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Welcome Back SC Public Charter School District Special Education Coordinators
August 5,2015
Agenda
Welcome, Introductions and Accomplishments
Updates and Changes
Comprehensive Program Review
CPR Expectations and DCAP v SCAP
Compliance within the IEP process
Comparable Services
Transfers
Accommodations
Finalizing Documents
IEP Compliance
Current Summary Report
Policies and Procedures
Potpourri
FAPE Continuum
Child Find
Restraint and Time Out
Disciplining SWD Importance of PowerSchool
Confidentiality/FERPA
Exiting
Budgeting
EFA Coding in PowerSchool
Data
Dates
Teamviewer
BookShelf
Closing/Questions
Introductions
Who we are – Robbie Compton, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services
803-734-8067; 803-230-9593 (cell)
Beckie Davis
Director of Special Services
803-734-8050; 803-603-9721 (cell)
Kendall Stewart
Student Information Coordinator (Enrich/data)
803-734-0164
Vamshi Rudrapati (Mr. V)
Director of Federal Programs
803-734-1105; 803-603-6433 (cell)
Who we are – District Special Education Coordinators
Emily Paul
803-230-9593 (cell)
Nichole Adams
803-603-6590 (cell)
Mary C. Scott
803-603-4065 (cell)
Look Back
Accomplishments and Milestones
Board approved 1 new charter into the District
9 new schools opened for the 2014-15 school year
Enrich was rolled out
Comprehensive Program Review
The Comprehensive Program Review (CPR) is a transparent and collaborative process used by the South Carolina Public Charter School District (District) to monitor schools' compliance with the various rules and regulations governing the education of students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004. The CPR will consist of the following:
Online and virtual visits to the school;
Review of documentation: records, resources, materials, policy/procedures; and
Consultation with staff in person at the district office
Potential for on site audits in high risk situations
Comprehensive Program Review (CPR)
Support TriangleLow Risk Schools
Adequate scores on CPR
Returning schools with no warnings/findings
No findings or reasons for concern
CURRENTLY 20 LOW RISK SCHOOLS
High Risk Schools New Schools New Coordinators
Informal warnings
Letters of caution
Letters of noncompliance
Notice of Default
District/State/OCR findings
CURRENTLY 12 HIGH RISK SCHOOLS
District CPR Summary 32% of schools ended the year with a “2” in every area23% of schools ended the year with an average score of
1.90-1.9910% of schools ended the year with an average score of
1.80-1.8935% of schools ended the year with an overall average 1.75
or less, all the way down to 1.120There was an average of 19% growth at schools during the
school year. 65% of schools ended the year with overall positive results
on the Comprehensive Program Review.
CPR Expectations
The CPR occurs annually during the Fall semester. The school will turn in CPR evidence and information to their assigned District Special Education Coordinator (DSEC).
How:
ALL School Procedures (regardless of status):
Complete the Self-Assessment rating ON THE CPR FORM
School to provide ALL EVIDENCE ON ASSIGNED DATES
District Procedures:
Examine the school's ratings and evidence for each rating
Provide justification or feedback for each rating of 0 or 1
Determine the level of priority
Comprehensive Program Review (CPR)
District Corrective Action Plans vs School Corrective Action Plans
Any rating that was not a two will require a Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
If the school is an at risk school, or on the triangle, the district will write the CAP for the school.
If the school is a low risk school the school will write their own CAP. All CAPs must be approved by the school’s DSEC.
Due Dates - August 15
1 - Policies and Procedures2 - Special Education Staff3 - Related Services Providers4 - School Files
Due Dates September 15
6 - Tracking Disciplinary Removal7 - Documenting Accommodations
and Modifications9 - Student to Teacher Ratios13 - Comparable Services14 - Finalizing Documents in Enrich
Due Dates October 15 5 - IEP Compliance10 - Professional Development11- Databases12 - Services16 - Transfer Meetings
Due Dates November 15
8 - Enrich Forms15 - Progress Monitoring17 - Annual Reviews18 - Reevaluations
Due Dates December 155 - IEP Compliance - second submittal19 - Evaluations20 - Disciplinary Removals21 - Procedural Safeguards22 - Native Language23 - IDEA Funds24 - IDEA Inventory25 - Timely and Accurate Data
Due Dates March 15
ALL ITEMS NOT PREVIOUSLY RATED A “2” WILL REQUIRE NEW EVIDENCE TO BE SUBMITTED FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE DSEC
Due Dates May 15
ALL ITEMS NOT PREVIOUSLY RATED A “2” WILL REQUIRE NEW EVIDENCE TO BE SUBMITTED FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE DSEC
Areas of concern from the CPR
Data tells us, the areas that schools struggle with most are:
5 - IEP Compliance7 - Accommodations and Modifications13 - Comparable Services14 - Finalizing Documents in Enrich16 - Transfer Meetings18 - Reevaluations
Compliance in the IEP Process
Reminders for Comparable Services
The CPR SAYS: Comparable services meetings occur within the first 5 school days after enrollment and services that are similar or equivalent to those that were described in the previous IEP are provided.
YOU DO NOT HAVE DATA TO MAKE CHANGES AT THIS TIME.
Comparable means: similar is size, amount, or quality to something else.
What do your Policies and Procedures say about transfers? Is your procedure working?
Reminders for Transfer Meetings
The CPR SAYS: Transfer IEP meetings are conducted within 30 calendar days of enrollment.
YOU MUST HAVE COLLECTED DATA TO MAKE CHANGES AT THIS TIME AND IT MUST BE REFLECTED IN THE PRESENT LEVELS.
What is the school’s internal procedure to track these deadlines? Note that they must be done in 30 CALENDAR days. Who is tracking this? How is it being tracked? Who is following up to ensure deadlines are met?
AccommodationsThe CPR says: The school has a means to document
the provision of all accommodations and modifications required in IEPs.
Are ALL accommodations being documented? How is the school documenting accommodations?
Not just that accommodations were communicated to staff, but that accommodations are taking place, and EVERY TIME accommodations take place.
Who is training staff? Who is following up to make sure there is fidelity
with documentations of accommodations? Where is this documentation being kept?
Finalizing Documents in Enrich
The CPR says: All required information are finalized and attached in Enrich in a timely manner.
The school will need a procedure for compliance to include the time frame in which all documents are UPLOADED and FINALIZED.
Reminder that all outcome dates in Enrich are the dates on which the action actually occurred, not the date you are finalizing the action.
Per Policies and Procedures PWN must be sent in no less than seven days. Legally this must be a finalized document (no drafts), this gives the school three additional days to upload documents, since the documents need to have been finalized prior to sending the parent their copies.
IEP Compliance
The CPR says: All IEPs are compliant as demonstrated by a review of (2-Returning and Low-Risk) (5-New or At-Risk) IEPs (transfer, annual, special/amended).
Who is checking IEP compliance?When is it being checked? Before meetings? After meetings?What is the school’s internal policy? Is it being followed?
For CPR Evidence all schools MUST use the IEP Review Tool for EVERY IEP reviewed.
Reevaluation
The CPR says: All reevaluations have been conducted within appropriate timelines.
What is the school’s internal procedure to track these deadlines? Who is tracking this? How is it being tracked? Who is following up to ensure deadlines are met?
Who is checking the compliance of the contents?What is the school’s internal policy? Is it being followed?
Current Summary Report
Policies and Procedures
Schools must adopt our policies. The areas that schools need to review and validate are:
Cover page (including school logo)
Assurances (p. 4)
Child Find (p. 12)
Procedural Safeguards (p. 15)
Monitoring of Suspensions (p. 21)
IAES (p. 22)
Serving students aged 21 (p. 35)
Sending Paperwork (p. 35)
LEA Designee (p. 36)
Meeting Notices (p. 37)
Transfers (p. 43)
School’s must submit your signed copies of their Policies and Procedures to your district coordinator by August 15th.
Potpourri
COSF and SOP
Childhood Outcome Summary Form (COSF) - This is for children under the age of six. You need to identify these students now AND collect the COSF data from the previous school. More training will come later, but identify these students and collect the necessary documentation NOW.
Summary of Performance (SOP) - This is students who are aging out or graduating this school year. There is necessary documentation for these students. More training will come later, but identify these students NOW.
PowerSchool
Work with the school’s PowerSchool staff. You will need to collaborate on:
AttendanceIncident management Instructional settingEFA codes Exiting
DISCIPLINE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
▪ School administrators are given authority to discipline students. Each school has a Code of Conduct that informs students of school rules and discipline procedures.
▪ The school’s SPECIAL EDUCATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES include discipline. What does your school’s policies and procedures say about discipline?
▪ Is the procedure that is in your school’s policies and procedures being followed?
DISCIPLINE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Students with disabilities can be suspended for up to 10 days like any other students (10 “free” days). However, students with disabilities have special rights if the school wants to suspend them for more than 10 days or expel them. Expulsion and suspensions over 10 days have such an effect on a special education student that they may be a change in placement.
School services for a child in special education must be decided by the student’s whole IEP team. The IEP team includes the child’s parent as well as school members. So, a school cannot just decide on its own to change a student’s placement.
MANIFESTATION MEETING
If a school wants to expel or suspend a student over 10 days, it must call a meeting of the IEP team. This meeting is known as a “manifestation meeting,” and it must be held within 10 school days of the school’s notice of suspension over 10 days or expulsion. This meeting is to determine if the behavior was caused by, or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability. The IEP team should also look to see if the child’s IEP was being followed.
****FBA/BIP, Accommodations, Parental Contact, Documentation
If the IEP team decides that the behavior was a manifestation of the student’s disability, the district cannot expel the student or suspend them for over 10 days. If the behavior was NOT a manifestation, the district CAN expel or suspend the student for over 10 days. The student will still be entitled to educational services while suspended or expelled.
Restraint and Time Out
Procedures
Only staff members holding current
CPI certification should restrain students and they should use CPI techniques.
The district offers CPI training. In order to receive training all the school must do is contact the district office and ask.
Restraint and Timeout
When there is a recurring need to restrain a student or place them in timeout, it must be included in the IEP (FBA/BIP).
Nothing in the procedure prevents a staff member from using reasonable force to protect a student or staff member from imminent serious harm.
Documentation
The administrator and parent need to be informed of restraint or a seclusion time out.
A log should be kept of how often restraint or timeout is used.
The IEP Team should review the practice if restraint or timeout is frequently needed.
Remember:
An incident moves to a whole new level when a staff member puts his/her hands on a student!
Seclusion Time Out:
Places the student in a room away from others.
Must be in the IEP (FBA/BIP).
Should be done by someone with CPI training; we can train you.
For more info: See S/R document from South Carolina Department of Education
ConfidentialityConfidentiality/FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy
Act) and
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
A Legal Protection of Privacy
A child’s educational records often contain private personal information about the child and the family
Confidentiality of Records
In the course of determining a child’s eligibility for special education services and designing a program to meet the child’s needs, schools may acquire a good bit of information about a child.
This information includes social and medical history. As well as medical and other personal information about the student and other members of the family
FERPA (Confidentiality)
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
Key Legal Terms “Need to Know”
those with “legitimate educational interest” This is considered to be those who act in the student’s educational interest, including faculty, administrators, clerical and professional employees, and other persons who manage student record information.
“Personally Identifiable Information”
anything that identifies a specific child.
Example: If there is only one blond boy in the school and you say, “that blond kid in my class did this,” you have violated the FERPA.
“Educational Record”
Must be connected in some way to personally identifiable information and must be shared with another school district employee or placed in an filing system owned by the district. Beware, even sometimes, personal notes may be subpoenaed.
Viewing Student Records
Must have a need to know in order to view student records
The superintendent cannot look at student files unless he or she has a need to know, even though they are the highest ranking official of the district.
When in doubt, don’t!
It’s okay to ask for help and support.
Sharing Student Records
Use the “need to know” standard
Some people do not need permission Examples of people who do not need permission:
School Districts in which a student is seeking to enroll. Biological parents Adoptive parents Legal guardian
Individual acting as a parent in the absence of a natural parent or guardian
DSS, when reporting abuse or neglect.
Some people need written permission Examples of people who do need permission:
Outside private agencies Family members not meeting the definition of a parent. Physicians
When in doubt, don’t!
FERPA Examples
Casual conversation in the teacher’s lounge, hall, etc.
Sharing with your friends or family members
Sharing with the student’s friends or non-guardian family members
Can’t talk to grandma, aunt, etc. unless they are acting as the custodial parent or guardian
The South Carolina Public Charter School District keeps a record of parties obtaining access to education records collected, maintained or used under Part B of the IDEA (except access by parents and authorized employees of the participating agency), including the name of the party, the date access was given and the purpose for which the party is authorized to use the records. The South Carolina Public Charter School District, including each school within, maintains a list of authorized employees who have access to educational records.
Each school needs to maintain a list of “authorized employees”
For everyone else who is not “authorized” they will need to sign showing access to the file.
The samples can be found on SharePoint.
Sample School File “Check out” Procedures
Complete the orange “check out” sheet included in every active district file by providing…
The date the file was removed The name of the person removing and keeping the file The reason the file was removed Place the orange card in the student’s empty hanging file
To return files… Provide the date cross out the entire line Return the orange “check out” card to the front of the file Place the file in the student’s hanging file
A Sample Form is included on SharePoint
FERPA
Additional FERPA training and resources will be discussed and made available during the monthly coordinator meetings.
Exiting from Enrich
Exiting
Here are the only options for exiting a child with an IEP:
No Longer Eligible for Services
ONLY done through a reevaluation
Certain services (SLP/OT/PT) can be ceased through reevaluation
No consent required to exit a child
Graduates with a high school diploma
Moved known to be continuing (transferred to another district)
Reached maximum age (21)
Drops Out
Dies
Revokes consent for ALL SERVICES under IDEA (District handles this one – send your signed revocation form to Mr. V.)
No such thing as revoking certain services
Medicaid
Medicaid
Following the on-site SDE visit, we no longer bill for Medicaid.
EFA Coding and PowerSchool
EFA Coding for Students with DisabilitiesSouth Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977
What does this mean?
In order to enter into PowerSchool an EFA Disability-Related code (a code that carries a higher weight than the base EL, MS, and HS codes), the child must:
Have a current IEP
Match the EFA Disability-Related Code on the cover page of the IEP*
Meet the minimum number of minutes of instructional time per week as decided upon by the IEP based on the unique needs of the child
*not necessary the primary disability, but the highest weighted disability.
EFA Weights
EFA Coding for Students with Disabilities
The only students who can have disability-related EFA codes listed in PowerSchool are the ones with:
current IEPs
AND
Meet the minimum number of special education services per week (250 minutes per week for all categories, except speech which is a minimum of 50 minutes per week of speech services)
This is something that is checked during the District’s monitoring.
Understand that we will check your documentation of indirect services
EFA
A school leader or special education coordinator CANNOT under any circumstances require that IEPs be changed to increase the number of minutes in order to receive EFA funds.
As with all decisions on IEPs, the number of minutes each student receives MUST be made by the team and be based on data and nothing else – not parent request, administrative convenience, funding, ….
Both state and district staff will be monitoring this as part of the compliance review
Data for all decisions made by an IEP team must be readily available to support decisions made
IDEA Funds
IDEA Funds
Mostly same process as last year:
October (receive allocation)
School’s develop budget
One amendment (end of March)
NO EQUIPMENT may be purchased with Fund 203 without prior approval from the district (Director of Student Services)
Data Reports
What to Expect
Tables 1 & 3 (December 1 Count): October/November
Table 2 (personnel): February
Table 6 (Assessment): March, April, and May
ESY: June
Table 5 (discipline): June
Indicator 7 (COSF): June
Indicator 11 (60-day timeline): July
Table 4 (Exit): July
The yearly calendar is found on SharePoint
Monthly Coordinator Web Meetings
It is expected that schools’ special education coordinators are in attendance.
The calendar with the Go-to-Meeting link is found on the BookShelf.
The meetings are on the 2nd Monday of the month at 2:30pm
Monthly Web Coordinator Meetings
Team Viewer and Bookshelf
Let’s check them out online!!
WHO HAS WHAT SCHOOLS
Nicole EmilyMary
SCVCS FCHS EPAConnections Provost CoastalGCP Bridges Pee DeeGray CREECS CalvertSC Science Montessori LCLCyber PSAMMCYPA RLOA ImagineRiverwalk Whitmore MSIQuest High PointNext YLALead SPS
GREENCFHS
72
Questions?
