Special Education Program

2017 Review

November 27, 2018

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Presented by: Ms. Roberta Keane; Director of Student Services

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Special Education Review 2017

• Initiated by LPS to identify strengths, needs and recommendations and completed by the Northeast Education Consortium
• Complete evaluation of our programing conducted October-November 2017 by Ms. Sally Smith M.Ed. and Dr. James B. Earley, Ed. D.
• Methods used included: document review, observations and interviews
• Culminated in a report outlining commendations and recommendations

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Programming and Staffing- Oversight of Programs

Recommendation:

• Establish an annual review of program populations

Action Items:

• Establish entrance and exit criteria for all programs K-12

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Preschool Program Development

Recommendation:

• Implement a data driven teaching curriculum

Action Item:

• Tools of the Mind Curriculum has been put in place
• Continued PD for teachers for complete implementation

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Preschool Program Development

Recommendation:

• Arena assessments

Action Item:

• Purchase an assessment tool that lends itself to Arena assessment
• PD time for staff to practice this format with the new tool
• Collaborate with SSS Principal and Team Chair to provide time for Arena assessments

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Co-teaching Model of Instruction

Recommendation:

• Administration needs to decide to what degree co-teaching is going to be used across the district

Action Item:

• Collaborate with ALT to identify and target where co-teaching is the appropriate model of instruction

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Increase of Social Emotional Needs Across the District

Recommendation:

• Further service development for the increase trend in students with social emotional and behavioral needs

Action Item:

• Collaborate with ALT to continue work on the District Strategy to integrate and expand social and emotional supports and resources for all students

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Professional Development

Recommendation:

• Develop a more comprehensive approach to PD for all school based personnel

Action Item:

• Assess the needs for training and PD for other school based personnel such as paraprofessionals and begin implementing targeted PD for paraprofessionals

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Evidenced Based Practice

(Best Practice)

Recommendation:

• Thorough review of evidence based “best practice” applicable to the various special ed programming currently in the district

Action Item:

• Based on the review, continue and/or augment instruction with evidence based “best practice” Ex. A.C.E Curriculum in DLP

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Transition Practices

Recommendation:

• Transition practices need to be documented for all levels and shared with all educators

Action Item:

• Document the transition practices within the district and add them to the LPS Student Services Office Special Education Procedural Manual

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Summary

• There are many commendations in this report, however there is always work to be done to improve our practice.
• This report is a great guiding document to reflect on our practice and continued improvements.
• The report also validates many of the LPS District Strategy priorities and I look forward to working as a team to enhance our overall services and programming for all students.

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