IEP and 504 Plan Collaboration

Tips for working effectively with your child’s team

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Presentation by:

Steven M. Harner, Psy.D.

www.CFA-GW.com

Expectations…Discussion Topics

• What do people want to cover or hear about during this presentation?

Disclaimers…

• Presentation cannot adequately cover nuances related to individual cases: best to consult with specific trusted advisors about relevance of items explored during this presentation.
• When in doubt, seek additional consultation

Meet Kevin…

• 8 year old boy in second grade (held back in first grade due to social and academic concerns—did not meet benchmarks for reading/spelling/compreh)
• Teachers describe Kevin as a “curious kid who wants to be liked but doesn’t seem to read social cues well and is periodically disruptive in the classroom”
• Parents report that Kevin “has always seemed a little clueless at times; has an active fantasy life” and needs to be “almost constantly redirected at home.”
• Kevin recently got into a fight with a peer and parents were called into school to discuss the behavior
• Observed reading time a consistent trigger time
• Outpatient PT for leg issue

The Referral Process

What Do We Do About Kevin?

• Student support team scheduled based on referral from teacher
• Parents and teachers completed surveys describing what they observed
• Parents approached pediatrician, who sent surveys to teachers and subsequently diagnosed ADHD
• Whereas medication was recommended, parents reluctant to start medication
• Pediatrician recommended tutor and suggested considering CBT psychotherapy
• The day before the support team convenes, Kevin hit a peer and ran out of class
• Team convenes and observes “more questions”
• Implements a 504 plan based on ADHD dx

Student Support Team Meeting

• This meeting will determine if there is significant suspicion of an educational disability to warrant testing for a 504 plan or special education eligibility
• The team will consider grades, classroom behavior, outside diagnoses, etc.
• Remember that an educational disability is different than a clinical diagnosis and is defined as impacting the child’s ability to access learning in some capacity - this may include poor grades, performance below grade level, missing assignments, difficulty following classroom expectations or working with others, etc
• Even if the team does not refer for testing, informal accommodations or interventions can be put into place within reason

Kevin’s Parents Become “Researchers”

• Based on conversations with friends and family, and reading information on school website about special education services, parents are convinced Kevin needs an IEP
• Parents also wonder if Kevin is showing signs of ASD
• Teacher observes a level of avoidance in Kevin, particularly around reading and spelling assignments where he “becomes that class clown.”
• After multiple redirections, teachers observe Kevin becomes “more and more agitated.”

Special Education Eligibility

Based on data gathered from evaluation and observation

To be found eligible, students MUST meet criteria for one of the following disability categories:

• Developmental delay
• Intellectual disability
• Hearing impairment
• Speech or language impairment
• Visual impairment
• Emotional disturbance
• Orthopedic impairment

AND demonstrate educational need

• Autism
• Traumatic brain injury
• Other health impairment
• Specific learning disability
• Deaf-blindness
• Multiple disabilities

504 vs IEP

A 504 plan

• Is accommodations for an existing condition that significantly impacts a student’s ability to perform functions such as performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, concentrating, and working
• Is not service time or adjusted curriculum
• May include accommodations such as extended time, access to an elevator, unrestricted bathroom breaks, or chunking

An IEP

• Is an adjustment or addition to the classroom curriculum to meet a child’s needs
• May include push in or pull out services
• Has specific goals related to the identified disability
• Has defined service times that provide the necessary support to make goal progress
• Is rarely a specialized school or classroom

What to expect from an IEP

• Summary of most recent data
• Goals specific to your child’s disability and academic needs
• These will address deficits identified by evaluation or classroom data
• Service times in and out of the classroom

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What not to expect from an IEP

• More service time than is necessary to make goal progress
• Must comply with Least Restrictive Environment guidelines
• Helps maintain progress without ongoing specialist support
• Goals that address behaviors or concerns that do not occur at school, interfere with learning, or occur because of an identified educational disability
• Example: A student who has an IEP to address their specific learning disability in reading will not have a goal related to an issue with transitioning back into the classroom after recess.

How to work WITH your child’s team

• Remember that the school team has the same goal that you do - to help your child be successful! This may look different than you expect
• Start conversations with appreciation statements / areas for which to be grateful
• Share relevant information from private providers (pediatricians, physical/occupational therapists, mental health professionals) with your school team
• Consider how your child’s symptoms or behaviors may or may not impact their learning
• Maintain open lines of communication

How to work WITH your child’s team

• Meetings are often short with many participants. Come to all meetings prepared to speak concisely about your concerns
• Consider establishing a binder with all relevant communication that’s readily accessible
• Write out concerns and questions concisely before the meeting
• Ask for clarification when you do not understand why a decision was made and feel free to take materials home to review before you sign your agreement to anything

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How to work WITH your child’s team

• Sometimes, when meetings are focused on your child’s weaknesses and deficits, this can be a trigger for defensiveness
• Deficits and weaknesses need to be addressed by the IEP and short time may not allow for a thorough review of the many strength a child/teen may also demonstrate
• Share with the team what “works and doesn’t work,” at home.
• Reinforcement of goal behaviors in multiple settings is more likely to lead to positive outcomes

Other Tips…

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• Consider reflective listening techniques, particularly when triggered or anticipating conflict or disagreement
• Repeat what you heard (as much as you can recall) and pause, “did I get that?”
• Follow up with clarifying questions if needed, e.g., “can you say more about what that means?”

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All Well & Good, But Kevin is Still Struggling…

• Parents met with school team to develop 504 plan goals
• After 6 weeks, parents and teachers observe “things don’t seem to be getting better.”
• During Parent/Teacher conference, parents ask teacher if “medication might be helpful.”
• After consultation back with pediatrician, Kevin prescribed medication and parents highly encouraged to seek behavior therapy and consider psychoeducational assessment
• Suggested to reconvene support team

Everybody Meets…Again

• Based on observations by parents, teachers, and pediatrician, support team decides to pursue additional assessment to see if Kevin is eligible for an IEP
• Parents meet with school psychologist, school social worker and an academic assessor
• Data suggests evidence of ADHD, anxiety, and a question of ASD. There is also considerable evidence of a Learning Disability
• Over course of assessment process (about 2 months) parents engage a private psychologist
• Parents, psychologist and school meet
• Kevin found eligible for an IEP

If you feel your child’s needs are not being met:

• Talk with your school team first. Express your concerns and see what solutions may be available
• Consider private services to fill the gap between what the school is obligated to provide and what your child needs (tutoring, psychotherapy, etc)
• Remember that you have the right to agree or not agree with proposed IEP goals and services
• Speak with a knowledgeable third party (such as CFA’s Collaborative School Partners) to better understand what your child’s needs are and how to effectively address them

OK…But, We Can’t Get in to See Anybody? Now What?

• Anxiety Phobia Workbook
• Contact Pediatrician / Family Care Providers
• Reach out to local school resource personnel

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• Consider contacting school social worker and see what county resources may be available?
• CSB
• FAPT

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How CFA can help

• CSP for K-8

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• CSP for high school and college

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CFA