Student Assistance Team (Child Study) Process and Specific Learning Disability Requirements

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Student Assistance Team (Child Study) Process and
Specific Learning Disability Requirements

• Sault Area Public Schools
• Sheri L. McFarlane, Ed.S
• Director of Special Education

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Introduction

• Remember??? The time had come to make some over
  due changes of the Child Study Student Assistance
  Team and Pre-referral processes.

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Agenda

• District Special Education Statistics
• Revised IDEA 2004
• Student Assistance Team Manual/Process
• Referral to Special Education

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Special Education Statistics 2010-2011

• We currently have 2,401 (Sept 09) students in
  the district.
• We currently have 415 (17) students receiving
  special education services. (769 services)
• We have 98 students with Section 504
  Accommodation Plans (total of 21)

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• We have 21 special education teachers
• We have 11 ancillary staff (SLT,OT, PT, SW,
  HI,VI, AI)
• We have 23 special education paraprofessionals

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IDEA -2004

• July 1, 2005- change went into effect.
• Several Minor Changes in Language.
• Changes that Directly Affect Classrooms.
• Discipline
• Least Restrictive Environment
• 0-21, 21-60, gt60 (Special Education is a Service
  not a place)
• Qualifying as having a Learning Disability
• Discrepancy vs. Response to Intervention

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Consensus Report from the LD Summit 2001

• IQ/ achievement discrepancy is neither necessary
  nor sufficient for identifying individuals with
  specific learning disabilities
• IQ tests do not need to be given in most
  evaluations of children with LD

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LD Summit Report cont.

• There should be alternate ways to identify
  individuals with LD in addition to achievement
  testing, history, and observations of the child.
• Response to Intervention is the most promising
  method of alternate identification and can both
  promote effective practices in schools and help
  to close the gap between identification and
  treatment.

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LD Summit Report cont.

• Any effort to scale up response to intervention
  should be based on problem solving models that
  use progress monitoring to gauge the intensity of
  intervention in relation to the students
  response to the intervention.

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What is Response to Intervention (RtI)

• A system of decision making
• Matching the precise nature of a students need
  to instruction
• Being strategic and judicious in using
  instructional resources

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RtI cont.

• Using student data to maximize student learning
• Having data to tell you whether what you are
  doing is working

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Response to Intervention Beliefs

• All children can learn
• Educators are responsible to teach them
• Parents have vast knowledge about their children
  and should be partners in the educational system

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RtI Beliefs cont.

• Children should be assisted when concerns arise,
  before problems grow
• Childrens needs should be met in the general
  education setting whenever appropriate

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What does that mean for us????
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Change how we view and utilize Student
Assistance Teams (Child Studies)!

• Student Assistance Teams are a process- not a
  meeting.
• Student Assistance Teams are not for the sole
  purpose of finding a student eligible for special
  education.
• Student Assistance Teams are a TEAM approach.

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• The Student Assistance Team Process is a
  process in which information is shared and
  creative strategies/interventions are suggested
  and implemented to address an academic,
  emotional, or medical concern in the regular
  education setting.

Teacher
Parent
Student
Psychologist
Therapist
Spec.Ed. Teacher
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• Student Assistance Team Manual
• for
• Sault Area Schools
• and the
• Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School
  Districts

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Establishing a Student Assistance Team Process

• Designate a Student Assistance Team Coordinator
  at each building.
• Establish a Student Assistance Team for each
  building.
• Determine a District Schedule
• Establish an agreed upon process
• Professional Development

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Building Coordinator

• Possible Designee
• Principal
• Intervention Specialist
• Counselor
• Lead Teacher
• Social Worker

• Duties
• Contact Person
• Holds paperwork
• Schedules meetings
• Completes meeting minutes
• Processes all paperwork

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Student Assistance TEAM members

• Building Coordinator
• Principal
• Parent
• General Education Teacher Representative
• Special Education Teacher Representative
• Counselor

• Speech Therapist
• General Education Teacher(s) with concern
• Reading Recovery Teacher
• Social Worker (if behavior concerns)
• School Psychologist (for second meeting)

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District Schedule

• Each building is assigned a different meeting day
  with 2 Student Assistance Team meeting times
  (e.g. Monday 730 and 755 or Tuesday 315 and
  340)
• The coordinator keeps track of the schedule of
  initial and follow-up Student Assistance Team
  meetings

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Steps for Teachers to Initiate Assistance
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Helping All Students Succeed Realistic Classroom
Accommodations

• Classroom Adaptations
• Functional Behavior Assessment Form
• Functions/Interventions Summary Chart
• Behavior Intervention Plan
• Retention/Acceleration of Students

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Examples of Published Assessments (This is not a
complete list)    
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Further Information

• The Student Assistance Team Manual is available
  on-line at the eup.k12.mi.us by clicking Services
  and Regional Student Assistance Team Manual.
• Any updates will be available on-line only.
• smcfarlane_at_eup.k12.mi.us
• THANK YOU