and writing skills, concepts of time and money, and numerical or temporal relationships

Unique Needs

∗ The IEP team may determine that ESY services are necessary, based on the unique needs of the child, for reasons OTHER than a significant regression in skill or knowledge or self-sufficiency needs.

∗ The “unique needs” under which ESY services are based must be documented in the special education file.

Example

A student has been absent due to medical reasons, ESY can be used to help the student make up for the lost instructional time.

Sample of Data Collection

Data needs to show the student’s level of progress prior to the break and after the recoupment period.

This is necessary for all skills that want to be addressed during ESY.

Things to consider…

Student’s progress and maintenance of skills during the regular school year.

Student’s degree of impairment. Student’s rate of progress. Student’s behavioral and physical problems. Availability of alternative resources. Student’s ability and need to interact with

nondisabled peers. Areas of the student’s curriculum which needs

continuous attention. Student’s vocational needs.

ESY Checklist

Entering Data on SpEd Forms

Example

Service Minutes

When entering service minutes, they have to be LESS than the amount of services minutes the student would receive during the school year.

The student will attend ESY for only the services he/she qualifies for.

Services for ESY also need to match the services from theIEP.

ESYSelf-Sufficiency

Clarify that the IEP team must determine a pupil is in need of ESY services if services are necessary for the pupil to attain and maintain self-sufficiency because of the critical nature of the skill addressed by an annual goal, the pupil's age and level of development, and the timeliness for teaching the skill.

“Self-sufficiency” refers to the functional skills necessary for a pupil to achieve a reasonable degree of personal independence as typically identified in the annual IEP goals for a child requiring a functional curriculum.

Self-sufficiency needs may apply to any disability category.

Self-Sufficiency Attainment

To attain self-sufficiency, a pupil must maintain skills consistent with the child's IEP goals in any of these skill areas: (1)basic self-help, including toileting, eating, feeding, and

dressing; (2)muscular control; (3)physical mobility; (4)impulse control; (5)personal hygiene; (6)development of stable relationships with peers and

adults; (7)basic communication; or (8)functional academic competency, including basic

reading and writing skills, concepts of time and money, and numerical or temporal relationships

Behavior Intervention Plan

The objective of any behavioral intervention must be that pupils acquire appropriate behaviors and skills. It is critical that behavioral intervention programs focus on skills acquisition rather than merely behavior reduction or elimination.

Behavior Intervention Plan

Need: The student has difficulty staying on-task and shuts down when he becomes frustrated when doing tasks.

Positive Alternative Behaviors: The student will hand in his work on time with 80% accuracy as documented in student file.


Statement related to behavior: Adrian leaves the classroom abruptly and without permission.

Positive Alternative Behaviors: Adrian will identify when he is feeling so anxious he has to leave the room. When he has identified the feelings, he will signal the teacher with a red card. The teacher will call a paraprofessional. Adrian and the paraprofessional will walk to the resource room and practice calm breathing techniques and then come up with a plan to address the anxiety. Adrian will tell the paraprofessional the plan and she will write it down.

Transfer of Rights

The child should be informed of the transfer of rights at age 18 before their 17th birthday.

We must provide notice required by this part to both the child and the parents; and all rights accorded to the parents under Part B of the Act transfer to the child.

FYI: All rights accorded to parents transfer to children at age of majority who are incarcerated in an adult or juvenile, state or local correctional institution

Beginning no later than one year before the student reaches the age of majority under state law (age 18), the IEP must include a statement that the child and parents have been informed of the child’s rights, if any, that will transfer to the child on reaching age of majority. (Bottom of Page 5 on IEP)

The Transfer of Rights section of the IEP is found at the bottom of the Transition Services page.

Transfer of Rights Cont…

Secondary TransitionTimeline

During grade 9, the plan must address the student's needs for transition from secondary services to postsecondary education and training, employment, community participation, recreation, and leisure and home living

Secondary Transition: Key Elements for Compliance:

Post secondary goals must be based on at least two age-appropriate transition assessments. Assessments may be formal or informal: Formal assessments are performed by trained personnel. Standardized

and criterion-referenced instruments are administered to the student, and can include interest tests, aptitude tests, and hands-on work samples. Have a manual to interpret data.

Informal assessments consist of gathering existing information on a student, reviewing and compiling that data so as to make decisions about future goals. This information may include academic data, previous testing,

observations, interviews, questionnaires, rating scales, and surveys.

Both assessments must be documented in the ER

Secondary TransitionPost Secondary Goals

There must be appropriate measurable postsecondary goal(s) that cover education or training, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills.

IEP must include postsecondary goals in the areas of education/training and employment whether or not the child’s skill level in these areas is appropriate. Needs in the area of independent living is determined by IEP team.

The goal is an outcome that occurs after the child leaves high school, it must be measurable, and indicate what the child “will” do after high school.

Education/training Example: “After graduation John will attend the Job Corps Center full time and successfully complete their culinary arts program to attain a Culinary Arts Certificate.”

Employment Example: “Sam will obtain a full-time position at a landscaping business after high school”.

Writing Measurable Postsecondary Goals

When: After high school…

Who: Student

What: Use results-oriented terms such as enrolled in, participate in, work and live independently

How: Use descriptors such as full time and part time

Example: “After high school Sally will work as a fulltime clerk at a clothing store.”

Secondary TransitionAnnual Goals

There must be annual IEP goals that will reasonably enable the child to meet the post secondary goals. Measurable post secondary goals drive the annual transition

goals. Annual transition goals are the yearly “steps” designed to

enable the child to achieve their postsecondary goals. Annual transition goals must reasonable enable the child to

meet their postsecondary goal(s) by the end of high school. Annual transition goals must be updated yearly.

Annual transition goals may address transition and academic or functional needs at the same time. For example, a child who has academic needs related to

spelling and written expression and a corresponding transition need of completing a college application form and essay may have one annual goal that covers both needs in his/her IEP.

Secondary TransitionWriting Annual Goals

Provide the basis for instruction, describing academic and functional goals to meet the child’s needs that result from the student’s disability.

Measurable: Skills or behaviors that can be observed and counted; can be monitored frequently; to be accomplished within the 12-month term of the IEP.

What does the student need to learn or do academically?

What does he or she need to learn or do functionally?

What’s reasonable to achieve in a year?

Can you measure whether or not the student has reached their goal?


Non-Compliant:

“Jamal will improve his self-advocacy skills.”


Compliant:

“Jamal will improve his self-advocacy skills from his current level of being able to name his disability (SLD) to being able to describe his academic strengths and weaknesses, including his needed modifications and adaptations in the educational environment.”


Non-Compliant:

“Paul will be able to understand and use the public bus schedules.”


Compliant:

“Paul will improve his ability to understand the metro bus system from his current level of not understanding how to use the bus schedule to being able to correctly respond to questions and scenarios relating to bus schedule maps and schedule times with 90% accuracy.”

Secondary TransitionServices

Transition services in the IEP focus on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child to facilitate their movement from school to post-school.

Transition services must specifically address the annual goals designed to assist the child in meeting his/her postsecondary goals.

Transition services must meet the definition of a “results-oriented process” that facilitates the child’s movement from school to post-school activities including: postsecondary education vocational education integrated employment (including supported employment) continuing and adult education adults services independent living, and/or community participation

Transition services are based on the child’s needs, taking into account their strengths, preferences and interests and include: specialized instruction, related services, courses of study, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and if appropriate, the acquisition of daily living skills and the provision of a functional vocational evaluation.

Questions?Thank You!

cimp compliance training elementary staff november 8, 2013

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