IEP Chairpersons

November 20, 2

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Aspirational GoalsGoal 1: FCPS will equip each and every student to be an empowered learner and an engaged citizen to achieve a positive impact in the local and global community.

Goal 4: FCPS will nurture relationships with families and the entire community, sharing responsibility for student success and demonstrating pride in all aspects of our school system.

Goal 5: FCPS will promote a culture fostering wellness and civility for students and staff.

Leader of the IEP Process

AAs IEP Chairpersons, you are the leader who facilitates the IEP team meeting process as mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

➔ You own the process➔ You set the tone, tempo, and moral

Duly Constituted IEP Team

Purpose ➔ Build your confidence in the role of an IEP

chairperson.➔ Gain knowledge and understanding of the

IEP process.➔ Build instructional knowledge of specially

designed instruction to support the Administrators role in the IEP process.

Today’s Focus The Role of IEP Chairperson

Closing the Achievement Gap through IEP Process➔ Before an IEP team meeting➔ During an IEP team meeting➔ After an IEP team meeting

Systemic State Complaint Outcomes Quarterly How To for IEP Chairpersons Monitoring

Future Meetings PreviewJanuary 2019 (face to face)

➔ Chairperson Do’s and Don’ts

➔ Pressuring Parents make demands: How do Chairpersons respond?

➔ Advice from Rochelle Eisenberg, Special Education Lawyer

Future Meetings PreviewFebruary 2019 (Schoology/Google Hangout)

The Role of IEP Chairperson

Continued Focus:➔ Before an IEP team meeting➔ During an IEP team meeting➔ After an IEP team meeting

Future Meetings PreviewApril 2019 (Schoology/Google Hangout)

The Role of IEP Chairperson

Continued Focus:➔ Before an IEP team meeting➔ During an IEP team meeting➔ After an IEP team meeting

Notes & QuestionsPlease open the Personal Note Taking Tool.

http://bit.ly/NOV20IEPChairNotes File-Make a copy.

Record questions you may have in the appropriate links below.

AM http://bit.ly/AMIEPQuestionsPM http://bit.ly/PMIEPQuestions

Special Education Demographics

Special Education Population

43044604 4810

Disability Total Percentage

Intellectually Impaired 163 3.39%

Hearing Impaired 17 .35%

Deafness 7 .15%

Speech/Language 999 20.77%

Visually Impaired 14 .29%

Emotionally Disabled 225 4.68%

Orthopedically Impaired 7 .15%

Other Health Impaired 730 15.18%

Specific Learning Disability 1082 22.49%

Multiple Disabilities 791 16.44%

Traumatic Brain Injuries 0 0%

Autism 565 11.75%

Developmental Delay 203 4.22% Oct 31, 2018

Population by Disability

Over 80% of students with IEPs have average to above average ability. These students have the ability to achieve like their typical peers. We can make a difference in their achievement and outcomes.

The IEP Process Before the IEP Team Meeting

BEFORE FOCUS

Pre-planning for an IEP Meeting

5 Day Rule

BEFORE

Identify how the collaborative core literacy and/or core math team (at your school) is supporting students prior to an IEP meeting.

Yo Teach!

BEFORECore Literacy and Math

Team Members

*Administrators serve and support both literacy and math teams. *Additional team members may include other related service providers.

Literacy/Math Specialist

Reading/Math Intervention

Teacher

Special Education Teacher

EL Teacher

Common Responsibilities

● Deep understanding of ELA and Math standards● Working knowledge about local ELA and Math assessments (administer and analyze)

○ Strong ability to inform instructional implications● Knowledge of ELA and Math curriculum resources to support instructional delivery by

service provider (EL Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Reading/Math Intervention Teacher, Literacy/Math Specialist)

● Resource to general education teachers for struggling learners

Specialized Skillsets

Distinguished at understanding:

● High quality professional learning

Distinguished at understanding:

● Instructional strategies to support struggling learners

Distinguished at understanding:

● Differentiated and specialized instruction for struggling learners

Distinguished at understanding:

● Second language acquisition; developing the four language domains

BEFOREThe 5 Day Rule

These resources are located on our Special Education website on the IEP Team tab and IEP Team Meeting.

In accordance with Section 8-405 of the Education Article to the Annotated Code of Maryland and to allow parents the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the IEP process, FCPS requires that at least (5) business days before a scheduled IEP team meeting, the parents are to receive an accessible copy of each assessment, report, data chart(s), draft IEP, or other document the IEP team plans to discuss at the meeting, unless extenuating circumstances exist.

5 Day Notice of IEP Meeting Documents

Elementary School 69.9%

Middle School 82.75%

High School 77.5%

How can you, as an IEP chairperson, improve these percentages to achieve 100%?

Leading the IEP Process (Before, During and After)

IEP Chairperson Meeting

Checklist

The IEP Process During the IEP Team Meeting

DURING FOCUS

IEP Meeting Agendas

Prior Written Notice

DURING

How do you know that the Prior Written Notice is tied to the decisions made during the IEP Meeting?

Padlet link

DURING

All IEP teams must have an agenda at the IEP team meeting.

You can find sample agendas for IEP meetings sorted by meeting purpose in the

IEP Chairperson Handbook.

DuringPower in Prior Written Notice (PWN)

The POWER of Prior Written Notice

➔ Who is your IEP note taker? ◆ Are they trained in the legal requirements of IEP note taking?

➔ It is OK to discuss the decisions, but hold the notes.➔ Use the most recent IEP team meeting notes located on FormFinder.

EXEMPLAR PWN EXAMPLES

Leading the IEP Process (Before, During and After)

IEP Chairperson Meeting

Checklist

The IEP Process After the IEP Team Meeting

AFTER FOCUS

Checks and balances after the IEP team meeting is over

➔ IEP Closed➔ PWN and IEP to Parents➔ Ensure the IEP is implemented

AFTER

After the IEP meeting, what checks and balances are in place (at your school) to begin proper implementation of a student’s IEP and progress monitoring?

Backchannel Chat

AFTER

➔ Is the IEP closed within 48 hours of the parent receiving PWN?

➔ Is the completed IEP and PWN sent home within 5 business days after the IEP meeting?

➔ Is a point person assigned to ensure the implementation of the IEP?

Leading the IEP Process (Before, During and After)

IEP Chairperson Meeting

Checklist

IEP Team Process Best Practices

Advice to Facilitate IEP Team Meetings➔ Communicate with family ahead of time➔ Send an agenda home prior to the meeting➔ Invite family into a conference room first and then have staff

enter➔ Set the tone for the meeting-use best practices and group

norms➔ Take a break, if necessary➔ You can end the meeting and reschedule at a time when

emotions are not heightened

How to Handle Parent/Outside Agency Observation Requests

➔ Parents and Outside agencies/service providers request permission to observe students in the instructional setting and to access confidential student information.

➔ These individuals are required to provide signed parent permission to the school administration and follow the guidelines that the school has established.

➔ It is important to maintain the efficacy of instruction and that observers do not disrupt the educational environment by asking questions and attempting to engage the teacher or students in conversation during instructional time.

Systemic State Complaint Outcomes...the “need to know” for IEP Chairpersons

Systemic Monitoring for State Complaint OutcomesObservation in the Specific Learning Disability Eligibility Process

WHATSystemic pattern of:

➔ not observing the students in areas of deficit

➔ Not attaching it to the SLD eligibility worksheet

➔ No documentation of the discussion of the observation in the eligibility process in the IEP team meeting notes

HOWA special educator is to observe the student in the areas of concern discussed at the IEP team using the SE 4 Student Observation found on FormFinder as a part of the evaluation process (For example: Student has difficulty in reading and writing, this area must be marked as observed and include documented observation data in these areas on the SE 4)

The IEP team use the IEP Team Eligibility Report for Specific Learning Disability found on FormFinder when determining eligibility. The completed SE 4 Student Observation must be attached to the completed Eligibility Report.

The observation must be reviewed at the IEP team meeting and documented in the IEP Team Meeting Notes.

Systemic Monitoring for State Complaint OutcomesReading intervention selection and progress monitoring in the IEP process

WHATSystemic pattern of:

➔ IEP teams not being duly constituted with experts in reading

➔ Students being in the same reading intervention making little to no progress

➔ IEP goals remaining the same

➔ No documentation in the IEP notes of progress or lack thereof in the reading intervention

HOWA duly constituted IEP team for a student with reading needs should include experts in the area of need (e.g.classroom teacher, special educator, reading intervention teacher, and/or literacy specialist).

Present level needs of each student helps the IEP team to determine if the student requires an evidence based or research based reading intervention to meet the student’s needs.

Beyond the selection of the reading intervention, the student's progress toward their reading IEP goals should be monitored, in order to determine if the intervention continues to be appropriate.

All of these discussions and decisions should be clearly documented in the IEP team meeting notes.

Systemic Monitoring for State Complaint Outcomes

How can you, as an IEP chairperson, improve these percentages to achieve 100%?

PTT Signed

PTT Incl. Obs.

Screen/PTT notes Discuss Deficit

Obs. Attached to

SLD Worksheet

IEP Notes Share Obs. Outcomes

Intervention discussed

in IEP notes

Progress in Int.

noted in IEP notes

Int. matches PLAFFP

-- Int. HIstory

Elem 100% 83% 86% 45% 0% 40% 5% 40%

MS 100% 82% 50% 83% 5% 77% 16% 33%

Monitoring Outside of the IEP Meeting

IEP Chairperson

Quarterly Review Checklist

Internal Monitoring: Confidential FolderInternal Monitor - student record

Internal Monitoring: Standards Aligned IEP

google form

Internal Monitoring: Classroom Observation

google form

What’s Next?

➔ Lead your IEP teams using today’s tools.➔ Consult our office with questions.➔ Rochelle Eisenberg will be here in January for

our next IEP Chairperson Training.

What more do you want to learn at the January Session with Ms. Eisenberg? google form