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Starting with Special Education

Jean Robertson, Chief of Special Education Services, San Francisco Unified School District

18th Annual Developmental Disabilities: An Update for Health Professionals March 14-15, 2019

Disclosures

• I have no financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any commercial interests

who provide products or services relating to their presentation(s) in this continuing medical education activity.

• This UCSF CME educational activity was planned and developed to: uphold

academic standards to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor; adhere to requirements to protect health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA); and, include a mechanism to inform learners when unapproved or unlabeled uses of therapeutic products or agents are discussed or referenced.

• This activity has been reviewed and approved by members of the UCSF CME

Governing Board in accordance with UCSF CME accreditation policies. Office of CME staff, planners, reviewers, and all others in control of content have disclosed they have no relevant financial relationships.

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Overview

The San Francisco Unified School District’s Special Education Department provides services and supports for SFUSD’s students with disabilities and their families that are characterized by quality, equity and positive in- school and post-school outcomes. The department is led by the Chief of Special Education Services, and is responsible for early intervention services for infants and toddlers, pre- school for students starting at age three, services for school age children in grades K-12, and transition services for eligible students up to age 22.

Learning Objectives

• Provide a brief description of the following:

Child Find, Assessment Process, The IEP, Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Understanding the lay of the land at the site level
• Best Practices in collaboration across disciplines

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3/14/2019 2 Jean Robertson ~ Who am I and why am I here?

Guided by Core Values

Guided by Core Values

OUR MISSION Every day we provide each and every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century. Equity Definition

The work of eliminating oppression, ending biases, and ensuring equally high outcomes for all participants through the creation of multicultural, multiable, multilingual, multiethnic, multiracial practices and conditions; removing the predictability of success or failure that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor.

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Vision 2025 Reimagining Public Education in San Francisco for a New Generation

SFUSD Graduate Profile

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE - Mastery of the core knowledge, critical thinking skills and competencies outlined by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). CAREER AND LIFE SKILLS - The knowledge, skills, and experience to navigate the “real world” and solve problems that arise in everyday life and in the workplace. GLOBAL, LOCAL, AND DIGITAL IDENTITY - The ability to navigate and engage in a 21st century global society that is more inclusive and interconnected. LEADERSHIP, EMPATHY, AND COLLABORATION - Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to positively influence and collaborate with others. CREATIVITY - The freedom, confidence, and ability to express their unique selves. SENSE OF PURPOSE & SELF - Our graduates will see themselves as filled with purpose and value.

Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime.1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Who Is Affected

Developmental disabilities occur among all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic

• groups. Recent estimates in the United States show that about one in six, or

about 15%, of children aged 3 through 17 years have a one or more developmental disabilities, such as:

• ADHD
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Cerebral Palsy
• Hearing Loss
• Intellectual Disability
• Learning Disability
• Vision Impairment
• & other developmental delays

3/14/2019 4 It begins with Special Education The Individuals with Disabilities Act, It’s the LAW. IDEA was first passed in 1975. (At that time it was called the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.)

The primary purposes of IDEA are: To provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with

• disabilities. IDEA requires schools to find and evaluate

students suspected of having disabilities, at no cost to parents. Once kids are identified as having a disability, schools must provide them with special education and related services (like speech therapy and counseling) to meet their unique needs. The goal is to help students make progress in school. To give parents a voice in their child’s education. Under IDEA, parents have a say in the educational decisions the school makes about their child. At every point of the process, the law gives parents specific rights and protections. These are called procedural

• safeguards. For example, one safeguard is that the school must get

a parent’s consent before assessing a child or providing services to the child. IDEA covers kids from birth through high school graduation or age 21 (whichever comes first). It provides early intervention services up to age 3, and special education for older kids in public school, including charter schools. Some services are offered to students whose families choose to attend private schools.

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Teamwork MAKES the dream work!

Early Intervention is vital. Parents are on the front line as are the nurse clinicians, doctors and other medical professionals.

Who we are and what we do…

SFUSD, Total # of students on an IEP = 7590

[CATEGORY NAME] [VALUE] Low Incidence 2.9% [CATEGORY NAME] [VALUE] [CATEGORY NAME] [VALUE]

Other Health Impairment (OHI) 14.6% Autism (AUT) 15.8% Speech or Language Impairment (SLI) 18.2% Specific Learning Disability (SLD) 36.4%

Primary Eligibility of Students with IEPs, Spring 2019

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SFUSD – Total # of students on an IEP = 7590

Non-Public School 1.7% Special Day Class 22.9% Resource Specialist Program 57.7% Related Services Only 17.7%

Educational Setting of Students with an IEP, 2019

SFUSD, Total # IEP = 7590 166 198 226 257 297 335 374 373 454 524 577 667 747 781 825 887 982 1097 1241

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Number of Students

SFUSD Students on the Autism Spectrum

2.5% of students with an IEP 15.8% of students with an IEP

Note: During this 18-year period, the percentage of students classified SLI increased from 18.0% to 18.2%

6.4% 31.0% 28.7% 20.7% 13.2% 12.8% 20.0% 37.8% 18.2% 11.3%

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0%

African American Asian Hispanic Other White

Percent of Students

Ethnicity of Students, Spring 2019

All SFUSD Students Students with an IEP

12.8% of students with a IEP are African

• American. For

SFUSD, as a whole, only 6.4% are African American.

The Journey Begins…

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Child Find

The Child Find process requires San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities residing in its jurisdiction. This obligation includes all students who attend private (including religious) schools, migrant or homeless students, students who are wards of the State, and students with suspected disabilities who are advancing in grade level.

Referral

The identification of a student who has a disability that requires special education intervention shall be based on an assessment/s. The district must send the parent a notice of the intent to assess the student and an assessment plan for their written approval within 15 days of receipt of the referral.

Individuals Who May Request an Assessment

A student may be referred for an assessment/evaluation for special education services at any time by the student’s parent, teacher, or

• ther service provider.

Staff of other public agencies may also request an assessment of

• students. Referrals pertain to students enrolled in SFUSD, residing in

SFUSD boundaries, or attending nonprofit, private school in SFUSD boundaries. For school-age children, the eligibility assessment shall be conducted within 60 days of SFUSD’s receipt of written parent/guardian consent for specified assessment activities.

Navigation is key

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Eligibility Criteria

A child with a disability may be eligible for special education services if he or she meets the criteria as having one or more of 13 specific disabilities. IDEA and the California Education Code define these disabilities as follows: Autism Intellectual Disabilities Deaf Blindness Multiple Disabilities Deafness Orthopedic Impairment Emotional Disturbance Other Health Impairment Hearing Impairment Specific Learning Disability Speech and Language Impairment

The Individualized Educational Program (IEP)

Children identified with a disability that adversely affects their education may be determined as eligible for special education services through an Individual Education Program (IEP). This educational plan is developed by a team that includes parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and other special education service providers. The IEP is not one document or one meeting, it’s a process.

Services

An IEP may include specialized academic instruction, related services, the use of supplementary aids and services, curriculum accommodations and modifications and a range of other services individually designed to provide educational benefit.

LRE = Least Restrictive Environment

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• LRE is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA

says that children who receive special education should learn in the least restrictive environment. This means they should spend as much time as possible with peers who do not receive special education.

• A child should be with kids in general education to the “maximum extent

that is appropriate.”

• Special classes, separate schools or removal from the general education

class should only happen when a child’s learning or attention issue—their “disability” under IDEA—is so severe that supplementary aids and services can’t provide him/her with an appropriate education.

• A key word here is “appropriate.” It refers to what’s suitable or right for

the child. Sometimes, putting a child in a general education classroom isn’t suitable because a specific service or program can’t be provided there.

Parent’s Rights #1

• Meaningful Parent Participation

A parent has the right to meaningfully participate in their child’s IEP toward determining a free and appropriate education (FAPE).

Parent’s Rights #2

• Prior Written Notice

Under IDEA, parents have the right to receive prior written notice from the school each time that the school proposes to take (or refuses to take) certain actions with respect to the child. Specifically, the school must provide parents with prior written notice each time that it:

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• proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation,
• r educational placement of the child
• proposes to initiate or change the provision of FAPE to the

child (their free and appropriate education)

• refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or

educational placement of the child

• refuses to initiate or change the provision of FAPE to the child.

You either get what you ask for or you get the written documentation that you asked for it, were denied, and the reasons that the district denied it.

Parent’s Rights #3

When there is a disagreement

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Collaborative Conference
• Communication Strategies Program

(Coaching for the school)

• Due Process

Progress Monitoring

Universal screening means every student is tested at least once during the school year. Many schools screen students two or three times per year. This helps schools identify which students need extra help. Students who needed extra help are then tested again to track their improvement. For students on IEP’s it needs to be systematic and consistent. The school should use the results to shape each child’s curriculum and level of services. The process looks a little different at various grade levels. But the goal is always to identify student needs early and to measure progress often.

Release of Information

A release of information (ROI) department or division is found in virtually every hospital. In the United States, HIPAA and State guidelines strongly direct the rules and regulations of patient information.

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The Our Children Our Families Council of San Francisco leverages and coordinates the systems of support in San Francisco to serve all families and children, with a particular focus on those with the greatest needs, so that they can stay, thrive and contribute to the city’s vibrant future. Our Council is a 42-member advisory body co-led by the Mayor of San Francisco and the superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District. We believe that collectively, by coordinating and unifying systems of support and leveraging policies and resources, we will improve outcomes for all children, youth and families in San Francisco. www.sfusd.edu Special Education Services 3045 Santiago Street San Francisco, CA 94116 phone 415-759-2222 https://www.supportforfamilies.org General: (415) 282-7494 Warmline: (415) 920-5040