Procedures for School Psychologists
MICHIGAN CITY AREA SCHOOLS
Department of Special Education
Mrs. Deb Gann and Stacy Attar, Case Coordination
Mrs. Kym Wyse, Assistant DSE
Mrs. Lori Sheblosky, Administrative Assistant/Secretary
Dr. Michael Livovich, Director ✓
Procedures for School Psychologists
2015-16
Responsibilities:
The Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) is responsible for the proper identification of all students aged 3-21 with disabilities as per the Special Education Rules Title 511 Article 7 Rules 32-49. It is the expectation that all staff follow these Rules as well as the policies, administrative guidelines, forms, etc. of the MCAS. Further, it is also the expectation that the School Psychologist use the assessments that will best identify the needs for the purposes intended.
Duties:
1. Work closely with each building assigned and assist in the Response to Instruction (academic performance) (RTI-A) and Response to Intervention (behavior management) (RTI-B) for Tier III (unless otherwise specified in this document).
Guidance Counselor will notify the parent that their child is receiving services through RTI in Tier II. School psychologists will notify parents if students are in Tier III interim services and monitor and keep track of students in Tier III without IEPs.
Guidance Counselors will manage all documentation of building-based efforts under RTI, including the Student Behavior Analysis (SBA) and the preliminary Behavior Support Plan (BSP). These documents should be shared as a Google Doc with the building administrator, prospective TOR, Teacher Support Case Coordinator/Assistant Director of Special Education (ASDE), and School Psychologist.
Complete a Student Behavior Analysis and a Behavior Support Plan in collaboration with the Teacher Support/ADSE for the respective building using the IIEP electronic process.
o The analysis and plan will be documented electronically and will become a part of the data submitted to the case conference committee if the child is eligible.
o If the child is not eligible for special education and it is determined that he/she qualifies under Section 504, this analysis and plan will become a part of the Section 504 Intervention Plan.
2. Provide systematic observation in the classroom, for area of difficulty, for Tier III before a referral is determined.
Include this observation in the google doc and forward this observation to the Guidance Counselor to be added to the RTI documentation.
3. Document Tier III accommodations that take place in a special education program.
Document the reasons for the RTI placement outside of Indiana Article 7 without an individualized education program (IEP).
Document the timeline for review of the temporary placement.
Document if the child is receiving the entire reading, language arts, or mathematics block in special education as a part of RTI.
Add this data to the Running Record for RTI in Google Docs.
School psychologist obtains consent for Tier 3. Teacher support/ADSE will advise team on interim goal development to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.
4. Provide assistance to the Guidance Counselor in the development of a Request for Special Education Consideration—Referral. This type of assistance could entail collection and analysis of RTI data, form completion, and/or assistance with parental contacts. Verify that a hearing and vision screening have been completed.
Once the Referral is completed, immediately send a copy to the MCAS Department of Special Education Secretary (same day). If this happens on a day that you are out of the office, please scan and email. The Secretary will log-in all referrals with the respective timelines.
All parent-initiated referrals for Special Education Consideration will follow the accompanying Parent Request procedures.
5. Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation as per Article 7-40-4(d)in the Indiana IEP electronic process and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
● It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
6. Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol.
The Guidance Counselor shares the RTI data, which should be familiar to the parent if it was explained earlier (see #1).
Explain the reason for the referral.
Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date.
Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
Start the 50-day time clock for the evaluation.
Do not start the evaluation without written permission. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures. Again, do not start evaluating the child without written permission to do so.
7. Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained. Email the evaluation team that consent has been obtained and attach a scanned copy of the consent.
8. Schedule the Notice as per for the Case Conference Committee meeting at the time you receive consent to evaluate.
Meet with the Building Principal and determine a tentative date;
Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
Notify the prospective Teacher of Record and the Teacher Leader (or high school Department Chair) of the date of the conference.
Notify the Department Secretary of the date of the case conference committee meeting.
9. Assess the student according to the requirements in Indiana Article 7 and the local protocols.
If the student is in need of a screening for speech and/or language, contact the appropriate SLP (with ample time before the case conference) and ask for a screening. The SLP will determine whether or not a speech/language evaluation is needed.
10. Before closing the report detail all deficit areas (areas of concern) based on the data in a summary. The goals will be developed from this information. Upload your report to the Indiana IEP before the conference.
11. Meet with or send an E-mail message and Teacher Support/ADSE to the respective Teacher of Record to discuss the needs of the student so that a draft copy of the goals can be prepared and sent to the Coordinator at least 5 days ahead of the conference.
12. Provide the parent/guardian the completed Educational Evaluation. Discuss proposed LRE and minutes/ services with the parent at that time.
13. Deliver the results of your evaluation of the student at the case conference committee meeting.
● Provide a written copy for the parents of the completed report at the case conference committee meeting.
● E-mail the secretary that the conference has occurred and attach initial eligibility and IEP
14. Assist the case conference committee and the4 TOR in the determination of eligibility for special education services, including the goals and determination of LRE, etc. The TOR sends the IEP to the parent for signature.
● If the student is found ineligible for special education, assist the committee in determining Section 504 eligibility.
15. Deliver the completed file with a copy of the Educational Evaluation, sign-in sheet, signed IIEP, and any other pertinent information to Lori, Department Secretary, the day of the conference.
Revised 1/18/16
Department of Special Education
Mrs. Deb Gann and Stacy Attar, Case Coordination
Mrs. Kym Wyse, Assistant DSE
Mrs. Lori Sheblosky, Administrative Assistant/Secretary
Dr. Michael Livovich, Director ✓
Procedures for School Psychologists
2015-16
Responsibilities:
The Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) is responsible for the proper identification of all students aged 3-21 with disabilities as per the Special Education Rules Title 511 Article 7 Rules 32-49. It is the expectation that all staff follow these Rules as well as the policies, administrative guidelines, forms, etc. of the MCAS. Further, it is also the expectation that the School Psychologist use the assessments that will best identify the needs for the purposes intended.
Duties:
1. Work closely with each building assigned and assist in the Response to Instruction (academic performance) (RTI-A) and Response to Intervention (behavior management) (RTI-B) for Tier III (unless otherwise specified in this document).
Guidance Counselor will notify the parent that their child is receiving services through RTI in Tier II. School psychologists will notify parents if students are in Tier III interim services and monitor and keep track of students in Tier III without IEPs.
Guidance Counselors will manage all documentation of building-based efforts under RTI, including the Student Behavior Analysis (SBA) and the preliminary Behavior Support Plan (BSP). These documents should be shared as a Google Doc with the building administrator, prospective TOR, Teacher Support Case Coordinator/Assistant Director of Special Education (ASDE), and School Psychologist.
Complete a Student Behavior Analysis and a Behavior Support Plan in collaboration with the Teacher Support/ADSE for the respective building using the IIEP electronic process.
o The analysis and plan will be documented electronically and will become a part of the data submitted to the case conference committee if the child is eligible.
o If the child is not eligible for special education and it is determined that he/she qualifies under Section 504, this analysis and plan will become a part of the Section 504 Intervention Plan.
2. Provide systematic observation in the classroom, for area of difficulty, for Tier III before a referral is determined.
Include this observation in the google doc and forward this observation to the Guidance Counselor to be added to the RTI documentation.
3. Document Tier III accommodations that take place in a special education program.
Document the reasons for the RTI placement outside of Indiana Article 7 without an individualized education program (IEP).
Document the timeline for review of the temporary placement.
Document if the child is receiving the entire reading, language arts, or mathematics block in special education as a part of RTI.
Add this data to the Running Record for RTI in Google Docs.
School psychologist obtains consent for Tier 3. Teacher support/ADSE will advise team on interim goal development to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.
4. Provide assistance to the Guidance Counselor in the development of a Request for Special Education Consideration—Referral. This type of assistance could entail collection and analysis of RTI data, form completion, and/or assistance with parental contacts. Verify that a hearing and vision screening have been completed.
Once the Referral is completed, immediately send a copy to the MCAS Department of Special Education Secretary (same day). If this happens on a day that you are out of the office, please scan and email. The Secretary will log-in all referrals with the respective timelines.
All parent-initiated referrals for Special Education Consideration will follow the accompanying Parent Request procedures.
5. Send to the Parent/Guardian the Notice of the Initial Evaluation/Re-Evaluation as per Article 7-40-4(d)in the Indiana IEP electronic process and schedule a meeting to gain permission to evaluate.
● It might be helpful to enlist the help of the Guidance Counselor for this task.
6. Meet with the Parent/Guardian to obtain written permission to evaluate as per Indiana Article 7 and local protocol.
The Guidance Counselor shares the RTI data, which should be familiar to the parent if it was explained earlier (see #1).
Explain the reason for the referral.
Determine timelines for the evaluation and set the case conference date.
Present the Parent Permission form for Special Education Evaluation to the parent and gain written permission.
Start the 50-day time clock for the evaluation.
Do not start the evaluation without written permission. Verbal permission is not legal and a violation of local and state procedures. Again, do not start evaluating the child without written permission to do so.
7. Send the Consent for Evaluation form to the Department Secretary the day it is obtained. Email the evaluation team that consent has been obtained and attach a scanned copy of the consent.
8. Schedule the Notice as per for the Case Conference Committee meeting at the time you receive consent to evaluate.
Meet with the Building Principal and determine a tentative date;
Schedule the conference for a date no more than 40 school days out.
Notify the prospective Teacher of Record and the Teacher Leader (or high school Department Chair) of the date of the conference.
Notify the Department Secretary of the date of the case conference committee meeting.
9. Assess the student according to the requirements in Indiana Article 7 and the local protocols.
If the student is in need of a screening for speech and/or language, contact the appropriate SLP (with ample time before the case conference) and ask for a screening. The SLP will determine whether or not a speech/language evaluation is needed.
10. Before closing the report detail all deficit areas (areas of concern) based on the data in a summary. The goals will be developed from this information. Upload your report to the Indiana IEP before the conference.
11. Meet with or send an E-mail message and Teacher Support/ADSE to the respective Teacher of Record to discuss the needs of the student so that a draft copy of the goals can be prepared and sent to the Coordinator at least 5 days ahead of the conference.
12. Provide the parent/guardian the completed Educational Evaluation. Discuss proposed LRE and minutes/ services with the parent at that time.
13. Deliver the results of your evaluation of the student at the case conference committee meeting.
● Provide a written copy for the parents of the completed report at the case conference committee meeting.
● E-mail the secretary that the conference has occurred and attach initial eligibility and IEP
14. Assist the case conference committee and the4 TOR in the determination of eligibility for special education services, including the goals and determination of LRE, etc. The TOR sends the IEP to the parent for signature.
● If the student is found ineligible for special education, assist the committee in determining Section 504 eligibility.
15. Deliver the completed file with a copy of the Educational Evaluation, sign-in sheet, signed IIEP, and any other pertinent information to Lori, Department Secretary, the day of the conference.
Revised 1/18/16