2021-22 Communications

Communications for the 2021-2022 School Year

September 2021

1) August 25, 2021 New Teacher Training Slideshow (pdf)
2) Recovery Process Document Fall 2021 (pdf)
3) Recovery Notification Letter to Families Fall 2021(Google Doc)
4) 2021-2022 Back to School Special Education Training Slideshow (pdf)
5) 2021-2022 Back to School Special Education Screencast by Dena Hagen (YouTube 1:20:35)
6) Sample Recovery Services Team Meeting Notice, PWN, IEP Services and Modifications (pdf)
7) Additional Guidance for COVID-19 Special Education Recovery Services and Supports (pdf)

October 2021

1) Special Education December 1st Child Count Memo (pdf)


Communication Committee Meeting October 13, 2021 Slideshow (pdf)

1) Secondary Transition: Secondary Transition Planning Checklist (editable), Secondary Transition Welcome to the IEP Meeting SlideshowSecondary Transition Agenda, Agenda in fillable format and Guided Template, My Vault, VRS Counselor changes (slide 7). Mentoring Day postponed for 2022 - looking at other options for sharing information.

2) SpEd Forms: IIIP will be removed from SpEd Forms July 1, 2022 - select status 6 and change plan to IEP/IFSP, keep County folks on. Case managers and Due Process Secretaries can edit parent addresses in student setup. Check out 2.0 SpEd Forms YouTube Channel - MA billing and mobile viewing better.

Follow up clarification:  Special Education Evaluation Status (SEES) 6: Evaluated – receiving services in district and receiving services through a public agency.  The question came about County Social Worker and Child Protection.  Yes, this would be a 6.  It's only necessary to update the SEES 1x a year.  

3) MDE Special Ed Program Monitoring Updates: 7 files pulled last year, MDE developing a new process for monitoring progress reporting in 2022-23.

4) December 1st Child Count: Related to funding, need current IEP/ER in place Dec 1 to be counted. Dena’s memo

5) New law/regulations reminders: Allowed to do stand-alone FBA. Skipped Evaluation allowed. Open Enrollment and Special Transportation Change (resident district not required to transport outside their boundaries). COVID Recovery Services and Supports.

6) Evaluation Planning Meetings: Strongly recommended that there is an Eval planning meeting - prevents “after the fact” issues.

7) Skipped Evaluations (NLSEC term): Discuss with parents (they must be included in decision making process).
Do not skip when:
    -more than one in a row 
    -aging out of DD 
    -changing primary disability
    -discontinuing from spec ed
    -students in grades 7, 8, 9 and transition has not been evaluated
    -more than 5 years since eval has been completed
    -additional areas of need since last eval
    -concerns about lack of progress

     *Change the EVAL Date in the student setup to the date sent

8) Special Ed Recovery Services and Supports: If a parent requests a meeting, discussion around what to offer.  First, determine the student recovery need due to COVID. Then determine what extra programming the district can offer.  Four buckets of service to consider: Gen ed recovery services, IEP Revision, ESY or Compensatory Ed.

9) Parent Requests for Spec Ed Evaluations: If a parent requests an eval, either verbally or in writing, the district must develop an eval plan within a reasonable time, or send a PWN explaining why the district is refusing to do the eval, within 14 calendar days of the request.

10) Conflicts in Special Education: Find a balance with families between power struggles and parent “wins”. Parent rejection of PWN - Parent can ask for Team meeting or Conciliation (notify Coord). If can’t resolve, parent and district can request mediation from MDE (Dena leads). Can have a Facilitated IEP meeting too.  Last legal step is a due process hearing.

11) When New Students move in to your caseload: Complete a Coop Data Form. Keep alert if the student doesn’t live in the district. Look at records received. Call the previous district if needed. Look carefully at services, notify team, and hold a team meeting to acclimate family to new team.

12) Non-Public Student Reminders: Homeschool - resident district responsible for providing FAPE. Have a process for tracking and following due process requirements (ISP). Accredited Online Schools are responsible for special education of students who enroll there.

13) IEP Meeting Excusal Forms: Core members - Parent, Gen Ed Teacher, Special Ed Teacher (if not licensed, then a spec ed teacher/Coordinator that is licensed in that disability area), District Representative.

Follow up clarification:  IEP team membership and the Special Education Teacher licensed in the student's Primary Disability.  To clarify, if a teacher working in as a special education teacher has an Out of Field Permission in a disability area, this is considered "licensed" and able to be that core team member.

14) Tips about Coop Coordinator Support: Asking for some grace with your special ed coordinators. If Coordinator doesn’t know the answer… they meet as a whole to find correct solution.  Allow some time.

15) Upcoming Trainings: Check nlsec.org home page, or Calendar here

16) Parent Advisory and Family Support Committee:  Pamphlets for parents seeking support and connections with agencies are available. Yellow posters have been posted where visible by parents (meeting rooms, office, etc). Parent Advisory and Family Support Committee website


February 2022

Communication Committee Meeting Feb 8, 2022 (pdf)

1) SpEd Forms: IIIP will be removed July 1, 20222. Standards-based needs have been reinstated in goals. Educator Reports - View Student History if looking for a quick way to print/view many finalized IEPs/ERs. PLAAFP template in process. SpEd Forms Accommodations list. Sample IEP Team Meeting Agendas Paragraph format PDF and Google / Table format PDF and Google (Courtesy of Reg 10 AT CoP).

2) Release of Information: For VRS or County services, can put in the anticipated graduation date of a student on the release so it’s valid for 4 years.

3) MTAS:  Looking at students' cognitive level, is the cognitive level significantly below age expectations? MTAS Item Samplers

4) ESY: Not every student with a disability will be entitled to receive ESY.  Students IEP will determine eligibility. 3 Areas: Regression/Recoupment, Self-sufficiency and Unique Need. Follow up documentation and email coming soon!

5) Itinerant and Related Service Staff (PI, VI, WBL, D/HH, PT, OT): Reach out to them for Eval planning and meetings, IEP and Progress Reports.

6) Parent Resource Booklets:  Available digitally. More will be printed in booklet format.  

7) Transition: Supporting Students on IEPs with Person Centered Planning - One page profile, Life Trajectory, Disability Hub, My Vault

8) Programming: Think outside the box - look at creative programming,  For example, service times written by month, week or session per quarter/semester.

9) Social Emotional Learning: Overcoming obstacles (free), Be Good People (free), Move this World (subscription cost)

10) Goals and programming related to the disability and needs: Students primary disability where EBD is the driving component: consider interventions, supports and functional behavioral assessment.  Focus on acquisitions of skills, remind students of strategies

11) MDE Assistance and Compliance Updates: 7 files pulled last year, monitoring federal indicators (C1 Timely Provision of Service, C7 45 day Timeline, C8 EC Transition, B11 Child Find, B12 EC Transition and B13 Secondary Transition). Reviewing policy and procedures: Suspension and expulsion, Disproportionate racial/ethnic groups needing sped and Disproportionate racial/ethnic groups needing sped in certain disability categories.

12) Special Education Recovery Services and Supports: In August Dena will need to report data to MDE. Use this spreadsheet (make a copy), enter students needing recovery services and share with Dena.  Includes EC students. Deadline last day of school May/June 2022.

13) Time and Effort Reminders: All Special Ed staff need to turn in time and effort as a fiscal requirement. Two districts will be monitored this year. Criteria to be included: employee name, full time period being represented, days of the weeks/times, activities (student initials), non special education time clearly marked, signed and dated, turn into principal when done.

15) Upcoming Trainings: 
-Implementing the Secondary Transition Agenda in an IEP Meeting/Q&A (Virtual) February 11th 10:00-12:00 pm; March 15th 12:00-2:00 pm; April 22nd 1:30-3:30 pm; May 17th 8:00-10:00 am.
-Strategies and Support to Use with Students with EBD (In-Person) April 5th 12:30-3:30 pm PACC; April 26th 12:30-3:30 pm CCTB
-How To's for Completing the Summary of Performance/Q&A (Virtual) May 10, 2022 8:00-10:00 am
Check nlsec.org home page, or Calendar here

16) CPI Intervention: New trainer Max Buehler.  Summer CPI Opportunities Aug 15 (Initial 8-3pm) and Aug 22 (refresher 8-11am) at Carlton County Transportation Bldg.

17) NLSEC 2022-23 Professional Development input - contact Dena or your Coordinator with ideas.