Process for serving students with learning differences and disabilities.
Teacher suspects a problem might exist.
Teacher starts folder with work samples and general observations about a student's progress in order to determine the need for intervention. Parents may do the same. These notes are inclusive of social and emotional skills, physical health, any unusual life events and relationships with other students/teachers.
Teacher has enough concrete data to make a referral to the learning support team. At this point, parents are also brought in for a face-to-face conference. Parents are encouraged to reach out to a professional, outside of the school, for private testing. (Bachrach, 2020)
Learning support team observes the student in a variety of academic and social situations at school while maintaining student's privacy.
Student is tested. Parents and all teachers, including specialist teachers, are asked to fill out questionnaires as a part of the evaluation process.
All teachers that are a part of the team come together to meet. A determination is made about whether the school has adequate resources to meet the needs of this child.
Parents are brought back in to discuss IEP, student rights and accommodations. Depending on the age of the student and the challenge, students may also be involved in this meeting. This enables them to take more ownership over their education. Accomodations are also discussed with the family. (Center for Parent Information and Resources, 2017)
Brief weekly meetings are scheduled with the teaching team and parents get a brief email once a week as follow up.
Each semester the teaching team, parents and any other professionals working with the student, meet to discuss progress.
Parent suspects a problem may exist.
Teacher determines no intervention is needed at the current time. Monitoring will continue.
At the end of the year, teachers use standardized testing, grades, classwork and observations to measure a student's success and start to plan for the following year. (The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, 2017)
The entire teaching team, administrators and school counselors review all of the notes and observations, as well as documentation from the outside professional.
Parents are brought in to discuss other schooling options that will provide the student with the necessary support.
Parent and student are supported through the process of making a transition to a new school.
The new school is given all of the files for the student and invited in to meet with the current teaching team if desired.
Student is given counseling to understand the situation and preserve self-esteem.
Teaching team begins to initiate IEP and work through introducing student to helpful accomodations in a pace that is appropriate.
Parents are also given training and support to understand the changes in the classroom and how to use any accommodations that are being offered at home.
By Alison Trexel