District-wide
Student Personnel Services fall under the director and assistant director of
student personnel services.
The
basic child study team is composed of a school psychologist, a school social
worker, and a learning disabilities teacher-consultant. The purpose of the child study team is to
identify and plan for those children with educational disabilities that require
special education services. Special
education classes at the
Identification
of a child to the Child Study Team means making a written request that the
Child Study Team meet to determine the need for an evaluation of that
child. A child is evaluated by the Child
Study Team to determine his/ her eligibility for special education and/or
related services and, if eligible, to help determine an appropriate educational
program.
According
to the rules and regulations governing special education, (N.J.A.C. 6:283.2h).
Interventions in the regular public school program to alleviate educational
problems shall be provided to the pupil unless the pupil's education problem(s)
is such that direct identification to the child study team can be supported and
documented. Written documentation of the
intervention(s) and its effect, if any, shall be made by the staff of the
regular education program. The parent(s)
shall be informed of the interventions attempted and receive a copy of the
written documentation."
Therefore,
identification to the Child Study Team should be supported through written
documentation of intervention(s) and its (their) effect. This written documentation is provided by the
regular teaching staff.
In
general, prior to any decision regarding identification of pupil to the Child
Study Team for determination of eligibility for special education program or
services, a request by staff member shall be made of the Intervention and
Referral Services Team (I & RS) to review/recommend interventions in the
regular public school program.
The
following exceptions to the Intervention and Referral Services Team apply:
1. Intervention
and Referral Services Team is not required for a pupil whose
educational; problem(s) is such that direct identification to the Child Study
Team is supported and can be documented.
2. Parents
may identify their child to the Child Study Team directly. The Child Study Team shall determine the need
to conduct an evaluation (6:28-3.2).
While
the parent has the right to identify his/her child, the Child Study Team has
the right to meet and determine whether or not to accept the request for
evaluation. If the request is denied, it may be appropriate that the student be
referred to the Intervention and Referral Services Team.
A
written report of the intervention(s) effect and other data collected regarding
the pupil shall be the responsibility of the identifying teacher. If an
assistance plan has been developed by the Intervention and Referral Services
Team for a student, then the Follow-up Report will serve as documentation. If
the student is a direct or parent identification, or has not gone through a Intervention
and Referral Services Team follow-up meeting, additional input from the
classroom teacher and principal as well as the Intervention Worksheet must be
completed and will serve as documentation.
Once
it has been determined that a child should be considered for identification,
the identifying teacher will:
1.
Complete an Identification Form
This form serves as a source of
information for Child Study Team members.
While it is not sent to parents, the reason for identification stated by
the teacher is used on the notification form received by parents and the
identification form becomes part of the student's file to which parents have
access.
2.
Document Intervention
If the student has been discussed in Intervention
and Referral Services Team, a copy of the Follow-up Report is considered
sufficient as documentation and should be attached.
If the student is a direct
identification, an Intervention Worksheet must be completed as part of the
identification.
3.
Contact the Parent
Prior to submitting the above forms,
the parent must be contacted by the identifying teacher. The purpose of this contact is to inform the
parent of the identification, provide clarification for reason for
identification and ascertain whether or not the parent is in agreement with
this action. In addition, it is deemed
extremely beneficial to provide the parents with a brief explanation of the
written documents that will be sent to them.
An explanation of these documents is included below as well as a copy of
each in the appendix.
4.
Route forms
Following completion of the above, the
identifying teacher should submit the signed forms to the school nurse to
complete health information. These forms
are then given to the school principal. If the child has been discussed by Intervention
and Referral Services Team, the principal answers question #5 and signs. If the student is a direct identification,
the principal answers questions #1-5 and signs.
At that point the principal forwards the form to Special Services. Upon receipt of the identification form and
documentation of interventions, the Child Study Team will meet to make a
determination whether or not to conduct an evaluation. The parent will be provided with written
notice of this determination within 30 days.
If the team determines to conduct an
evaluation, it will also design an Evaluation Plan for the Child. At that time a Child Study Team member will
be designated as case manager. The case
manager will be responsible for assuring continuity and completion of services
and will serve as a contact person to whom questions and concerns can be
addressed for that student.
In the case of a
parent identification, the classroom teacher or team leader (at the
middle school level) will be responsible for completing the Identification Form
as well as the Sections VII and VIII.
Submittal procedures remain the same as above.
The parents receive a copy of the
following forms and letters:
1. Documentation
of interventions (I&RS Team Forms or Interventions Worksheet).
2. A
letter of notification of determination of need for evaluation.
3. Parental Rights - "'Parental Rights
in Special Education" which is a booklet describing parents' procedural
safeguards and due process rights.
4. A
letter describing the major functions and procedures of the Child Study Team as
well as the referral/evaluation process.
5. The
Evaluation Plan.
6. Permission
Slip for Evaluation.
The purpose of evaluation is to
determine eligibility for special education and determine an appropriate
educational program and placement.
Following the receipt of written
parent permission, evaluation can commence.
All
students who have been evaluated by the child study team should have a notation
of this testing in their permanent record.
All staff members are encouraged to review child study team records of
students in their classes.
These
records may not be removed from the Student Personnel Services office by any
staff member. This is extremely
important so that security and confidentiality can be insured with regard to
this sensitive information.