The Scoop
The Student Support Weekly Update - October 15, 2021
COVID - 19 Special Education Recovery Act (SB 89)
According to the COVID-19 Special Education Recovery Act (SB 89), Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) committees must complete a required supplement as a written statement included in the child’s IEP.
Click HERE for updated Guidance Document
SHARS Updates-Effective November 1
Speech Language Therapy: The name and NPI of the referring licensed physician or another eligible referring provider must be listed on the claim and kept in the medical record for reimbursement of ST or Audiology services through SHARS.
- Speech Therapists and Audiologists whose evaluations serve as the referral must be enrolled in Medicaid as individual practitioners and must use their individual NPIs when submitting claims.
- Frontline eSped will be adding a referrer/prescriber & NPI on the related and support services screen in the ARD soon. We will let you know when this update is released.
- If the prescribing/referring provider does not have an NPI, they need to obtain an NPI by completing the required application.
- Link to apply for an NPI: How to Apply | CMS
The latest slides with all the updates is HERE
Adapted Physical Education (APE) NEW Operating Guidelines
Dyslexia Supplement (updates)
Frontline Update: The Dyslexia supplement has been updated to include a statement indicating whether the district has given a parent information about the Talking Book Program. Districts are required to provide this information, per SB 2075. Please be sure to include this information in all meetings for students with Dyslexia. Another statement has been added to indicate whether a student has been identified with dysgraphia. Also, the word “hours” has been removed from one of the statements so the user can add whichever unit of time is appropriate (minutes or hours). See picture below.
Make Sure Staff is Involved in BIP development & Implementation
Ways to ensure consistent adherence to BIPs in your district:
- Involve teachers in BIP development
- Train teachers in strategies of the BIP
- Notify new teachers of student's BIP
- Instruct teachers to keep detailed documentation
- Encourage teachers to ask questions about BIP
- Take parent concerns seriously
- Keep detailed meeting notes (parent contact log)
- Encourage feedback on effectiveness of interventions
Red Ribbon Week is October 23rd - 31st!
Student Support Shout Outs!
Diag Team - The diagnostician team has stepped up to assist with evaluations at TES while Rosmari was out. Special thanks to Angela Alonzo for finalizing an evaluation and holding a very complex staffing and ARD meeting this week to ensure the student received the correct services in a timely manner.
Amber Naylor & Jennifer Sewell - They have had diligent and consistent communication with parents and students in need of support and do so much behind the scenes. We appreciate them both!
Beth Darbe & Michelle Howard - Congratulations on all the hard work... Significant Disproportionality letters have been posted and Tomball ISD is no longer disproportionate with AU/Asian.
Kalli Wakefield - Congratulations on a successful Elementary / Intermediate Bowling Challenge Day! Thanks for all the Student Support Volunteers that helped and Administrators that came out in support!
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff: