Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/686175
Special Education Resources • CTA's Instruction and Professional Development (IPD) site has latest legislation, policies and legal infor- mation; CTA presentations; and links to relevant sites and articles. ctaipd.org/ipd-special-education • Disability Rights California is a parent advocacy website that is also useful for teachers. disabilityrightsca.org/pubs/ PublicationsSpecialEducation.htm • Positive Behavior Interventions and Strategies has step-by-step instructions. pbisworld.com — Karen Taylor, CTA IPD testing. While a teacher or a parent may refer for testing, frankly, a parent may get better results. Once a written request for assessment is made, an assess- ment plan must be sent to the parent/guardian within 15 calendar days. en, within 60 calendar days after receiving written parent consent, the assessment must be completed, the report written, and the initial IEP (individualized edu- cation program) meeting held. Track paperwork. You may have to do follow-up. Referral is not for issues within the normal range of grades or behavior. In many cases, testing is looking for a gap in ability and achievement, although this may depend on the situation. It will assess cognitive and/or behavioral issues that may be affecting student achievement. Special ed teach- ers and the psychologist can be valuable resources. W H Y I T M AT T E R S Special ed entitles students and families to a range of ser- vices and adaptations, including tutorial help, or specialized classes, modified assignments and grading. (Note: Teachers should not modify assignments or grading without desig- nated justification such as EL 1-3 or Sp. Ed. is will only delay addressing the problem.) Often deficits manifest with the challenge of certain grades, specifically K-1, grades 3-4 (increasing reliance on texts and more complex reading), grade 6 (the transition to middle school with a more complex schedule), and grade 9 (an even larger setting and more complicated schedule). It is never too late to begin to address this. Early school years often determine whether a student will drop out later on. Keep alert. Talk with other educators and with parents. Learn how to work this process. Students who qualify are entitled to services. It is often up to us to make that happen. Steve Carson is newly retired after 25 years in South San Francisco Unified School District. He drew on experience to offer these suggestions to colleagues concerned about students who may have learning disabilities, but may never have been referred for testing. 43 May / June 2016 Valid Jun 1–Aug 30, 2016, Sun-Thu. 10% off other dates. Rate includes a 25 USD Resort Credit per room, per night. Must have Teacher ID to qualify. Resort Credit is valid towards spa treatments (excludes salon), golf and dining. Credit cannot be used towards room/tax or resort fee. No credit for unused portion. Rate is valid for leisure travel only. Cannot be combined with any other discount or offer. Rate is not valid for guests attending a group or convention. Tax and Daily Resort Fee are additional. Educators' desert playground. You deserve a break. Head out to the desert to recharge. Golf, spa, 5 dining options, gondolas, exotic birds and 4 pools, you can have it all in one prime location! Summer Break Rate TEACHER'S RATE FROM $109 INCLUDES $25 Resort Credit per night VALID DATES Jun 1–Aug 30, 2016, Sun-Thu For package details and to make your reservation, call 800-331-3112 or visit YourDesertPlayground.com. Corp/promo code ZTC