New Evaluation Personnel Orientation (2013-2014)

Welcome to HISD!!

Dr. Rebecca MartinezDr. Shuk Wa Wong

Agenda—The Big Picture

• Ground Norms

• Welcome and Introductions

• HISD & OSES Organizational Structures

• District Goals

• OSES Priorities

• Sources of Special Education Rules and Regulations

• Child Study Procedures and Resources

• Tips for the Year

Ground Norms• Listen to each other.

• Honor the ideas and opinions of your colleagues.

• Be an active participant.

• Be open to new ideas and new learning.

• Offer to help.

• HAVE FUN!!

Welcome and Introductions• How long have you lived in Houston?

• Have you worked for HISD before? If so, in what role and for how many years?

• Why did you choose the field of special education…..and more specifically, the role of educational diagnostician or LSSP?

• Graduate programs differ in how educational diagnosticians or LSSPs are prepared. In what area did your program do a very good job? In what area did your program drop the ball?

Houston ISD Organizational Structure

Office of Special Education Services

Charter Schools

& Community/Alternative Education

Holly Ortego

District Goals

• Dr. Greer

• Other assistant superintendents

District Core Values

CORE VALUES: Define Who We Are

• Safety Above All Else—Safety takes precedence over all else. A safe environment must be provided for every student and employee.

• Student Learning Is the Main Thing—All decisions and actions, at any level, focus on and support “the main thing”: effective student learning.

• Focus on Results and Excellence—Each employee focuses on results and excellence in individual and organizational efforts.

District Core Values

• Parents Are Partners—Parents are valued partners in the educational process, serving as the child’s teacher in the home. All school and district activities will give proper consideration to the involvement of parents.

• Common Decency—The district shall be responsive and accountable to the public and its employees. Community members and employees shall receive respectful and courteous treatment.

• Human Capital—Through recruitment, retention, dismissal, and professional-development programs, the district will work to make sure students are served by the top talent available, from teachers to superintendents

OSES Priorities

• Student Outcomes STAAR Results Disproportionality Discipline

• Data Integrity Section 504 Dyslexia

• Compliance SPP 11 SPP 12

CASE SCENARIOLegal Foundation

Case Scenario

• You just completed an initial evaluation for a second grade student who was referred for autism evaluation. When you helped contact the parent to schedule an ARD to go over the evaluation results, parent indicated that she worked two jobs and could only attend the meeting at 6:00 pm after work at her house because she had no childcare for her younger children. How would you address the situation? Where would you find the legal foundation for your decision?

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Texas Education Agency

Special Education Legal Framework

Texas Education Agency

• http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ Education Laws and RulesClick on Special Education

• Prior Written Notice (example)

Region 18 ESC• Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Process

http://framework.esc18.net/display/Webforms/LandingPage.aspx

• Also found on the Region 18 ESC website Notice of Procedural Safeguards Guide to the ARD Process Side-by-Side: Special Education Rules and

Regulations

SPECIAL EDUCATION TOOLBAR

Installing the Toolbar

Installing the Data Toolbar

• Enter the following website address and look for the Data Toolbar link (listed in the “Blogroll”). http://hisdsped.wordpress.com

• Install the toolbar by clicking on the link and following directions.

• Check the Toolbar for 3 minutes and share some of the sites and features you visited

CHILD STUDY AND LSSP SHAREPOINT

OPERATING GUIDELINES

SPECIAL EDUCATION WEBSITE

TIPS FOR THE YEARGetting Started and Staying on Track

First Things First

• Get to know your MDT colleagues at each of your schools.

• Introduce yourself to the principal.

• Connect with the program specialists at each of your schools. Get to know your lead diagnostician or lead LSSP.

• Go to Easy IEP and generate your re-evaluation case load.

• Meet with the MDT members to develop a reevaluation test schedule for the year.

First Things First …..Continued• Schedule an appointment with Regenia Harris to get your

test kits and load your computers with the testing or scoring software.

• Submit a Test Materials Request to order the protocols you will need.

• Know where to find important forms: Consent Reevaluation packet Request forms for LSSP, Bilingual Diagnostician,

Interpreter, Nurse Consultant, Medical Evaluation, OT/PT, IEE

Medical release forms IAT and 504 forms• Submit mileage reimbursement every 200 miles.• Dress Code

REQUESTS FOR SERVICES

Additional Evaluation Services

How to Request Services for …

• Bilingual Evaluation

• LSSP Request Form

• Medical Evaluation

• Interpreters

• Nurse Consultant

• OT/PT Services

• Audiological Evaluation

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation Procedures

RtI and IAT

• Access the RtI/IAT blog by via the SPED Blog on the Toolbar. http://hisdrti.com/

Timelines—HISD Internal Policies

• Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIIE) Written report shall be completed not later than

the 45th calendar day from the date consent was signed.

ARD/IEP meeting shall be held not later than 15 calendar days or on/before the first day of school if evaluated over the summer.

Responsibilities

• What are the responsibilities of the diagnostician and LSSP?

• Being the Evaluation Case Manager

• Responsibilities Charts

Responsibilities (continued)

• What are the responsibilities of the LSSP?

Evaluation

Counseling/Psychological Services as a Related Service

MDR

Behavioral Consultation and FBA

Intervention—MTSS/Alternatives to Suspension

Provide Support to IAT and Self-Contained Classes

Provide Training to Teachers and Parents

Self-Contained Classrooms-ExercisePrevious Current

Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD)

Structured Learning Class (SLC)

Behavior Support Class (BSC) Preparing Students for Independence Class (PSI)

Structured Learning Class (SLC) Skills for Learning and Living Class (SLL)

Life Skills Class Preschoolers Achieving Learning Skills (PALS)

Multiple Impairment (MI) Class Behavior Support Class (BSC)

Self-Contained Classrooms--AnswerPrevious Current

Structured Learning Class (SLC) Structured Learning Class (SLC)—no change

Multiple Impairment (MI) Class Preparing Students for Independence Class (PSI)

Life Skills Class Skills for Learning and Living Class (SLL)

Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD)

Preschoolers Achieving Learning Skills (PALS)

Behavior Support Class (BSC) Behavior Support Class (BSC)—no change

Process Flowcharts

• 504/Special Education

• ADD/ADHD Identification

• Request for Counseling/Psychological Services as an IEP Related Service

• https://hisdoses.wikispaces.com/OSES+Operating+Guidelines

Behavioralreferral to IAT

Notice todeny

evaluation

Decide toevaluate?

Decide toevaluate?

Yes

MDT meets todiscuss evaluation

needs

ADHDknown?

NoYes

LSSP providesnotice and

obtains consentto test

Diag to securedocumentation

of diagnosis

Diag completesSection 504Evaluation

Report

LSSP completesSection 504Evaluation

Report

LSSP completesADHD

evaluation

Schedule Section 504 committee meeting to reviewevaluation findings and determine eligibility forSection 504 accommodations and/or services

Yes

ADHDknown?

MDT meets todiscuss evaluation

needs

NoYes

LSSP provides noticeand obtains consentto test & Release ofMedical Information

Diag provides noticeand obtains consentto test & Release ofMedical Information

MDTintegrates

report

Diag completes psychoedeval & includes medical

information in thePhysical portion of

report

Diag obtainsDocumentation

of OHI fromphysician

MDT integratesreport

Diag completesPhysical portion

of report

Diag obtainsDocumentation

of OHI fromphysician

within 15-30 days, LSSPprovides Diag with Letter toPhysician, signed Release of

Medical Information andSupporting Information to

Physician to secureDocumentation of OHI

LSSP, Diag & speechpathologist (if

needed) completeevaluation and report

within 60 days

Schedule ARD to review evaluation findings anddetermine eligibility for special education services

No No

ADHD Identification Procedures

Option I

504

Option II

Special Education

Developed by the Office of Special Education Services, HoustonISD, Houston, TX

If DNQ,consider 504

Schedule ARD to review evaluation findings and determineeligibility for special education services

MDT integrates report

Diagnostician complete psychoeducationalevaluation and includes medical information in

Physical portion of report

Diagnostician obtains Documentation ofDisability: OHI from physician

Diagnostician serves as liaisonbetween district and physician

Diagnostician obtains consent totest and Release of Medical

Information

Yes

MDT meets to discussevaluation needs

Decide toevaluate?

IAT (CRC) receives recordof ADHD/ADD disability

Initial Evaluation (ADHD/ADD known)

Nonotice to

denyevaluation

Request for Counseling and Psychological Servicesas an IEP Related Service

Transferstudents

receiving theservices

Part of aninitial

evaluation

Requested by theARD/ IEP committee,

teacher, administrator,other school staff, or

parent

No

Continue toprovideservices

Evaluationneeded?

Review existingdata within 30

days

Continue toprovide services

Evaluationneeded?

Review services need inrelation to instructional

goals & administerscreener (for

counseling) at ARD

Yes No

Explore otherintervention

options

Obtain writtenparental consent toevaluate & provideNotice of Evaluation

to parent

Include results andrecommendations in

the integratedevaluation report

Completecounseling/

psychologicalservices evaluation

Complete evaluationand report

Yes

Counseling Service Providers (in order):1. Qualified Counselor/Social Worker2. LSSP/Psychologist3. SPED Social Worker

Note:1. When qualified counselors/social workers areavailable on campus but are unable to handle allcounseling as anIEP related service cases,LSSPs/psychologists will help out with students withbehavioral disorders (AU, ED, ADHD) who are servedin self-contained classrooms.

2. When qualified counselors/social workers are notavailable on campus,LSSPs/psychologists willprovide counseling as anIEP related service tospecial education studentsarded for the service.When LSSPs/psychologists are unable to handle allcounseling cases,SPED social workers will help out.

Review results in an ARD/ IEP meeting (30-day ARD/ IEP meeting for Transfer students)to determine eligibility for counseling and/or psychological services as an IEP related service

Developed by the Office of Special Education Services, HoustonISD, Houston, TX

Request for Counseling and Psychological Services as anIEP Related Service

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What is one Take Away from today’s training?