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Inside this issue
Important Upcoming Events/Meetings
March 2, 2017: MASE Day at the Capitol March 7 and 10, 2017: ADSIS Grant Writing Sessions at RBEC March 13 - 17, 2017: RBEC Spring Break March 13 - 19, 2017: Brain Awareness Week March 15, 2017: Everything you Think is Wrong Day March 16, 2017: Everything you Do is Right Day March 29, 2017: Superintendents Council March 30, 2017, 5:00 pm: All County School Board Meeting April 3, 2017: ADSIS Teachers/Coaches PLC April 11, 2017: Principals Meeting April 13, 2017, 3:45 pm: ECSE @ Zumbrota Preschool April 21, 2017, 12:30 - 3:00: SLD Cohort at RBEC |
The Progress, March 2017: Volume 2, Issue 7
Comments? Suggestions for new articles?
Contact Jillynne Raymond, Editor, The Progress, jraymond@gced.k12.mn.us |
Unanimous Supreme Court Decision Alters the Conversation
By Cherie Johnson
School districts must give students with disabilities the chance to make meaningful, "appropriately ambitious" progress, the Supreme Court said Wednesday in an 8-0 ruling.
On Wednesday, March 22, 2017 the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the parents of a son with autism, finding that his Colorado school district had failed to provide him with a "free and appropriate public education." This ruling raises the rights of disabled students and requires public schools to offer special education programs that meet higher standards. Chief Justice Roberts ruled that it is not enough for school districts to get by with minimal instruction for special needs children. The school programs must be designed to let students make progress in light of their disabilities.
"It cannot be right that the IDEA generally contemplates grade-level advancement for children with disabilities who are fully integrated in the regular classroom,” argued Chief Justice John Roberts in the opinion, “but is satisfied with barely more than de minimis progress for children who are not."
As all of you know, school districts are required to provide such an education under the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). But the exact meaning of an "appropriate" education has remained unclear.
Some federal appeals courts in our country, have “held that the district is only required to provide educational benefits that are more than minimal or trivial,” while others have instead ruled that “schools must supply a ‘meaningful educational benefit.’” As a result, until the ruling above, “it was unclear whether school districts had to provide ‘meaningful’ or just ‘more than the minimum’ educational benefits to students.”
In their unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court’s eight justices came down decisively against the “more than minimal” reading of the law. This is a ruling that could bring additional benefits to students with disabilities.
The plaintiffs’ son, only identified as Endrew F., was diagnosed with autism and attention-deficit disorder. He had been put on an IEP by Colorado’s Douglas County School District. His parents believed him to be making inadequate progress, and, in the fifth grade, placed him in a private school. He proceeded to make better progress there, and his parents sued the Douglas County School District for the cost of the private school tuition.
Advocates and parents say the case dramatically expands the rights of special-education students in the United States, creates a nationwide standard for special education, and empowers parents as they advocate for their children in schools.
This decision affirmed the intentionality of IDEA, which was to ensure that our students served in special education achieve similarly as their peers served in general education. How this will impact us specifically is unclear. Our programs already offer meaningful benefit for our students. Our ongoing system focus on the 4 essential questions in an MTSS framework certainly affirms that we are on the right journey for all students.
School districts must give students with disabilities the chance to make meaningful, "appropriately ambitious" progress, the Supreme Court said Wednesday in an 8-0 ruling.
On Wednesday, March 22, 2017 the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the parents of a son with autism, finding that his Colorado school district had failed to provide him with a "free and appropriate public education." This ruling raises the rights of disabled students and requires public schools to offer special education programs that meet higher standards. Chief Justice Roberts ruled that it is not enough for school districts to get by with minimal instruction for special needs children. The school programs must be designed to let students make progress in light of their disabilities.
"It cannot be right that the IDEA generally contemplates grade-level advancement for children with disabilities who are fully integrated in the regular classroom,” argued Chief Justice John Roberts in the opinion, “but is satisfied with barely more than de minimis progress for children who are not."
As all of you know, school districts are required to provide such an education under the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). But the exact meaning of an "appropriate" education has remained unclear.
Some federal appeals courts in our country, have “held that the district is only required to provide educational benefits that are more than minimal or trivial,” while others have instead ruled that “schools must supply a ‘meaningful educational benefit.’” As a result, until the ruling above, “it was unclear whether school districts had to provide ‘meaningful’ or just ‘more than the minimum’ educational benefits to students.”
In their unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court’s eight justices came down decisively against the “more than minimal” reading of the law. This is a ruling that could bring additional benefits to students with disabilities.
The plaintiffs’ son, only identified as Endrew F., was diagnosed with autism and attention-deficit disorder. He had been put on an IEP by Colorado’s Douglas County School District. His parents believed him to be making inadequate progress, and, in the fifth grade, placed him in a private school. He proceeded to make better progress there, and his parents sued the Douglas County School District for the cost of the private school tuition.
Advocates and parents say the case dramatically expands the rights of special-education students in the United States, creates a nationwide standard for special education, and empowers parents as they advocate for their children in schools.
This decision affirmed the intentionality of IDEA, which was to ensure that our students served in special education achieve similarly as their peers served in general education. How this will impact us specifically is unclear. Our programs already offer meaningful benefit for our students. Our ongoing system focus on the 4 essential questions in an MTSS framework certainly affirms that we are on the right journey for all students.
Due Process Paperwork Work Sessions - Spring Dates in Goodhue County
Due Process Paperwork Work sessions will be held on the dates and at the locations listed to the right. Our special education leadership team recognizes the increasing complexity of the due process requirements. It takes time to complete the mandated paperwork. To support these efforts we offer these sessions. The Superintendents Council originally approved these work sessions and continue to support these work sessions. If you have questions, please contact your special education coordinator or assistant director. Thank you for the direct and indirect support that you provide. |
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
4:00 - 8:00 pm Cannon Falls High School Wednesday, March 29, 2017 4:00 - 8:00 pm River Bluff Education Center Thursday, March 30, 2017 4:00 - 8:00 pm Lake City High School Please register in advance by contacting Amber Rasmussen at arasmussen@gced.k12.mn.us or 651.388.4441. |
MTSS: Behavior Continuum
As districts continue implementing MTSS they are working on providing the necessary academic interventions as needs arise. Equally important is paying attention to the district's behavior continuum of supports for all students. As teams do so, administrators need to balance the resources when making decisions, just as with an academic continuum of supports. Also just as with the academic continuum, behavior continuum decision making comes from the answers to the essential questions:
MTSS Behavioral Problem Solving Team Tasks
Considerations of Existing Resources
- What behaviors do we want our students to know and use?
These are your behavior expectations from your PBIS matrix. - How will we know when they know them and are using them?
Your grade level teams, PBIS data and office referrals will indicate needs for the team to consider. - How will we respond if they do not learn and use them?
Develop your Behavior Continuum of Supports to follow. - How will we respond if they already know and use them?
Congratulations! It sounds like celebration and enrichment time.
MTSS Behavioral Problem Solving Team Tasks
- Design Site's Continuum of Behavioral Supports
- Connect Site's Continuum of Behavioral Supports with District
- Review class wide and school wide management systems.
- Review the implementation integrity of the school wide PBIS or other positive behavior support system.
- Support teachers in identifying students who need additional supports.
- Support teachers in monitoring the integrity of Tier II behavioral supports.
- Enter progress-monitoring data on intervention effectiveness.
- Support teachers in the identification of students requiring intensive behavioral supports.
- Develop and implement Tier III behavioral supports.
- Review the progress of students receiving individualized behavior supports.
- Communication Plan: to communicate team's work with rest of the site, leading others' learning on our Continuum of Behavioral Supports.
Adapted from Behavioral Interventions in Schools by Hulac, Terrell, Vining, Bernstein. All districts received a copy of this resource book.
Considerations of Existing Resources
- Behavior Tools District Trainers
- Kristin Kirk; Cannon Falls
- Caitlin Tiernes, Goodhue
- Molly Dodge-Brage, Alisha Dalsin, Maggie Helwig; GCED
- Carrie Groth; Kenyon-Wanamingo
- Lake City
- Lori Nicolai; Red Wing
- Katie Kennedy; Zumbrota-Mazeppa
- CPI/PCM - Restraint
- Wendy Ahern coordinates all CPI and PCM trainings for GCED and its member districts.
- CPI Training Team
- Wendy Ahern
- Jen Grove
- Katie Kennedy
- Matt Rodgers
- Jake Smith
- Jessica Tlougan
- PCM Training Team
- Wendy Ahern
- Shelly Angell
- Check & Connect
- Check & Connect is an intensive one on one academic and behavior intervention that districts use as a tier II or tier III intervention.
- Social workers use the Check & Connect framework with all secondary students that have social worker minutes on their IEP.
- Check & Connect Mentors
- Laura Burvee; Cannon Falls
- Caitlin Tiernes; Goodhue
- Molly Dodge-Brage, Matt Rodgers; GCED
- Carrie Groth; Kenyon-Wanamingo
- Jen Grove, Jamie Lang, Megan Latch, Heather Mortel, Lori Nicolai; Red Wing
- Katie Kennedy; Zumbrota-Mazeppa
- Mental Health Support
- Remember to use the online referral form to request a mental health observation; Maggie Helwig will follow up with you.
- PBIS
- Is your PBIS data informing your decisions to meet students' needs?
- Are interventions needed at the building, classroom, small group, or individual levels?
- Are positive messages out weighing negative ones 4 to 1?
- Zones of Regulation
- All member districts have social workers, counselors, and others using Zones of Regulation as a common language to help students regulate themselves. Where and how is Zones used on your behavior continuum?
Setting IV Referrals
Home/Resident District
IEP Team Meeting
Intake IEP Meeting
Referral Packet Includes
- School teams should work with the student and families to develop plans that provide a continuum of services, including at the Setting III level.
- School teams should document interventions and services provided to the student. Documentation/data on behaviors is important, but a focus on supports and interventions is important to include.
- School teams should communicate with their special education coordinators/Assistant Directors and building administration teams.
- Support and recommendations may be provided from Setting IV staff that may include SW and Mental Health service providers. (Use Mental Health Referral Form on GCED website for additional help.)
IEP Team Meeting
- At the time of a referral to Setting IV, the school team will need to hold an IEP meeting. This meeting should include a representative from River Bluff Education Center. Also, the Setting IV program should have already been discussed with the parent.
- The team should work on a referral packet prior to the meeting; it must be completed before the intake meeting at River Bluff Education Center if the referral is moving forward.
- The school IEP team should complete a Notice of a Team Meeting, update the IEP with information that will help the new school team, and complete a PWN that states the student is being referred to the Setting IV program.
Intake IEP Meeting
- The River Bluff Team will hold an intake IEP meeting. At this time the referral packet needs to have been completed. The team will meet to complete intake paperwork, look at the student schedule, take a tour of the building, and set up transportation.
- The River Bluff Team will complete the Notice of a Team Meeting and assist the School Team with updating the IEP to Setting IV services and completing the PWN.
- After the intake IEP team meeting, the River Bluff Team will set up these services, with a start date in 3-4 days. Once the PWN is signed and the service plan is determined, the student can begin at River Bluff. The School Team will need to determine what services will be offered to the student until the start date at River Bluff.
Referral Packet Includes
- Checklist
- Cover Letter stating the specific reasons for the student referral.
- Copy of Current IEP and BIP, as well as any changes/amendments
- A current and complete social history (6 months or less from the date of referral)
- Most recent evaluation/re-evaluation with an FBA
- Interventions and related data and results
- Other psychological assessment information
- Attendance report, disciplinary reports, current transcripts, current test history including state testing
- Immunization Records
- The goal for all students is to be with their general education peers. LRE
- Students will begin a transition process as they reach their IEP goals.
- Often this would be for a short portion of the day to start, but planning involves transportation and individual school scheduling.
- Case Managers, Coordinators, and Assistant Directors should all be involved and notified of the process as it begins.
- Students will transition back to appropriate Settings, but this may include Setting III in the resident district.
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GCED is so fortunate to have dedicated staff members committed to serving our students, our member districts, our communities. Thank you all. We would like to recognize Patti Flynn, nominated for and recipient of our Extra Distance award.
Patti Flynn goes the extra distance in her role as a paraprofessional at River Bluff Education Center. Patti is always willing to help out, going above and beyond expectations. Recently a RBEC student moved into our community and Patti agreed to transition to a different age group in order to help the student. Patti not only provided necessary service for the student, but she also developed a strong relationship with the student. Patti created a "tea time". The two ladies had tea together while providing the student with more structured and frequent break opportunities. Patti helped a student feel safe and successful for one of the first times in her life. Thank you Patti!
Patti Flynn goes the extra distance in her role as a paraprofessional at River Bluff Education Center. Patti is always willing to help out, going above and beyond expectations. Recently a RBEC student moved into our community and Patti agreed to transition to a different age group in order to help the student. Patti not only provided necessary service for the student, but she also developed a strong relationship with the student. Patti created a "tea time". The two ladies had tea together while providing the student with more structured and frequent break opportunities. Patti helped a student feel safe and successful for one of the first times in her life. Thank you Patti!
Inter-District Collaboration: Instructional Coaches & ADSIS Teachers
L to R: Instructional coaches Weston Johnson (GCED) and Jaime Winchell (KW) review an intervention with ADSIS teachers Mary Curtis (GD) and Katie Benbrooks (KW).
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L to R: Instructional coach Patricia Bronk (CF), ADSIS teachers Kim Thompson (RW-BSE), Kate Maki (RW-SSE), and Chrissy Nelson (CF).
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Instructional coach Jaime Winchell (KW) and ADSIS teacher Katie Benbrooks (KW).
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Our team of instructional coaches and our ADSIS teachers meet regularly as a PLC. The first two photos above from left to right are photos of the team learning and practicing a reading intervention. The third photo is the KW team hard at work on their ADSIS grant application.
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Lindsay Woodard is an Assistant Director of Special Education for GCED, whose primary responsibility is serving Red Wing Public Schools; "I work for GCED but I'm there to serve Red Wing." Although Lindsay had not planned on a career in education, she has built a solid foundation to do the work that she does.
Lindsay grew up with her family in Hager City and graduated from Ellsworth High School. Following high school, Lindsay went to the University of WI - River Falls for her undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Science in Education, and for her graduate degree, Masters of Communicative Science. Lindsay wanted to be a speech language pathologist because she has a sister that was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. She was excited about the medical side of speech therapy and even interested in doing swallow studies. However, during her "externship", which is the 2nd year of grad school and her 6th year of 6 years of college, Lindsay felt she might be in the right spot. She was working at Spring Valley School District in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Following her "externship" she took a Speech Language Pathologist position in Norwood-Young America before becoming their ECSE Coordinator and GCED's Assistant Director. It was through her work at Norwood-Young America that Lindsay found her "why" for special education administration - to support students and their families. The work made her reflect on earlier experiences. For example, she watched her mom, a well-educated woman, struggle with the meaning of her daughter's IEPs. Another one of Lindsay's sisters was served in special education for her ADHD. When she was only in middle school a case manager told her mother that she would never go to college. These experiences strengthened Lindsay's fuel to support students and families in her special education administrative role. The role comes with joys and challenges as most things do in life. She is happy to help "people navigate whatever is causing them anxiety" at any given time. This needs to be balanced with the challenges of the position. One challenge in particular is "balancing the needs across so many people." As Lindsay balances the professional demands of her role, she also balances home life. If you skipped the main article and read the rapid round in the right column first, then you likely may have determined that Lindsay is a mom. Lindsay and her husband, Joey, are the proud parents of Grayson, 2 years old. Grayson's brother will join the family in May. Lindsay and her husband Joey first met in kindergarten 26 years ago. It was there that he became her "boyfriend" and she his "girlfriend." Something clicked because they ended up at senior prom together. They split for awhile in college while Joey worked on his career with Arrow Building Company; he now manages the Red Wing operation. They are "home" now, living in the home they built together in 2015 in Ellsworth. Grandmas are handy to help as needed with Lindsay's mom in River Falls and Joey's mom in Hager City. While Lindsay may not have planned on education, sometimes life lays out an alternative plan for us that works out well. For GCED and Red Wing Public Schools, Lindsay's plan worked out just fine. |
Lindsay Woodard, GCED Assistant Director of Special Education
Rapid Round with Lindsay
Dog or cat person? Dogs Favorite Book? Just one? I LOVE books! Last book read? Where do diggers sleep at night? Last TV show you watched? Paw Patrol Pizza Topping? Any and all except for pineapple and anchovies. If you were a new crayon in the box, what color would you be? Any bright color because I like to think I give off a brightness. [Editor's note: She does!] Do you sing in the car? Yes! Current favorite songs are Old MacDonald and Happy Birthday. Favorite Game? Too many to name one favorite; I like dice games and word games, like Apples to Apples. If you could invite one person, dead or alive, to share a meal, who would it be? My Dad What do you want to be when you grow up? Someone that travels for a living. |
