Special Education Referral Process
Is there any previous intervention documented?
Yes
No
Have a professional overview them with all people working with student. It is better to know what has/ has not worked than trying fruitless methods.
- Recognizing consistent needs, problems, or discrepancies by a student that is beyond the capability of the general homeroom teacher.
Is it a lack of motivation?
Yes
Special Ed is not recommended
Teachers should document the student's work with examples of skill deficit as well as time/date to validate it isn't a single incident.
Behavioral or Academic Support should be applied
An open line of communication between parents and/or guardians should be established at this point.
2. Pre-Referral or Response to intervention (RTI) All teachers and people involved with student should develop and integrate alternative education strategies before being referred.
Frequent monitoring of progress
If student does not improve with high-quality general education, then an assessment of possible eligibility can commence.
3. Evaluation Phase A comprehensive evaluation is to be complete within 60 days of referral date. All hands-on-board involved with student and school capacity.
First, General classroom education is applied in high-quality measures. Then group-centered. Finally, individualized strategies resulting in class differentiation.
The process is thoroughly documented and parents are sufficiently involved.
Bodies of Interest include: Related Service Providers, School, Psychologists, Special Educators, General Educators, & Medical Doctors.
Observations, informal & formal.
In the language capable of understanding student's needs & skills.
4. Eligibility All concerned bodies of interest are to meet and decide on eligibility status.
Student must exhibit at least 1 of the 13 IDEA categories that negatively impacts their learning.
Student must demonstrate the need of special education services to benefit from classroom setting.
5. IEP Meeting 30 days to develop IEP and determine placement.
This includes but is not limited to: student profile, start date, IEP goals, special instructional factors, opportunities of inclusion in extra-curricular activities, evaluations, benchmarks, and a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
6. IEP Implementation
7. Re-evaluation
General Collaborative Steps
Meeting with Student
Meeting with parents/guardians
Analysis of past documentation
Consulting with other staff members involved in the student's academic progress
Yearly updated to assess what services, if any, are required for the upcoming school year.
Doesn't need services after continued improvement and isn't eligible, anymore?
IEP is disbanded & student re-enters general student population
Accommodations in Testing
Behavioral & Attention Accommodations
Parents/ Guardians are involved
Assessments may be necessary
Begin a new student profile
Alternate Test (modified, shortened, different format: audio, visual)
Extra time
Assistance from specialist or teacher
Use of notes
Use of manipulatives
Small group testing
Breaks between tasks
Extra time
Preferential Seating
Routines posted
Behavior plans
Visual/ verbal cues from teacher
Increased positive reinforcement
Communication with home
Separate, quiet area to work
Cortez, N. A. (2018, August 08). IEP Components. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=3321
Lynch, M. (2017, October 19). 8 Teaching Techniques for Students With Learning Disabilities. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_futures/2016/07/8_teaching_techniques_for_students_with_learning_disabilities.html
Middle School, W. (Ed.). (n.d.). Special Education Referral Package. Retrieved from https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/750250/9879c774-c5f7-11e6-b7b7-22000bd8490f/1708369/55268fb0-1c07-11e8-aa5e-129ffbdd6b44/file/Special%20Education%20Referral%20Packet.pdf
Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. Special Education Referral Process. (2013). Retrieved October 30, 2020, from http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/special-education-referral-process/
Young, D., & MacCormack, J. (2018, May 04). Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.ldatschool.ca/assistive-technology/
SOURCES
Assistive Technologies Used to bypass challenging areas or to assist in learning
Text-to-speech
Speech-to-text
Word Prediction
Graphic Organizers
Software
Math Software
Pentop Computers
Color-coded notebooks
Audiobooks
Talking dictionaries
Interactive Smartboards
pencil grips
Cue cards
Computerized pens
How often?
Agatha Navarro