Office of Student Services
Updates for Special Education
Student Services Contacts
- Greg Roberson groberson@mthcs.org 513.728.4983
- Sara Gehring sgehring@mthcs.org 513.619.8313
- Carol Moore cmoore@mthcs.org 513.728.4974
Email: sgehring@mthcs.org
Website: www.mthcs.org
Location: 7615 Harrison Ave, Mount Healthy, OH, United States
Phone: 513-619-8313
Notes from HCESC Spec.Ed. Administrators Meeting-09/17/2014
Special Ed. Administrators from around Hamilton County met on 09/17/2014 to discuss updates from our State Support Team and ODE. Please review the information stated below and file with your other Special Ed. Compliance notes.
HQT for Intervention Specialists for students taking AASCD in grades 7th-12th
- Effective 06/07/2014.
- Starting in 2016-17, Intervention Specialists teaching students eligible for completing alternate assessments in grades 7th-12th will need to met the new HQ requirements.
- IS need to show evidence of content knowledge in core academic subjects of their teaching assignments.
- More details to come about training opportunities through ODE/SST 13 for districts this fall.
New graduation and testing requirements
- ODE is concerned about how a student is able to pass a class on a report card but cannot pass the state test for that content area.
- IEP teams need to be aware of students receiving instruction of content standards and if the accommodations that are in place are hindering or giving an advantage to the student in classroom activities.
Ohio Means Jobs-Transition Plans
- Highly recommended tool for IEP teams to use for gathering information for Transition information on the IEP.
- It is FREE to use!
- https://jobseeker.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/home.aspx
Testing-AASCD
- Only staff who have NOT been trained last year will need to attend a full day training this year.
- Staff who were trained last year to administer the AASCD will not be required to attend training this year.
- Feb.23-Apr.17 is window.
- The district will follow up with due date for administration to be completed prior to the closing of the window on April 17th.
- Teams should use the updated Decision Framework to guide identification of students who qualify for this format of assessment. (see below)
Preschool
- Updates were given regarding the Early Learning Assessment
- All Preschool staff have been training in MTH or will be training in the coming weeks to administer the ELA.
- Handout presented regarding LRE decision framework (see below).
New Operating Standard
- In effect July 1, 2014.
- There are language updates to be aware of for staff.
- Intellectual Disability replaces MR or CD
- No re-evaluation is required for preschool to school age students (Unless DD)
- I-ETR team (qualified professionals) vs. R-ETR team (includes IEP team)
- http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Special-Education/News/2014-Ohio-Operating-Standards-for-the-Education-of/2014-Ohio-Operating-Standards-for-the-Education-of-Children-with-Disabilities.pdf.aspx
EMIS Changes
- The federal Child Count will NOT be taken on December 1, but will occur on October 31st.
- All students with disabilities must have an active special ed. ETR/IEP within the date range: 06/01-10/30 to count.
- Districts will start reporting the outcomes for Manifestation Determinations.
ODE focus is shifting....
- ODE will still focus on compliance
- ODE will start to focus more on Results Driven Accountability
- Results Driven Accountability: looking at data on progress reports and SPP (are we closing the gap), EMIS data to see if student is getting what is written in plan vs. reality (based on walk through in all settings)
- This will factor into new Onsite Review Process from ODE
- Do all members of the IEP team KNOW the IEP and how to SERVICE the child?
New Onsite Review Process
- Officially rolls out in 2015-16 school year
- 11 Ohio districts will participate in a soft roll out in 2014-15.
- 3-4 year process
- 1st year: SST team works with district to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses; rubrics to check compliance-Child Find, LRE, SDI, Discipline, gap closer based on progress report data, walk throughs, data analysis
- 2nd year: district implements plan based on 1st year data
- 3rd year: ODE comes onsite to review and will focus on results driven accountability and compliance (in all settings)
- 4th year: systemic checks from previous years' data.
ETRs reinforcement
- The PR-01's justification for an ETR meeting must be individualized and specific ( show well thought out reason for meeting). Cannot state "because it is mandated.." "or because it is the law to hold a reevaluation every three years...."
- If you have a planning form completed and need to make changes (i.e. RETR and team wants updated testing): document with a PR-01- do NOT get another consent for the new testing (messing up EMIS-only one PR-05 should report for each ETR).
- Medical is often weak in ETR document- if the child has needs (i.e. wears leg braces), should be somewhere on the ETR.
- Document the intervention process (who, what, intensity, frequency, results, and the decision made as a result)
IEPs reinforcement
- PLOP and goal should be a single specific need, not a laundry list (i.e.-a reading goal that covers both comprehension and fluency is NOT acceptable)
- Accommodations and Modifications should be specific, linked to a goal, and defined, NOT a laundry list.
- Specialized Instruction and LRE should be individualized (does the gen.ed. teacher's specialized instruction look different than what the Intervention Specialist's specialized instruction is?)
- The PR-01's justification for an IEP meeting must be individualized and specific ( show well thought out reason for meeting). Cannot state "because it is mandated.." "or because it is the law to hold a annual review...."
Where we are going in Special Education in the eyes of ODE....
- IEP must be what the instruction is focused on daily (ODE will be checking-keep good progress report data for all providers involved with student)
- Goals must be mastered by end of each IEP's cycle; if not making progress, there needs to be documented revisions in IEP through out cycle.
- ODE is looking for documented baseline data in PLOPs and comparing that to end of IEP cycle's progress reports' data.
- Must document data/evidence of how progress of IEP goals are being met.
- ODE will still monitor compliance, but really driving Results Driven Accountability (are SWDs learning content and closing the gaps?) with new onsite audit.