Question and Answer Format to Help Understand the
Special Education Process
There must be a process that takes place before a student enters special education. How does
that begin?
Natick Public School is highly committed to Child Study Team (CST). The Child Study Team utilizes
progress monitoring to ensure student success.
This is a building based model. Your initial contact will be your Principal. He or she will guide you
through the Child Study process. If students continue to struggle, the CST may refer a student to
ACT for further support. General education staff-play a very important role in ACT. The ultimate
goal for all students is to receive their education in the general education classroom. Many efforts
are made within the general classroom to support each student’s learning abilities. Most students,
even students with moderate learning needs, can be successful within a general education model
utilizing building based resources and supports.
You mentioned the Principal as part of this ACT Team process. What is the principal’s role in
the ACT Team process?
The Principal is responsible to ensure that all students’ needs are addressed and that all students
receive appropriate instruction within the general education classroom. The Principal ensures the
availability of support resources, such as remedial instruction in reading, teacher training in
exemplary instructional practices and professional development opportunities.
How does a student get help in the general education classroom without being in special
education?
The ACT Team utilizes a RTI (Response to Intervention) Model. This three-tiered program provides
supports in the general education classroom and exhausts all building based resources to
facilitate your child’s success prior to special education testing. This team is comprised of the
Principal, a general education classroom teacher, a special education teacher, guidance
counselor, nurse and other building personnel determined by the Principal. Parents are also
welcome to attend if they so choose. (The National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc, Retrieved
August 23, 2011)
Tier 1: High-Quality Classroom Instruction, Screening, and Group Interventions
Within Tier 1, all students receive high-quality, scientifically based instruction provided by
qualified personnel to ensure that their difficulties are not due to inadequate instruction. All
students are screened on a periodic basis to establish an academic and behavioral baseline and
to identify struggling learners who need additional support. Students identified as being “at risk”
through universal screenings and/or results on state- or district-wide tests receive supplemental
instruction during the school day in the regular classroom.
Tier 2: Targeted Interventions
Students not making adequate progress in the regular classroom in Tier 1 are provided with
increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and
rates of progress. These services and interventions are provided in small-group settings in
addition to instruction in the general curriculum. Students who continue to show too little progress
at this level of intervention are then considered for more intensive interventions as part of Tier 3.
Tier 3: Intensive Interventions and Comprehensive Evaluation
At this level, students receive individualized, intensive interventions that target the students’ skill
deficits. Students who do not achieve the desired level of progress in response to these targeted
interventions are then referred for a special education evaluation.
How are families involved in the ACT process?
Your child’s principal will provide opportunities for your involvement during the ACT process.
What is a Special Education Evaluation?
Because of the student’s difficulty in making progress, it may be suspected that a disability is
impeding progress. Members of the ACT Team may suspect that the reason a student is having
difficulty making progress is that he or she may have a disability that impedes his or her learning.
The evaluation process will help determine whether the student does actually have a disability,
which is responsible for the difficulty, using a variety of assessments. Such assessments may include
tests, observations, checklists, interviews, looking at previous records and checking the student’s
actual daily class assignments. The assessments, conducted by certified and experienced
educators, are comprehensive. In addition to the special education personnel, the general
education teacher provides assessment information that includes the student’s daily performance in
the classroom. Parents also provide information from a home perspective. Staff and parents
involved in the Special Education Evaluation process are considered the student’s Team.
Does the parent get to see an evaluation report?
Yes. Once the parent has signed the consent to conduct the evaluation/s, the school has 30 school
working days (days the school is opened to students) to complete the evaluation. Before the end
of the 30-school working days, the parent/s is invited to attend a meeting called a TEAM
meeting. The parents receive written reports via email of the evaluations two (2) days before the
TEAM meeting. This allows parents to review the reports and to prepare any questions that they
would like to ask at the TEAM meeting.
What happens at the TEAM meeting?
Team members will present a summary of their findings. Parents are encouraged to ask questions.
Findings are used to determine if a student presents with a disability. Then, the TEAM makes a
determination as to whether the student requires specially designed instruction, services, and
accommodations.
What is the criterion to be eligible for special education?
The eligibility criterion the Massachusetts Special Education Regulations require that a student, 3
to 21 years-of-age, must demonstrate a documented disability and as a consequence of that
disability, must be unable to make effective progress in general education without intensive,
individualized instruction designed by a special educator.
This type of intensive, individualized instruction is referred to as specialized instruction. Effective
progress refers to the student’s ability to demonstrate adequate learning within the general
education curriculum. To be considered effective progress, the student needs to demonstrate
learning at a rate expected for that student’s individual potential and age.
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What types of disabilities might make a student eligible for special education?
As defined by federal and state law, disability categories include:
Autism
Emotional Impairment
Neurological Impairment
Specific Learning Disability
Health Impairment
Developmental Delay
Intellectual Impairment
Physical Impairment
Communication Impairment
Sensory Impairment
What happens if the student is found to be eligible for special education?
If the TEAM determines that the student is eligible for special education, the second component of
the Team meeting is initiated. This component is the development of an Individual Educational
Program (IEP).
What is an IEP?
The IEP is a document, written in a state-mandated format, which describes the student’s special
education program in detail.
What information is included in the IEP?
The IEP entails information including:
Parent concerns
Student’s strengths, weaknesses, and evaluation results
Vision
Present level of educational performance and accommodations
Specific measurable goals to be addressed during the IEP cycle
Frequency and delivery of services and supports
Student specific considerations
Placement
How does the IEP measure the progress a student is making?
The TEAM writes goals for the student and these goals are included in the IEP. The goals state
what the TEAM hopes the student will achieve within 12-months (if it’s the first IEP for that student)
or a 12-month time span (subsequent IEP’s). The goals established by the TEAM are written so
they can easily be measured or tested. Progress is provided in conjunction with report cards.
What is the third component of the TEAM meeting?
After the IEP has been developed, the TEAM must decide where the specialized instruction will
take place. This decision is called a placement determination. The TEAM must always consider the
general education classroom as the first choice for specialized instruction to take place.
There are times when a student might have such unique needs that a different place would be
beneficial for the specialized instruction to occur. Places for instruction that TEAMs may consider
range from other classrooms in a school building, such as the learning center or the
speech/language room, to classrooms in another school building. The decision as to where a
student will be placed depends on the specific and unique needs and level of service of the
individual student. The vast majority of our special education students in Natick successfully
receive their specialized instruction in their neighborhood schools.
How are families involved in the Team process?
Families provide input into the IEP by discussing their concerns and their vision for their child.
Parent input is valuable because it helps TEAM members have a more global view of the child.
The TEAM may learn about a student’s interests and talents that would otherwise have been
missed. The entire IEP reflects the individual student in a global way and thus becomes a unique
document.
What makes special education “special”?
Certified personnel in areas of special education provide special education. A certified special
education staff member specifically designs this type of instruction for the individual student. The
instruction is specifically developed to match the child’s learning needs and is very intensive in
nature. The instruction is scientifically based, data driven and designed to monitor student
progress.
There are many types of specialized instruction. For example, a specialized reading program
may involve a slow pace of introducing skills with techniques used to support the memory of skills,
such as use of rhythm, movement, touch and pictures. There may be many more opportunities for
review, and the materials used for instruction, such as books, may be different from the materials
used in the general education classroom.
Once a child received special education services, will that child remain a special education
student for all his/her school years?
Not necessarily. The TEAM meets at least once a year to discuss the child’s progress and to
determine if the student continues to meet the eligibility requirements mentioned previously. If a
child is making effective progress and the TEAM, which includes the parent/s, decides the student
no longer requires specialized instruction, the student is then exited from his/her IEP (special
education).
What happens if there is still evidence of a disability but the student is making effective
progress?
Not every child with a disability requires special education to make effective progress. The
question in a case, such as this, is whether the child needs specialized instruction designed by a
special education teacher to make effective progress.
What if the TEAM decides the child still needs special education services? Will a new IEP be
developed?
Yes. A new IEP is written before the current IEP expires. This new IEP will reflect the student’s
current needs and the TEAM will develop new goals. Other components of the IEP may also
change based upon the student’s needs as determined by the TEAM.
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There are many terms that are used in discussions about Special Education. What are some
common terms used in discussions about Special Education and can you explain what they mean?
There are many specialized terms used found within the Special Education laws and regulations.
They are used frequently by people within the Special Education profession and often need to be
explained to people outside the field. Here are some of the terms most frequently used that have
not been previously discussed:
Least Restrictive Environment:
This term means that students with disabilities will be educated with their non-disabled peers
(students within general education who do not have a documented disability) to the greatest
extent possible.
Accommodations and Modifications:
Students should be taught in the general education classrooms, where the majority of students
receive instruction, whenever possible. Instruction in the general education classroom should include
accommodations and modifications that address the range of students’ learning styles and
abilities. Some examples of instructional accommodations are: preferential options for sitting
closer in the amount of written work expected.
Annual Review:
Each Individualized Program (IEP) is written for a span of 12 months. Before the end of the IEP
cycle, the TEAM meets to review progress and develop a new a plan for the next IEP cycle. This
meeting is called the Annual Review.
Three-Year Reevaluation:
Before the end of a three-year period within special education, the TEAM will conduct an
evaluation process similar to the evaluation process provided initially. The TEAM will determine
the appropriate assessments that should be included in this process. As discussed with the initial
evaluation, parents are informed and consent is requested in order to proceed with the
reevaluation. Written reports will be provided to the parents two days before the TEAM
reevaluation meeting.
Progress Reports:
The law states that parents of students receiving special education services should receive
information regarding their child’s progress at least as often as parents of students in general
education receive progress information regarding their child’s progress at least as often as
parents of children in general receive progress information. This requirement allows special
education providers the opportunity to write progress information that is sent home at the same
time as report cards. The progress information will specifically address the student’s progress
toward the goals established by the TEAM and written into the IEP.
Curriculum:
Curriculum refers to the instructional material that is presented to the students as part of their
education. The state of Massachusetts has established curriculum guidelines call the Curriculum
Frameworks. All students must have instruction in the curriculum areas specified by the state.
MCAS:
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System is a testing mechanism designed to
determine student progress within the Curriculum Frameworks. These broad curriculum areas are
English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Technology, History and Social Science, and
Foreign Languages. All students must participate in this assessment process.
Student Support Facilitator:
The Student Support Facilitator, or education paraprofessional, role is to assist, support and work
closely with the special education learning center teacher, other team members and general
education staff to support the student in their learning process. This person reports into the
learning center teacher and is evaluated by the building principal.
Learning Center Teacher:
The Learning Center (LC) Teacher will serve as the parent liaison and main contact to assist with
any questions or concerns that may arise regarding your child’s IEP services or process. The LC
teacher will provide direct service and in addition, works with general education teachers to
modify or adapt curriculum as required by IEP and consult with staff on specific issues pertaining
to the student. They will also conduct assessments and facilitate annual review meetings. This
person is supervised by the principal and/or the special education coordinator.
Related Service Provider:
The Related Service Provider provides direct service to the student in the area identified such as
speech and language, and also conducts assessments and participates in the team process by
providing their expertise to ensure proper documentation of required services. This role is
supervised by the principal and/or special education coordinator.
Evaluation Team Leader:
The Evaluation Team Leader (ETL) is the designated chairperson for the Individualized Education
Program (IEP) Team Meetings for their assigned school(s) including the intake of initial referrals,
monitoring of annual reviews and reevaluations, and educational assessments. The ETL will assist
staff and families with the development of the IEP, facilitate initial and reevaluation team
meetings and others as assigned and oversee the completion of the student referral assessment
process. This person is supervised by the principal and special education coordinator.
Special Education Coordinator:
The Special Education Coordinator role is to oversee services and programming for students who
receive special education services. This person coordinates and supervises all special education
staff and works in concert with the principal to ensure proper implementation of services. The
coordinator also reviews and assesses curriculum, provides consultation and support to both
general and special education staff , works with district administration to ensure program quality
assurance and assists parents with any questions or concerns. This person is supervised by both the
principal(s) and the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services.
Principal:
The Building Principal’s role in the special education process is to ensure that the IEP is being
implemented as written and to oversee the evaluation of special education staff. They meet with
all special education administrators regularly and have biweekly meetings with their special
education coordinator. The principal also oversees the pre-referral process and assists parents
with any on-going day to day concerns regarding their child’s program.
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Assistant Director of Student Services:
The Assistant Director of Student Services role in the special education process is to ensure
procedures are followed and oversee the quality assurance process. This person also assists teams
in coming to consensus when needed or requested by either parents or the school staff. The
Assistant Director also meets with all special education administrative staff on a regular basis and
all related service providers. In addition, the Assistant Director oversees the professional
development for the student services department. This role reports to the Assistant Superintendent
for Student Services.
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services:
The Assistant Superintendent for Student Services role in special education is to ensure legal
compliance with all aspects of both state and federal regulations including any cases that may
require mediation and or BSEA hearing. By law, the Assistant Superintendent is the legal
representative for the school committee and district for all special education legal matters. The
Assistant Superintendent also meets with all special education administrators and principals on a
regular basis and meets weekly with the superintendent. This role reports directly to the
Superintendent.
Special education appears to be a complex process. What happens if a parent or teacher has
questions about a student’s IEP?
Evaluation Team Leaders and Learning Center Teachers can answer your questions regarding
your student educational program. At all levels (preschool, elementary, middle and high school)
special education coordinators can provide information. Your building principal is also a resource.