Department of Pupil Personnel Services
Scotia-Glenville CSD
by
(November 23, 2005)
(Date of BOE Presentation-November 28, 2005)
Introduction
The Department of Pupil Personnel Services reaches every
student at some point during his/her educational career with the
Scotia-Glenville School District.
The PPS Department is made up of the following services: Special Education, Guidance,
Psychology, Social Work, Speech/Language, Nursing, Teacher Assistants, Teacher
Aides, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and the 1-2-3 SUCCESS
Program. In addition, the
Director, Pupil Personnel Department oversees the Committee on Special Education
(CSE) and Committee on Pre-School Special Education (CPSE). In all, over 120 staff comprises the
Department of Pupil Personnel Services.
For the purpose of todayÕs report to the Board of
Education, a review of the Services offered through the Committee on Pre-School
Special Education (CPSE) and the Committee on Special Education (CSE) will be
the primary focus.
Committee on Pre-School Special Education (CPSE)
A
child suspected of having a disability can enter into the Early Intervention
Services provided by the County between the ages of 0-2 years. At age three, a child suspected of
having a disability can be referred to the CPSE. Each school district is mandated to have a CPSE as defined
by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the process is
implemented by the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (Part
200ÑStudents with Disabilities).
The CPSE collects information based on a variety of assessments to
determine if the referring party can be considered as a Òpre-school child with
a disabilityÓ. At the pre-school
level, specific criteria is defined to determine eligibility. If the criteria for a pre-school child
with a disability is met, a variety of services deemed appropriate can be
provided based on the individual needs of the student and, as defined, in their
Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Committee on Special Education (CSE)
A
child may be determined eligible for school age special education services in a
variety of ways:
á
The child may be
considered by the CPSE as needing school age special education services
á
An initial referral to
the CSE can be requested
The process of identification by the CSE mandates a
variety of assessment methods and review of the educational strengths and needs
of the student. The Part 200
Regulations are used as the guideline in defining if the student can be
considered a student with a disability under thirteen classification
areas. Each classification area
has specific characteristics, yet there is room for clinical and educational
judgment. If a student is
considered to be a student with a disability, an IEP must be developed which
meets the individual needs of that student and provides for an appropriate
education in the least restrictive environment. The least restrictive environment (LRE) means that:
É placement of students with
disabilities in special classes,
separate schools or other removal
from the regular (general)
education environment occurs only
when the nature of the
disability is such that even with
the use of supplementary
aids and services, education cannot
be satisfactorily
achieved. The placement of an individual student with a
disability in the least restrictive
environment shall:
1.
provide
the special education needed by the student;
2.
provide
for education of the student to the maximum
extent appropriate to
the needs of the student with other
students who do not
have disabilities; and
3.
be as
close as possible to the studentÕs home.
The services offered by regulation
could best be understood by reviewing information listed in the, ÒDepartment of
Pupil Personnel Services Individual Education Plans Programs and Related
Services Guidelines and TerminologyÓ (October 2003) (Attachment #1).
Question #1: What is the identification process for classifying a student
with a disability?
Response: We are obligated to follow the Regulations of the
Commissioner of Education-Part 200 when identifying a student with a disability
(SWD). This information is further
explained in Attachment #2.
Question #2: What does our School District Data Summary report?
Response:
|
Source: Chapter 405 School District Data Summary (5/05) |
4/00 |
12/02 |
5/05 |
|
Classification Rate |
12.01% |
13.06% |
14.68% |
|
Pre-School Declassification Rate |
20% |
10% |
7.27% |
|
School Age Declassification Rate |
4.58% |
2.57% |
4.8% |
|
Students Placed in Separate
Educational Settings |
5.91% |
4.5% |
3.7% |
Question #3: What is the percent of SWDÕs Statewide?
Response: The average percent of SWDÕs in NYS was 12% in 2002-03
(VESID Pocketbook, 2004).
Question #4: What is our current classification rate?
Response: Our current classification rate is approximately 14.89% (using 464 SWD and a District Census of
approximately 3,115 students)
Question #4: Who are the decision makers in the Special Education process
and what is tried prior to a student being classified as a SWD?
Response: The Committee on Special Education is by regulation defined
as a multidisciplinary team established in accordance with the provisions of
section 4402 of the Education Law.
Each CSE is made up of a CSE, Chairperson, Parent, Psychologist, Special
Education Teacher, General Education Teacher, Support Personnel as indicated,
Principal, Medical Physician (if requested). Prior to a CSE referral, several avenues of support can be
taken:
q
Several
building level supports are initiated through the Pupil Study Team (PST) or
Instructional Support Team (IST).
These teams provide opportunities for discussion regarding ideas to
support the student within general education. Changes in scheduling, adaptations to curriculum, pre and
post school supports and educationally related support services (ERSS) are but
a few of the strategies developed on behalf of the student. In addition, the school psychologist
may assess the student to indicate areas of strength and need. StudentÕs who qualify may also require
the development of Academic Intervention Services (AIS). If a student has a condition that
affects a major life activity a 504 Plan may be put into place. The district has collaborated and a
committee developed a district wide information form to track students who are
referred to the PST/IST. This form
identifies and documents strategies that have worked/not worked in past
referrals, prior to CSE referral.
Question # 6: Please provide information on the number of SWDÕs attending
our district and why is the number of special education students
increasing? Are there trends that
can be identified?
Response: Actually, the number of students classified with a
disability is decreasing. We are
obliged by Federal Law (94-142) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) to provide a free appropriate education to any student classified as
having a disability. The
Department, Pupil Personnel Services has implemented a continuum of services,
which provides support to all of our students. Part of this continuum includes traditional special
education services through the inclusion model. In addition, in-district special education Skills
Development Programs have also been developed. These programs focus on students who require a smaller class
ratio and modified instruction to address individual learning styles. Since the implementation of the
programs, success has resulted in fewer students being placed out of district
and gains have been demonstrated in academic achievement based on assessment
data. At any point during the
academic school year, several factors can play into rising numbers of referrals
to the Committee on Special Education.
Changing demographics, increased standards for learning, reading based
difficulties, instructional challenges and parental choice are a few factors
that can drive referral rates.
Question #8: How will the Re-Authorization of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act of 2004 affect the Scotia-Glenville CSD?
Response: With the Re-Authorization of IDEA
2004, several key concepts have already been initiated to align the District
with the changes in the law.
Although the New York State CommissionerÕs Regulations are forthcoming,
there are several significant changes in the law needing to be addressed:
1.
A
student shall not be determined eligible for special education if the
determining factor is-
a.
Lack
of appropriate instruction in reading, including explicit and
systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development,
reading fluency (including oral reading skills) and reading comprehension
strategies:
b.
Lack
of instruction in math; or
c.
Limited
English proficiency
2.
Learning
Disabilities- In determining whether a student has a learning disability as
definedÉ.
a.
May
use a process that determines if the student responds to scientific,
researched-based interventions as part of the evaluation procedures pursuant to
paragraph (b) of this section and
b.
is
not required to consider whether a student has a severe discrepancy between
achievement and intellectual ability in oral expression, listening
comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading comprehension,
mathematical calculation or mathematical reasoning. (removal of 50% discrepancy between
expected achievement and actual achievement)
3.
The
screening of a student by a teacher or specialist to determine appropriate
instructional strategies for curriculum implementation shall not be considered
to be an evaluation for eligibility for special education (OT/Speech
Improvement/SPED Teacher)
Question #9: Along the change in IDEA-2004, what measures are being
considered to support our students with disabilities and our general education
students?
Response: Several key concepts are currently in place and many ideas
are under consideration including the following:
1.
Continued
use of CSE pre-referral strategies and documentation of general education
interventions, AIS and ERSS supports through PST/IST (great job being done)
2.
Updated
IDEA-2004 information has been presented to the Superintendent, Director
Curriculum and Instruction, Principals.
3.
Bi-monthly
meetings between the Director, PPS, Psychologists and CSE chair to discuss
children identified at PST/IST of possible CSE referral:
a.
Discussion
of scientific research based interventions.
b.
Review
the Response to Intervention (RTI) Model with Psychologists and implement a
scientific research based model in the Fall Õ05.
4.
Continue
documenting AIS supports, strategies and data driven interventions within
general education and review of additional resources needed.
5.
Support
the role of:
a.
SPED
Teacher as a pre-referral/preventative strategyÑassists in the collection of
data relative to PST/IST intervention strategies.
b.
Speech
Therapist (already in progress-Speech Improvement and push-in services).
c.
OT-preventative
screening and evaluation (already in progress).
d.
PT-preventative
screening and evaluation (already in progress).
6.
Support
push-in SPED Teacher supports and recognize the strength of Co-Teaching as a
viable option to AIS/SPED continuum of academic services.
7.
Review
curriculum designs, which support differential instruction to increase
inclusion options especially in Reading and Math.
8.
Research
IST Training to all Elementary buildings (as supported by Principals).
9.
Support
the cost of the AIS module and request information on the interventions used
prior to CSE referral.
10.
Support
the continued implementation of the Wilson Reading Program and Fundations.
11.
Review
the DIBELS Program (The Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Literacy Skills) as a method of assessment in defining reading
based difficulties with students.
12. Review and define the need of any
additional special education programs that can support students remaining
in-district.
The Department,
Pupil Personnel Services provides an umbrella of academic and support services
to all students in the Scotia-Glenville CSD. This report provides specific information relative to
special education and the changes defined in the reauthorization of the
Individuals for Disabilities Education Act 2004. Information provided notes a decrease in the number of
students identified by the Committee on Special Education through the use of
pre-referral strategies, data collection and collaboration between general and
special education.
With the changes in
IDEA-2004, students with reading and math deficits will require scientific,
researched-based interventions prior to a Committee on Special Education
referral. The Response to
Intervention Model (RTI) is being developed through meetings with the Director,
Department of Pupil Personnel Services and our Psychologists.
As changes in
IDEA-2004 will place additional mandates on the general education staff, it is
proposed that additional ÒblendingÓ of special education and general education
approaches to learning continue to be discussed and implemented. This would require additional
professional development opportunities, scientific and researched-based tools
for evaluative purposes and continued collaboration between the fields of
general and special education.
The Department of
Pupil Personnel Services has initiated several supports with the concept of
ÒblendingÓ and looks forward to being a support to the faculty and students in
the Scotia-Glenville CSD.
Respectfully submitted,
Anthony R. Albanese
Director, Pupil Personnel Services