NT Special Education Services Delivery Plan

District Developed Service Delivery Plan 2018-2023 (Printable)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NORTH TAMA SCHOOLS

 

 

DISTRICT DEVELOPED

 

 

SERVICE DELIVERY PLAN

 

 

2018-2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Process Used to Develop the Delivery System for Eligible Individuals

 

The district developed service delivery plan was developed in accordance with the Iowa Administrative Code Rule 41.408(2)”C”. The group of individuals who developed the plan includes parents of eligible individuals, special education teachers, general education teachers, district administrators and Central Rivers AEA administrators and representatives.

 

District Developed Service Delivery Plan Development Groups

 

Central Rivers AEA Representative: Justin Stockdale

 

Central Rivers AEA Support Staff: Rochelle Richards, Justin Miller

 

North Tama School Board: Gretchen Pargeon, David Calderwood

 

North Tama Administration:  Josh Youel, Paul Rea, David Hill

 

North Tama Special Education Staff: Julie Giblin, Colin Lobdell, Andrea Woehlk,  Jess Schults, Marla Seda, Tina Schlichting

 

North Tama General Education Staff: Judy Boerm, Lisa Chizek, Jene Daub, Brady Swenson, Juliana Reisner, Karisa Kladivo

 

Parents: Pat and Sue McLean, Sarah Dostal, John Weber, Christy Bradley

 

 

 

This process and the development groups were approved by the North Tama Schools Board of Education at it's May 21, 2018 meeting.

 

 

How will service be organized and provided to eligible individuals?

 

Preschool Program Standards: North Tama Schools will provide a full continuum of early childhood placements to children who are eligible for instructional IEP services. These early childhood placements will provide instructional services that adhere to one or more of the following Preschool Program Standards:

 

1. Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (IQPPS);

 

Regular Early Childhood Program: Services are defined as occurring in the general education classroom. The teacher holds a license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners that includes pre-kindergarten and early childhood special education. The teacher is responsible for direct instruction, preparation of materials, adaptation and accommodations as specified in the IEP. The teacher with the dual endorsement is responsible for implementing and monitoring the child’s progress according to the IEP.

 

Regular Early Childhood Program Monitored by a Licensed Early Childhood Special Education Staff: Services are defined as occurring in the general education classroom. The classroom teacher holds a license for pre-kindergarten. The general education teacher is responsible for classroom instruction and implementation of adaptations and accommodations as specified in the IEP. The licensed Early Childhood Special Education staff is responsible for monitoring the implementation of services described in each IEP and monitoring student progress relative to goals in the IEP.

 

Early Childhood Special Education Program: Services are defined as direct specially designed instruction provided to students with disabilities by a licensed early childhood special education teacher. The curriculum is tied to the general education curriculum, but is modified to meet the needs of the students. Classroom instruction is provided by a licensed Early Childhood Special Education Teacher.

 

Co-taught Early Childhood Program: Services are defined as a general education early childhood classroom. The general education curriculum and specially designed instruction are provided to a group of students with disabilities and without disabilities. All aspects of classroom instruction are co-planned and co-taught by a licensed early childhood special education teacher and an early childhood teacher.

 

The Early Childhood Special Education Teacher is responsible for monitoring the implementation of services described in each IEP and monitoring student progress relative to goals in the IEP.

 

K-12 Consulting Teacher Services: Consulting teacher services are defined as indirect services provided by a certified special education teacher to a general education teacher in adjusting the learning environment and/or modifying his/her instructional methods using specially designed instruction strategies to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability receiving instruction in the general education classroom.

 

 

 

 

K-12 Co-Teaching Services: Co-teaching services are defined as the provision of specially designed instruction and academic instruction provided to a group of students with disabilities and nondisabled students. These services are provided by the special education teacher and general education teacher in partnership to meet the content and skills needs of students in the general education classroom. These services take shape in a variety of manners. For example, teachers co-plan, divide the class, and provide the instruction to smaller groups, or teachers co-plan and then co-instruct different components of the content. The effectiveness of services provided through co-teaching have a strong research base.

 

K-12 Supplementary Instruction in the General Classroom: Collaborative services are defined as direct specially designed instruction provided to an individual student with a disability or to a group of students with disabilities by a certified special education teacher in a general education classroom setting to aid the student(s) in accessing the general education content area instruction. These services are provided simultaneously with the general education content area instruction.

 

K-12 Supplementary Instruction in the Special Education Classroom: Pull-out supplemental instruction is defined as specially designed instruction provided to an individual student with a disability or a group of students with disabilities by a certified special education teacher in a special education setting. Pull-out instructional services are designed to supplement instruction provided in the general education classroom through the previously described consulting teacher model, co-teaching model and collaborative model of service delivery. Supplemental instruction provided in a pull-out setting does not supplant the instruction provided in the general education classroom.

 

K-12 Reverse Consultation Services: Reverse consultation services are defined as direct specially designed instruction provided to an individual student with a disability or to a group of students with disabilities by a certified special education teacher in a special education setting to aid the student(s) in accessing the general education content area instruction. A general education teacher licensed in the core content area collaborates with a special education teacher to jointly plan lessons and instructional strategies. The general education teacher supervises the curriculum and is responsible for assigning student grades. The special education teacher is responsible for providing direct instruction. Both teachers are responsible for ongoing progress monitoring and formative assessment. Reverse consultation is a model of service delivery used only with a small number of students who exhibit significant cognitive or behavioral skill deficits, yet are expected to achieve district standards rather than alternative standards. Documentation of regular and frequent consultation, joint planning and assessment of student progress is required.

 

K-12 Special Class: Special class services are defined as direct specially designed instruction provided to an individual student with disability or a group of students with disabilities by a certified special education teacher to provide instruction which is tied to the general education curriculum, but has been modified to meet the unique needs of the student(s) in a self-contained setting (including, but not limited to special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions). This means the student is receiving his or her primary instruction separate from non-disabled peers.

 

Additional Considerations:

• Students may receive different services at multiple points along the continuum based on the IEP.
• The district will provide access to this continuum for all eligible individuals based on their IEP.
• Services may be provided within the district or through contractual agreement with other districts and/or agencies.
• The continuum includes services for eligible individuals ages 3-21.

 

How will caseloads of special education teachers be determined and regularly monitored?

 

Special education teacher rosters will be reviewed at least 2 times per year by the teacher, the building principal, and an Central Rivers AEA representative. Roster reviews will be scheduled as follows:

 

1. During the month of October (preceeding Special Education Child Count)
2. During the month of April (to project rosters and make plans for next school year)

 

 

Caseload Determination Process - Students

 

Caseload determinations will be made by assigning points for the intensity of service required by each IEP on a teacher’s roster. Each student is assigned 1, 2, or 3 points based on level of intensity of services. The primary consideration is the percent of specially designed instruction regardless of setting.

 

 

1 Point          Student has 1 to 2 goal areas requiring specially designed instruction.

 

2 Points        Student has 3 to 4 goal areas requiring specially designed instruction.

 

3 Points        Student’s IEP has 4 or more goal areas requiring specially designed instruction.

                In addition, student requires significant adaptation to grade level curriculum requiring

                instructional strategies.  Alternate assessment may be used to monitor the IEP.  Behavior

                intensity is such that an FBA and BIP are monitored.

 

 

Caseload Determination Process - Joint Planning and Collaboration Considerations

 

Additional points are assigned based on the teacher’s time spent joint planning with general education teachers or paraprofessionals. This is calculated for the teacher and not for individual students. Joint planning is defined as planning and designing specially designed instruction. It could involve general educators and/or paras. It is, for example, developing lesson plans, designing content strategies, adjusting supports and curriculum, and planning assessments for IEP students. It is not, for example, monitoring and gathering student assessment data.

 

1 Point Special education teacher conducts joint planning with general education teacher(s) and/or paraprofessional over the course of a month for up to 3 hours of time.

 

2 Points Special education teacher conducts joint planning with general education teacher(s) and/or paraprofessional over a course of a month for 3 to 5 hours of time.

 

3 Points Special education teacher conducts joint planning with general education teacher(s) and/or paraprofessional over a course of a month for more than 5 hours of time.

 

In general, a special education teachers’ caseload should not exceed 22 points. The assignment of education assistants must be taken into consideration and may be used to compensate for a caseload that exceeds 22 points. Caseloads of 22 points or more will be considered for further review.

 

Example of Caseload Calculation

 

14 students on roster x 1 point = 14 points

1 student on roster x 2 points = 2 points

1 student on roster x 3 points = 3 points

19 total student points

 

1 point awarded for joint planning = 1 point (Teacher meets with general education math teacher 3 hours meeting to plan co-teaching)

20 total points for caseload determination

 

 

What procedures will a special education teacher use to resolve caseload concerns?

 

Special education teachers are expected to engage in informal problem-solving with their Central Rivers AEA  team representative and building principal prior to submitting a formal request for caseload review.

 

Steps to follow when a teacher formally requests a caseload review.

 

1. Teacher will submit a request for caseload review in writing to the building principal.

 

1. Within five working days, the building principal will meet with the special education teacher and Central Rivers AEA team representative to review and clarify concerns the teacher has expressed about his/her caseload.
   1. The teacher requesting the review is responsible for gathering relevant information to support his/her request for a caseload review. This information might include, but is not limited to:
      1. Number of IEP’s
      2. Teacher’s schedule and instructional grouping
      3. Collaboration and co-teaching assignments
      4. Number of buildings that teacher is assigned
   2. An attempt will be made to resolve the teacher’s caseload concerns informally at that time.
   3.  The building principal will provide a written response to the teacher’s request

       within five working days.

 

1. If the teacher’s caseload concern cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the teacher’s written request and the principal’s written response will be sent forward to the district superintendent within five working days.

 

1. The district superintendent and Central Rivers AEA special education coordinator will review the request and gather relevant information from the principal, special education teacher and Central Rivers AEA team representative.

 

1. Within twenty working days following receipt of the teacher’s formal request for caseload review, the district superintendent will send a written determination to the building principal and special education teacher.

 

1. If the teacher requesting review does not agree with the written determination made by the district superintendent, the teacher may appeal to the Central Rivers AEA Director of Special Education within five working days.

 

1. The Central Rivers AEA Director of Special Education will meet with personnel involved and render a written decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How will the delivery system for eligible individuals meet the targets identified in the state’s performance plan and Local Education Agency (LEA) determination as assigned by the state? What process will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery system for eligible individuals?

 

 

At least once per year, district administrators will examine their special education district profile to review the district’s data relative to progress indicators outlined in our state performance plan (SPP) for special education. District administrators will also examine the district’s annual progress report (APR) each year to review achievement data as it pertains to students with IEPs in the district. These data will be used to determine priorities and develop an action plan for special education instructional services when necessary.

 

If the district meets or exceeds APR goals and target goals outlined in our state performance plan for special education, the delivery system will be considered effective.

 

If the district does not meet APR goals or SPP target goals, district staff will work in collaboration with Central Rivers AEA staff to develop an action plan designed to promote progress toward these goals.