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Welcome to IEP

January 11, 2022

Today’s Topic: Sections 1-4

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Sign in

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Recognize EXCELLENCE in

Special Education!

Both students and teachers have been working very hard in these past few months. Please consider nominating a student with a disability or an educator that serves students with disabilities for one of the following awards:

*The R.A. Horn Award recognizes the efforts and hard work of our students with disabilities.

Click on this link to nominate for the: R.A. Horn Outstanding Student Achievement Award

*The Franklin B. Walter Award recognizes the efforts and hard work of our staff members that serve students with disabilities.

Click on this link to nominate for the: Franklin B Walter Outstanding Teacher / Staff Achievement Award

Deadline to Nominate: February 25, 2022

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Let’s start at the very beginning...

The district in which the student resides

The district in which the student is served

SSID Number

The information reported on the cover page is very important as much of the info here will become part of the EMIS record that districts must submit for annual reporting. The accuracy of this information is extremely important.

The DOR is the district in which the student resides. The DOR is responsible for ensuring that an IEP is developed and implemented for each child with a disability residing in the school district. Districts that have students who are educated outside their district are still responsible for initiating and documenting meetings for the purpose of developing, reviewing, and revising the IEP. DOR must maintain communication with the District of Service, in those cases, in order to ensure compliance and accurate implementation of the IEP.

Community Schools are the District of Residence, however, when a community school places a child in a separate facility for their academics and/or functional service, the community school remains the DOR and continues to be responsible for the education of that child.

The DOS is the district that’s responsible for implementing the services contained within the IEP.

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The date that the IEP team met is recorded here.

At least one of these must be checked to indicate the meeting type.

*If a Transition Plan is included in the IEP, ‘Other’ must also be checked and ‘Transition’ written in this space

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The first date the IEP will be implemented.

The meeting date + 364 days.

The date the last ETR was signed.

The date the last ETR was signed plus 3 years.

Note: An IEP can not be active for more than 364 days from when the IEP was agreed upon and signed by the IEP team.

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Information added here should include the most important information someone would need to know about the student:

Behavior concerns

Medical concerns

Adjusted school hours

Self-care needs

Court directives, etc.

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The date the team met to amend

When amending an IEP, please remember that you also have to revise the meeting date on the cover page to match the date the team met for the amendment and also do a PR-01. (This is very important for EMIS reporting).
While the start date changes, the end date of the IEP does not change. Amending does not lengthen an IEP.
Section 7 start dates only need to be changed if the amendment alters something in one of those areas.

It’s in two sections of 34 CFR 300.324

(4) Agreement.

(i) In making changes to a child’s IEP after the annual IEP Team meeting for a school year, the parent of a child with a disability and the public agency may agree not to convene an IEP Team meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the child’s current IEP.

(ii) If changes are made to the child’s IEP in accordance with paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this section, the public agency must ensure that the child’s IEP Team is informed of those changes.

(5) Consolidation of IEP Team meetings. To the extent possible, the public agency must encourage the consolidation of reevaluation meetings for the child and other IEP Team meetings for the child.

(6) Amendments. Changes to the IEP may be made either by the entire IEP Team at an IEP Team meeting, or as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, by amending the IEP rather than by redrafting the entire IEP. Upon request, a parent must be provided with a revised copy of the IEP with the amendments incorporated.

Basically, what this means is that the IEP team could be convened to amend the IEP, or the district rep (or designee) on behalf of the district could contact the parent and if the parent agrees, the IEP can be amended. This can be done via telephone call or email or virtual as well as in person. The rest of the IEP team needs to be informed and a copy of the amended IEP and prior written notice issued to the parent before implementing the amendment.

This is in the Operating Standards with the same language (Ohio follows federal law here) starting on page 126.

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This section should include a statement that discusses the child’s future. The IEP team shall ensure that the family and child’s preferences and interests are an essential part of the planning process.
Always obtain current parent and student input
This section may be completed prior to the meeting as long as you’ve gathered information before the meeting
For transition-age youth, information about where the student will live should be included in this section.

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Let’s talk about these in a little more detail…

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https://www.walterhav.com/podcasts-index/alphabet-soup-for-educatators-fbas-bips-idea/

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If yes, must also complete Sectio n 16

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Does the child have communication needs (required for deaf or hearing impaired)?

Here is the full language: Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child’s language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child’s language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child’s language and communication mode;

For whom does the Communication Plan need to be completed?

The Communication Plan must be completed for any student who is receiving special education services through an IEP and has a documented hearing loss, including Deafblind, Deaf, hearing impaired, plus any additional disability. This includes an auditory processing disorder and conductive, sensorineural, unilateral, bilateral, or mixed hearing loss.

OEC’s Supports and Monitoring Section has stated that if “yes” is check in answer to the question, “Does the child have communication needs (required for deaf or hearing impaired)?” they will be looking for a communication plan, or a communication goal.

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Before you check this box ‘No’…

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Assistive Technology encompasses devices in the areas of:

Writing
Reading
Communication
Math
Computer Access
Hearing
Vision
Positioning, Seating, Mobility

More than just communication!

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Low Tech: non-electronic aids such as pencil grips, slant boards

Mid Tech: battery-operated devices such as talking calculators and spell checkers

High Tech: more complex electronic systems such as voice-recognition systems, screen readers, portable electronic magnifiers

Assistive technology tools can be categorized three ways:

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Assistive Technology is also a Service?

As defined by the IDEA, an assistive technology service is any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, and use of an assistive technology device. The terms include-

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AT Services include:

Evaluation for AT
Providing of AT
Customizing
Coordinating with therapies/interventions
Training for the child in the use of an AT device/tool
Training for the professionals, service providers, family members

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To think carefully about
Discussion of potential assistive technology necessary to receive FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)
Not ignored or skipped over
Not just for students with severe disabilities
Brief…no more than 15 minutes

Consideration is…

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Consideration can only take place after goals and objectives have been developed.
Each IEP team must consist of at least one member with sufficient knowledge of assistive technology devices, as well as services which will be required by the student.
Each IEP team must consist of at least one member with sufficient knowledge of where to turn for greater expertise when difficult questions arise.

Facts about AT consideration:

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If the student is currently using AT, is the tool adequate to address the new goals and objectives?

Points to Consider:

Does the student need AT to access the curriculum.

Does the student need AT to access instructional materials?

Does the student need AT to access the technology used

by other students?

Could AT help the student be more independent in his/her

learning environment?

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Texas 4-Step Model �

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

Review present levels of performance and evaluation data.

Develop goals and objectives.

Determine if any tasks are difficult or impossible for the student.

Decide whether or not AT devices and services are required and document decisions.

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Only 3 possible decisions can be made from Assistive Technology consideration:

AT is not needed.

AT is needed and is being used successfully.

AT is needed, but the team is unsure about specific technology needed.

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If the IEP team determines that Assistive Technology is needed or is currently being used successfully by the student, the team checks the box ‘Yes’ in step 2 on the IEP.

The IEP team must also incorporate that AT appropriately within the body of the IEP.

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Summarize all relevant educational needs and performance of the child- the Big Picture
Summarize interests, strengths, & weaknesses of the student
Progress on previous year’s goals- relevant functional, academic, and/or behavioral information
Background info including medical information
Summarize how the student’s disability affects their involvement and progress in general education
Summarize parent input

Copy and paste of the ETR

The Profile should be written in language understandable to all team members

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Summarize Special Instructional Factors that will be incorporated into the IEP
Summarize recent assessments
Provide a summary of the student’s prioritized needs (in the case of a student with multiple needs and perhaps needs will be prioritized)
Sensory needs that impact learning
Medical and/or safety needs

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OPTIONAL: ESY Decision-Making Form

The school district shall consider the following when determining if extended school year services should be provided:

• Whether extended school year services are necessary to prevent significant regression of skills or knowledge retained by the child so as to seriously impede the child's progress toward the child' educational goals; and

• Whether extended school year services are necessary to avoid something more than adequately recoupable regression. OAC 3301-51-02 (G)

ESY must be considered for each goal. ESY services may happen at any time the school is not in session.

Per Bernadette: Keep in mind that the purpose of ESY is to prevent or slow severe skills regression caused by interruption of Spec ed services, not to enhance present levels or educational performance. Decisions are should be based upon the construct of skill regression/recoupment. Based upon a 6th circuit court decision in Ohio- ESY only when it’s determined that a student might regress in a critical skill area to such an extent that recoupment might take an unusually long period time.

Per SST 8’s modules:

3 criteria for eligibility:

regression/recoupment
Emergence of skill
Degree & nature of disability

There’s no requirement that a preschool student previously have attended school to determine the need for ESY.

Not the same as compensatory education

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https://tinyurl.com/SSTfeedback21-22

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Check out our other upcoming PD and Networks:

SSTr2.org

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Intervention Specialist Network- Jan 26, 2022

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Questions?

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Next Session: Section 5

1/18 and 1/20