The Scoop
Special Services Update - September 5, 2022
Communication, The Scoop & You!
Reminder... there may be a lot of information in the SCOOP that you are responsible for knowing. We want to limit all the separate group emails, so we condense most of our communication into this newletter for you and for easy reference to go back and find. Please be sure and read each edition of the Scoop carefully and let us know if you have any questions.
Have a great week!
~Keri
Recap of Last Issue:
Be sure and look back if needed for any information on:
PEIMS clerk Reminders: turn in all evaluation folders and paperwork/protocols, etc. together at ONE time in ONE folder. Please do NOT hold on to folders to turn in later in bulk. Guidance HERE
ALL PIEMS errors MUST be corrected by snapshot in October. This means any student coming in without finalized eligibility or with an out of date NCEC or Elgibility not recognized in Texas, testing and ARD must be completed BEFORE snapshot even if timelines allow for longer.
eSped Frontline Fatal PEIMS errors help video HERE
Allowable accommodations: Visit the TIA website to review testing procedures for Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) assessments. Access testing procedures here. Access the full website here.
SHARS billing for related service and support services
We will go over RMTS at Cross Talk to get you started or if you need a referesher, here are training videos for related service and support service team members to have to reference for SHARS billing.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgx7H6Ixe30wvNAjzWSDhxL4QIjQMt8WwKmeu3rmCWkGZUhA/viewform
Interested in helping students and making some extra money? Homebound and/or Saturday Testing are for you!
Feeling like there are more students that need testing that we can accomplish in a school week? Writing reports from home already... Why not earn some extra money and test some of those students on a Saturday testing day at TIC? Then you are able to be paid for the report writing for that student after hours as well. TISD assessment staff is able to receive their hourly rate for the testing and report writing, up to 8 hours per student. If you are interested sign up and/or talk with Audra Arnold.
NEW! TEA UPDATED NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
The changes are as follows:
- SPEDTex logo, QR Code, and hyperlink have been added.
- The following language was updated in the Due Process Procedures section:
If you filed a due process complaint on or before August 31, 2022, the law in place at that time required you to file it within one year of the date you knew or should have known about the alleged action that forms the basis of the complaint. However, because of a change in the law, beginning on September 1, 2022, you must file a due process complaint within two years of the date you knew or should have known about the alleged action that forms the basis of the complaint. This timeline is also referred to as a statute of limitations.
Region 4 ESC Contacts: Dr. Jessica Wright, Tiffany Battle, or Kara Zwolinski
Please ensure the three boxes with contact information is completed on any procedural safeguards you send. If you need assistance with this contact peggyroberts@tomballisd.net or audraarnold@tomballisd.net
SSES Updates from TEA
SSES+ Medically Fragile Program (New August 2022)
The SSES+ Medically Fragile Program, under the original SSES (Supplemental Special Education Services) Program, has officially launched. Families with students identified as medically fragile are now eligible to receive additional funding through SSES+. If families have already applied or received the original SSES grant, they will be notified by the TEA and they will receive information about how to access these additional funds. Families should apply for SSES+ Medically Fragile using the same application as the original SSES Program. To Apply for both the SSES+ Medically Fragile and SSES Programs, go here to apply: sses.tea.texas.gov.
Both the SSES Program and the SSES+ Medically Fragile Programs use the same application, found here.
As a reminder, the SSES Resources for Districts page provides one-page resources for families, customizable documents, etc.
For questions related to SSES:
- General SSES questions: SSEShelp@region10.org or 855-773-3839
- Order questions: help@classwallet.com or 877-969-5536
- Application questions: SSESApplications@tea.texas.gov
- Region 4 ESC Contact Dr. Natalie Hudson
NEW AND UPDATED STAAR REDESIGN RESOURCES
On September 1, 2022, TEA posted a To the Administrator Address Letter: New and Updated STAAR Redesign Resources. Beginning with the spring 2023 administration, STAAR will be redesigned to align more closely with effective classroom instruction.
Tricia Baldwin, TISD Testing Coordinator shared some tidbits on the updates for accessibility. There will be more information provided at Cross Talk, but we wanted to get this information out to you as soon as possible. Please look over the highlights of changes below:
- Accessibilities Features look different and there is some clarifying information. There are allowed examples and not allowed examples. Under reading assistance note that a 3rd grader that has text to speech on can't have test administer read to them. Scratch paper is better defined. Assistive Technology: applications is how we will use predictive text application if a student qualifies for Spelling Assistance with predictive spelling.
- Basic transcribing is basically now just Speech to Text and for if they test on paper.
- There is no more Extra Time-all students can test all day.
- Spelling Assistance is only for RLA, English i and II constructed Reponses
- Paper test can only be given if a student requires a testing accommodation that is not possible to provide in an online setting.. (human reader isn't an accommodation)
- Individualized Structure reminders- note that paper clips and adhesive notes for sectioning test are only for paper booklets
TEA Provides Behavior Supports and Guidance for Serving Students with Disabilities
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently published a guide to help those who serve students with challenging behaviors. The guide provides clarity on what to do before, during and after a student's behavior event.
The guide also includes topic-specific resources and templates from the Texas Behavior Support Initiative.
Download the guide here.
ECSE & PKCollab Guidance for District Testing
For students in ECSE classrooms and the Pre-K Collaborative (PKC), please refer to this guidance document for ARDing students for District testing (i.e. Circle vs. Brigance). If you have any questions, please contact your Student Support Specialist.
GameChanger Challenges for the Week
Opportunity to win team points this week:
- Send me a shout out to a teammate to put in the SCOOP next week with your team name and SCOOP as the subject line for 1 point per email, up to 2 points per team.
- Send me a picture via email with the subject line "Team Fun" of team members having fun outside of work (appropriate and approved by team members for me to post in SCOOP eg: beach, bowling, dinner, fun with families, volunteering, etc.). Be sure and tell me your team name. Each email gets 2 points up to 2 points total per team.
- Send me a picture or tweet out a picture with team name hashtags wearing maroon on Tuesday showing your support for 1 points, 2 total points per team.
Check out our team points counter below. I will post in celebrations how points were earned. Don't forget the team with the highest points by each Cross Talk will host the #TISDGameChangers trophy for the month and receive prizes! Let's have some fun at work!
#TISDGameChangers ....
Assistive Tech Resources/Ideas
Do you need some ideas for your students who use switch access or lower tech communication devices? Check out these Remarkable Ideas for both curriculum and rec/leisure that Ablenet has published. We have many of these devices or similar items so if you do not have what you need contact Eileen Garza for help.
Bookshare has updated its webreader and is in the process of developing an app. Please view this video to see how it can support your students.
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center/learning-center/browser-how-to-guide
'HOW I ADVISE MY CLIENTS': How should a district respond if it doesn't share parents' concerns about a possible disability?
A request for an initial evaluation to determine whether a student is a child with a disability may be made by a parent. 34 CFR 300.301 (b). But what if a district doesn't have any reason to suspect a student has a disability? How can the team delve into parents' concerns and make decisions without violating the IDEA?
Special Ed Connection® asked this and other questions to three experts in the field. Consider their responses, edited for length and clarity:
Click HERE to read the full article.
We Will Miss you Kalli!
A note from Kalli Wakefiedl
I wanted to take a moment to let you all know that I have resigned from Tomball ISD. My last day in TISD will be Friday, September 23rd.
I have an opportunity to do something that I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. This has been a very difficult decision as this has been home for 7+ years but it is something that I cannot pass up and feel called to do. I love working in Tomball ISD and working closely with all of you amazing teachers. I will miss everyone greatly. Thank you for allowing me to help support your classrooms and the LIP programs over the years.
Tomball ISD is a great place to be and I cannot see the wonderful things that happen in the coming years.
Thank you, Tomball ISD.
SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL SHOUT OUTS!
Tiffany Taylor - Tiffany is a new to Tomball diagnostician and is already able to rock the many difficult situations sent her way since school has started. She is a true professional!
Nancy Newton has been so patient and supportive of a brand new SLL teacher and SLL program at LES. She has been training and teaching since the first day of school and we are all so appreciative!
Amber Naylor is amazing and has been supporting PASS and all of the teachers with the behavioral needs at LES. She is a rockstar!!
Pooja Kelm - She researched how the levels of noise (pitch, size of the room, etc) impacts students' behaviors, as well as shared an app we can use to measure these aspects in particular areas. She presented the information to the LSSPs and always researches situations she sees that students need help with.
GOES evaluation team - Great job showing the true #Ubuntu #TISDGameChangers spirit by working collaboratively together, planning regularly and being supportive of each other!
Becky Stucky - Congratulations on gaining a point for #HustleNHeart for inviting the campus nurse to all of your ARD meetings!
Amber Keown - Congratulations on gaining 2 points for #HUSTLEnHEART for your speech therapy celebration on Twitter!
Kalli Wakefield, Jessica Oakes & Ramona Brizzard- Congratulations on gaining 4 points for #TeamTitan for your celebrations on Twitter!
Ann Le - Congratulations on gaining 2 points for #2Legit for your celebration on Twitter!
Kelly Robles - Congratulations on gaining a point for #Infinity for inviting your nurse to all your ARDS.
Nancy Newton - Congratulations on your celebration tweet and gaining #Infinity 2 points.
Katrina Thornton & Jessica Oakes - Congratulations on gaining 2 points for #TeamTitan for inviting your nurse to all of your ARDs.
More Information
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff:
The LIP Ledger - new
The Specialized Support Snippits - coming soon
Behavior Bulletin - new