Identification & Special Education Questions
A team has only * days to complete the evaluation process after the parent has given verbal consent and * days after receiving a written referral for assessment?
What are 60 days to complete the evaluation process after the parent has given verbal consent and 90 days after receiving a written referral for assessment. (found on page 5)
You should receive a copy of all of the documents that the IEP team plans to discuss at the meeting.
What is at least 5 business days before the IEP meeting.
Services provided to your child so that he can benefit from special education instruction.
What are related services.
A voluntary process which both the school and the parent must agree to in which an external, independent, neutral and trained person can assist the IEP team process by running the meeting, particularly when there have been conflicts.
What is a "facilitated" IEP meeting?
A child with a disability may be held to this for up to 10 consecutive school days in the same manner as a regular education student. The school system does not have to consider whether the conduct was related to the disability before this act for fewer than 10 days.
What is suspended or expelled?
However, federal and state laws offer protections to students with disabilities who are facing suspensions that are greater than 10 school days or are facing expulsion. (Expulsion is the dismissal of a student from the school system, although it may also be for a specific period of time, such as a semester.) For exclusions greater than 10 school days, the school system must follow certain procedures and determine whether the conduct was related to the student’s disability. A child whose behavior problems are not related to his disability may be subject to the normal suspension or expulsion procedures and penalties.
A document that describes the special education and related services your child is to receive.
Every eligible child with a disability is entitled to receive these.
What is an IEP?
What is a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
Students have the right to be invited to participate in the IEP team process at this age.
"What is 14 years of age" pg.
If at any time the school system fails to provide related services as stated on the IEP, the parent has the right to...
What is request mediation, a due process hearing or file a complaint with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).
An informal process, which both the parent and school system agree to, of having an impartial trained person try to help you and the school system reach an agreement about your child's special education program and services. If you come to an agreement, it will be put in writing. If you do not come to an agreement, the mediation discussion will remain confidential and can not be used in any subsequent due process hearing. If a school system fails to implement a mediation agreement, you can go to court to enforce the agreement.
What is Mediation?
2. The behavior involves drugs, weapons or serious bodily injury
3. A hearing officer may order a change in your child's placement to an "appropriate interim alternative educational setting"
What is when your child can be removed from school for more than 10 consecutive days?
An IEP team must consider this information but is not required to accept the findings and recommendations from private providers.
What are outside assessment reports. Pg.9
Once the IEP is developed, it is the responsibility of the ____________ to determine the least restrictive environment in which the IEP can be implemented
"What is the IEP Team" pg. 15
These can include, but are not limited to: classroom or one-to-one aide, curriculum modifications (changes in the classwork), testing accommodations, peer tutoring (having a student with certain skills work with your child to help her learn those skills), individualized behavioral intervention programs, untimed tests, or the provision of a tape recorder, computer or other assistive technology.
What are supplementary aids and services?
A formal way to resolve a dispute between you and the school system about your child's educational program. An administrative law judge, appointed through the state runs the hearing.
What is a due process hearing?
During the IEP process, the school system ultimately retains control over every decision. By requesting a hearing, you can take this decision-making control away from the school system. The hearing officer will then make the decision. The hearing can address any issue related to the provision of special education and related services to your child. However, a due process hearing must be filed within 2 years of the date that you knew, or should have known, about the alleged violation.
This meeting must occur within 10 school days from the date your child was excluded from school. In the meeting the team must decide if your child's behavior (what your child did that resulted in the disciplinary action) is related to his disability. This meeting is called...
What is a "manifestation" IEP team meeting.
These help a student move from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, independent living, community participation or other adult services. If child is 14 or older, they need to be included on the IEP.
What are transition services.
What must an IEP Describe? What must be included on an IEP?
Your child's disability and how it affects her ability to learn.
Your child's present level of educational performance.
The annual goals and short-term instructional objectives for your child. These goals and short-term objectives must be related to enabling your child to be involved in and make progress in the general curriculum and should be designed to be achieved over the course of the school year.
The specific special education and related services your child will receive and the anticipated duration, location and frequency of each service.
The objective ways that progress toward meeting the annual IEP goals will be measured and reported.
Whether your child needs extended school year (ESY) services.
If your child is 14 or older, the transition services she will receive to help her prepare for life after leaving the school system.
The supplementary aids and services to be provided, and the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided, so that your child can be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum and participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.
The extent to which your child will not participate in regular education classes or regular typical early childhood settings.
Strategies, including positive behavioral interventions and supports, to address behavior, if your child’s behavior interferes with his learning or the learning of other students.
Your child's need for Braille if she is blind, or may be blind in the future.
Your child's language needs if she has limited English proficiency.
Your child's communication needs, and if she is deaf, the child's mode of communication
Whether your child may need AT devices and services
Your child is included with peers without disabilities in academic settings and non-academic and extracurricular activities, and she gets any special services needed within a general education classroom. It is also the creation of programs and services where all children feel welcomed and valued.The main features are access (offering a wide range of activities and environments and removing physical barriers), participation (using a variety of teaching approaches), and supports (providing professional development and collaboration with families).
What is inclusion?
The requirement to present enough evidence to the judge to prove the case. The party that asks for the due process hearing has the responsibility of proving this.
What is burden of proof?
This examines the student's behavior, tries to figure out the reasons why it may occur, and determines how to address the behavior.
What is a functional behavior assessment?
Children receiving services through the Infants and Toddlers Program have a plan which describes the services the child and family will receive. That plan is called an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Before the child turns 3, the local school system must convene an IEP team meeting to determine if a child in transition from a local Infants and Toddlers Program has a disability or a developmental delay that requires the provision of special education and related services.
What must parents provide before special education services may begin?
What is an eligibility determination meeting. pg. 9
What is written consent.
*Ask questions
*progress towards IEP goals
*provide your input on proposed new goals
*an objective way to measure your child's progress towards goals
*why specific services have been recommended and when the frequency of those services
*positive strategies, services, and supports to address problems
*Explanation as to why the school system wants to make any proposed changes to the IEP and whether any other changes should be made
What should happen/parent's rights at the IEP team meeting.
If your child has critical life skills that meet any one or more of these criteria, he should be found eligible for these:
*Regression/recoupment (whether your child will, or is likely to regress (lose skills) if he does not get these services
*Degree of progress (how much progress your child has made during the school year--if not much, he may be eligible for these)
*Emerging skills/breakthrough opportunities (is your child in the process of gaining new critical life skills such as reading, toilet training, or walking-if so, he may qualify for these)
*Interfering behavior (does your child have behavior that interferes with his ability to make educational progress-if so, he may qualify for these)
*Nature and/or severity of the disability (if your child has a very severe disability, particularly if progress is very slow, he may qualify for these)
*Special circumstances (your child may qualify for these if an unusual situation exists)
What are Extended School Year Services?
*There is an emergency situation and these are necessary to protect the student and others from imminent, serious, physical harm after less intrusive interventions have been attempted or deemed inappropriate
*The child's IEP or behavior plan describes the specific behaviors and circumstances in which these can be used
*A parent of a student with disabilities has provided written consent while a behavior plan is being developed
What are the circumstances when either restraint or seclusion can be used.