Special Education High School Transition Services

From my Factoidz page: 1414(d) and in Findings about “effective transition services to promote successful post-Students typically start transition services at the age 14 if educational services are still required as determined by the school district and the IEP team. However, Washington State’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (2010) states: “Transition services must be included in an eligible student’s IEP at the latest, the year in which the student turns 16 earlier if the IEP team determines it appropriate.” At this age, an Individualized Education Plan is written with post secondary goals in mind. “What will my child do after graduation from high school special education transition services? How will I plan for my child’s future?” What kind of support will my child need? What kind of work does my child like to do and does it fit his or her skills? These are the questions addressed. After these questions are addressed by the IEP team, a transition team is formed which includes Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), The Arc of Island & Skagit County and the parents. Parents are encouraged by the IEP team to bring and include the child in the IEP proceedings. Oak Harbor School District (2010) claims that standard written policy of the Oak Harbor School District and FAPE is to include all parties involved in the child’s educational process to be part of the IEP meeting (policy 5220.1 (p. 2). It is also noted that parents are required to be notified of the time, place and the reason for the meeting at the earliest convenience for the parents to make arrangements to attend the meetings. The parents are required to be informed that they may bring guests that know the student’s disability and needs. The school district may also bring an expert or someone who knows the child’s needs as long as they inform the parent first. If the parent cannot participate, the school district can continue the IEP meetings without the parent present but clear documentation of contact attempts must be made in the report. The school district may utilize conference calls if the parent want to participate but cannot make it in person. This still must be a formal meeting scheduled in advance. Once the transition team is recruited, “The Transition Team writes an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) with planning and goals for graduation. Under the ITP, the student may participate in Special Education classes, Employment, or Socialization Programs.” (p.11) Preparing for the (“Find Law”) claims: Under the Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA), parents of a special ed child meet at least once a year with representatives of the local school district to prepare their child’s IEP – a detailed, written description of your child’s education program. For more information see: Special Education High School Transition Services
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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?

According to Wright & Wright (2006): The definition of “least restrictive environment” did not change in IDEA 2004. Schools are required to educated children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Judicial decisions about “mainstreaming” and “least restrictive environment” (LRE) vary, even within the same state. (p. 151)

School districts have argued for several years that requiring schools to mainstream children with disabilities in general education classrooms is unfair. The School Districts claim that some children with disabilities need personalized instruction that they cannot provide in a transition general education classroom. Wright & Wright, explains that a student has every right to be educated in the same classroom settings as their none disabled peers, but they are still entitled a “one-one or small group instruction out-side of regular class if necessary for them to learn.” (p. 151) Parents of children with disabilities that require specialized education and want to “mainstream their children find themselves fighting with school districts over this policy. It is important to understand that children learn quickly from modeling after other children. “Mainstreaming” children with intellectual disabilities teaches them unwritten social skills they cannot possibly learn from written instruction. Mainstreaming also teaches non-disabled children compassion, respect and helps them build new relationships. For more on this article see: What is Least Restrictive Environment(LRE)?

The Special Education Profession

From my Factoidz page: Persons who desire to become special educators do so for numerous reasons. Whether making a decision to become a special educator as the initial step into the educational system, or move to special education from the ranks of general education, the teacher that chooses this field is best served knowing his or herself well, and be willing to commit to an increasingly challenging but rewarding profession. Experienced teachers may opt to leave the classroom for an administrative position and some advance to become Principals. Recent interviews of three special educators, two general education teachers and one elementary school principal were conducted. This was done in order to further understand what educational professionals think is necessary for a meaningful, worthwhile teaching and learning experience and how that relates to the teachers’ philosophy of education. The interviewed professional would be queried about why he or she first became a teacher and why continue in the profession today. Form more see: The Special Education Profession

Your Child Has A Learning Disability. So What's Next?

From my Factoidz page: Learning Disabilities was included in the 1975 authorization of the federal law Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) after an organization of parents formed the first Association of Children with Learning Disabilities (Heward, 2009). In the text, Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education, 9th ed., Heward claims since that time the number of children identified as learning disabled has tripled leading to an unending debate regarding the nature of what constitutes true a learning disability. Finding the answers to what is a learning disability is can be a daunting task for the professional and parent. What should be done to insure the student receives the best education possible when a parent suspects a child to have a learning disability?

A common scenario might be the student is struggling in school, maybe refusing to do assigned work, perhaps does the work and constantly forgets to turn it in, or maybe the student is so disruptive in class the teacher is constantly calling home with ill reports. As a parent you wonder what is happening. How did your child go from a happy enthusiastic first grader to a disruptive, school skipping ninth grader? Larry Silver, M.D. and Ruth Spodak, Ph.D. answer these and other questions regarding what options are available for the student and what parents can legally ask for and obtain from public schools in an article found on LDonline. For more see: Your Child Has A Learning Disability. So What's Next?

Tests and Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate and Attorney

Peter and Pam Wright compose a comprehensive article for parents, teachers, advocates and attorneys. The purpose of which is to help lay people and professionals recognize the value of reading and understanding educational test scores. Attorney Peter Wright Esq., and Psychotherapist Pam Wright who is also a co-author of three books on special education law use their collective expertise to bring the education and legal process together which allows the reader to study and interpret information about assessments and evaluation with the hope of getting maximum benefit for the child receiving special educational services.

Education: What Does It Mean For Your Child

From my Factoidz page: The PACER Center is a Minnesota training and information center funded by the U. S. Department of Education Office of Special Education (n.d., http://www.pacer.org/) writes an article for LD online explaining to lay people the evaluation process for special education. The article gives brief descriptions of measurement tools and the function of individual assessments. In addition, questions such as, “What questions should I consider when evaluation or reevaluation is proposed?” and” What if I disagree with the school’s evaluation? (p.5)” are discussed. To illustrate the points for reference made in the article, Evaluation: What does it mean for Your Child? (PACER Center, 2007) a fictitious family scenario will be developed in this paper.

Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Support Plans

From my Factoidz's page: Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and behavior support plans (BSP) generated by the assessment are tools of practice within positive behavior support systems (PBS). Scott and Caron (2005) define PBS as a series of three level systems used in schools. The primary level focuses on the entire student body and the secondary level focuses on students who are not responding positively to the first level. The tertiary level finds the center of attention focused on a particular student and the sort of failures that typically result in school expulsion and or may persist over a lifetime (2005). Although FBA has been widely advocated for use at all school levels, to date FBA is more frequently used at the tertiary level. The components of a FBA and the BSP, and their importance will be discussed through a description of a situation in which a student would utilize both a FBA and a BSP.

FBA is a systematic method of gathering important information about a particular challenging behavior. For more information see: Functional Behavioral Assessment

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