The Basics
IEPs* shoud be sent how many hours in advance to BOTH the parent and LEA rep?
48 hours in advance of the meeting
*Evaluations are not the same as IEPs
What constitutes a change of placement?
It is considered a change of placement when: “alteration to a student's educational program, such as a significant change to the amount or type of services provided”
What does the "prior" stand for in Prior Written Notice
"prior" to the implementation of the services/placement
As LEA Rep - what are the 3 critical sections of an IEP that should be reviewed prior to the meeting?
KM's answer:
- service matrix (what / how / where /who)
- PLEPs (what does the child need?)
- goal statements (does the goal address the need?)
True or False - the general education teacher must attend the entire IEP meeting
True: the Gen Ed teacher provides support and insight into PLEPs, goals, setting and testing accommodations. They ensure that the proposed accommodations are realistic for the classroom and test settings.
True or False? A parent can bring anybody to an IEP meeting without informing the IEP team.
Technically True. A parent has the write to invite anyone* to and IEP meeting and they do not need to provide notice to the team.
IF a parent brings an attorney without notifying the team DO NOT hold the meeting. The district has a right to have legal counsel present when a parent brings their attorney.
True or False? A re-evaluation is required EVERY time prior to a change of placement?
TRUE.
A re-evaluation is required when changing a child's placement.
The PWN should act as meeting minutes; it should "paint" a picture of what occured during the meeting including: who attened, what was discussed, and if there were any concerns raised during the meeting and what solutions were agreed upon to address the concerns.
What are some considerations the team should discuss when proposing IEP accomodations?
Accomodations SHOULD:
- be being used by the student frequently (ie. not just for testing)
- should have data to determine if it's effective for the student
- should provide access points to the Gen Ed classroom instruction and environment
Can parents or administrators request that IEP data be shared at any point in time?
YES - parents/admin can request to see/review their child's IEP data.
When does admin HAVE to attend as an LEA rep?
When the IEP team anticpates:
- request for services that has financial implication beyond the building level (ie. 1:1, technology devices, NPA request)
- when there is an existing conflict within the team (ie. parents or staff)
- when a change of placment is being requested
- denial of FAPE or request for IEE
What data should the IEP team be collecting and analyzing to determine if a change of placement is needed?
The data can include:
- Discipline reports
- Attendance data
- Isolation/restraint data
- IEP progress data
- Anecdotal/observational notes from the current teacher/ESA
At the high school level, what 2 things MUST be included in a PWN?
The PWN must indicate that the team disucssed:
- pathways to graduation
- progress towards graduation
True or False: Students with extensive support needs can only recieve SDI from their case manager or assigned special education teacher.
False: SDI can be provided by any teacher or educational staff member as long as the SDI is designed and supervised by special education licensed staff.
How many days of suspension triggers a Manifestation Determination (MD) meeting?
10 days.
Any time a child's access is removed from:
- instruction
- peers
- IEP services
it is considered a suspension and adds time towards the 10 days
True or False? Any child with an IEP can access Special Education transportation?
FALSE. The need for Special Education Transporation is determined by the IEP team.
Considerations include:
- Cognitive skills that impact safety
- Physical Access
- Social Emotional/Behavior
True or False: BSD was identified by OSPI as having a disporportionate amount of student placed in outside agencies (ie. Madrona)
True.
In 23-24 we had a 50% increase in the number of white students placed ouside of our system.
True or False: "Court cases have been lost based on the PWN"
TRUE: a weak PWN can be the determining factor in a case. If it's not documented in the PWN it didn't happen. (ie. offer of services and parent denial of services)
What are the 4 categories of IEP accomodations?
Presentation: How information is presented (e.g., audio versions of text, large print).
Response: How the student is required to respond (e.g., verbal responses, dictation).
Setting: The characteristics of the learning environment (e.g., noise levels, seating arrangements).
Timing/Scheduling: The amount of time allowed for tasks and the frequency of breaks.
Can a parent record an IEP meeting?
YES - HB 1051 now allows parents to record IEP/eval meetings without prior notice.
What is the general education teacher responsible for during an IEP meeting?
General Education teachers should come prepared with student's classroom performance data, work samples, student strengths and attendance trends. It is important to also be prepared to discuss accommodations in the student's IEP.
How many change of placements have occured in the 24-25 school year to a more restrictive setting?
26 across K-12
How can LEA rep ensure that they receive a copy of the PWN? This is ESPECIALLY important after a difficult IEP/eval meeting...
1. Ask that the PWN be emailed to the parent and that you are cc'd on the email
2. Ask that a printed copy be given to you by the casemanager
3. Let the SpEd department know and we can get you a copy
4. Log-in to Embrace and review the electronic PWN
What are the 6 components required in a PLEP?
What are:
Name / Title, Date
Evaluation Results: (copied over from most recent evaluation)
Setting: (description of SpEd class)
Present Levels of Performance: ( iReady data, classroom data, etc.)
Previous Year’s Goal(s): (IEP progress data summary)
Alignment with Essential Standard(s):
True or False: When a student has extensive support needs, their curriculum is their IEP, meaning their instruction focuses exclusively on their annual IEP goals.
False: IDEA and ESSA require that all students make progress toward grade-level, general education standards. This applies to all students with disabilities, including those with extensive support needs.