SC Public Charter School District

1. SC Public Charter School District Special Education Coordinator Training August 2, 2012

2. Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • Review of 2011 – 2012 School Year • Changes to 2012 – 2013 • SCDE OEC On-site Monitoring Visit • 2012 – 2013 Focus • Policy and Procedures • Child Find • Forms • Compliance within the IEP process • Notification of Meeting • PLOP • Annual Goals • Progress Monitoring • Lessons Learned • Restraint and Time Out • Disciplining SWD • Excent • Members • Attachments • Confidentiality/FERPA • Referral Process (Child Find) • Transfers into the District • Exiting • Medicaid • Budgeting • EFA/PowerSchool • Required Data Reports • Closing/Questions

3. Introductions

4. Who we are – Student Services • Robbie Compton • Director of Student Services • 803-734-8067; 803-230-9593 (cell) • Beckie Davis • Coordinator of Psychological Services • 803-734-8050; 803-312-2491 (cell) • Zenobia Ealy • Special Education Data Manager • IN addition to PowerSchool • 803-734-4151 • VamshiRudrapati (Mr. V) • Coordinator of Student Services • IN addition to Title I • 803-734-1105

5. A Look Back at the 2011 – 2012 School Year

6. A Look Back • During the 2011 – 2012 school year: • 1,053 students with IEPs on December 1, 2011 • 102 students were evaluated to determine whether there was a disability under Child Find; 9 were not eligible • 45 reevaluations in which an additional disability was suspected • 12 students with IEPs graduated with high school diploma* • 10 students with IEPs exited and returned to regular education* • 1 OCR complaint file against SC Virtual • District responded and was found to be in compliance • 1 Formal SCDE Complaint filed against SC Spartanburg • District has responded, however the SCDE hasn’t concluded its investigation

7. A Look Back • Findings: • Issued • Assessment (9/13/2011) • Indicator 13 - 76.74 % (9/21/11) • Indicator 11 - 92.96% (1/11/12) • Cleared • Indicator 11 (7/28/2012) • Future • Indicator 11 (~93%) • Primarily due to schools’ difficulty getting contract assessments completed • District Determination • FFY10 Needs assistance (attached)

8. Changes to 2012 – 2013

9. Changes from 2011 - 2012 • Updated Policies and Procedures (we’ll discuss throughout the day) • Updated Forms • Updated Procedural Safeguards • Changed from Citrix Go-to-Meeting to Adobe Connect (we think) • Added .25 staff (Mr. V.)

10. SCDE OEC On-site Monitoring Visit

11. SCDE OEC On-site Monitoring Visit • Each District in the State is put into a cyclical cycle (~1 every 6 years unless they have reason to return) • We were notified on July 19th about our upcoming visit • September 19 and 20 • The Process: • Pre-visit review of district/school P&P • Folder review of 35+ files from Dec 1, 2011 (new schools off the hook) (80 question checklist) • Interviews with administrators/teachers/parents/students (web) • We have a lot to do to prepare for this visit

12. Timeline/Due Dates • August 20th - Pre-visit Documentation submitted to SCDE • August 28th- list of the 35+ files to be reviewed sent to us • August 31st - copies of these student files due to us • September 5th– we will contact schools re: interviews with parents, staff, students • September 10th– schools set up and confirm interviews • September 19th– onsitevisit • District presentation (would like for you to attend) • Folder review of the 35+ files using an 80-question checklist per file • September 19th and 20th – be on standby for any additional file requests

13. On-Site Monitoring Visit • Pre-visit Submission of Documents • Due August 20, 2012: • Detailed listing of all special education teachers and related service providers which includes: (Mr. V) • Teachers’ Names, Certification area(s), school assignment(s), current caseload amount including the categories of disabilities served • School handbook that includes any discipline policies and procedures (Robbie) • Schools’ Child Find Procedures (Beckie) • Confidentiality/Records access procedures(Robbie) • training rosters of your staff • Sign-out sheets • Access Lists • List of students that have been removed from school for more than 10 days due to disciplinary reasons (Zenobia)

14. On-Site Monitoring Visit • Between NOW and August 28th– review every file, checking for compliance. • The 80-question checklist isn’t something special . . . This is minimal IDEA Compliance. • All IEPs should meet these standards.

15. On-Site Monitoring • When you receive your list of students: • Locate and scan into the DropBox the following: • Most current IEP* • Letter of invite • Minutes/PWN • Most current progress reports *for end of the year IEPs, you’ll need to submit both 11/12 and 12/13 IEPs • Most current reevaluation/evaluation • Letters of invite (both meetings) • Minutes/PWN • Consent for the evaluation/reevaluation (if additional information was requested) • Consent for services (identified by our district) • Due Date: August 31, 2012

16. 2012 – 2013 Focus 2012 – 2013 Focus

17. 2012 – 2013 Focus • Because of ongoing systemic issues during the 2011 – 2012 school year, along with the forthcoming audit, this year we’re having to focus on IDEA compliance. • Timely review of IEPs • Compliance within IEPs • Proper notification and follow-up from IEP meetings • Proper process for evaluations and reevaluations • Adherence to timelines (especially the 60 day timeline) • Proper process for disciplining students with disabilities

18. Let’s Talk Policies

19. Policies and Procedures • The district has made some updates to our policies and procedures. • Changes are in red font • A hard copy has been provided. • Updated PDF is in the DropBox • It’s expected that the schools adopt our policies. When asked by anyone for your policies, provide them with a copy of the district policies.

20. Updates • The following slides are highlights of any “changes” or things that we feel are important to point out.

21. Confidentiality • II (a) • The South Carolina Public Charter School District permits parents (or a representative of a parent) to inspect and review any education records relating to their children that are collected, maintained, or used by the South Carolina Public Charter School District. If any education record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information relating to their child or to be informed of that specific information. • The South Carolina Public Charter School District keeps a record of parties obtaining access to education records collected, maintained or used under Part B of the IDEA (except access by parents and authorized employees of the participating agency), including the name of the party, the date access was given and the purpose for which the party is authorized to use the records. The South Carolina Public Charter School District, including each school within, maintains a list of authorized employees who have access to educational records.

22. Destruction of Records • II (F) • Federal auditing requirements necessitate the availability of education records for identified students for 5 years after they exit from special education services. After that period of time, the South Carolina Public Charter School District may destroy records. However, before destroying special education records, the South Carolina Public Charter School District must notify the parent (or the adult student) that the information is no longer needed by the South Carolina Public Charter School District or individual school to provide services to the student and that the school is proposing to destroy them.

23. Service Age • III • In accordance with federal law, the South Carolina Public Charter School District assumes responsibility for the location, identification and evaluation of all children age 3 and 21 who are enrolled in any of the schools chartered with the South Carolina Public Charter School District and who reside within the State of South Carolina and who require special education and related services. This includes children who are suspected of having a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade (34 C.F.R. § 300.111(a)(c)). The decision on serving students who are 21 years old on or before September 1 of the school year is left to each individual charter school that is chartered with the South Carolina Public Charter School District.

24. Surrogate Parents • IV (H) • The South Carolina Public Charter School District ensures that the rights of a child are protected when: • No parent can be identified; • The South Carolina Public Charter School District, after making reasonable efforts, cannot locate a parent; • The child is a ward of the state; or • The child is an unaccompanied homeless youth as defined in section 725(6) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §11434a(6)).

25. When you suspect . . . • V (A)(1) • The South Carolina Public Charter School District conducts an evaluation before the initial provision of special education and related services. A parent of a child may initiate a request for an initial evaluation to determine if the child is a child with a disability. Additionally, when there is reason to suspect the child may have a disability, an employee of the South Carolina Pubic Charter School District, including its school, is obligated to initiate a request for an initial evaluation

26. Extending the 60-day timeline

27. IEPs • VI • The meeting to develop an IEP is conducted within 30 calendar days of a decision that a child needs special education and related services. • The IEP is implemented as soon as possible following its development. • The parents may receive a copy of the IEP either at the conclusion of the IEP meeting or within 7 calendar days of the date of the IEP meeting.

28. IEPs (Team Membership) • VI (A) • Required Team Members: • Not less than one general education teacher of the child, if the child is, or may be, participating in the general education environment. This must be a teacher who is or may be working with the child to ensure success in the general curriculum and implement portions of the IEP; • Not less than one special education teacher of the child or, where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child; • A representative of the school district who • Is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities; • Knows the general education curriculum; and • Knows about the availability of resources of the school district.

29. IEPs (Notification of Meeting) • VI (B) • The South Carolina Public Charter School District conducts IEP team meetings without a parent in attendance only if it cannot convince parents that they should attend. Before an IEP team meeting is held without a parent, the South Carolina Public Charter School District makes at least two contact attempts using two different methods to contact a parent to arrange a mutually agreed on time and place, and records its attempts to do so.

30. IEPs (Notification) • Notification of Meetings: • Regardless of the method used to schedule the IEP meeting, you’ll need to have documented the notification of the meeting with the notification in Excent. • This includes proper membership included on the invitation • Students invited for students aged 12 and older (for all meetings) • Also includes proper “purpose” of the meeting • If using other, please explain what “other” is • If parents did not attend the meeting, do you have documentation of two separate attempts using two different methods?

31. Notification of Meetings • There is no such thing as a 7 day notice nor is there such a thing as “waiving” the notice. • “Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend” (300.322)”.

32. Notification of Meetings • Two sections: • Dear . . . . . • This is only for the parent and student (for 12 and older) • The following will be notified of the meeting: • Special Ed • Regular Ed • LEA • NOT • PARENT OR STUDENT

33. Notification of Meetings • For students that receive speech services: • A SLP must be in attendance • For a student that receives OT: • An OT must be in attendance • For a students that receives PT: • A PT must be in attendance • For a child that’s VI or HI: • A teacher of the VI or HI must be in attendance

34. Excusing a team member • A member of the IEP team whose area of expertise IS NOT being discussed may be excused from an IEP meeting if: • The LEA rep and parent agree in writing prior to the meeting • There’s a form for that • A member of the IEP team whose area of expertise IS being discussed may be excused from an IEP meeting if: • The parent gives informed, written consent prior to the meeting AND • The team member provides written input for the meeting that IEP team members (including the parent) can review prior to the meeting and prior to the parent giving consent • There’s a form for that also

35. Annual Goals • Annual goals, or objectives, CANNOT have a mastery statement that says: • As evidenced by an increase on MAP by 5 points • As evidenced by passing the PASS (or HSAP) • As measured by a passing grade in Math. • As measured by a final grade of 83% in English IV • As shown by a standard score increase of 5 points in the Woodcock-Johnson. • By meeting 4 out of the 5 short term objectives. • For all the measurements above, MAP, PASS, HSAP, grades in class, and Woodcock-Johnson, the score reflects a global score and not a specific skill deficit. A RIT score cannot tell you if the child can tell time on a clock. • For the MAP, PASS, HSAP, and Woodcock Johnson, it is not meant to be given 4 times a year which is how often we need to send home progress reports. • For passing a class . . . This is EVERY KID’s goal . . . There is nothing “special” about that education. • Which objective is not important?

36. IEPs (Progress Reports) • VI (D) • The South Carolina Public Charter School District will report to the parents the child’s progress towards each annual goal at a frequency defined by the IEP, but in no case less than progress is reported to the child’s non-disabled peers. The reporting may be carried out in writing or through a meeting with the parents (including documentation of information shared at the meeting).

37. IEPs (Transfers) • VI (F) • Regardless of how the parent completes the enrollment information regarding previous special education services, it is the responsibility of the new school to verify whether or not the student received special education and related services in the previous district. • Since this is a transfer of educational records from the child’s old LEA to the South Carolina Public Charter School District, no consent for release of documents is required.

38. IEPs (Transfers) • VI (F)(1) • Within thirty calendar days from the date of enrollment the South Carolina Public Charter School District will: • adopt the child’s IEP from the previous LEA, • amend the child’s IEP from the previous LEA, or • develop and implement a new IEP.

39. IEPs (ESY) • Eligibility must be discussed annually • Not necessarily in “May.” • 95% of the kids, you can determine this at the annual review What must be considered: • REGRESSION/RECOUPMENT • CRITICAL POINT IN INSTRUCTION/EMERGING SKILLS • INTERFERING BEHAVIOR • TRANSITION • SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND what data do you have to support these?

40. IEPs (Minutes/PWN) • We required minutes and a PWN for every time an IEP team meets. • The minutes are not meant to be transcriptions but general notes and discussions for the IEP. • Minutes are not required to be signed. • PWN, must be completely filled out every time in which the child’s FAPE was discussed. • At the conclusion of the meeting, the parent will receive the signed IEP, minutes, and PWN.

41. The Link • There must be a link throughout the complete IEP. The link begins with the present level and it expand to all areas: • Accommodations • Services • Annual Goals • LRE • PSGs • . . .

42. New Forms • EVERY form has been updated. These forms are in the dropbox and a copy have been provided on the USB Drive. • Forms will have one more update over the next month (to “fill-in” pdf’s). • We have new forms: • Transfer Consultation Forms • Additional Referral Forms

43. Records • For 2012 – 2013 school year, the following MUST be uploaded into Excent(for files this point forward): • Completely signed IEP (not just the signature page) • Minutes/PWN • Evaluation/Reevaluation paperwork: • Planning meeting • Determination meeting • Consent for evaluations • Consent for services • Schools still need to maintain hard copies of the child’s IEP folder

44. Continuum of Services SC Code Ann. § 59-40-50 (B) A charter school must: • adhere to the same health, safety, civil rights, and disability rights requirements as are applied to public schools operating in the same school district or, in the case of the South Carolina Public Charter School District or a public or independent institution of higher learning sponsor, the local school district in which the charter school is located; 7) admit all children eligible to attend public school to a charter school . . . .

45. Continuum of Services • Every “eligible child” under IDEA is entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) through the services of his/her IEP. • Charter schools are expected to provide a continuum of services and placement options. • Not a FULL continuum in every school, but a continuum.

46. Continuum of Services • The district has the responsibility to provide a full continuum of services. This means that in some cases, the district might set up a multi-district agreement in situations when FAPE cannot be provided in a particular school. • This is a IEP team decision that involves district office staff. • These are handled case-by-case. • Contact Robbie immediately when you receive word that a child is transferring into your school who is coming with intensive services and supports.

47. Referral Process (Child Find)

48. Child Find Procedures • In accordance with federal law, the South Carolina Public Charter School District assumes responsibility for the location, identification and evaluation of all children age 3 and 21 who are enrolled in any of the schools chartered with the South Carolina Public Charter School District and who reside within the State of South Carolina and who require special education and related services. This includes children who are suspected of having a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade (34 C.F.R. § 300.111(a)(c)).

49. Child Find • Must be publicized • Easiest way to do this is on your school’s website • See district provide sample • Could send this out in the school newsletter • Post on bulletin boards at school • Must include information about how parents and staff refer a child for an evaluation if there is a reason to suspect the child may have a disability under IDEA (contact name, contact information) • Must also include contact information for the school district in which your school is located or a link to the OEC coordinators’ list

50. Child Find • Regardless of whether the parent supports the referral or not, school staff is required by state and federal laws to refer the child for an evaluation. • This means gathering the referral information • Scheduling an evaluation planning meeting • Requesting consent to evaluate • The parent has the right to deny consent to evaluate • Typically this stops the process*