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June 10, 2019
Question 1: What process was used to develop the delivery system for eligible individuals?
The District selected a committee of individuals to develop the delivery plan. The group included special education teachers, administrators, and at least one representative of the Area Education Agency (AEA).
Participants:
Deb Padomek, Principal
Erica Somsy, Principal
Stacie Henderson, Principal
Brett Busch, Special Education Teacher
Gina Navarette, Special Education Teacher
Dusty Krager, Special Education Teacher
Jessica Bariatakis, Special Education Teacher
Laura Heeney, Special Education Teacher
Sheila Wilkerson, Special Education Teacher
Elizabeth Barrett, Preschool Teacher
Courtney Lahrs, LIFE Academy Teacher
Jill Sharp, Assistive Technology Coach
Cindy Munn, AEA Regional Facilitator
The Plan was presented to the following committees within the Sioux City Community School District:
May 10, 2019—Equity Committee (Parents, community members, general education teachers)
May 28, 2019—LEAD Team (Cabinet-level administrators)
June 3, 2019—Student Achievement Committee
June 10, 2019—Board of Education, approved
The plan was made available for public comment via posting on the Learning Supports webpage.
Question 2: How will service be organized and provided to eligible individuals?
All students are general education students first and special education is a service, not a location. Students may receive different services at multiple points along the continuum based on the IEP. Services may be provided within the district or through a contractual agreement with other districts and/or agencies. The continuum includes services for eligible individuals ages 3-21.
With these facts driving the service model for students, the committee recommends that special education services in Sioux City be provided as described below:
General education with consultation: The student is served in the general education classroom or regular early childhood program without any accommodations or modifications to the curriculum, instruction, testing, or grading. The service provider, such as a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, or physical therapist, is responsible for consulting with general education teacher and monitoring the student’s progress according to the IEP.
General education with consultation/accommodations: The student is served in the general education classroom or regular early childhood program with consultation and support from the special education teachers. The general education teacher is responsible for direct instruction, testing, grading, and behavioral management as specified in the IEP. The special education teacher support may include assisting the general education teacher with the design and preparation of materials, adaptations, and accommodations. The special education teacher is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals. These services are reflective of what is currently referred to as Resource or Foundations 4.
General education with direct special education support in the general education classroom: The student receives special education support for the general education curriculum in the general education or regular early childhood program setting. The special education teacher, support service provider, or trained paraprofessional will be in the general education or early childhood program classroom to provide direct instruction, instructional support, or other assistance to the student or group of students, through models such as collaborative or co-teaching. The special education teacher/service provider is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals. These services are reflective of what is currently referred to as Resource or Foundations 4.
General education with direct special education support outside the general education classroom: The student receives specially designed instruction and support for the general education curriculum outside the general education or regular early childhood program setting. When the services cannot be appropriately provided in the general education or early childhood program setting, the student may receive selected services or all services he/she needs in a separate education setting (including, but not limited to special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and residential facilities/institutions, 4+ programming). The special education teacher/service provider is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals. Depending on the level of student need, this service may not be available in every building but is available in the district. These services are reflective of what is currently referred to as Foundations 1, 2, 3, Compass Academy, and Life Academy.
Regular early childhood program with teacher holding dual endorsements: The student is served in the regular early childhood classroom by a teacher who holds a valid teacher’s license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners that includes prekindergarten and early childhood special education. The teacher is responsible for direct instruction, preparation of materials, adaptations, and accommodations as specified in the IEP. The teacher with the dual endorsement is responsible for implementing and monitoring the child’s progress according to the IEP.
Preschool Program Standards:
Early childhood special education and regular early childhood programs providing instructional services to children on an IEP must implement Preschool Program Standards as defined by the Iowa Department of Education. All program services eligible preschool children must meet at least one of the following:
Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS)
Head Start Program Performance Standards
National Association for the Education of Young Children Accreditation
| General Education with Consultation | General education with consultation/ accommodations | General education with direct special education support in the general education classroom | General education with direct special education support outside the general education classroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Special Educator or service provider (SLP, OT, PT) Responsibilities | Understanding of high-quality instructional practices, understanding of general education curriculum, awareness of available resources and engage in regular and frequent consultation with general educators regarding data collection and analysis. | Understanding of high-quality instructional practices, understanding of general education curriculum, awareness of available resources. Collaborative provision of specially designed instruction within specific skill areas and instructional activities (pre-teaching, remediation, re-teaching), along with the implementation of high-quality differentiation practices, collaborative provision of accommodations, and modifications needed to enable access. | Understanding of high-quality instructional practices (including small group skills-based instruction, pre-teaching, re-teaching, remediation), understanding of general education curriculum, awareness of available resources, co-plan, co-deliver, co-assess instruction within the general education classroom. | Understanding of high-quality instructional practices, the ability to collaborate with general education teachers to understand learning progressions within the general education curriculum, knowledge of available resources and the ability to deliver specialized curriculum. In some settings, this will include curriculum alignment to Iowa Core Essential Elements. |
General Educator Responsibilities | Oversight of all general education instruction, implementation of high-quality differentiation practices needed to enable access to the general education curriculum. | Regular and frequent consultation with the special educator, oversight of all general education instruction, provision of specially designed instruction, implementation of high-quality differentiation practices, provision of accommodations, and modifications needed to enable access to general education curriculum. | Understanding of high-quality differentiation practices, small group skills-based instruction, collaborative provision of specially designed instruction, accommodations, and modifications needed to enable access to general education curriculum. Co-plan, co-deliver, co-assess within the general education classroom. | Oversight of any general education instruction, implementation of high-quality differentiation practices, collaborate with special education teachers to provide understanding of learning progressions of general education curriculum. |
Question 3: How will caseloads of special education teacher be determined and regularly monitored?
Caseloads will be reviewed at least twice per year by individual LEA special education teachers with their building principal and/or special education administrator.
Number of IEPs responsible for writing
Number of goals progress monitored
Specially Designed Instruction planned for and delivered
Number of teachers with planned collaboration time/co-teach
Number of paraprofessionals responsible for supervising/scheduling
Number of FBA/BIPs implemented and monitored
Health care of students
Alternate Assessment
Ongoing communication with outside agencies
Caseload Monitoring Template
Consideration | Multiplier | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of IEPs responsible to write/case manage | X1 | ||
Number of goals responsible to progress monitor/adjust instruction | x.25 | ||
Number of teachers with whom you co-teach or have planned collaboration time | x.5 | ||
Number of paraprofessionals you supervise/schedule daily | x.5 | ||
Number of paraprofessionals you collaborate with daily for student needs (different than above) | x.25 | ||
Number of specially designed “preps” | |||
1-5 (Example—Co-Teacher in a subject area who plans for small group instruction in each class period) | 1 point, no multiplier | ||
5-10 (Example—teach students in a couple of grade levels in different subjects) | 3 points, no multiplier | ||
10- or more (Example teach multiple grade levels, multiple subjects) | 5 points, no multiplier | ||
Number of IEPs documenting health concerns that you are responsible to manage (requires IHP and documentation of health related support on page F) | x.5 | ||
Number of IEPs documenting alternate assessment that you are required to coordinate | X1 | ||
Number of BIPs/FBAs that you are required to write/monitor/implement | X1 | ||
Number of BIPs that you are required to implement only | x.5 | ||
Number of IEP documented work experience/linkage agencies requiring ongoing communication (at least monthly) | X1 | ||
Question 4: What procedures will a special education teacher use to resolve caseload concerns?
In addition to scheduled reviews, caseloads will also be reviewed under the following circumstances:
When a specified caseload is exceeded. If the caseload limit is or will be exceeded by 10% for a period of 30 school days, then a review may be requested in writing.
When a teacher has a concern about his or her ability to effectively perform the essential functions of his or her job due to caseload.
Requesting a caseload review
All requests must be in writing
Requests should initially be given to an individual’s building level principal/supervisor
A committee will be appointed annually to serve as a review team in collaboration with the building principal and/or Special Education Administrator. The person requesting the review is responsible for gathering relevant information to support their request. This information might include, but is not limited to:
*IEPs
*Schedule and instructional groupings
*Collaborative/co-teaching assignments
Procedural Steps
Informal problem solving strategies in relation to caseload concerns have been exhausted.
A written request for caseload review is submitted to your building principal.
The request is reviewed for clarification with your building principal. The principal tries to resolve the concern at this point.
If the caseload concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the request is then sent to the caseload committee.
Within 15 working days, the caseload committee will review the request and give a recommendation to the individual’s principal.
Upon receipt of the committee’s recommendation, the principal will review the information and discuss it with the individual.
Within 10 working days, the principal will meet with the individual and provide a written determination.
If a person requesting the review does not agree with the determination, he or she may appeal to the AEA Director of Special Education.
The AEA Director/designee will meet with personnel involved and will provide a written decision.
Question 5: How will the delivery system for eligible individuals meet the targets identified in the State’s performance plan and the LEA determination as assigned by the State? What process will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery system for eligible individuals?
The district will need to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery system to determine if it is leading to improved outcomes for eligible individuals.
In order to meet ESSA and IDEA targets, accountability will be addressed using the following formative and summative data review.
Formative:
Quarterly individual student IEP goal progress monitoring
Quarterly aggregation of progress monitoring and summative evaluation for groups of students at the school and district levels
Semester credit monitoring at the secondary schools
Summative:
B-13 File Reviews for transition
Iowa Assessment data for participation, growth, and proficiency
Graduation Rate
Identification Rate
Climate Survey
A review of the formative data will allow for adjustments at the student, classroom, building, and district level.