MTSS process
Who do you go to if you have questions/concerns about the MTSS process?
Hoover (math), Thornburg (Literacy), and grade level counselor for behavior
True or false: If a parents discusses academic concerns with you, you must have them put it in writing and make a formal request for EC testing?
False: parent concerns do not always equate to a EC referral. Discuss MTSS process with them and ensure they are in interventions before a referral should be considered.
True or false: If you are present at work on the day of an IEP meeting, you can say you are unavailable at the scheduled time due to lunch/planning?
False. Coverage will be provided for you no matter the scheduled time of the meeting. You may go eat lunch after the meeting is over, if needed.
True or false: Accommodations are only for the EC classroom?
False, accommodations must be implemented in the general ed setting as well
Who are the EC resource teachers at Blythe?
Erin Cooper, Meghan Druin, and Nadine Howell
If I have questions/concerns about a student in my class, what is the best way to discuss this with a member of the EC team?
Email or during a PLC meeting. NOT in the hallway
What constitutes a formal EC referal from a parent?
Request for testing in writing. This can be an email or a written letter. If a parent verbally requests testing, the teacher needs to tell them to put it in writing.
How many IEP meetings is a student required to have a year?
1 annual review is required for all students with an IEP.
How can you figure out what accommodations your student has?
IEP at a glance, go onto ECATS
Who are the related service providers (Speech, OT, PT)?
Lauren Lowden- SLP
Emma Allen- SLP
Hannah Guschel- OT
Natalie Shore- OT
Amy Smith- PT
True or false: If I have speech concerns, the speech therapist can come listen to my student to make recommendations for next steps
False: for legal reasons, a speech therapist cannot listen to students that are not already EC. A pre-referral form has to be completed by someone else. The SLP will review that form and make recommendations for next steps.
Who should I contact if I receive a written parent request?
Any EC resource teacher. Erin Cooper, Meghan Druin, or Nadine Howell.
How often do students with IEPs have to be reevaluated to determine continued eligibility?
Every 3 years, or if the team has suspicions for another eligibility category.
What should I do if my student needs small group for a classroom assessment?
They can take the test at a seperate small table in your classroom, or you can ask an EC teacher to pull them out in a small group (at least one week in advance)
True or false: EC service time can be used to complete classroom makeup assignments?
False. EC service time is for individualized instruction towards the students' IEP goals. EC teachers follow a specialized curriculum to work on their specific areas of need.
When is it appropriate to refer a student to EC due to academic and/or behavioral concerns?
AFTER tier 3 interventions have been in place and sufficient data shows a lack of growth. Child find is also an option, but you need to have data to support this as well.
How long do we have to complete EC testing after a parent makes a referal?
90 days. The timeline begins the day the written request is received, not the day of the referal meeting. This is why it is crucial you notify the EC teacher immediately once a request is received in writing.
What is your role as a general education teacher during an IEP meeting?
Be an active participant and provide valuable information about how the student is performing in the general education classroom. Additionally, you are the note taker during meetings.
What is the familiar listener accommodation?
This is typically for students with many articulation errors that make them difficult to undersdtand. The SLP serving them will collaborate with the teacher administering a verbal assessment (such as DIBELS) to interpret their responses. This ensures they are not scored incorrectly due to speech errors.
What is the difference in resource and extensions?
Extensions is a seperate self-contained classroom where the students are on a different course of study (do not receive a diploma). Resource students remain in general education the majority of their day and receive instruction on the common core standards.
If a student is open for an EC evaluation looking at the category of specific learning disability, how many intervention data points are needed before we can qualify them?
Minimum of 6-8 data points (6-8 weeks as there should be 1 data point per week).
Who is legally allowed to make a parent request for EC testing?
The legal guardian only. Grandparents, aunts, foster parents, DSS workers, etc. can not make requests.
Who are the required members of an IEP team?
Gen ed teacher, EC teacher, parent, LEA, and related service providers (speech, OT, PT)
What should be done by the teacher if they want an accommodation added or removed from a student's IEP?
Gather data to support your request and discuss with the EC teacher prior to an IEP meeting.
What is CPI training and who is certified to do it?
CPI is a nonviolent crisis prevention intervention used to keep students and staff safe. It provides staff with safe ways to restrain students when their behavior is dangerous to themselves or others. At Blythe; the resource teachers, extensions teachers, and speech therapists are trained in CPI.