Developing High Quality, Compliant IEPs

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Developing High Quality, Compliant IEPs

• Updated 12-2-08

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Student Profile and Considerations

• Student strengths - These should go past hobbies
  and personality. Strengths are to be considered
  as the IEP is developed (build on strengths as
  weaknesses are addressed).
• Summarize assessment info . . . - This is a
  summary of classroom assessments, state tests
  since the last annual review and a summary of
  progress toward annual goals of the previous IEP.
• Parent Concerns and Parent/Student Vision - dont
  leave blank. If parent doesnt attend, write in
  Parent didnt attend

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Student Profile and Considerations

• Consideration of Transition - example student
  resists change and needs a walkthrough before
  school starts.
• If yes to behavior - IEP must contain a FBA and
  BIP (see next slide)
• SED students must have behavior goals, FBA and
  BIP
• Answer no for so what behaviors
• Special Communication needs - Yes if receiving
  speech
• If specially designed physical education is
  marked, must have APE goals/obj.

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Behavior Special Factors Question

• Answer yes and complete an FBA and BIP when
• When the classroom and school-wide discipline
  plans are not working
• Behaviors severe enough for repeated office
  referrals
• Behaviors so extreme that we are looking at
  repeated removal from class (ISS/OSS)
• After repeated attempts to change undesired
  behaviors have not been successful

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Transition Sections A B

• Inform of rights if 17 - moved from special
  factors page
• If formal transition assessments have been given,
  write in names.
• Keep hard copies of formal transition
  assessments, including interviews.
• If available, 4 year plan for HS students should
  be reviewed.

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Transition section C

• Sections C is required by RSS for students ages
  14 and over.
• Education/Training and Employment goals - post
  secondary (after high school) Write as
  observable, measurable goals
• John will attend a 4 year college.
• John will attend a technical college.
• John will participate in on-the-job training.
• John will work as an auto mechanic.
• John will work in a job that allows him to be
  outdoors and work with his hands.

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Transition AG/STO

• For students 16 or older, the IEP must contain an
  employment component (PLOP/AG/STO) and an
  education/training component.
• If there is an Independent Living post-secondary
  goal, there also needs to be an Independent
  Living component.

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Transition Section D

• Activities are needed for all sections (with the
  exception of Daily Living and Function Vocational
  Evaluation since those are listed as if
  appropriate). Ending dates can extend through
  graduation.
• Responsible persons should include student and
  parent when appropriate, not just school staff.
• If outside agencies are listed as the responsible
  party, those agencies must be invited to the
  meeting. Teams must have written permission from
  parents to invite outside agencies.

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PLOP, Goals, Obj

• Present Level of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance (PLAAFP) will be referred
  to as Present Level.
• Must include academic and functional strengths
  and needs - this includes behavior.
• This is where you detail what you know about the
  student.

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Functional Skills

• Generally understood to refer to skills or
  activities that are not considered academic and
  are often used in context of routine activities
  of everyday living.
• If skills are age appropriate state Functional
  skills are age appropriate.
• Examples advocating for self, communication
  with adults, self help, organization, social
  skills, attention, etc.

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The Present Level Must be

• Current
• Relevant
• Objective
• Measurable
• Understandable

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Major Components of Present Level

• Data-based student specific information related
  to current academic achievement and functional
  performance
• Strengths of the student
• Needs resulting from the disability
• Effects of the disability on involvement and
  progress in the general education curriculum

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Effects of the Disability

• The Present Level
• Describes how the disability impacts the
  students involvement in the general curriculum.
• Conveys the unique challenges or barriers that
  exist for the student as a result of the
  disability.
• Describes the current level of independence, and
  need for assistance.

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• Present Level of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance
• Isabel
• A review of informal checklist of
  social/emotional skills, indicate that Isabel is
  very social and loves to tease her friends in a
  playful way. When required to complete difficult
  tasks, Isabel often avoids these tasks by talking
  with her friends, and it often takes 5-10 verbal
  prompts to get Isabel to begin the task. Once
  she begins, she almost always completes the
  tasks. When she is tired she exhibits extreme
  emotions uncontrollable giggling, sobbing, and
  occasional anger, approximately 5 times per week
  (according to parental and teacher report). This
  inhibits her progress in the general curriculum,
  as she needs direct instruction of social skills.

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SAMANTHA

• Present Level of Educational Performance
• A review of speech/language anecdotal log of
  observations indicate that Sam speaks using words
  and phrases. She doesnt use complete sentences
  or questions when speaking. She initiates and
  responds to greetings appropriately. She doesnt
  verbally express herself to gain others
  attention. Instead she grabs others and/or their
  clothing (e.g. hats, jackets) to initiate
  conversation or join in a group. These skill
  deficits affect her ability to communicate within
  the general education setting and develop
  appropriate social skills.

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Anthony

• Present Level of Education Performance
• A review of curriculum based measures indicate
  that Anthony, a fourth grade student, can read 80
  words per minute of connected text with 100
  accuracy, which is within the range of words per
  minute established for typical peers in the
  second grade. Anthony demonstrates a relative
  strength in determining the meaning of unknown
  words by reading words in context and applying
  word structures (prefix, base words, suffix).
  Anthonys limited attention span and
  distractibility can detract him from completing
  assigned tasks, focusing on the details of
  reading passages/assignments and remaining on
  task.

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Herbie

• Based upon informal classroom math assessment,
  Herbie can count to 50, count objects to 50,
  recognize and write numerals 0-9, and group
  objects in sets. He recognizes a line, square,
  and circle, but not a rectangle or triangle. He
  cannot add or subtract 2 digit by 1 digit
  problems without regrouping, These skill
  deficits impact his ability to apply his
  knowledge to the third grade curriculum.

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Jack

• Present Level of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance
• Based on informal teacher assessment and review
  of observations from anecdotal record, Jack can
  sort one dollar bills, up to four dollars. Jack
  is unable to make coin combinations to equal one
  dollar. This affects his ability to calculate and
  problem solve in the general curriculum as well
  as in daily life skill activities.

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Amelia

• Amelia engages in leisure activities by
  herself for up to 30 minutes based on a daily log
  of observations. She does not initiate play with
  her peers, and only plays alongside others when
  they have toys that are interesting to her. She
  often takes those toys rather than asking for a
  turn (on average 4 times per day). Amelias
  social skills interfere with her educational
  performance and development of relationships to
  work and play cooperatively with others.

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Oliver

• Present Level of Academic Achievement and
  Functional Performance
• According to a log of teacher
  observations/anecdotal records, Oliver continues
  to struggle to create a product about a personal
  event as it relates to text (Competency 8.1). He
  has improved his recall of personal events. He
  has worked on creating text about his personal
  experience by creating photo journals of events
  he has participated in. He currently is able to
  then add one or two words to describe the remnant
  or photo. Relating those events to a text is
  frustrating for Oliver in the general curriculum
  because it is hard for him to make comparisons.

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Present Levels of Academic Achievement and
Functional Performance

• BOTTOM LINE
• The present level of performance is the
  cornerstone of the IEP. It is the source that
  drives other IEP components. It is the statement
  that links all components of the IEP together.

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Annual Goals

• Must be identified as academic or functional.
• Need to include
• Any important information givens/conditions
• A skill or domain
• An observable learner performance
• Measurable criteria or outcome

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Annual Goals

• Avoid increase, improve, decrease unless
  numerical baseline data is provided in the
  Present Level. Otherwise, increase isnt
  measurable.
• Write the annual goal to the need of the student,
  not the class being taken (senior project for
  12th graders or Tech Math I).
• Goals hold no legal liability. Set reasonable,
  challenging goals that can realistically be
  achieved in one school year.

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Annual Goals

• Template Student name will verb what to do
  what.
• Examples
• Fred will apply the writing process to compose a
  5 paragraph essay.
• Fred will use reading strategies to access grade
  level text.
• Fred will use computation skills to solve
  problems involving rational and irrational
  numbers.

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Annual Goals

• Template Given/conditions student will verb
  what at what level.
• Given three minutes, Fred will solve 100 mixed
  basic math facts with 90 accuracy .
• Given three sources and a thesis statement, Fred
  will write an essay supporting the thesis and
  citing all sources in 2 of 3 attempts.
• When frustrated, Fred will apply a replacement
  behavior in 3 of 4 instances.

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Annual Goals

• For each annual goal indicate whether assistive
  technology is needed to meet that goal. If yes,
  describe. Examples
• Augmentive communication devices
• Amplification systems
• OT/PT equipment
• Personal laptops with specialized equipment
• For each annual goal, address whether goal will
  be integrated with related services. If so, list
  area.

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Competency Goals

• If student is assessed through the Extend2 in
  that area, competency goals must be added.

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Short Term Objectives

• RSS will require STOs.
• Need to include
• the student name,
• targeted behavior or skill,
• conditions/circumstances if needed, and
• criteria for mastery.

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How Progress Toward Annual Goal will be Measured

• The case manager needs to be able to produce the
  documentation on which the progress notes are
  based.
• Dont rely on test grades or state testing.
• Documentation needs to be kept current.

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Class Accommodations

• This is every aspect of the school day that the
  student will be with non-disabled peers
  (academics as well as lunch, homeroom,
  advisor-advisee, vocational, enhancements,
  co-teaching, etc.)
• Largest number of written complaints to DPI
  concern a failure to implement the IEP - often in
  the area of reg ed mods/accommodations.
• Documentation of need should be found in the IEP,
  perhaps in the Present Level (functional
  performance) or in the consideration of special
  factors.

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Class Accommodations

• Research does not support the correlation of more
  mods/acc equaling higher student success.
• What is the documented need?
• Cant indicate as needed. If documentation
  doesnt support need on a regular basis, mod/acc
  shouldnt be on IEP.

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Implementation Specifications

• Who, what, where, when
• Examples
• What kind of preferential seating
• What kind of modified assignments
• Who reads tests aloud and is it every word or at
  student request.

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Classroom Accommodations

• Technical Assistance examples
• Training teachers to use/set up student assistive
  technology
• Educating staff about medical condition
• Training in restraint
• Aug Comm devices

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Testing Accommodations

• Cant list a test accommodation if it is not used
  as a reg ed accommodation.
• If its on the IEP, it must be offered. If
  accommodations are refused on the day of state
  testing, follow the procedures outlined in the
  testing manual.
• Include students in discussion!!

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Special Ed/Related Services

• Appropriate ICC placements
• Stronger push to educate students in LRE to the
  maximum extent appropriate
• Most students with behavior problems need strong
  behavior plans and reg education classes with EC
  support, not self contained classes.
• OCS classes are designed for students who have
  4-5th grade academic skills and require a high
  level of support to develop job skills, obtain
  and keep competitive employment.
• If student is inappropriately placed, gather
  data, call meeting and addend the IEP.
• Service outlined on a students IEP can be
  provided by any EC personnel in the building.

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Placement

• Least Restrictive Environment Justification
  Statement
• If any pull out - tell WHY. What does pull out
  provide that reg ed doesnt?
• Individualized instruction
• High number of repetitions
• Immediate feedback
• For ICC - why is so much pull out time required?

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ESY Services

• Use ESY worksheet (handout) at every meeting.