Curriculum and Instruction
Meeting
Minutes
April 17, 2013
WERE ANY CHILDREN PUT ON THE
REGISTER LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR?
 Yes. Children have been classified this year and last year. The previous
presentation provided the exact numbers.
ARE THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS PRESSURED
TO DECLASSIFY STUDENTS?
 NO.
 Declassifications are most frequently a result of updated triennials
evaluations which is required by SED to ensure that districts are
reviewing student eligibility for continued classifications.
WHAT IS THE POINT OF RE-TESTING STUDENTS THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULLY ASSESSED AND PUT ON
DECLASSIFICATION SUPPORT?
IS THERE AN IMPACT TO THE CHILD?
 . The re-testing impacts the child in terms of increasing their frustration
as a result of the continued over-testing which typically takes a
minimum of 3 to 4 hours (but in some cases exceeds 6 to 8 hours or
more).
 It also can lead to practice effect on the tests and impacts the
availability of district resources to assist with other student needs.
WHAT SUPPORTS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE IN
REG. ED FOR DECLASSIFIED STUDENTS?
 Testing and program accommodations/modifications that can still be granted
 Declassification support services
 Participation in co-teaching classrooms, as any child has access to this opportunity
 Potential 504 plan
 Related services if appropriate (Speech, OT, counseling, etc.)
 IST support
 AIS services in Math or Reading which can and should include a variety of
approaches
 Lindamood Bell reading program/curriculum that is provided to both regular and
special education students
 Behavior plans if necessary
WHY AND WHERE ARE WE USING THE
LINDAMOOD-BELL LIPS, SEEING STARS,
AND VISUALIZING/VERBALIZING
PROGRAMS? WHAT ARE THE 5 PILLARS
OF READING?
 We are using the programs at PBC, AWB, and the MS. We are using it
to offer students an evidence based reading curriculum that addresses
the foundational skills necessary for development of phonics, phonemic
awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (the 5 pillars of
reading).
 At the MS we are using it to address the pervasive reading decoding
problem that we face.
WHAT HAS CHANGED SO DRASTICALLY IN
OUR TEACHING THAT CHILDREN HAVE GROWN
TO GRADE LEVEL AND BEEN DECLASSIFIED TO
BRING OUR NUMBERS FROM 20% TO 15%.
 Compliance with testing practices and our consistent application of best
practice and classification criteria that align with Part 200
.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHER REGARDING
PROGRAMMING, IEP DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS?
 The special education teacher is the primary person in charge of the
child’s program and thus should be included in any communication
between staff and parents since they are the staff member ultimately
responsible for the student’s educational program and IEP
documentation.
WHAT READING TRAINING HAVE THE
PSYCHOLOGISTS HAD?
 Our school psychologists have all graduated from a NASP (National
Association of School Psychologists) affiliated graduate program. Their
programs typically require a minimum of 66 graduate credit hours
across a variety of fields of study that did include assessment for reading
difficulties associated with the 5 pillars and subsequent LD evaluation.
They are also trained in how to evaluate for all 13 categories specified
in Part 200 as well as academic areas of math and writing.
 They have all met the NYS certification requirements for NYS and
possess their NYS certification.
 They are trained to use assessment information to guide educationally
relevant instructional and programming directions. They can offer
interventions and strategies.
WHAT TRAINING DO READING TEACHERS
HAVE TO ANALYZE OR INTERPRET TEST
RESULTS (SPEECH OR PSYCH TESTING)
 The only people the district currently employs that are qualified to
interpret standardized test results referenced above would be the
school psychologist primarily or the speech therapist can interpret their
own testing.
 OT and PT results would also follow suit.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A READING TEACHER
AND A READING SPECIALIST AND HOW DOES THEIR SCOPE
OF PRACTICE DIFFER? PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES.
 RtI increases the need for Reading Specialists and/or Literacy Coaches.
Only a Reading Specialist endorsement allows you to provide technical
assistance and professional development to colleagues in grades K-12.
Specialists deal with reading difficulties and may work directly with
struggling students and may serve as an advisor and incorporate reading
skills into classrooms.
 Reading Teachers: This endorsement allows
IS IT TRUE THAT STATE ED CAME OUT TO
REVIEW THE ICM PROGRAM LAST YEAR? IF
SO WHAT DID THEY SAY?
 Yes – following a parent call to SED expressing concern regarding the
frequency of restraints and “seclusion” of her child in one classroom as
punishment for a referral. The Regional Representative from SED came
to PBC to investigate.
 The outcome was positive and she encouraged the continuation of our
ICM program revision. She was particularly interested in our efforts to
decrease restraints, to mainstream students with behavioral needs when
possible, and to improve the fidelity of our implementation of our FBA’s
and BIP’s.
HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO
STATE ED WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS
REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION?
 Exact number is not known. SED always calls to notify us when a staff
person or parent has called to complain. They also share the response
that was given to the complainant and if needed make recommendations
to the district regarding any compliance adjustments that are needed.
 State Education complaints have been declining over the past few years,
and they are more specific over the last year as they typically deal with
the issues of behavioral restraint or behavior concerns as they relate to
staff and discipline decisions.
 In terms of formal complaints to the state ed department we have had 1
in the last four years.
HAS STATE ED PROVIDED US ANY FEEDBACK
ON OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS AND
PRACTICES?
 Conducted a FOCUSED review last year regarding our compliance and
recommendations for programming. Positive outcomes came out of
the focused review and there was no areas in need of correction
identified.
 The state education department has been overwhelmingly positive
regarding our changes and as of late we have been referred to as
“cutting edge” particularly in relation to our progress monitoring of IEP
goals, our ICM program, and our co-teaching programs.
I’M SURE THAT THE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS OF THE
GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE HELPING OUT
THE ICM KIDS BUT ARE WE TRACKING HOW THE
NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS OF THE ICM KIDS ARE AFFECTING
OUR GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS?
 Our School Tools Referral system addresses the data tracking of general
education students and the contents of those referrals may or may not
establish behavior links with Sped Students based on the details of the
incident as described by the teacher or staff person writing it.
 The PBIS initiative is keenly targeted to improve the school
environment for ALL students and is primarily targeted to the general
education students.
WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK ON PSYCH EVALS
FROM OTHER DISTRICTS?
 Extremely positive. Our evaluations are far more extensive than those
of most other districts and we have received a minimum of 3 calls in the
last year complimenting us on the quality and information contained in
them.
 Schenectady
 Albany
 Fonda Fultonville
 We regularly receive positive feedback from outside programs and
agencies.
WHAT IS PREDETERMINATION AND PLEASE PROVIDE
EXAMPLES? DO PSYCH EVALUATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS COUNT? DOES GOING OVER
PSYCHOLOGIST REPORTS AHEAD OF TIME COUNT?
 Predetermination is the final decision to classify or not prior to the
meeting.
 Psych evaluations and recommendations would not count as these are
required to be done and share with the parent prior to the meeting. The
CSE takes into consideration the results of the evaluation and the
recommendations as well as information from other staff prior to final
decision making as does the school psychologist in their report via teacher
rating forms, teacher interviews, parent interviews, parent forms, as well as
the multiple assessment tools they use that present an overall picture.
Determinations are not made on the basis of one person or one test.
TEACHERS ARE ASKED FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION TO BE
COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE PSYCHOLOGISTS REPORT BEING
COMPLETED AND WE DO NOT HEAR ABOUT IT UNTIL AT THE
MEETING. CAN A PROCEDURE BE ESTABLISHED TO FOLLOW
BEFORE THE MEETINGS SO EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE?
 Building Staff can communicate with and set an appointment to meet
with Psychologists and/or related service evaluators at any time to
discuss testing.
 A specific procedure is not necessary as we are all professionals and
communicating with colleagues and/or contacting colleague's to arrange
a time to discuss either is or should be a regular practice.
IS THERE A FORMAL PROCEDURE IN PLACE FOR THE REEVALUATION PROCESS FOR THE COMMITTEE THAT WILL BE AT THE
MEETING? (THE PSYCHOLOGIST DOES ALL THE TESTING, SENDS
HOME RATING SCALES TO FILL OUT, TEACHERS ARE ASKED TO FILL
OUT SURVEYS AND SCALES AND GIVE NARRATIVES ON THEIR
STUDENTS, AND MAYBE WE GET AN EMAIL BACK ABOUT THE
RESULTS).
 Yes. Those in attendance at the meeting would comply with Part 200 requirements
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for a sub-committee meeting and would include the following required participants.
Regular Education Teacher
Special education Teacher
School Psychologist
CSE Chairperson
*Please note that an AIS teacher is NOT required and only ONE regular education
teacher is required. However, the AIS teacher can be the regular education teacher
representative.
In terms of communication, it works both ways so staff are welcome to ask the
psychologist or the special education teacher about results.
WHY ARE WE TELLING PARENTS THAT OUR NUMBERS
ARE TOO HIGH; THEREFORE, THEIR CHILD WILL NOT
GET SERVICES ON THE CSE REGISTER?????????????
 Not sure who is telling parents this as it is certainly not the Special
Education Office, regardless of whom is discussing this they are using
inaccurate information.