Special Education Webinars

Webinar #1 (recorded 10/20/2020) focuses on these questions –

  1. Can you explain some of the process you went through in the Special Education department to get ready for the return to school students in the ECE, LRC2, and ACT programs once you received the go ahead from the district?
  2. For the group of students that returned a couple of weeks ago and those who returning to in-person services just last week, what is the priority for the limited time they have in person? Can families do anything to make that time more successful?
  3. Does ISD have a plan or are you developing a plan to allow LRC1 students access to in-person services ahead of their grade level peers in general education?
  4. If parents / guardians do not feel their child is progressing on their IEP goals with their current learning plan, what options do they have to modify their child’s plan?

Webinar #2 (recorded 01/21/2021) focuses on these questions –

  1. How should LRC1 families push back or escalate their request if their IEP team is not aware of the option for limited in-person support?
  2. When a return date for hybrid in-person learning is determined, how will services for LRC1 students change – both for families who choose to return in-person and for those who remain fully remote?
  3. For IEP meetings, can you describe the experience ISD would like parents to have? Could you suggest some steps that could be taken by families or IEP teams to improve the process?

Webinar #3 (recorded on 02/09/2021) focuses on these questions –

  1. For LRC1 families that chose the in-person hybrid option, how will push-in services be delivered? How will pull-out services be delivered?
  2. For LRC1 families that chose to remain in the full remote model, will the student’s schedule or services change?
  3. Can you explain what in-person appointment services are and who is eligible for them?
  4. In addition to the annual IEP review meeting, what other circumstances would require a formal meeting of a student’s IEP team? How would a parent request an IEP meeting?

Webinar #4 (recorded on 03/09/2021) focuses on these questions –

I received a question from a parent interested in the role of paraprofessionals w/in Special Ed.

  1. How do the education/certification requirements for a special education teacher compare to special education paraprofessionals?
  2. Is there specific training provided to paraprofessionals in special education settings?
  3. When and why is a para chosen as a student’s IEP pull out instruction leader instead of a certificated Special Education teacher?
  4. Is there a daily system of feedback between the para and the teacher to track progress or lack thereof?

Families are still having a hard time getting access to in-person appointment services for LRC1 students. I’ve received feedback that parents are requesting appointment services for students with learning regression during IEP meetings but still being told it isn’t an option. Are you aware of these situations and how can more students get access to in-person assistance?

The district is currently bargaining with the teacher’s union and other unions to allow secondary students to return to hybrid in-person learning at least one day per week.

  1. If those union agreements can be reached, would that provide an opportunity for LRC2 students to attend their general education classes in-person with their peers?
  2. If union agreements can be reached, could students with IEPs (both LRC1 & LRC2) be given access to more time in-person teaching than students without IEPs?
  3. Would separate bargaining need to occur for the special education population to take advantage of those opportunities like what happened with the K-3 memorandum of understanding (or MOU)?

Webinar #5 (recorded on 04/13/2021) focuses on these questions –

I’d like to start with a follow-up question from our last webinar. We discussed that families are still having a hard time getting access to in-person appointment services for LRC1 students and I received feedback that parents were being told in IEP meetings that appointment services for students with learning regression weren’t an option. In our last webinar, you mentioned you were going to follow up with your team. Were you able to find out any further details?

  1. With secondary students getting the option to return to in-person learning…
    • are there any other changes planned for LRC1 secondary students?
    • Will they been given the option to attend classes 4 days per week instead of the standard 2 day being offered to all students?
    • What are the other impacts in special services from the latest union agreements?
  2. Will there be an opportunity for Extended School Year (Summer School) for special services students who have had regression or insufficient progress during this difficult school year? What is the process for families to receive those services?
  3. Some families in the special education community feel like ISD puts off evaluations or re-evaluations. Is there specific criteria ISD follows regarding when an evaluation or re-evaluation is warranted?

Webinar #6 (recorded on 5/25/2021) focuses on these questions –

  1. What is ESY and how do students qualify?
  2. What are recovery services and compensatory services?
    • How will IEP teams determine if a student requires these services?
    • When will ISD begin that process?
    • What type of information will families need to provide?
    • What data will be used to determine the need for recovery and/or compensatory services?
    • What options will be available for students?
  3. If a student didn’t qualify for ESY, will students be offered recovery services this summer?
    • How does a family request to attend school this summer?
  4. How will ESY and/or summer recovery services work? What is the schedule?
  5. If a family wants to take the summer off to rest and recharge, is that OK?