Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for September 7, 2012

AIMS Web Trainings
AIMS Web trainings will be held on Monday September 10 (MAES in computer lab) and Wednesday September 12 (MAMS in computer lab) from 3:30 to 4:00 pm.  I can demonstrate and help you set up your student progress monitoring schedules for 12-13.

AIMS Web benchmark testing can be completed anytime between September 1 and October 1.

Child Development Day
The Medford Area Public School District, Taylor County Health Department and Taylor County Human Services will be hosting our annual Child Development Day on October 18. This preschool screening is provided as a free community service to families with children ages 2 through 4 years. Registration is now open and parents can contact Luanne Olson at 715-748-4620 ext 534. For more information: http://www.medford.k12.wi.us/do/CDD.htm

Child Development Day Screening
I would like to personally thank all of the staff who provided feedback on our Child Development Day screening model as it relates to our Child Development Inventory and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire.  These were all excellent ideas and will be given strong consideration for possible implementation in the 13-14 school year.  At the present time we will continue with our current model due to several factors one of which is our change to a Fall rather than Spring Child Development Day. Ages and Stages Questionnaire could still be used as part of a special education referral.

Identifying Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

The following information was sent to all regular and special education teachers at MAES and SES:

Wisconsin’s rule for identifying students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) has changed.  No later than December 1, 2013, all initial SLD evaluations of public school students will use information from interventions to make eligibility decisions. This email is to notify you that beginning on September 1, 2012 all initial SLD evaluations at Medford Area Elementary and Stetsonville Elementary Schools will begin using information from a student’s response to intensive, scientific research based or evidence based interventions when making special education eligibility decisions.

Primary Rule Changes

• Inadequate Classroom Achievement: Student does not achieve adequately for his/her age/grade level after intensive intervention in any of the following area: basic reading skills, reading comprehension, reading fluency, oral expression, written expression, math calculation, or math reasoning. Student must perform at least 1.25 standard deviations below the mean on a standardized test.
• Insufficent Progress: Students display an insufficient response to intensive scientific, research-based or evidence based interventions.  Students must be given interventions related to their area of suspected disability. For example - if there is a concern with a student's basic reading skills then they could receive Wilson Reading and Reading Assistant. 
• Progress Monitoring: Students must be progress monitored at least weekly for a standard period of time (at least 8 weeks). 
• Interventions: Students must be administered at least two intensive scientific, research or evidence based interventions implemented with adequate fidelity. 
• Data: IEP teams must include data from systematic observations and data documenting if the rate of progress was (1) the same or less than same age peers; (2) greater than same age peers, but will not result in the student reaching the average range of same age peer's achievement for that area of potential disability in a reasonable period of time; or (3) greater than same age peers but the intensity of resources necessary to obtain this rate of progress cannot be maintained in general education. 
• Amount of Time: Students must receive more instructional time with the intervention than their same age peers are receiving. (For example: each student receives 45 minutes of reading instruction - then the interventions must be in addition to those 45 minutes).
• IEP teams: IEP team must have IEP team members who implemented the interventions, data analyst, regular education teacher, special education teacher, LEA designee, any related service providers, parents, building principal, and other members with an educational interest.
• Interventionist: Paraprofessionals can administer the interventions, but they must be under the supervision of an certified teacher.  Certified teachers who can administer the intervention must have a regular education or reading teacher license.
  

Referral Process

1. Students will be referred by a teacher to the building SOS team (and/or the building school psychologist depending on the situation).
2. SOS team will review existing data, background information and current performance.
3. SOS team will help identify two interventions to administer to the student. Progress monitoring will be done weekly for at least 8 weeks by the intervention teacher.  
4. If teacher and SOS team suspect a student has a learning disability prior to or during this process, then the teacher will complete the official special education referral sheet and contact the parent. 
5. Parents will be sent notice of initial referral for special education evaluation and consent for testing paperwork by the building school psychologist. 
6. After completion of the approximate 8 weeks of interventions and within 60 days after a parent signs consent - an IEP team meeting will be held to determine if the student meets the eligibility criteria for a learning disabilities impairment. 

Resources
If you have questions or need more information, then please contact me.  I have several documents with more information including: frequently asked questions, initial evaluation eligibility checklist, IEP evaluation required information, and SLD rule power point presentation from DPI.  We will continue to have trainings and further information in this area throughout the 12-13 school year.

School Based Mental Health Counseling
There will be a School Based Mental Health Counseling meeting on Friday September 14 at 11:00 am at MAES.  We will meet the new Director of Outpatient Systems - Tracy Kleingartner and our new Mental Health Counselor (replacing Marjorie Marksteiner).  I have copies of the forms which parents need to complete to start receiving services.  These will be forwarded to respective building staff.

A question has been asked for how students would qualify and this is Tracy's response:

We operate just as if we were any other clinic providing outpatient mental health services.  We don’t discriminate.  We provide services for all clients that are within the scope of our practice.

The need for counseling is based on recommendations from parents or staff members.  Special Ed teachers and Guidance Counselors are often the ones who identify students who could benefit from therapy.  Staff members can approach the parents and tell them of the service we offer.  We can walk you through how to do that to put the parents’ minds at ease about the whole process.  If the parents are interested, you can give them those 3 documents.  It is a pretty simple process as far as paper work goes.

The only eligibility requirements would be dictated by the students’ insurance.  We are in the process of getting our therapist credentialed with various insurance companies.  Most student’s with Badger Care have no issues with coverage for our services.  Other insurance companies have various rules about coverage.  We have the parents fill out that financial sheet, we check for benefits through their insurance, once it has been approved, the student can start seeing the therapist.  If for some reason, their insurance will not cover it, we cannot see them as a client.

Special Education Advisory Council on September 18
Special Education Advisory Council
Tuesday September 18, 2012
4:00 to 5:00 pm
District Office

Agenda:
1. Staffing Updates for 12-13
2. Self Assessment of Procedural Compliance
3. RTI for Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities at Elementary
4. Did You Know? Now You Know! Presentation on October 11
5. Transition Night for Parents/Students on November 5
6. Special Education Family Days in 12-13
7. Post Secondary Transition Planning at IEP meetings
8. Any other items of discussion

Taylor County Transition Advisory Council
The Taylor County Transition Advisory Council is comprised of teachers from each school district in Taylor County, human services, NTC, BRI, Mid State Independent Living, WSTI, and more.

Date: Thursday September 20
Time: 12:00 to 1:30
Location: MAPSD Office Board Room

Agenda:
1. Welcome and introductions
2. Transition Night for Parents
3. Did You Know? Now You Know!
4. Post Secondary Transition Planning at IEP meetings
5. Transition Record Review Checklist
6. Graduation Portfolios
7. Medford Adult Diploma Academy
8. Round Table Updates
9. Other business

Mandatory Child Abuse and Neglect
Special Education and Student Services (certified and support) staff who have completed the Mandatory Child Abuse and Neglect training in 11-12 do not need to complete this again in 12-13.  It only needs to be completed one time every five years.  Here is the link for more information and training if you need it: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sspw/can.html.

Upon completion of watching the video - please contact Becky Goodrich at the D.O.  She will print off a certificate of completion and place in your personnel file and send you a copy if interested. Staff need to be trained only once every five years.  New staff need to be trained within the first 6 months of being hired.

Wisconsin law requires all employees of Wisconsin public school districts to report suspected child abuse and neglect, Wis. Stat. sec. 48.981(2)(a)16m. In addition, school boards are to ensure all employees receive training provided by the Department of Public Instruction within six months of initial hiring and at least every five years thereafter, Wis. Stat. sec. 118.07(5).

Appropriate Use of Seclusion and Physical Restraint
2011 Wis. Act 125 addressing the use of seclusion and physical restraint in public schools takes effect on September 1, 2012. The Act applies to both regular and special education students and prohibits the use seclusion or physical restraint except when certain conditions apply.
Seclusion and/or physical restraint may be used only when a student’s behavior presents a clear, present and imminent risk to the physical safety of the student or others, and it is the least restrictive intervention feasible. Certain maneuvers and techniques are prohibited, and mechanical or chemical restraints may not be used. Seclusion rooms may not have locks, and rooms must be free of any objects or fixtures that may injure the student. If it is reasonably anticipated that restraint or seclusion may be used with a student with disability, it must included in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the IEP must also include positive interventions, supports and other strategies based on a functional behavioral assessment.
Other requirements include parental notification and documentation and training on safe use of physical restraint, including ways to deescalate behavior.
Building principals and all staff should review these new requirements as they pertain to Seclusion and Physical Restraint for any student regardless if they have a disability.  The new guidelines are attached to this newsletter. We will hold a training in this area on September 27 for support and certified staff at MAES.  2:15 to 3:30 for support staff and 4:00 to 5:00 for certified staff.

Special Dietary Restrictions
USDA Regulations 7 CFR Part 15 b require substitutes or modifications in schools meals for children whose disabilities restrict their diets.  A child with a disability must be provided substitutions in foods when that need is supported by a statement signed by a licensed physician. The physician's statement must identify:

• the child's disability
• an explanation of why the disabilities restricts the child's diet
• the major life activity affected by the disability
• the food or foods to be omitted from the child's diet, and the food or choice of foods that must be substituted.
  

I have attached the Special Dietary Regulations form which should be completed.  For more information please contact our School Nurse Jill Koenig or myself.

Autism Resources
Some of our most rewarding and challenging students are those who are on the autism spectrum.  We have been very fortunate over the past several years to have trainings on autism.  Our website contains power point presentations and handouts which you can review for more information and learning.  This helps your professional development and services for our students.  These resources contain strategies which can help support not only students on the autism spectrum, but students of all disabilities and abilities.

Here is a link the website: https://sites.google.com/a/medford.k12.wi.us/specialed/home/autism

Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism
Assistive Technology Guide from DPI
Challenging Behaviors for Students with Autism
Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Autism
Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies for Students with Autism
Picture Exchange Communication System
Social Skills Builder
Teaching the Hidden Curriculum and Social Communication
Transitioning
Autism Speaks - Transition Tool Kit
Visual Examples of Curriculum Accommodations and Modifications
Autism 101
Autism Behaviors
Autism - Key Resources for Educators, Families, and Health Care Providers
Autism Suggested Reading
FBA and Autism
Social Stories, Power Cards, and Comic Strips
Aspergers Syndrome
Rethinking Challenging Behaviors: - Dr. Glenis Benson

Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Settings
The DPI document on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood Settings was forwarded to members of the Taylor County Early Childhood Sub-Commitee.  If anyone would like a copy of this document or links to other resources, please contact me.

Graduation Portfolios
We have been recognized by parents and technical colleges for our work with high school seniors with disabilities and their Graduation Portfolios.  These portfolios contain updated IQ and Academic testing results, resumes, letter of reference, necessary accommodations for post-secondary, copies of IEP, and other information.  Thank you to Transition Coordinator Shari Gajewski and School Psychologist Jessica Martin for their work in this area over the past several years.  We have 27 seniors who will need to be tested this year so there can be updated testing results.

Re-Evaluations at MAMS and MASH
We have a large number of re-evaluations which are due at the middle and high school level for the 12-13 school year.  There will be 51 re-evaluations for students in Grades 5 to 12, 16 re-evaluations for high school seniors (transition), and 4 seniors at the alternative high school (transition).  This equals to 71 re-evaluations which must be completed.  We will be sending out notice of receipt of re-evaluations to parents and permissions to re-evaluate early so there can be enough time to complete all of these evaluations this school year per the IEP deadlines. Staff are also asked to complete the testing sheets and conduct the academic/behavioral testing components in a prompt fashion. This will allow more time to complete all testing and schedule IEP meetings. 

Information Update Bulletin 12.01

The Medford Area Public School District is completing our Procedural Compliance Self Assessment in the 12-13 school year.  DPI has just published their annual report on school districts who participated and their results from the 11-12 self assessment:

Information Update Bulletin 12.01, Special Education Procedural Compliance Self-Assessment, has been posted at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/bul12-01.html

The requirements in the Self-Assessment fall into six topical areas: parent participation, evaluation, IEP team, IEP content, discipline, and private schools. DPI may modify the content of a public agency’s assessment to include other potential compliance issues identified by the DPI special education team. A compliance standard has been developed for each requirement in the Self-Assessment. These standards may be viewed at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/pdf/sa-stand-dir.pdf.

Four of the most commonly missed evaluation requirement items are: parent, regular education teacher, special education teacher, and LEA representative participation in the review of existing data (EVAL-1, EVAL-2, EVAL-3, and EVAL-4). These errors commonly occur when the LEA fails to appropriately document the date and input of the required participant on the EW-1 form. Errors also occur when the LEA obtains the required input before the Notice of Receipt of Referral (IE-1) or Notice of Reevaluation (RE-1) was sent, or after the LEA requested consent to conduct the evaluation (IE-2, IE-3, RE-4, or RE-5).
There are six most commonly missed IEP requirement items. IEP-4, statement of present levels of academic achievement and functional performance is most commonly missed because the IEP team fails to document the student’s functional performance. IEP-5, statement of how the child’s disability affects his or her progress in the general curriculum is most commonly missed when the IEP team fails to specifically address the “how” element of the requirement. IEP-7, statement of measurable annual goals is most commonly missed when the goal is not stated in measurable terms. IEP-9, statement of the extent to which the child will not participate in the regular education environment is most commonly missed when the IEP team addresses the student’s participation in the regular education curriculum rather than the regular education environment. IEP-10 and IEP 12 relate to frequency and amount of special education, and supplementary aids and services. DPI Information Update Bulletin 10.07 provides guidance on appropriately describing frequency and amount, and is available at: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/bul10-07.html.
The second cycle Self-Assessment contains three new discipline items not present in the first cycle. Through the validation process, the department determined that many LEAs were not maintaining the comprehensive disciplinary records necessary to accurately assess compliance with these three items. It is essential all LEAs consistently record disciplinary removals for special education students. Examples of removals include, but are not limited to, out-of-school suspensions, certain in-school suspensions, certain bus suspensions, expulsions, and removals to interim alternative educational settings for weapons or drug offences or for inflicting serious bodily harm, and de facto suspensions. See the Self-Assessment Standards and Directions for a definition of de facto suspensions at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/pdf/sa-stand-dir-new-cycle.pdf. See DPI Information Update Bulletin 06.02 for additional information on discipline requirements at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/bul06-02.html.