SUPPORT TEAM
MNPS Policies and Procedures
2010-2011
Support Team Policy
Support Team Policy SS 3.120
Support Team Process
Support Team Process SS 3.111
A Support Team is…
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A team of school personnel that provides
behavioral, social, emotional, academic, and
attendance support for a designated student.
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The responsibility of general education staff.
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A problem-solving process
The Primary Objectives are…
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To determine what resources are needed in order
for a student to be successful in the learning
environment.
NOTE: A student referred for Support Team intervention is
not necessarily being referred for exceptional education,
because the Support Team functions as an intermediate
step between recognition of a problem and formal referral
of the student for a comprehensive evaluation, at which
time, exceptional education procedures begin.
A Support Team is for…
A student exhibiting difficulties in one or
more of the following areas:
Academics
 Behavior
 Communication
 Physical (e.g., fine & gross motor skills)
 Attendance
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A Support Team must consist of…
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Members from general education, support services,
parents, and, if appropriate, exceptional education.
Specifically:
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Parent(s)/Guardian(s)*
Support team chair
Principal or designee
Referring person
General education teacher**
* It is strongly encouraged that the parent(s)/guardian(s) be involved with the support
team
**If the student’s teacher is not available, one who is qualified to teach that student,
preferably one teaching in the academic area(s) of concern, may attend in his/her place.
A Support Team may consist of…
Additional personnel when appropriate:
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School Counselor
Exceptional Educator
School Psychologist
School Social Worker
Speech/Language Pathologist
Behavior Specialist
Support Teams may vary in accordance with the staffing
patterns of the school and the nature of the presenting
problem.
A Support Team can be called by…
Parent/Guardian
 Teacher
 Administrator
 Student
 Community agency (e.g., DCS, TN Voices)
 Other school personnel (e.g., school psychologist,
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behavior specialist, bus driver, school nurse, counselor, etc.)
Support Team Process
Support Team Chair
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Ensures copies of Support Team forms are available
to team members
Schedules & maintains calendar of meetings
Invites and notifies participants
Sets agenda
Identifies Monitor and Recorder for each meeting
Keeps team focused
Makes copies for parents
Keeps Support Team Tracking Sheet current (Form
102)
Support Team Chair Designation
By Sept. 1st of each school year, the
building principal or designee should
report the name, phone number, email,
and fax number of the assigned Support
Team Chair(s) in that building to
Stephanie Dahmer
(stephanie.dahmer@mnps.org)
Pre-Referral to the
Support Team
Process
Pre-Referral to the Support Team
Step 1: Parent-Teacher Conference
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A parent/teacher conference should be held to
discuss student’s challenges.
Interventions should be developed during the
parent/teacher conference .
Documentation of both the meeting and
interventions to be implemented is necessary.
Form 100 (page 1): Grade Level Conference and
Intervention Record completed.
Monitor the effectiveness of interventions. If data
indicates the need for additional supports, proceed
to Step 2.
Pre-Referral to the Support Team
Step 2: Grade or Team-Level Conference
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Schedule a conference consisting of grade-level and
special area teachers.
The team of teachers and the parent meet to
discuss concerns and develop interventions for
student success.
Documentation of both the meeting and
interventions to be implemented is required (Form
100 Page 2) (optional for HS)
If the data indicates the need for additional
interventions, request a Support Team Referral
from the Support Team Chair.
Support Team
Referral Process
Referral to the Support Team
1.
Grade-level team makes referral to Support Team
Chair
2. Support Team Chair gives the referring or
homeroom teacher a yellow Support Team folder,
which includes:
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Support Team Referral by Teacher/Agency (Form 101-A)
Teacher Observation Checklist (Form 101-A)
3. The documentation must be returned to the
Support Team Chair within 10 school days.
Referral to the Support Team Cont’d
4. Support Team Chair contacts the parent to schedule
a Support Team meeting within 10 school days of
receiving completed documentation. (Forms 101-A)
5. Support Team Chair sends:
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Support Team Invitation Letter (Form 103)
Support Team Referral Parent/Guardian (Form 101-B)
6. Student interview completed to gather information
on student’s strengths and weaknesses.
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Support Team Referral Student (Form 101-C)
Note: If a parent requests testing (of any kind) in
writing, parents complete form 101-B and Support
Team is convened within 10 days.
CONVENING
THE
SUPPORT TEAM
Support Members will bring…
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Cumulative Record
Data from Pre-referral Interventions
Work Samples
District and Informal Assessments
Discipline/Attendance Record
Open Mind
Positive Attitude
Intervention Ideas
Accommodation Ideas
Support Team Agenda
Support Team Chair will conduct meeting using an
agenda.
Sample Agenda
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Introductions
Purpose of Meeting
Parental Input
Review of Pre-Referral Interventions/Data
Discuss Additional Appropriate Interventions
Complete Support Team Intervention Plan (Form 104)
Schedule Next Meeting
Roles of Support Team Members
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Recorder - assists the Support Team Chair in
completing documentation during the
meeting.
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Monitor - ensures that the intervention plans
are implemented appropriately with fidelity.
Purpose of the Support Team Meeting
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Brainstorm ideas to address specific concerns in the
classroom
Consider hearing, vision, health, nutrition, and
environmental factors
Determine interventions
Discuss future actions, progress, and outcomes
Designate who is responsible for each intervention
Complete the Support Team Intervention Plan (Form
104)
Schedule follow-up meeting
Interventions must be…
Research based
 Address the specific area(s) of concern
 Attempted for a reasonable period of time
 Observable and measureable
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i.e. Preferential seating and peer
tutoring are not adequate reading
interventions, although they are nice
accommodations.
Intervention Resources
jimwrightonline.com
 starfall.com
 inventioncentral.org
 nasagov.com
 pbskids.org
 ldonline.com
 colorincolorado.org
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Support Team Follow-Up Meeting Includes…
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Review Support Team Plan
Review data in the area(s) of concern
 Determine progress or lack of progress
 Modify the plan accordingly
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Determine if there is a need to invite an
assessment specialist
Support Team Outcomes…
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Interventions were successful.
Interventions partially/not successful.
Consider 504 eligibility.
IDEIA-Disability suspected.
Parent(s) request a comprehensive evaluation.
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Parent(s) request a 504 evaluation.
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Support Team Outcomes (Form 105) to be
completed by recorder. This must remain in the
student’s yellow Support Team folder.
Support Team Outcomes
Cont’d…
1. Interventions were successful.
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Student remains in general education without the need for
further interventions. (Exit the Support Team Process)
2. Interventions partially/not successful.
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Continue Support Team and develop new Support Team
Intervention Plan.
3. Consider 504 eligibility.
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Consult MNPS policies for information on how to
conduct a 504 eligibility meeting
Support Team Outcomes
Cont’d …
4. Disability suspected:
I.
Complete the following forms:
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II.
III.
Reading Instruction Worksheet (Form 106)
Mathematics Instruction Worksheet (Form 107)
Classroom Observation (Form 108)
Invite the appropriate assessment
specialist.
Follow IDEIA procedures
Support Team Outcomes
Cont’d…
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Parents request a comprehensive evaluation
or a 504 evaluation.
 Parent
must sign and date Support Team Outcomes
Form ( Form 105)
 Follow 504 and/or IDEIA procedures
The Yellow Folder Includes…
1. Grade/Team Level Conference and Intervention Record
Form (Form 100) to be completed by referring teacher.
2. Support Team Referral Forms
a)
b)
c)
Support Team Referral Completed by Teacher/Agency & Teacher
Observation Checklist (Form 101-A)
Support Team Referral Completed by Parent/Guardian (Form 101-B)
Support Team Referral Completed by Student (Form 101-C)
3. Support Team Invitation Letter (Form 103)
4. Support Team Intervention Plan (Form 104)
The Yellow Folder Includes…
5. Support Team Outcomes (Form 105)
6. Reading Instruction Worksheets (Form 106)
7. Mathematics Instruction Worksheets (Form 107)
8. Classroom Observation (Form 108)
Special Situations
If a student with a severe and/or observable disability
(e.g. medically fragile, visually, hearing, or physically
impaired, severe cognitive delays) is in your school
building:
 Schedule an expedited initial Support Team meeting
 Conduct observations
 Complete vision and hearing screenings
 Invite Assessment Specialists
 Invite Compliance Facilitator
 Quickly complete the referral form
Helpful Hints!!!!!!!!!!
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What we need from parents:
 Input
 Feedback
 Collaboration
 Communication (ongoing)
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Review plans regularly
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Confer with consultants (e.g. psychologists, SLPs,
social workers, behavior specialists, etc.) outside of
support team meetings.
Questions/Answers