DRAFT
IEP and Environmental Considerations
When Individualizing Special Education Services
For Children Who have been Abused and Neglected
August 30, 2002
Prepared by:
Sharon Freagon
Nancy Hablutzel
Angela Baron-Jeffrey
Mark Cole
Rhonda Best
Mitch Kremer
Center for Child Welfare and Education
and
The Education Access Project for DCFS
Northern Illinois University
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IEP and Environmental Considerations
When Individualizing Special Education Services
For Children Who have been Abused and Neglected
Problem Addressed
Federal and state laws and regulations place children with a wide range of needs in the same eligibility
category of Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED). The broad definition of severe emotional disturbance
includes children who exhibit one or more of the following characteristics to a marked degree over a long
period of time:
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An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors
An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers
Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances
A general pervasive mood of anxiety or unhappiness or depression
A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems
Children with these characteristics can have very different needs and respond to very different treatment
approaches, but still be linked bureaucratically solely because they demonstrate unusual behaviors in the
classroom. Despite the fact that their behaviors are quite different and that they need very different
remedial techniques in their educational placements, they are usually grouped together for placement in
special education. They are also frequently placed in a cross-categorical classroom with children who
have very different disabilities, and who present additional challenges to their educational success.
Such placement may deny a severely emotionally disturbed child a Free Appropriate Public Education
(FAPE) because of environmental factors created in the classroom by other children with different needs
and behaviors. This is especially harmful to children whose emotional disturbances result from trauma
related to abuse or neglect. For example, a child traumatized by sexual abuse and placed with “acting
out” and aggressive adolescent males (a common situation) may be re-traumatized daily by threats of acts
of (perceived or real) violence and/or sexual aggression.
Many self-contained classrooms for children with SED employ classroom management systems based on
traditional behavior modification approaches. A very withdrawn and depressed youngster may not be
able to respond to such interventions, which commonly include reward systems, charts, and “step”
systems. Withdrawn and depressed children typically do not respond at all to “time-out” procedures
commonly used for behavioral problems. In fact, those procedures exacerbate the child’s difficulties.
With all this in mind, it is necessary to assure that children with severe emotional disturbances are placed
in educational settings that allow them to benefit from their education, consistent with statutes and case
law. This is best achieved, under the current system of placement, by carefully crafting the IEP needs of
the child so that a placement meets that child’s specific needs, by assessing the environment in which the
child will be placed and by determining whether or not that placement can meet the child’s documented
needs. Only when the child’s placement is consistent with his demonstrated needs will (s)he be able to
receive a Free Appropriate Public Education. Transportation provided as a related service under IDEA
requires the same individual considerations as the school environment.
What follow are examples of specific, demonstrated, educational needs, ways to write them into an IEP
needs section, and environmental factors to help determine whether or not the placement meets those
needs. Not all these examples will apply to any given situation, nor are all situations listed below. These
are, however, examples of typical and common situations.
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1.
Trauma History
Environmental factors will re-awaken the trauma memories in a child. It is important to
eliminate triggers for flashback or reactive behavior, and also to avoid placing children in a
situation in which their background will cause them to react inappropriately.
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child must not be with sexually aggressive children
Child must not be with classmates who discuss sexual matters in class
Child must not be exposed to sexually explicit material or conversation
Child must not be threatened
Child must not be bullied or sexually harassed
Child must not be subjected to criticism for mistakes
Child must not be in a classroom that uses a “step” system or token economy
Child must not be placed in time out room
Child must not be restrained for any reason
Child must be in a classroom that uses positive reinforcement for behavior change
Child must be given verbal reinforcement for work in class, positive interactions with
classmates, and cooperation with teacher
 Child must learn peaceful approaches to dispute resolution
 Child must receive instruction in listening for verbal cues
 Child must learn to work independently and cooperatively with others
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Teacher uses positive verbal cues and reinforcement
Teacher uses pleasant, even tone to voice
Teacher remains calm during class
Other classmates are not loud, aggressive, noisy
Restraints are not used
Timeout is not part of the behavior program
Teacher and students discuss alternative methods of dispute resolution
Room is quiet
Students are attending to work
There is no student-on-student verbal or physical aggression
Coordinated Therapy/Services
Children who are receiving therapy outside of school for the trauma they have suffered,
whether it is abuse, neglect or the separation and loss issues, are dealing with some very
difficult issues in their therapies. Many of these children will also have problems in school,
which will be dealt with by school therapists/ social workers. It is not appropriate for school
personnel to deal with the abuse/loss issues, but it is important that they work closely with the
outside therapists so they know when a child is likely to show stress in school, how to
respond, what interventions will work and which ones won’t, so that they don’t do anything
that will interfere with the child’s emotional progress. The outside therapist needs input from
the school to know how the child is functioning in his/her daily life.
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Child’s Specific Needs
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Child’s therapist and school counselor must maintain regular contact
Child’s behavioral program in school must be consistent with outside therapy
Child’s teacher must maintain weekly contact with foster parent
Child’s behavior program in school must be based on input from foster home as to
techniques he responds to favorably
Educational Environmental Requirements
 School establishes system of communication with home/therapist/caseworker
 School is cooperative with family/caseworker/therapist
 School is flexible about modifying behavioral program to fit student’s needs
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Behavioral Intervention
A Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) is
required for students whose challenging behavior constitutes a pattern or whose behaviors
could lead to a change in school placement. The FBA is a systematic process for describing
problem behaviors and identifying both environmental factors and events that predict
occurrence, non-occurrence, and maintenance of those behaviors. The FBA also guides
development of effective BIPs.
Behavior Intervention Plans must be based on the FBA, be individualized to the student, and
emphasize positive behavioral intervention. It is not appropriate for students in a school
program to have identical BIPs based on school-wide behavior management systems or
classroom behavior management systems. Any educational placement decision for students
with severe emotional disturbance must include an analysis of behavioral needs and
interventions. Examples of behavioral needs and interventions impacting placement decision
include:
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child needs frequent breaks during stressful activities
Child needs difficult tasks broken down into discrete steps
Child needs behavior interventions that do not exacerbate the trauma of abuse or neglect
Child needs to develop appropriate social interaction skills
Child needs to develop anger management skills
Child has high need for control and needs to make his/her own choices
Child needs predictable routine
Child needs cooperative teaching strategies to increase participation
Child needs to learn to monitor his/her mood
Child needs to develop organizational skills to ease frustration
Child needs consistent behavior management program across home, school and
community environments
Educational Environmental Requirements
 Aligns school behavior program and home behavior program
 Uses relevant, age-appropriate, culturally competent consequences
 Teaches self-monitoring of mood
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Incorporates opportunities for daily choice making across routines
Allows child to take frequent breaks during difficult activities
Provides time alone or time to regroup after a negative experience
Teaches organizational skills to prevent frustration with multiple tasks
Includes child preferences in activities
Involves child in planning schedule to increase predictability
Mixes mastered tasks with acquisition tasks for independent performance
Teaches child to communicate “I need help”
Schedules non-preferred activities among preferred activities
Avoids exposing child to long delays
Reduces academic demands when agitated or upset
Mixes difficult word problems with easy ones
Provides increased opportunities for social interactions before problems arise
Auditory or Visual Distractibility
Many children are unable to concentrate well in an environment that is over-stimulating to
them. For some, movement or multiple visual stimuli trigger inattention, for others noise and
environmental sounds cause them to lose focus. Keep these children in classrooms that
minimize distractions so that they can concentrate on their schoolwork.
Child’s Specific Needs
 Child cannot be placed with children who talk excessively or are prone to verbal
outbursts
 Child cannot be in a placement where others are frequently out of their seats
 Child needs placement free from excessive noise
Child needs placement free from visual stimuli
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Classroom should not be noisy or have people moving around a lot
Other children should not be acting out or aggressive
Room should be quiet and free from background noise
Boards should not be cluttered
Classroom should be organized and neat
Multiple activities should not go on simultaneously
Classroom should have as few children as possible
Specific Learning Needs
Look carefully at those areas in which the child needs accommodations because of his
deficits or learning style. Learning style can play an important part in success. Find out what
his/her strengths are, and insist that he/she be taught to those strength areas.
Child’s Specific Needs
 Child is two years below grade level in reading (or math, etc.)
 Child cannot work from workbook with more than one exercise on a page
 Child needs a psycho-educational school environment instead of a school environment
that uses typical behavioral modification approaches.
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 Child needs repetition of direction verbally and in writing
 Child needs one-on-one attention for math
 Child needs preferential seating on the left side of the room (For a left-sided hearing loss
or visual difficulty, right-side placement for a right-sided disability)
 Child needs material presented using kinesthetic cues
 Child requires use of tape recorder to take notes
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Aide available in room for academic assistance
Quiet background in room
Materials available for child to use (manipulative, computer, etc.)
Study carrels exist to eliminate distractions
Small classroom that allows teacher to work with individual students
Children given individual directions for work assignments
Academic Needs – Incorporate and Reinforce Strengths
Many IEPs look only at the deficit areas. Children’s IEPS must address deficit areas but not
ignore the strengths the child will rely on in order to succeed academically. Give details of
child’s needs that reflect his ability as well as his disability. Make the school look at those
things the child does well and offer sufficient challenge and enrichment in those areas.
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child can only read single words
Child needs two periods per day of reading instruction
Child cannot identify parts of speech
Child is unable to perform math problems without assistance of calculator
Child requires use of manipulative materials for math
Child requires use of computer for reading lessons
Child requires hands-on techniques for science class
Child requires environment in which written materials can be read aloud as he practices
reading
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Teacher adapts lessons to individual children
Classroom is small and quiet
Computer is available
Manipulative materials are available and in use
Teacher rephrases instructions for work assignments
Teacher supports children’s differences
Children in class are allowed to work at different levels
Sufficient time is spent on academics each day
Academic Needs – Accessing the General Education Curriculum based on the
Illinois Learning Standards
Ensure that all children have access to the general education curriculum based on the Illinois
state learning standards. Each child’s specific needs must be spelled out so that only a
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classroom that meets those needs can be chosen as his/her placement. This includes course
work that the child needs, deficit areas that need strengthening, and enrichment possibilities.
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child is unable to write complete stories
Child requires reading instruction at the second grade level
Child requires daily repetition of math facts
Child requires preparation for US Constitution test
Child requires science materials at an advanced level because of his interest in science
Child needs three credits in English to graduate
Child needs Driver’s Education course
Child needs to learn to use simple fractions
Educational Environmental Requirements
 Reading instruction available at the appropriate level
 Teacher will have time/ability to drill child on math facts, or peer tutoring or aide is used
in classroom
 Instruction available with accommodation, if necessary, for constitution test
 Science materials available at advanced level, and teacher can teach from them and will
use them for this child
 Remedial instruction available in writing for child
 School offers variety of English courses (some alternative schools do not)
 School has driver’s education available (with accommodation, if necessary)
 Teacher can work with child to learn fractions
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Time Spent on Academics
Look carefully at how much time will be spent on academic areas. Remember that the
required minimum is 300 minutes per day of academics. Remember that suspensions,
timeouts, etc., are not academic.
Child’s Specific Needs
Child needs 300 minute per day in academic subject areas
Educational Environmental Requirements
The full 300 minutes are actually provided, not used for recreation, timeout, etc.
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Daily Interactions with Non-disabled Peers
Daily interaction with non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible is required. This
extends to academics, non-academic subjects, and extra-curricular activities. If aides,
accommodations, etc., are required the school must provide them. This means that field trips,
after-school activities, etc., must be addressed and provided for in the IEP.
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Child’s Specific Needs
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Child must take all non-academic classes with non-disabled peers
Child must be in regular math class
Child must participate in one after-school activity per week
Child needs social skills instruction
Educational Environmental Requirements
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School has non-disabled children present
School provides aide for field trips
School has regular math class available
School has attitude that encourages participation of disabled students in activities with
non-disabled peers
Transition Planning
Students with disabilities require transition planning beginning at age 14 and continuing in
the IEP process every year after that until no longer eligible for special education. Transition
planning includes choosing classes or courses of study and other school-supported activities
(such as employment or work experience) needed to prepare the student for a successful
transition to his or her post-secondary goals.
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child needs community work experiences
Child needs instruction in searching and interviewing for employment
Child needs social skills instruction
Child needs to develop recreational skills
Child needs linkages to adult service providers
Child needs college preparatory coursework
Child needs functional vocational evaluation
Child needs to develop self-advocacy skills
Child needs a payee or guardian
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Provides opportunities for competitive community work experiences
Demonstrates coordination of transition activities among all responsible parties
Provides frequent off-campus social and recreational opportunities
Provides social skills instruction
Routinely incorporates skill and interest inventories in post-secondary planning
Incorporates individual needs, preferences and interests into planning and transition
activities
 Provides individualized vocational instruction
 Facilitates all needed interagency linkages and responsibilities including payment for
transition services
 Assesses student’s independent living skills and provides independent living skills
instruction
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11.
Transportation
Children unable to get to school by themselves because of disabilities or distance from the
home to the school, will be provided with transportation. This is a related service in the IEP.
Children should be on a bus for as short a time as possible (no longer than one hour, by law)
and should not be challenged either physically or emotionally on the bus in such a way that it
sets a bad tone for the school day.
Child’s Specific Needs
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Child needs limited time on bus
Child may need to sit behind driver
Child may need to sit with same gender student
Child may need a bus aide
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Duration of ride may need to be no more than 20 minutes
Preferential seating
Monitoring needs to be provided by bus aide
Limited access to peers achieved by individual transportation instead of by bus
School Documents Child’s Progress, Needs, Achievements, etc.
For children who have moved a lot, there is often poor documentation of their school
progress. For all children, accurate records allow the worker/foster parent to determine who is
working with the child, what is happening in classes, whether behavior is improving or
deteriorating, what the triggers are for school “incidents” and how those incidents are handled
by staff. It is extremely important that schools chart both POSITIVE and negative events in a
child’s school record.
Child’s Specific Needs
 Child’s daily progress should be communicated to home
 Child’s time in each subject must be recorded
 If child is placed in timeout, then it must be recorded and time added to the school day
for compensation
 All suspensions in-school or out of school, must be reported in writing
 Records should be available of all child’s assignments and their grades
 Academic and behavioral progress must be documented
 All documentation must be available for foster parent/caseworker to review
Educational Environmental Requirements
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Daily assignments must be written and conveyed to foster parent as necessary
Documentation must be kept regularly
Records of all meetings, conferences, and phone calls should be available
Records of all disciplinary measures must be available
Records of all tests and evaluations must be available
Progress must be charted and available for review
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TO-DO LIST FOR WORKERS AND FOSTER PARENTS LOOKING AT SCHOOLS
Some Additional Considerations
 Collect all policies and procedures of the program
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Make certain they match the child’s needs
 Ascertain what supports and services are available for the child
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Make sure they meet the child’s needs
 Look at the outcomes for children who attend the program. Do they go back to regular
schools? Do they re-integrate into regular classes? Do they graduate and go on to further
education?
 What is the average length of stay in the program? Remember that the purpose of special
education is to allow a child to re-integrate into regular education to the maximum extent
possible.
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