Special Education Process - Interim

This is an iterim version used during SpEd's ongoing operational improvements effort.

The Special Education Process is a set of actions for carrying out the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). See OSEP IEP Guide or SpEd Procedure Manual.

General

• The Case Manager is the primary person responsible for implementing this protocol
• Other people or teams who may have responsibilities will be specifically identified.
• The Case Manager is a core member of the IEP Team.
• MOE runs a unitary system, acting as both SEA and LEA.
• MOE also runs the public schools.
• SpEd is a program managed at MOE central office but implemented at school sites.
• SpEd has case managers on board who will be responsible for the process.
• SpEd has forms for each step of the special education process.

Steps / Phases

1. Child Find / Referral
   1. a parent, school professional, or a doctor identifies a child.
   2. the case manager completes Child Identification and Intake form and creates the case file.
   3. the case manager initiates and adds forms SE01, SE02, SE03, and SE04 to the case file.
   4. the case manager transfers the case file to the school principal.
2. Referral for Evaluation
   1. the school principal establishes a Child Study Team (CST) for the case.
   2. the CST completes forms SE01, SE02, SE03, and SE04.
   3. As part of form SE03, the CST provides parent with a copy of the Procedural Safeguards (Parent Rights).
   4. The principal returns the case file to the case manager.
3. Evaluation
   1. the case manager initiates and adds forms SE06 a, b, and e to the case file.
   2. the case manager, working with other professionals as appropriate, completes the forms and adds support documents.
4. Eligibility
   1. the SpEd Coordinator establishes the Eligibility Team
   2. The case manager transfers the case file to the Eligibility Team.
   3. The case manager works with the Eligibility Team to complete forms SE06 c and d.
      • If child is eligible, case manager prepares form SE09a for the principal.
        • If parent consents, the principal establishes the IEP Team. The case manager is a core member of the IEP Team.
        • If the parent does not consent, the case file is closed.
      • If child is not eligible, case manager initiates and adds SE03 to the case file and principal informs the parent.
        • If the parent requests independent evaluation, restart step 3.
        • If the parent does not request independent evaluation, the case file is closed.
5. IEP Development
   1. The case manager initiates and adds forms SE08a, SE08b if needed, SE08d, SE08e, SE08f if needed, SE13, SAPG.
   2. The case manager prepares forms SE07 a,b (and c as appropriate), retains copies for the case file, and passes the forms to the principal.
   3. The principal convenes the IEP team to start IEP Development.
   4. Certain other forms are conditionally required based on age or incidents: Extended Services, Age of Majority, Post Secondary Plan, SE14 a&b, etc.
   5. The case manager completes the forms after the IEP Team completes its work.
6. Service Delivery ... to be detailed later
7. Progress Monitoring ... to be detailed later
8. Reevaluation
   1. At the latest, a student is re-evaluated three years after the last evaluation
   2. The case manager restarts the process at step 3, making sure to also add forms SE04 and SE08d to the case file.
9. Exit / Transition
   1. As appropriate, the case manager initiates, completes and adds form SE09b to the case file.
   2. For school enrollment actions (eg., expulsion, graduation, transfer out, eg.), the case manager works with the school SIS staff to reference school records in the case file.