Exceptional Education Newsletter
March 2022
IN THIS ISSUE
Compliance Corner
Teacher Tip- Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)
IEP Guidance
Deaf Awareness Month
Assistive Technology Tip of the Month
Message from Transition Teachers
SEAC
Professional Development Opportunities
Shoutouts
Previous Issues
COMPLIANCE CORNER
All students must have an assigned case manager in VA IEP. If you have a student who is in the initial eligibility process, assign the ICC as the case manager until the process has been completed.
Continue to work on obtaining signatures from parents to finalize and bring the IEP process compliant in VA IEP. Here are some ways schools have obtained parent signatures:
1. Use Parent Portal.
2. Schedule a time for parents to come to the school to sign.
3. Use the Office of Engagement as a resource.
4. Add all February contacts made to acquire parental signatures on the Out of Compliance Spreadsheet under the ICC Comments.
Continue to work with your case managers to ensure all annual IEP and eligibility meetings are scheduled for students. Each student must have a compliant and up-to-date IEP and eligibility. ICCs and principals will receive a February analysis of current out of compliance students.
March Updates:
1. March updates to the December 1 Child Count, Indicators 9, 10, 11, and the Out of Compliance Spreadsheet are now due on March 25, 2022.
2. Annual IEPs for 5th and 8th graders should be completed by March 15th to ensure all testing accommodations are up-to-date.
Indicator and Reports Directions:
1. Instructional and Compliance Coordinators (ICC's) should indicate "none," followed by the month of submission when there is no new information to report.
2. Revisions to the Out of Compliance Report should be captured each month under the ICC Comments. All students listed on the spreadsheet should have an update. If there is no update next to each student the spreadsheet will be deemed non-compliant. For students that require a parental signature ONLY there must be an indication of how case managers reached out to parents to obtain signatures.
3. As schools hold IEP meetings for English Learners, Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) teachers should be invited to participate as team members.
March ICC Meetings
March 10th Both Elementary and Secondary ICCs need to be in attendance.
March 22nd Both Elementary and Secondary ICCs need to be in attendance.
March 23rd PCG Playbook session.
TEACHER TIP
The above video defines and explains SDI. Below is a teacher tip adapted from the text, Specially Designed Instruction for Co-Teaching by Marilyn Friend and Tammy Barron.
Pre-skills can be taught using alternative teaching. As students do a warm-up activity or check their homework, another teacher can teach the pre-skills needed for the lesson.
For example, the teacher can review what a topic sentence is by giving students brief paragraphs they can easily read and asking them to identify the topic sentence, building an understanding of topic sentences' characteristics.
DEAF AWARENESS MONTH
National Deaf History Month is celebrated from March 13 through April 15.
Why does it span two months?
Three significant events in the history of deaf education happened during this time period:
- The American School for the Deaf in Connecticut was founded on April 15, 1817, and was the first permanent school for deaf children in the United States. It has remained a nationally renowned leader in providing comprehensive educational programs and services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
- On April 8, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the charter of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, making it the first school for the advanced education of deaf and hard of hearing people in the world.
- Gallaudet University hired its first deaf president on March 13, 1988
Below are some ways to celebrate:
1. Assign books with deaf characters or by deaf authors - Looking to assign your students books that highlight deaf characters? Check out these links:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/deaf-characters
https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/harperkids/childrens-books-deaf-characters
https://bookshop.org/lists/books-about-deafness-with-deaf-characters-or-by-a-deaf-author
https://crimereads.com/five-crime-and-mystery-novels-featuring-deaf-characters/
2. Discuss famous deaf people - Checkout these links to get some ideas:
https://www.ai-media.tv/ai-media-blog/famous-deaf-people-17-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-actors/
https://www.ai-media.tv/ai-media-blog/famous-deaf-people-15-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-people-who-changed-the-world/
3. Discuss the significant events that have contributed to deaf services within the United States - Check out this time line for some ideas:
https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/asl/deaf-history-timeline
4. Create a poster - Have your students use myASLPublisher to create their own poster to celebrate Deaf History Month. myASLTech has over 22,000 sign language images to choose from! To get an idea, check out and download the poster we made using myASLPublisher below.
5. Interview an older deaf person - Have your students find an older deaf person in your community and ask questions about their experiences with deaf education, family life, and how sign language and assistive technologies have changed in their lifetime.
IEP GUIDANCE
This technical assistance document provides supplementary guidance on developing Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) descriptions, goals, and objectives in a Standards-Based IEP, and includes examples of PLAAFPs and goals based on disability categories as well as suggestions for professional development activities.
Additionally, to help facilitate effective IEP development and implementation, Meaningful IEP Online Training Modules have been created to increase IEP Team members’ understanding of the IEP process, including the basics and components of the IEP, roles and responsibilities of team members, and evaluating the IEP process. Several resources are embedded within these online modules; a certificate is issued upon completion.
Below are the links for the online training modules and meaningful IEP meetings:
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/iep_instruct_svcs/stds-based_iep/index.shtml#training
Attached below are the PDF's to the guidance documents.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TIP OF THE MONTH
Open this link for “The Importance of Sequencing”:
Visual Organizers for Content: To-Do Lists, Mind-Mapping, Graphic Organizers
Low-tech mind-mapping visuals to download and print to help students organize their ideas: https://do2learn.com/disabilities/FASDtoolbox/learning_strategies/problem_solving/visual_maps/using_visual_maps.htm
https://literacyideas.com/graphic-organizers-digital-student-classroom/
MESSAGE FROM TRANSITION TEACHERS
TRANSITION TIP OF THE MONTH
Graduation from high school is a natural life event for many teenagers; for students with disabilities, this requires more planning, negotiation, and decision-making. Choices about where they’ll want to live and work and whether or not they’ll want to continue their education are a bit more challenging if they will need continued support or accommodations. High school is the last time students are “entitled” to receive services. So making the most of this time there is crucial. Planning for graduation and making new connections, supports and services beforehand involves intentional planning.
IDEA 2004, the law that directs schools about helping students plan for their adult life, states that Transition Planning must be part of the Individualized Education Program (IEP), which covers the time period when students turn 16. That means that the IEP team will need to know what goals the student will work toward after they leave high school. For example, where do they want to live? Who do they want to live with? Do they plan to rent an apartment or buy a home? What will they want to do for work? What will they do for fun? What places or events will they want to go to in their communities? How will they get around? All of these questions can be answered with “formal” and ”informal” assessments. One of the most effective informal assessments is a conversation between the student and case manager; when answering these questions can be followed up with logical, obtainable feedback.
At age 14 planning must start. The student's postschool goals should be developed and transition service needs identified. The needs may include a course of study and a year-by-year plan to achieve goals after graduation. The IEP team must determine what instruction and educational experiences will help the student prepare for the transition from high school to post-school life.
By age 16, the needed transition services must be implemented. (NOTE: Some states have regulations that implement transition services at age 14 rather than 16.) Services could include instruction and related services, community experiences, vocational evaluation, employment, and other activities involved in adult living. A statement of interagency responsibilities should be included as well as needed links to other agency services. The IEP should be updated at least annually. The IEP team should also monitor the student's high school program to ensure the student completes all graduation requirements identified as appropriate in the student's IEP.
Here are some simple questions that can help get that informal assessment started:
QUESTION ONE: “WHAT IS YOUR DAY GOING TO LOOK LIKE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?”
QUESTION TWO: HOW ARE YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?
QUESTION THREE: WHAT COULD YOU LEARN TO DO, OR WHAT STEPS COULD YOU TAKE TO GET CLOSER TO YOUR GOALS BEFORE YOU GRADUATE.
QUESTION FOUR: WHO CAN HELP YOU MEET YOUR GOALS AND CONTINUE SETTING NEW ONES?
Excerpts from Planning for Your Transition from High School to Adult Life by Ellen Condon & Kim Brown
Transition Team
Kaitlynn Rollins
Armstrong High School & Martin Luther King Middle School
Karen Young
George Wythe High School, Boushall Middle School & Lucille Brown Middle School
Darlene Slade
Huguenot High School & River City Middle School
Selina Wilson
John Marshall High School, Henderson Middle School, & RAS
Rebecca Parks
Thomas Jefferson High School, Albert Hill Middle School & Binford Middle School
Shout Outs and Special thanks to the following for sharing, learning, and producing exceptional Transition Sections in their IEPs this month:
Boushall Middle School
Joi Thomas
Huguenot High School
Ms. Chari Brown
Ms. Nicole Glover
Ms. Nakyia Jones
Ms. Susan O’Brien
River City Middle School
Shauntae Hudson
Martin Luther King Middle School
Deena Jones
Armstrong High School
Marchell Pleasant
Thomas Jefferson High School
Ms. Anderson and her support staff
John Marshall High School
Lynn Quash
SEAC
If you have any questions, topics of discussion, or would like a copy of the agenda, please email seac@rvaschools.net.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
RPS Office of Exceptional Education is offering PDs on Specially Designed Instruction(SDI) and Co-Teaching. Please register through KickUp! https://kickup.co/
North TIER Online Professional Development Offerings
University of Richmond M.Ed. Informational Webinars
Learn more about the M.Ed. programs in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership and policy studies, including a post-master's certificate option. Register for a 45-minute Zoom meeting for details about the program, requirements, costs, and resources. All sessions begin at 5:30 p.m.:
-Curriculum and Instruction Program dates: March 22, or April 12
-Educational Leadership Program dates: March 22, or April 12
Dual M.Ed. in Spanish Language and Culture for Educators
The program leads to a M.Ed. with a concentration in Spanish Language and Culture for Educators degree from James Madison University and a Salamanca Masters for Teachers of Spanish as a Foreign Language degree from University of Salamanca, Spain. The program format includes one summer at JMU, one summer at USLA, and three additional academic semesters online. Applications due by March 15.
SHOUTOUTS
Shoutout to Debra Carlotti is the ICC at Munford Elementary! Ms. Carlotti is always finding ways to help her teachers become extraordinary educators and practitioners. She helps them write effective and meaningful IEPs and ensures the whole team at Munford is aware of the latest policies and procedures. Thank you, Ms. Carlotti, for asking the tough questions and finding ways to help our teachers and students succeed!
Shoutout to Jazmin Pitts, ICC, at Carver Elementary School! Ms. Pitts is a go-getter that wears many hats. She always has a positive attitude and is willing to do what's best for all students. It is her first year as an ICC, but somehow she makes it look easy. Thank you, Ms. Pitts, for always doing your best and putting kids first!
Shoutout to Dr. Volley, Associate Director of the Office of Exceptional Education! Dr. Volley always remains professional, solution-oriented, and maintains high expectations. Thank you for all your hard work as you organize all the moving parts and do so with a smile. We appreciate you!!!
Shoutout to the Intensive Support Team! Thank you all for supporting the students and teachers in the Intensive Support Programs. You make a world of difference, and we thank you!!!