Shasta County Special Education Local Plan Area
Regional Placement & Resource Committee Procedures
Regional Placement & Resource Committee Procedures
Introduction:
A.
The Shasta County Regional Intensive Behavior Programs (IBP) Programs are
designed to serve students with emotional disturbances/intensive behaviors who
have not responded to a less restrictive academic environment and less intensive
therapeutic modalities. The program utilizes many supports which may include a
special education teacher, a licensed therapist and two or more classroom aides
for a class size of twelve or less. Related services may include individual and/or
group counseling and behavior intervention services. Because of the intensity of
the program and the limited availability, it is important that the various resources
available to assist students with emotional, behavioral and academic difficulties
are fully explored and utilized prior to making a referral.
B.
When an IBP referral is seen as the most appropriate course of action, the
following steps need to be followed. Please be aware that the IBP is the most
restrictive option in the public school continuum. Therefore, the likelihood of a
referral resulting in an IBP placement will be contingent on prior intervention and
outcomes. RPRC may make recommendations to the following regional and NPS
programs: Excel Academy, Catalyst, Pathways North, IEP School, and North
Valley NPS.
C.
Students found eligible as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) may be served in the least
restrictive environment (LRE) which may not require an IBP.
Referral Procedures
1.
Prior to a referral, the district will have conducted a psycho-educational
assessment that determined the student qualified for special education and will
have implemented an IEP intended to meet the student’s educational and
behavioral needs.
2.
Prior to referral, all LRE options (e.g. SDC, RSP, etc.) will have been considered
and, when appropriate, implemented.
3.
Districts will make every effort to develop a behavior intervention plan (that has a
minimal score of 17) and implement with fidelity for 6-8 weeks. District will score
plan. RPRC will carefully consider extenuating circumstances in which, due to
safety concerns a district is not able to implement a BIP prior to referral.
4.
Prior to a referral to an IBP Placement, the student will have been referred by the
IEP team to appropriate counseling services and other appropriate interventions
will have been put in place and the IEP team will have determined that these
services do not fully meet the needs of the student.
- 13 Shasta SELPA RPRC Procedures, 12-15
Shasta County Special Education Local Plan Area
Regional Placement & Resource Committee Procedures
5.
The Special Education Director or designee will compile a referral packet.
For students in Out of Home (OOH) placements: The Out of Home Coordinator
will refer and report to RPRC all OOH students that have entered the county.
This will be conducted in a timely manner to ensure quick access to an
educational program. RPRC will consider each case including current student
needs and prior services and placement and attempt to make lateral placement
recommendations.
Referral packet must include:
a. Referral sheet and District Interventions Checklist with comprehensive
summary of behaviors that are occurring and interventions that have been
attempted.
b. A Current IEP (less than one year old) that specifies Special Education
Services and appropriate designation provided by the District.
c. IEP goals and objectives, including goals that address the student’s identified
social/emotional/behavioral needs, with student progress related to goals and
objectives noted on SEIS goal page.
d. A psycho-educational assessment report (less than three years old) that
demonstrates that “all suspected areas of disability” have been addressed
(which includes social/emotional concerns). Student’s cognitive skills and
ability to access mental health services will be considered when determining
whether to recommend an IBS program
e. A copy of the BIP (scored by district with 17 or higher) and monitoring data.
f. Reports from outside agencies or professionals (as available).
g. A report of counseling or guidance done and results of interventions (Tier I &
II).
h. Individual achievement test scores (less than one year old).
6.
The District Director or Designee will send above information to the Shasta
SELPA Program Specialist no later than the preceding Friday at noon.
7.
The SELPA Program Specialist will notify the referring District if the packet is
incomplete or if it appears that not all procedures (see Items 1-5 above) have
been implemented prior to making a referral.
- 14 Shasta SELPA RPRC Procedures, 12-15
Shasta County Special Education Local Plan Area
Regional Placement & Resource Committee Procedures
8.
The District representative in cooperation with the SELPA Program Specialist will
present the student to the Regional Placement Resource Committee to evaluate
the referral for appropriateness for placement in a Regional Intensive Behavior
Program, or Intensive Behavior counseling services.
9.
A RPRC meeting will be held weekly at a designated time to review the case and
make a recommendation to the district.
10.
The referring school district will schedule an IEP as appropriate. If the IEP team
agrees to a Regional Intensive Behavior Program placement, the IEP will specify
what transportation arrangements are needed.
11.
All Regional Placement and Resource Committee recommendations are
considered advisory and the IEP team is responsible for making their formal offer
of FAPE (free and appropriate public education).
12.
Districts seeking SELPA reimbursement for placement in regional programs,
non-public schools or residential treatment centers must have prior RPRC
approval.
13.
SELPA subsidies for recommended placements will go into effect on the
documented date of approval as noted on the referral sheet. If a district feels a
student needs immediate placement to a regional or NPS program, they must
contact SELPA Program Specialist prior to placement. If Program Specialist preapproves placement, this date will be documented on the RPRC referral sheet. If
a student is pre-approved, the district or OOH Coordinator must present at the
following RPRC for committee approval. The committee’s decision will be
considered the formal recommendation.
- 15 Shasta SELPA RPRC Procedures, 12-15