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Special Populations

• A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows
  you your STRENGTHS feels your fears but
  fortifies your FAITH sees your anxieties but
  frees your SPIRIT recognizes your disabilities
  but emphasizes your POSSIBILITIES
• William Arthur Ward

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PURPOSE

• FERPA/RTI/SPECIAL POPULATIONS/GUIDANCE

OBJECTIVE REVIEW DISTRICT PROCEDURES FOR
FERPA/RTI/ SPECIAL POPULATIONS and GUIDANCE
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FERPA

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
• Protects privacy of student records
• Education records are confidential and may be
  disclosed only as authorized by law.
• Education records may be disclosed to parents or
  eligible students upon their request

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What is an educational record?

• FERPA regulations define educational records as
  those records that are
• directly related to the student
• maintained by an educational agency or institution

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What are parents rights?

• Parents rights with respect to their childs
  education record are
• Parents may inspect and review education records
• Parents may request corrections to school records
• Parents must provide written permission for
  records to be released unless they are disclosed
  to the exceptions

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Written Consent

• Under FERPA, a district may disclose a students
  records ONLY with the prior written consent of
  the parent or student aged 18 or older.
• A valid, written consent must
• Be in writing
• Be properly signed and dated
• Specify the records that may be disclosed
• Identify the party or class of parties to whom
  the disclosure may be made.

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Who is the parent?

• FERPA defines a parent as a parent of a student
  and includes a natural parent, a guardian, or an
  individual acting as a parent in the absence of a
  parent or a guardian.
• Aside from those above, could also be a foster
  parent, an individual with whom the child
  lives(aunt, uncle, grandparent, sibling, and/or a
  surrogate parent
• Divorced parents have equal access to records
  unless a court order states otherwise.

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Disclosure

• Disclosure means to permit access to or the
  release, transfer, or other communication of
  personally identifiable information contained in
  education records to any party, by any means.
• Personally Identifiable information includes, but
  is not limited to
• students name
• name of the students parent or other family
  member
• address of the student or the students family
• A personal identifier, such as birthday or social
  security number
• A list of personal characteristics that would
  make the students identity traceable
• Any other information that would make the
  students identity traceable
• Disclosure of the above is not allowed without
  parent consent.

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Disclosure Exceptions

• Exceptions to disclosure related to school
  districts include
• To school officials within the district,
  including teachers, who have a legitimate
  educational interest
• Students transferring districts
• To federal, state, and local educational
  authorities
• In connection with financial aid
• Directory information (ex. student name/grade)
• To comply with judicial orders
• State and local authorities w/I a juvenile
  justice system
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and
  safety

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Summing up FERPA!

• Generally, all information regarding students
  will be considered an educational record.
• Student records are the most confidential held by
  a school.
• Err on the side of caution with student-related
  information.

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Special Populations

• Response to Intervention (RTI)
• An approach to academic and behavioral
  intervention
• Provides early, systematic, and appropriately
  intensive assistance to children who are at risk
  for or already underperforming as compared to
  appropriate grade- or age-level standards.
• Seeks to prevent academic and behavioral failure
  through universal screening, early intervention,
  frequent progress monitoring, and increasingly
  intensive research-based instruction or
  interventions
• Utilizes 3 Tiers approach

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RTI TIER I

• TIER 1 Primary intervention
• is high-quality
• research-based
• whole-group instruction
• combined with general screening processes
• THIS IS YOUR CLASSROOM!

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RTI TIER 2

• TIER 2 Secondary intervention
• includes research-based practices
• small-group or individual instruction in
  classroom
• focuses on specific areas of weakness
• Is targeted instruction with frequency and
  duration defined
• Progress monitoring is required

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RTI TIER 3

• TIER 3 Tertiary intervention
• individual supports with intensified focus,
  frequency, and duration
• instruction provided through individualized
  programming.
• Occurs outside the classroom
• Should be the smallest number of students

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REASONS FOR REFERRAL TO INTERVENTION TEAM

• Following parental contact, refer to intervention
  if
• student is struggling behaviorally
• - if you suspect ADD/ADHD do not
• recommend medicine
• student is struggling academically
• you see need for the student to be evaluated for
  
• a special service following RTI
  implementation
• the student meets mandatory intervention
• criteria (required of all core teachers
  every six weeks)

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RTI (Response to Intervention) TEAM

• District Wide
• Mandatory Interventions occur following the end
  of each 6 weeks however you may request an RTI
  meeting at any time as long as you have
  met/conferenced with the parent.
• You must turn your mandatory interventions form
  in the day grades are due

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INTERVENTION TEAM

• RTI team will determine necessary interventions
  and/or referrals
• Academics-Remediation classes/labs, medical
  evaluations, dyslexia, 504, LPAC, Sp. Ed., speech
  evaluations, etc.
• Behavior- counseling, point sheets, medical
  evaluations, etc.
• If problems persist, refer again.

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SPECIAL POPULATIONS

• 504/Dyslexia
• (Rehabilitation Act of 1973)
• Eligibility for 504 (must meet both criteria)
• Must have a documented physical or mental
  impairment
• The impairment must substantially limit a major
  life skill of student to qualify such as
  concentrating, reading, walking, breathing, etc.
• Dyslexia- falls under 504 umbrella. Those
  qualifying must meet evaluation criteria

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504/Dyslexia Requirements

• Requirements
• Individual accommodation plans (IAPs) will be
  distributed by counselors at beginning of year
  and following any 504/Dyslexia meetings.
• Annual reviews required to update plans.
• ALL teachers are required by law to implement the
  IAP and have evidence of its implementation.

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504/Dyslexia

• Dyslexia Pull-out program
• Services provided by Mrs. Craycraft
• Accommodations on state assessments are not
  allowed unless they are routinely and
  successfully used in the classroom.
• Dyslexia Resource
• http//www.region10.org/dyslexia/techplan
• IAPs may be adjusted at any time. Contact campus
  counselors. It is not optional to implement the
  IAP.

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Bilingual/ESL

• Refers to English Language Learners.
• Required to have LPAC (Language Proficiency
  Assessment Committee)
• Required committee meetings initial placement
  LPAC, assessment LPAC, monitoring LPAC (as
  needed), and annual LPAC at end of year.

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What the Law Says Regarding ELLs

• Ch.74.4
• In December of 2007, the state recognized the
  focus of language development for ELLs when they
  created Chapter 74.4, the English Language
  Proficiency Standards or ELPS.
• The ELPS require ALL TEACHERS in the required
  curriculum to support ELLs development of
  content and language as they are an integral part
  of the required curriculum in each content area.
• Chapter 74.4 integrates and focuses on skills
  that support academic development. It is the
  responsibility of all classroom teachers in the
  required curriculum to be familiar with and
  supportive of the implementation of the ELPS.

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Bilingual/ESL

• Counselors will distribute ESL instructional
  accommodation plans for ELLs at beginning of
  school, will revisit after 1st six weeks and any
  subsequent meetings
• Resources
• DyNed is computer driven ESL support program
• Word walls integral part of language development
  for ELLs
• ELPS Instructional Tool Linguistic
  Instructional Alignment Guide
• ELPS resource www.esc20.net/elps

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Advanced Academic Services (GT)

• Fall nominations only- Nominations will be
• accepted first two weeks in November
• Pull out program
• Please be aware of future prospects and
• keep special work in portfolios-make
• nominations when window opens
• Provide enrichment for these students across
  curricula
• Resource Texas Performance Standards Project
• www.texaspsp.org

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Principles of a Differentiated Curriculum for
the Gifted and Talented

• Content
• Present content that is related to broad-based
  issues, themes, or problems
• Integrate multiple disciplines into the area of
  study
• Present comprehensive, related, and mutually
  reinforcing experiences within an area of study
• Allow for in-depth learning of a self- selected
  topic within the area of study
• Process
• Develop independent or self-directed study
  skills
• Develop productive, complex, abstract, and/or
  higher- level thinking skills
• Focus on open-ended tasks
• Develop research skills and methods
• Integrate basic skills and higher-level thinking
  skills into the curriculum
• Product
• Encourage the development of products that
  challenge existing ideas and produce new ideas
• Encourage the development of products that use
  new techniques, materials, and forms
• Affect
• Encourage the development of self-
  understanding, i.e., recognizing and using ones
  abilities, becoming self- directed, appreciating
  likenesses and differences between oneself and
  others
• Evaluate student outcomes by using appropriate
  and specific criteria through self-appraisal,
  criterion referenced, and/or standardized
  instruments
• Source National/State Leadership Training
  Institute on the Gifted and Talented, developed
  by the Curriculum Council (James J. Gallagher,
  Sandra N. Kaplan, A. Harry Passow, Joseph S.
  Renzulli, Irving S. Sato, Dorothy Sisk, Janice
  Wickless)

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Advanced Academic Services

• ALL classroom teachers should know who the
  identified gifted students are and should
  differentiate curriculum accordingly.
• Providing differentiation for gifted students
  does not mean more work! (Refer back to
  principles)

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• ALL
• Special Population records are
• CONFIDENTIAL!

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GUIDANCE/COUNSELING SERVICES

• Counselors will share specific campus procedures.
  
• Individual Counseling referrals
• Teacher Referrals
• Self-Referrals
• Classroom Guidance
• All counselors will visit classrooms to cover
  comprehensive guidance requirements mandated by
  the state.
• Teachers are required to remain in the classroom
  during guidance.
• Any specific needs for your classrooms, see your
  counselor.

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CPS REPORTING

• Required by law to report if you suspect or know
  of abuse or neglect.
• Abuse is mental, emotional, physical, or sexual
  injury to a child or failure to prevent such
  injury to a child.
• Neglect includes failure to provide a child w/
  food, clothing, shelter, and/or medical care or
  leaving a child in a situation where the child is
  at risk of harm.

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CPS REPORTING CONTD

• Making a report to CPS is the raising of a
  question not an accusation. It is not your job
  to investigate, only to report.
• You must report within 48 hours. You must inform
  building principal, but are still obligated to
  report.
• You may report by phone or online
• Phone [phone]
• Online https//reportabuse.ws
  Professional/report 1
• Texas Family Code authorizes an investigator to
  interview the child, at any reasonable time and
  place, including the childs home or the childs
  school. School personnel are prohibited from
  interfering with an investigation and may not
  insist that a school employee accompany the child
  during the interview.

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• What lies behind us and what lies before us are
  tiny matters when compared to what lies within
  us.
• -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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• 20 Things We Should All Say More Often
• Kid President