1
POLICY & COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE
REVIEW OF LRE MONITORING PROTOCOLS
March 26, 2007
This analysis was generated as a result of documents provided to Committee Chairs by Judy
Gran on March 15, 2007. It is not clear if or when PDE was going to request AP input in the
development of these interview protocols.
When interviewing it is usually advisable to have open-ended questions that put people at
ease and enable exploration of issues. Since LRE monitoring is not voluntary it is likely that
there will be some defensiveness on the part of interviewees making it even more desirable to
have open–ended questions to minimize social desirability in the responses (saying what you
believe the right answer to be or what you believe the interviewer is wanting to hear). Also,
questions eliciting a simple yes/no response are not likely to yield much useful information.
Open-ended questions usually take the form of How/What/Why/Explain/Describe
questions, whereas closed-ended questions usually start with Are/Is/have/Do/Does etc..
2007/07 interview questions are presented first followed by similar questions from 2005/06
protocols. Comments in italics represent suggestions for alternative questions.
Recommendations and suggested questions from the Policy & Compliance Committee from
March 2006 are provided for comparison at the end of the document.
1A. SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW, 2006/07
Questions specific to student whose file was reviewed:
30
Were you a member of the IEP team that made the decision to place
(child’s name) in your class?
31
Are you familiar with the contents of (child’s name)’s IEP?
Few teachers would admit unfamiliarity. Better to ask What is in the IEP?
32
Do you have a copy of the IEP?
33
Are supplementary aids and services included in the IEP?
A yes/no answer is not what is wanted. Ask What SAS are included in the IEP?
34
Are there supplementary aids and services included in the IEP that are to
be delivered in general education settings?
What are they?
35
Are the specially designed instruction and supplementary aids and
services that are to be provided in general education settings being
provided to (child’s name)?
Allows for a simple yes/no answer. Saying no is also self-criticism. Better to
ask How are the SAS provided in the general education setting?
36
Are the specially designed instruction and supplementary aids and
services that are provided to the child in general education settings
sufficient to meet (child’s name)’s needs?
SAS can vary from class to class and the quality of their intervention may vary
from class to class. A simple yes/no answer here is not going to give much
information. Which SAS provided in regular education classes have been most
effective? Please give specific examples.
1
2
37
Do you have a role in providing the specially designed instruction and
supplementary aids and services in the general education classroom?
Asking What is your role? will give better information
38
Do you receive the training and support you need to provide the
specially designed instruction and supplementary aids and services in
the general education classroom?
What training and support do you feel you need? What do you receive?
39
Are appropriate staff involved with the planning and implementation of
(child’s name)’s program?
Who is seen to be “appropriate” depends on your assumptions and point of view.
Ask Who is involved? Compare that with the team’s analysis of who they think
should be involved.
40
Do you have adequate time to meet as a team for planning?
How much time is enough? If you are doing little then little time is needed, if
you are doing a lot then more time is needed. Admitting to inadequate time
could be seen as critical of school administrators. Saying” yes” is also not
going to give enough information.
41
Do you provide consultative support to other team members?
What support do you provide to other team members?
42
Do you have a role in monitoring and reporting (child’s name)’s
progress on IEP goals?
What is your role in …?
43
Is (child’s name) making progress toward IEP goals?
How much progress is the big question. How do you define meaningful progress
for …? Are goals changing with each IEP revision to reflect continued
progress? If a goal is not reached does the team discuss ways to improve
educational progress?
44
Is there a structure in place that allows you to have effective
communication with (child’s name)’s parents?
How do you communicate with parents? How would you characterize your
relationship with parents?
45
Is (child’s name) receiving educational benefit from participation in your
general education classroom?
Ask How do you define “educational benefit”? What are the benefits as you see
them?
46
Does (child’s name) need supplementary aids and services to participate
in assemblies, field trips and extra-curricular activities? (If yes, ask next
question)
The quality of the participation is more important than the fact of participation.
Participation is different from presence.
47
Are needed supplementary aids and services being provided to (child’s
name)?
Is the student being provided with what s/he needs to maximize her LRE?
2
3
Before proceeding with the following questions, ask the teacher if they have already been
interviewed during this focused monitoring on-site review. If they have, do NOT ask the
remaining questions and leave questions 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 blank on the tally sheet.
General – open ended/code as to topics (NOTE: A “Don’t Know” section has been added to
the tally sheet.)
48
In this school, are there barriers to a student with disabilities participating
in general education? If yes, what are these barriers?
This is a good question. Also ask Who/what is driving school inclusion?
49
If students need modified curricula in order to participate in general
education classrooms, is it provided? If no, why not?
How well are teachers making needed modifications to curricula?
50
Are students who experience behavioral problems in general education
classes “sent back” to the special education class or teacher?
How is this decision made? Please give examples if this happening.
51
If this occurs, is it a planned strategy that is included in the student’s IEP?
What is this question trying to get at? It is not a good strategy even if it is
planned.
52
Have general education teachers been provided with training and
assistance to enable them to implement behavioral supports in the general
education classroom?
What training do teachers receive re behavioral support?
Is it enough?
53
For children who have intensive behavioral support needs, is there
interagency collaboration between school staff and other agency staff
(social work, psychologists, mental health, child welfare) to ensure that
the needs of the student are addressed?
What is the level and nature of the collaboration? Is it adequate?
54
Does the level of interagency collaboration increase if the team is
considering making a referral to a more restrictive setting?
What is this question trying to get at?
3
4
1B. SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW (OTHER SETTINGS), 2006/07
Many of the questions are leading i.e., stroingly suggest a socially desirable answer or a simple
yes/no response. Generally, it is a good idea with interview research to have open-ended
questions (such as What, When, How and Why questions) because they encourage the
interviewee to give their perspective from their experience rather than simple yes or no
responses possibly in a socially desirable direction.
4
5
157
Are appropriate staff involved with the planning and implementation
of (child’s name)’s program?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #39
158
Do you have adequate time to meet as a team for planning?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #40
159
Do you have a role in monitoring and reporting (child’s name)’s
progress on IEP goals?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #41
160
Is (child’s name) making progress toward IEP goals?
To say no to this could be perceived as very critical of a number of
people…Better to ask what progress are you seeing?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #43
161
Is (child’s name) receiving educational benefit from participation in
your program?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #45
162
Does (child’s name) have access to the general education curriculum?
What does “access” mean? The amount and quality of inclusion is what we
are interested in.
163
Are there opportunities for (child’s name) to interact with nondisabled peers?
In what ways does this students interact with…? What is the nature and
quality of these interactions?
164
Does the school plan or facilitate these opportunities?
How does the school plan…?
165
Does (child’s name) go on field trips, attend school functions or
participate in extracurricular activities with their same age/grade
non-disabled peers?
In what ways does this students interact with…? What is the nature and
quality of these interactions?
166
Does (child’s name) have any opportunities to be involved in the
community as part of their school program? If yes, describe the
activities:
“Opportunities” is a positively loaded word (schools are all about
opportunities). This is likely to strongly urge the interviewee to search for
some “opportunities.” A more neutral question could be Is the student
involved in the community as part of their school program? If so how?
167
Is there a structure in place that allows you to have effective
communication with (child’s name)’s parents?
Same as SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER INTERVIEW above #44
168
Has the IEP team discussed the development of a plan to transition
(child’s name) back into the school district with supplementary aids
and services?
Good question. But what is the plan!
5
6
1C. TEACHER INTERVIEW, 2005/06
General
34
How does the IEP team document that they considered multiple
educational placement options for a student?
Same as ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVIEW, 2005/06, # 6
What is the quality of the consideration?
35
Does inclusion of a student with a disability into a general education
classroom depend upon the student’s disability and/or the severity of
disability? Explain.
36
To what degree does the participation of a student with a disability in
general education classrooms depend upon the student’s ability to be
successful without accommodations and/or adaptations?
Please explain.
Scheduling and Staffing
37
Do children self-select electives when that is an option provided to
students at that age (i.e., art, music, industrial education at middle
school and high school levels)?
How are electives chosen?
38
What opportunities are made available for a child to interact with
non-disabled peers if the IEP team determines that he or she needs to
be removed for any amount of time from the general education
environment?
How is such a decision arrived at!
39
Are related services provided to meet the needs of all children with
disabilities as required in their IEPs?
How are related services…?
Supplementary Aids and Services
40
What kinds of supplementary aids and services are provided to
students with disabilities in regular classes? Give examples.
41
How are accommodations and modifications developed for an
individual student? Give examples of typical accommodations that
are often provided. Give an example of an atypical accommodation
that has been provided in your school.
42
In your school, have modified curricula been provided for students
with disabilities in general education classrooms? If yes, describe the
process for modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of a student.
6
7
43
Are special education students who are educated in general education
classes sent back to special education class/teacher when they
experience behavioral problems? If yes, how is this decision made
and is it reflected in the behavior support plan for the student?
This is a better version than question #50 above.
44
What are the top three factors that make it challenging to successfully
provide a range of supplementary aids and services to students with
disabilities within general education classrooms in your school?
45
What additional resources or supports to teachers would be helpful to
facilitate providing supplementary aids and services to students with
disabilities within general classrooms?
Collaboration
46
How often are special education teachers available for co-teaching
and consultation in general education classrooms?
47
Is sufficient time in the master schedule provided for common
planning and collaboration if documented as a need in student IEPs,
e.g. between general education and special education teachers,
between related services staff and educators, between paraeducators
and teachers, etc.?
How much time is scheduled? Is it sufficient?
48
Which courses in the district are team-taught or co-taught by general
and special educators?
What issues has team-teaching raised for you?
49
For children with a need for emotional support, is there interagency
coordination or collaboration between school based staff and service
providers (social work, psychologists, mental health, child welfare) to
ensure that the needs of the student are understood and addressed
before making a referral to a more restrictive setting?
Please give examples.
Professional Development and Supports
50
Is professional development available for addressing the issue of
access to the general curriculum for all students?
What professional development is available…?
51
Describe the topics and modes of professional development that have
been provided during the last two school years?
52
Does the LEA provide or facilitate contact with specialist or
consultants who can advise the IEP team on supports and services in
regular education?
What contact is provided…?
53
What efforts are made to coordinate supports and services to facilitate
student transitions from one setting or school to another? (e.g. preschool – kindergarten; elementary – middle; middle – high school,
high school – adult life)
7
8
8
9
2A. Parent Interview, 2006/07
Use the following scale to answer questions #126 through 131:
SCALE
1
Always
2
Most of
the time
3
Rarely
4
Never
5
Don't
Know
6
Does not Apply
126
I am satisfied with the educational placement for my child.
Asking questions about satisfaction can be very problematic. Parents may be
satisfied for many different and contradictory reasons. For example, a parent
may be satisfied because the current placement is all they think they are
entitled to, or conversely, a parent may never be satisfied because their child’s
education can always be improved.
127
The school provides opportunities for parent training that I could
attend.
What opportunities…?
128
My child participates in assemblies and field trips.
With typical students? What is the quality of this participation?
129
My child’s general education teacher discusses my child’s program
with me.
What is the quality of such discussions? Can you give examples of such
discussions?
130
My child spends time in school with children who do not have
disabilities.
What does “spends time” mean? They attend the same school? The same
bus?
131
When I don’t understand my child’s educational rights, someone
from the school takes the time to explain them to me.
The nature of the explanation is the issue. If the principal always explains
to the parent that they have no educational rights they get high marks on
this question!
132
Did you participate with the IEP team in making the current
educational placement decision for your child?
133
Does your child attend his/her neighborhood school? (If Yes, go to
question 134)
133a
Do you understand why your child is not currently attending
his/her neighborhood school?
Why are we asking about the parent’s level of understanding about
segregation? Why not ask why their child is not attending her
neighborhood school.
133b
What was the reason for placing your child in another school?
Good question. How was this decision made?
9
10
133c
If your child is not attending school in your school district, has the
IEP team discussed transitioning your child back?
“Transitioning” might be a confusing term. How about asking if the IEP is
trying to get her child back into her school district?
133
Did the IEP team consider placing your child in the general
education classroom with supplementary aids and services before
deciding on the current educational placement?
What was the quality (time given, priority, effort, creativity) to the
“consideration” is the issue!
d
134
Does the IEP team discuss ways to increase your child’s participation
in general education environments (classrooms, other school
environments)?
Discuss or achieve?
135
Is your child making progress toward the goals on the IEP?
Good question. How much progress? To what do you attribure this
progress? If little/no progress, why?
136
Is your child receiving educational benefit from participation in the
general education classroom?
“Educational benefit” is very abstract. Like satisfaction, a parent may
respond for many different reasons. We are interested in how the parent
sees “benefit.”
137
Is there a structure in place that allows you to have effective
communication with your child’s school team?
Other than the IEP? What kind of “structure” do you have in mind?
How do you communicate with your child’s team?
138
Does your child need supplementary aids and services in the general
education classroom? (If Yes, answer question 138a)
A parent may not know what SAS is.
138a
Are the needed supplementary aids and services being provided to
your child in the general education classroom?
As above. How well are they provided?
139
Are you aware of any training or consultation provided in your
school district for groups of parents and educators together (for
example, team trainings, workshops)?
Are we interested in parental awareness or the existence and participation
in trainings?
Are you aware of any recent training that has been provided for
parents in your school district regarding the following topics:
140
Least Restrictive Environment?
Presumably LRE and the terms below will be explained to parents.
141
Supplementary Aids and Services?
142
Behavior Support?
10
11
143
Teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms?
144
Collaboration and Co-Teaching?
145
Assistive Technology?
146
Are you aware of any recent training that has been provided for
parents in your school district other than the ones listed above? If so,
what was the topic of the training?
11
12
2B. Parent Interview, 2005/06
24
Does the IEP team provide clear information about serving students in
regular classrooms and supplementary aids and services available in
determining educational placement?
This question assumes inclusion. How does the IEP team provide...?
25
Does your child receive services as required in the IEP that help
him/her to be successful in the regular educational classroom?
How is success defined?
26
Did the IEP team discuss your child’s access to the general educational
curriculum?
What does “access” mean to a parent? What kind of discussion was it?
27
If your child receives educational services in the general education
classroom, is the classroom teacher familiar with the supplementary
aids and services in your child’s IEP?
28
Does your child participate in school sponsored extra-curricular
activities?
If so, how?
29
Does your child participate in assemblies and field trips?
If so, how?
30
Does the LEA provide or facilitate contact with specialists or
consultants who can advise the IEP team on supports and services in
regular education (persons consulted and their recommendations
could be added in narrative content in the justification sections of the
annotated IEP).
A parent may not know what consultants the LEA provides.
31
Does your child spend time in school with children who do not have
disabilities?
How much time and in what ways?
32
How was the educational placement decision made for your child?
Good question.
33
(For parents of students in our-of-district placements) How was the
decision made for your child to receive services out of the district?
Good question.
12
13
3A. ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVIEW, 2006/07
Apparently omitted.
3B. ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVIEW, 2005/06
General:
4
Do all children with disabilities attend the school they would attend if
they did not have a disability? If not, explain.
5
How do IEP teams ensure that the general education classroom with
supplementary aids and services is considered prior to making a
decision to remove a student from general education for all or part of
the school day?
6
How does the IEP team document that they considered multiple
educational placement options for a student?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #34
7
Is there a continuum of services available to address students who
need varying types and levels of support?
What is the continuum in this school district?
Scheduling and Staffing
8
How are decisions made about scheduling and/or classroom
assignments of students with disabilities into general education
classrooms? (e.g. are students with disabilities clustered into certain
classrooms or distributed throughout multiple classrooms in more
natural proportions?)
9
Do children self-select electives when that is an option provided to
students at that age (i.e., art, music, industrial education at middle
school and high school levels)?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #37
10
How does the LEA support participation of children with disabilities
in nonacademic and extracurricular activities (i.e., transportation)?
11
What opportunities are made available for a child to interact with
non-disabled peers if the IEP team determines that he or she needs to
be removed for any amount of time from the general education
environment?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #38
12
Are related services provided to meet the needs of all children with
disabilities as required in their IEPs?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #39
13
14
Supplementary Aids and Services
13
What kinds of supplementary aids and services are provided to
students with disabilities in regular classes? Give examples.
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #40
14
How are accommodations and modifications developed for an
individual student? Give examples of typical accommodations that
are often provided. Give an example of an atypical accommodation
that has been provided in your school.
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #41
15
In your school, have modified curricula been provided for students
with disabilities in general education classrooms? If yes, describe the
process for modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of a student.
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #42
16
Are special education students who are educated in general education
classes sent back to special education class/teacher when they
experience behavioral problems? If yes, how is this decision made
and is it reflected in the behavior support plan for the student?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #43
Collaboration
17
How often are special education teachers available for co-teaching
and consultation in general education classrooms?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #46
18
Is sufficient time in the master schedule provided for common
planning and collaboration if documented as a need in student IEPs,
e.g. between general education and special education teachers,
between related services staff and educators, between paraeducators
and teachers, etc.?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #47
19
Which courses in the district are team-taught or co-taught by general
and special educators?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #48
Professional Development and Supports
20
Is professional development available for addressing the issue of
access to the general curriculum for all students?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #50
21
Describe the topics and modes of professional development that have
been provided during the last two school years?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #51
22
Does the LEA provide or facilitate contact with specialist or
consultants who can advise the IEP team on supports and services in
regular education?
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #52
14
15
23
What efforts are made to coordinate supports and services to facilitate
student transitions from one setting or school to another? (e.g. preschool – kindergarten; elementary – middle; middle – high school,
high school – adult life)
Same as TEACHER INTERVIEW #53
15
16
4. ORIGINAL QUESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO PDE FROM AP, circa.
March, 2006
1. With a short deadline and no time to review any materials in an in-depth manner, we should look at
recommendations that address the qualitative (personal) view as opposed to a quantitative (data) view.
Understand the laws have been on the books for several years regarding LRE. So now some questions:
a. What behaviors within the system (the people) preclude the effective implementation of LRE? (e.g., is it
the behaviors of the local administration, teachers, school board...etc......?)
b. Are these behaviors systemic (ex, An administrator/superintendent's nonverbal communication to the
schools is that we want to keep our PSSA scores high so that we will have no interruptions of federal
funding...therefore let us do what ever is possible to exclude individuals requiring support services/LRE)?
How can we use compliance to impact on systemic behaviors?
c. Is the community at large inwardly/outwardly fighting LRE In their local schools (e.g., parents stating to
school administrators that they do not want their children in classes with children requiring additional
services)?
d. Are senior teachers/teacher trainers addressing the issue of access to the general curriculum for all
students?
e. What levels of retooling? Retraining will have to occur in order to change behaviors? /Who would do the
training? When would it occur?
At the heart of this issue is the perspective of "people” to make any changes effectively, we must address the
stakeholders’ perspectives and expect them to be accountable to see the impact of their perspectives and to
review, evaluate, recommend how to improve or change their perspectives on the issues of LRE and access to
the general curriculum. To promote best practices that will have an impact on its effective implementation
within their local school district.
QUESTIONS
(to be asked of teachers, administrators etc.)
Are special education staff available for co-teaching, consultation, teacher support and student support?
Are mentors with experience working in an inclusive setting available to assist teachers who have not taught
in an inclusive classroom (or who have not worked with students with particular needs for supports
and services)?
For which special education students in the district do staff consider inclusion is appropriate? Does that group
include students with significant cognitive disabilities, or those who are performing significantly
below grade level?
Is the cost to provide services a consideration when making placement recommendations?
Do staff consider that appropriateness for inclusion depends on the student’s “level of functioning”?
What kinds of supports are provided to students with disabilities in regular classes?
A modified curriculum – for which students?
A significantly modified curriculum – for which students?
A multilevel curriculum
An overlapping curriculum
Peer support
Differentiated instruction
Team teaching or co-teaching
Training of the regular education teacher
Positive behavioral support
The support of an aide (if so, is this an aide hired by the school district or a TSS?)
Does placement in regular class depend on the amount of support the student requires?
Does placement in regular class depend on the nature of the child’s disability?
DOES DISABILITY DRIVE PLACEMENT?
To begin to analyze if disability drives placement decisions. For example: does a diagnosis or mention of an
Autism spectrum disorder automatically refer to autistic support?
Does placement in regular class depend on the student’s ability to function without adaptations? Without
significant modifications?
16
17
How many students with disabilities are placed in centralized programs, and how many in their neighborhood
schools? Please identify the neighborhood school and the school(s) where students receive services.
Where are the students with the following disabilities placed?
Autistic support
Physical support
Life Skills Support
Emotional Support
Are students with certain disabilities placed in programs operated by the Intermediate Unit
Are most students in Life Skills Support, Multiple Disabilities Support, full-time Learning Support, part-time
Learning Support or Emotional Support placed in classes operated by the Intermediate Unit?
Are students with disabilities placed in programs based on availability?
When students with disabilities are included for part of the day in the regular classroom, are students with the
same classification placed in the same regular classroom?
Does placement decision-making begin with regular class? Do discussions of placement begin with the child’s
current placement and ask if it remains appropriate?
Are special education students who spend some time in regular class sent back to their special education
classes when they experience behavioral problems?
Are special education students denied opportunities to be educated in regular classes because the classes are
full?
Who is responsible for the accommodations and modifications that students with disabilities need while in
regular classrooms?
The general education teacher
The special education teacher
Both, jointly
Is time set aside for common planning and collaboration, e.g. between general education and special
education teachers?
Are there any classes that students with disabilities have limited access to because of lack of modifications
and accommodations?
Does the teachers’ contract specify maximum caseloads? If so, are special education students included in the
teachers’ student count?
Which courses in the district are team-taught by general and special educators?
How are accommodations and modifications chosen? Are they chosen from a list? How many items on the list
represent specially designed instruction (e.g. visual materials to prompt and cue a student with autism)
and how many are teaching practices routinely used by general education teachers (e.g. preferential
seating)?
Do students with behavioral support needs have access to the regular classroom? Do students whose behavior
impedes their learning or that of others have behavioral support plans based on an individualized
functional analysis of the problematic behavior? Are those plans implemented in regular class?
Do the staff person(s) providing behavioral support have credentials or training in behavioral disorders and
understanding of developmentally appropriate/inappropriate behaviors? Have the interventions being
used evidence based effective practices?
For children with a need for behavioral or emotional support, is there interagency coordination or
collaboration between school based staff and service providers (social work, psychologists, mental
health, child welfare) to ensure that the bio-psychosocial needs of the student are understood and
addressed before making referral to a more restrictive setting.
Is there adequate communication between on-site school staff and students (and their parents) so that a student
can request supports and services? (maybe in addition to our welcome packet there could be a list of
where students can get help (materials should be written in age-appropriate language and are written in
a way that is developmental appropriate so that information can be accessible to students.
Do students who use assistive technology have access to it in regular class? How long does it usually take to
get an Assistive Technology device?
Are there separate curricula for some students with disabilities (e.g. students receiving Life Skills Support) in
the district?
17
18
For how many students in the sample is there evidence that the team considered multiple placement options?
For how many students in the sample is there evidence that the IEP team addressed participation in nonacademic and extra-curricular activities?
For teachers, school staff and IEP teams: Does the LEA provide or facilitate contact with specialist or
consultants who can advise the IEP team on supports and services in regular education (persons
consulted and their recommendations could be added in narrative content in the justification section of
the annotated IEP.)
Suggestions for Monitoring approach: To develop a sample stratified by that is stratified by disability in a
sample survey of school districts.
MONITORING
DEMOGRAPHICS
To develop a sample of students with disabilities that also includes demographic data on race, gender, and
ethnicity.
RECEIVING OTHER SERVICES OR NEED OTHER SERVICES
Are students receiving other supports for students from families with low income (free lunches) and/or for
students who receive ESL supports?
GIFTED AND DISABLED
To identify students who are dually categorized: gifted and with an IEP.
To identify the barriers for inclusive education for gifted students with disabilities.
To begin to adapt effective strategies from gifted support into the regular education classroom.
Savants and Exceptionally Gifted
For students with Autism spectrum to identify the restricted area of interests and/or savant abilities. To build
curriculum on a strengths model whenever possible so that all students will learn and build on their
current skills and abilities (and restricted repertoire of interests).
TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT
Since programs are identified by pre-K, K- middle school, middle school to high school, high school to
vocational or other settings within the scope of the settlement agreement, what efforts are made to
collaborate supports and services when students transition from one setting or school to another? (also
when transferring to a new district within the state)
If students transition to and from an out of school placement or to and from special education or categorical
services (restrictive settings), who is responsible for facilitating a transition team?
ACCESSIBLE
Are the materials and processes understood by the parents?
What is the means test by which documents and processes are understood? If needed, is there a mechanism to
work with a translator at the IEP meeting?
FLEXIBILITY:
Are IEP meetings conducted in a time or place that can accommodate parents to allow for meaningful
participation (parent(s) who are working during the day or for parents who need additional support?
(needs transportation, meeting after work hours or on Saturday’s, conducted in the parent’s home or a
mutually agreed upon meeting place. Can parents designate an authorized person to provide consent to
act in the best interest of the child (CASA, grandparent, foster parents)
OTHER MONITORING ISSUES
Do school staff know how to accurately report the least restrictive environment (LRE) percentage on and IEP?
Using OSEP guidelines: Do school staff count the number of hours the student is receiving instruction?
How much time does the student spend during transit to and from school and to and from placements?
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Are interviews conducted with students?
QUESTION FOR PDE Self-study for future T & TA
Suggest requesting some narrative feedback from the trainees who receive the Basic Awareness Training to
identify areas where they need more support, clarification, or instruction. Would PDE consider asking
participants to complete a candid evaluation form anonymously to identify their view of current
barriers to inclusive education?
Testing to show proficiency or improvement: Do staff know what the Oberti standard is: Provide scenarios
and ask the trainee to provide answers about what would count as an Oberti standard?
Values: Do teachers think that if all students cannot keep up in the classroom, they should not be there?
MONITORING Follow up
To conduct a higher percentage of interviews with parents and to allow for telephone interviews.
If parents have requested a restrictive placement, what are their reasons for doing so?
Review the same IEPs and conduct confidential interactive meetings with staff members of the IEP team.
When conducting follow up: to review the same IEPs with corrective action added to as an addendum.
Can the LEA initiate a meeting to revise the IEP and to reevaluate placement? If not, why not?
What is the percentage of students with IEPs who have been sent to other institutions (approved private
schools, IU’s, restricted classrooms?
Recommend that Monitoring extend to any school that receives state or federal funding.
DROP OUT Rates for students who have an IEP or NORA
Exit interview if possible with the student or parent to identify reasons for leaving school.
Identify barriers to completing an education
Transitional planning: were efforts made to call and IEP meeting to intervene before the student dropped out
of school? If the student is under 18, what efforts can be taken to influence a better outcome?
SHARING ALTERNATIVE BEST PRACTICES
Obtain permission from PDE to de-identify the data in IEPs that could be used to show Tier One schools how
they could have considered providing supports and services. Staff training could be based on actual
IEPs that demonstrate how to develop inclusive education that works.
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Recommendations for Tier One District Monitoring
(GASKIN SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT)
Guiding Thoughts
It is most important as a result of monitoring activities with Tier One districts that the focus be on helping the
district(s) gain insight into what they can and/or should do to expand their capacity to successfully include a
broader array of diversity (e.g. kids with disabilities) within their general education classrooms. Further, once
some perspective / insight is gained, subsequent capacity building plans should be created with selfmonitoring procedures built into each given districts’ activities with some form of annual progress report
provided to PDE/BSE.
To best tease out relevant issues and challenges, the following recommendations are offered for consideration:
1)
That qualitative and quantitative information (data) be gathered when conducting Tier One
monitoring.
2)
That the focus of inquiry (questions asked/explored) address both a) Belief Systems and Operating
Assumptions and b) Methodology and Practice relevant to inclusion.
3)
That classroom teacher input (both general and special education) be gathered and factored into the
process in addition to the given districts’ administrative teams.
4)
That parent input be gathered and factored into the process.
Strategies for Consideration
Beyond the standard information gathered (in the form of data and samples) by
PDE/BSE, PDE/BSE is encouraged to consider the following strategies:
1)
That prior to the on-site visit and face to face interactions that occur during Tier One monitoring, that
an electronic (web-based) LRE Questionnaire be established by PDE/BSE that district teachers would
be prompted to access and complete by an established deadline. This deadline would be established in
such a manner that the administrative team from each given district could create a summary report and
submit this report two weeks prior to the on-site monitoring visit. Further, this self-report should
conclude with action steps proposed by the given district to build capacity in a manner that addresses
factors and needs identified via teacher responses that were summarized into the report (see attached
proposed questionnaire).
2)
That prior to the on-site visit and face to face interactions that occur during Tier One monitoring, that
an electronic (web-based) LRE Questionnaire be established by PDE/BSE that parents from within
Tier One districts would be invited to access and complete by an established deadline. This deadline
would be established in such a manner that the administrative team from each given district could
create a summary report and submit this report two weeks prior to the on-site monitoring visit. Further,
this self-report should conclude with action steps proposed by the given district to build capacity in a
manner that addresses factors and needs identified via teacher responses that were summarized into the
report (see attached proposed questionnaire).
3)
PDE/BSE monitoring team would meet with the district team to review data and district self-report
together and to discuss the information in a manner that additionally gathers perspective from the
district administrative team that results in collaboration concerning ways to a) enhance the proposed
capacity building plan (as relevant) and b) implement the plan including monitoring procedures.
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TEACHER PERSPECTIVE ON LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONEMENT
1)
To what degree does the appropriateness for inclusion of a student with a disability into a general
education classroom depend upon the student’s disability?
1
Very Little
2)
2
3
Somewhat
2
3
Somewhat
4
5
Very Much
4
5
Very Much
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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5
5
5
5
5
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5
5
5
5
To what degree (“1” meaning very little up through a score of “5” meaning a lot) do you know how to
implement each of the following educational practices?
Modified Curriculum
Multi-level Curriculum
Over-lapping Curriculum
Peer Support
Cooperative Learning
Peer Mediated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Team Teaching and/or Co-teaching
Positive Behavior Intervention (Classroom Level)
Positive Behavior Support (Individualized for a Student)
Augmentative Communication
Assistive Technology
6)
5
Very Much
To what degree (“1” meaning very little up through a score of “5” meaning a lot) do you know what is
involved with each of the following educational practices?
Modified Curriculum
Multi-level Curriculum
Over-lapping Curriculum
Peer Support
Cooperative Learning
Peer Mediated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Team Teaching and/or Co-teaching
Positive Behavior Intervention (Classroom Level)
Positive Behavior Support (Individualized for a Student)
Augmentative Communication
Assistive Technology
5)
4
To what degree does the appropriateness for inclusion of a student with a disability into a general
education classroom depend upon the student’s ability to be successful without accommodations
and/or adaptations?
1
Very Little
4)
3
Somewhat
To what degree does the appropriateness for inclusion of a student with a disability into a general
education classroom depend upon what is referred to as the student’s “functioning level”?
1
Very Little
3)
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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5
5
To what degree (“1” meaning very little up through a score of “5” meaning a) have you implemented
each of the following educational practices to support a student with a disability within a general
education classroom?
Modified Curriculum
Multi-level Curriculum
Over-lapping Curriculum
Peer Support
Cooperative Learning
Peer Mediated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Team Teaching and/or Co-teaching
Positive Behavior Intervention (Classroom Level)
Positive Behavior Support (Individualized for a Student)
Augmentative Communication
Assistive Technology
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
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5
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To what degree (“1” meaning very little up through a score of “5” meaning a lot) do you feel you
would benefit from receiving information, training and/or technical assistance with respect to each of
the following educational practices?
7)
Modified Curriculum
Multi-level Curriculum
Over-lapping Curriculum
Peer Support
Cooperative Learning
Peer Mediated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction
Team Teaching and/or Co-teaching
Positive Behavior Intervention (Classroom Level)
Positive Behavior Support (Individualized for a Student)
Augmentative Communication
Assistive Technology
8)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
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5
To what degree is there common planning time available within the typical school day for teachers to
meet and jointly plan/problem-solve issues about curriculum and instruction?
1
Very Little
2
3
Somewhat
4
5
Very Much
9)
What do you believe are the top three factors, from your perspective as a teacher, that has historically
impeded (slowed down the rate of) successful inclusion of students’ with disabilities within general
education classrooms within your school(s)…please list and briefly describe?
10)
Are there any particular things (resources and/or supports) that you believe would be helpful within
your school to help classroom teachers to further successfully include students with disabilities (please
list and describe as you see appropriate)?
PARENT PERSPECTIVE ON LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONEMENT
1)
Do you have a child with a disability who is school age?
2)
If you answered “Yes” to # 1 above, to what extent do you feel that your child has been successfully
included with his or non-disabled peers at school?
1
Very Little
3)
2
3
Somewhat
4
Yes
No
5
Very Much
If you answered “Yes” to #1 above, what do you believe would be the three most helpful things that
your school system could do to further support your child in being successfully included in his/her
local neighborhood school (where you reside)?
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