Special Education News Update
September 22, 2014
It is a beautiful time of year!
Continue to take care of yourselves and stay healthy!
Have a Happy, Healthy Fall!
Important Information:
Initial Evaluations:
- When beginning an initial evaluation, at least one staff member must meet with the parent face to face to explain the evaluation process, what an IEP is, and how special education services work
REEDs:
- The process for REEDs this year is the same as last year when we are not questioning eligibility
- We are still attempting to get parent signature on REEDS even when we are not collecting new information or questioning eligibility
- Attorneys are guiding us to continue to do this as parents are to have knowledge/input into data collected and documentation that we've had that conversation with them
Scheduling for Services:
- Please try to be as consistent as possible when scheduling services for kids
- Please remember to communicate changes in your schedule with teachers, whenever possible
Evaluating Students:
- Please try to remember to coordinate with the rest of the evaluation team (TC, Psych, OT, PT, Speech) and communicate with teachers when evaluating students so that students aren't being pulled several times in one day (unless ok with the teacher)
CPI Training Went Well September 19
Thank you to those who were trained and those who serve on your building's Crisis Response Team!
Please keep in mind....
IEPs:
- All IEPs must have an Evaluation Team Representative
- IF there is a hand carry, Tienet email the invitation to Linda and Diane (like always)
- Case Manager prints parent copy of invitation and gets it (along with procedural safeguards packet) to the parent
- We will be getting safeguards packets out to the TCs in your buildings, so if you need one, please ask your TC
Medicaid Billing
- If you are struggling (or have struggled in the past) to remember to do your Medicaid Billing, try an accountability partner!
- Text or email your partner on a certain day to check in and keep them on track (every Friday check in, let them know your progress "I'm all up to date on Medicaid logging," and ask them how they are progressing with theirs)
Transfers:
- Please send all transfers through Cheri (scan and email- fax is down)
- If you are missing a UIC number, please send that on anyway, and Cheri will work on getting the UIC
PLC DAY: October 1
- Secondary Staff Training with Mindy Miller (from KRESA) 1:30-3pm
- All Staff - Medicaid Training 3-4pm
- Elementary Staff Training with Mindy Miller (from KRESA) 4-5:20pm
COUNT DAY: October 1
- Prepare ahead of time=no stress on count day
- Make sure all caseload changes have been communicated to Diane Thomas ahead of time
- Create count worksheet ahead of time, print, sign, and bring your count worksheet to PLC (I'll resend directions, in case you forgot how to do this)
Evaluation Reports:
- Evaluation reports will no longer state "evaluation team recommends that this student be considered eligible/not eligible for...."
- Reports should list evaluation results and conclude with a statement such as "the results of the evaluation will be presented to the IEP team for consideration when determining eligibility for special education programs and services"
IEP Invitations:
- Invitations will now be emailed to school staff, rather than sending paper copies to the school
- Parents will continue to get a paper copy of the invitation
If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important. -Barbara Colorose
Celebrations:
Happy Birthday! (September)
7th - Gail Brooks
7th - Gail Brooks
11th - Mary Beth Thoman
21st - Chauntelle Boot
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
- IEP Blackout Days - Count - Sept 24-30
- October 1 - PLC
- October 1, 2014 - Fall Count Day
- December 1, 2014 - 2nd Trimester Begins
- Progress Reports Due Dec 8
- December 22- Jan 2, 2015 - Winter Break (All IEPs due in by December 18, 2014)