Blue Mountain School District

1. Blue Mountain School District Blue Mountain Community Information Series SERVICES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS Blue Mountain Middle School Auditorium October 4, 2012 7:00 PM

2. Department of Special EducationBlue Mountain School District Mr. Frank Musitano Director of Special Education Mr. Kenneth Rossi Assistant Principal Blue Mountain High School Supervisor of Special Education

3. Special Guest Mrs. Debra Arnold Director of Special Education Schuylkill County Intermediate Unit #29

4. Guiding Questions • What specialized services are available for students of Blue Mountain School District? • How are students referred for these specialized services? • How is eligibility determined for these specialized services?

5. Content • District and Contracted Employees • Specialized Services for Students – District • Specialized Services for Students – Contracted • Referral Process and Eligibility Determination • Staff Development and Parent Training Initiatives • Additional Sources of Revenue • Schuylkill County Intermediate Unit #29 • Ask the Panel

6. District/Contracted Employees Special Education Teachers = 37 Gifted Teacher/Coordinators = 3 Teacher Aides = 32 Speech Clinicians = 4 Certified School Psychologists = 3 (one 240 day, two 188 day) Occupational Therapists = 1.6 Physical Therapists = Contracted Social Workers = 2 Supervisor of Special Education = .5 Director of Special Education = 1 Special Education Secretary = 1 Part-time Clerical Aide (BMHS) = .5 ACCESS Part-Time Secretary = .5

7. Specialized Services for StudentsDistrict Programs • Supplemental and Itinerant Learning Support Programs • Itinerant Emotional Support • Full-time and Supplemental Life Skills Support • Itinerant, Supplemental, and Full-time Autistic Support • Gifted Education • Itinerant Speech and Language Support • Psychological Counseling Provided by Social Worker • Occupational Therapy • Psychological Services

8. Specialized Services for StudentsContracted Programs • Physical Therapy • Behavior Intervention Services • SCIU Services – Mrs. Arnold will Address Later • Community Based Work Assessments • Nursing Services and Support • Specialized Transportation • Interpreter Services • Physician Services • Psychiatric Services • Psychological Services

9. IEP Referral Process

10. Special Education Evaluation Process

11. Qualifying for Special Education Two-Pronged Test • Prong 1: Does the child have a disability? • Prong 2: Does the child require specially- designed instruction?

12. What is Prong 1? Prong 1 answers the question of: “Does the child have a disability?” For meeting this prong of eligibility, the team must consider information and have data to support at least 1 indicator  from each of the areas listed for that particular eligibility category. There are 13 different eligibility categories

13. 13 Disability Categories • Autism • Deaf-Blindness • Deafness • Emotional Disability • Hearing Impairment • Intellectual Disability • Multiple Disabilities • Orthopedic Impairment • Other Health Impaired • Specific Learning Disability • Speech/Language Impairment • Traumatic Brain Injury • Visual Impairment (including blindness)

14. Example Prong 1 (Emotional Disturbance) Prong 1: Does the child exhibit a disability? • For meeting this prong of eligibility the team must consider  information and have data to support at least 1 indicator  from each of the four following areas:  Characteristics of Emotional Disturbance • Evidence that characteristics have been exhibited over a long  period of time. • Evidence that characteristics are exhibited to a marked degree.  • Evidence that behavior adversely affects educational performance. • Other Supporting Information: Medical information and records.

15. Example Prong 1 (Learning Disability) Prong 1: Does the student exhibit a disability? • For meeting this prong of eligibility, the team must consider information and have data to support at least 1 indicator for each of the three following areas: • Observational Data  • The child does not achieve adequately for the child's age or meet  state approved grade level standards. • Evidence of provision of learning experiences and  instruction  appropriate for the child's age and grade level. • Other Supporting Data: Medical records or other diagnosis of perceptual disabilities, brain injury,  minimal brain dysfunction,  dyslexia, or developmental  aphasia.  

16. What is Prong 2 Prong two answers the question: • Does the child require specially designed instruction (special education services)? • Data indicates need for sustained and/or prolonged services. • Data indicates that even with modifications the child is not making adequate progress to meet state approved grade level standards in one or more areas. • Data indicates a need for specially designed instruction. • Data indicates rate of learning is significantly different from peers.

17. Exclusionary Factors A child must NOT be determined to be a child with an exceptionality if the determinant factor is:  • Lack of appropriate instruction in reading including  the essential components of reading instruction  • Lack of appropriate instruction in math; • Limited English proficiency 

18. Team Decision If the team concludes the student meet the criteria for prong 1, prong 2, and the exclusionary factors have been ruled out then the child is deemed eligible and an IEP is written.

19. Staff Development and Parent Training Initiatives • Learning Focused Schools 2009-2010; 2010-2011, 2011-2012 • Wilson Reading Initiative 2011-2012; 2012-2013 • IEP and Evaluation Processes (on-going) • Chapter 16 and Forms (2010-2011; 2011-2012; 2012-2013) • Standards Based IEP Training (August, 2009) • Transition Services Expansion to BMMS – 2008-2009 • Paraprofessional Staff Development (20 hours per year) • Parent Training to Include Training with Staff • SAS Trainings (2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012) • Classroom Diagnostic Test – CDT (2011-2012; 2012-2013) • Community Information Series – 3 Events Planned (2012-2013)

20. Additional Sources of Revenue • ARRA IDEA Stimulus Funding 2010-2011: $271,175.00 • ARRA IDEA Stimulus Funding 2009-2010: $271,175.00 • Out-of-District Tuition Students • ACCESS Time Study • PDE Autism Performance Grant 2007-2008: $79,300.00 • PDE Autism Performance Grant 2006-07: $42,000.00 • Inclusive Practices (PDE) “The Brain and Learning”: $10,000.00 • District-wide Implementation of Progress Monitoring $33,000.00 • Medical ACCESS Revenue • IDEA Funding • Contingency Funding PDE

21. Guest Presentation Mrs. Debra Arnold Director of Special Education Schuylkill County Intermediate Unit #29 17 Maple Avenue MarLin, PA 17951 570-544-9131 Website: http://www.iu29.org

23. Schuylkill IU 29 CONSORTIUM of 12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS BLUE MOUNTAIN SHENANDOAH MINERSVILLE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN MAHANOY SAINT CLAIR NORTH SCHUYLKILL TRI-VALLEY PINE GROVE TAMAQUA POTTSVILLE WILLIAMS VALLEY

24. Schuylkill Intermediate Unit Works in collaboration with the area School Districts

25. How to work with us: The School District as the Local Education Agency would request services and or programs on behalf of their students and parents

26. Early Intervention Program Servicing students 3-5 years old

27. Programs • MAPLE AVENUE CAMPUS CLASSROOMS • Emotional Support • Life Skills Support • Autistic Support • Multiple Disabilities Support • Physical Support Schuylkill IU29 Services • SCHUYLKILL LEARNING ACADEMY • Partial Hospitalization Program • Alternative Education Program • Day Treatment Program • District Located Classroom • Hearing Impaired Classroom

28. AdditionalService Providers ADDITIONALServices Speech Therapists Licensed Occupational Therapists Occupational Therapy Assistants Licensed Physical Therapists Instructor of the Visually Impaired Instructor of the Hearing Impaired Orientation and Mobility Instructor Transportation ESL Services Psychological Services Psychiatric Services Work Mentor transition services Local provider of staff in-servicing Inter-agency Coordination Schuylkill IU29 Services

29. TaC Training and Consultation • Assistive Technology • Autism • Behavior • Early Intervention • Inclusion • Instructional Support • Reading • Transition • Traumatic Brain Injury

30. Services Available to Parents • Calendar of Events for Trainings • Visit www.iu29.org • Participating in Local Task Force • BrainSTEPS • Training for Volunteers (Surrogate Parent)

31. For additional information please contact your school District’s Special Education Office Debra Arnold Director of Special Education Phone: 570-544-9131 Ext. 1211 Fax: 570-544-8236 E-mail: arnod@iu29.org