Evaluations and Reevaluations
My child has never received
special education services, but I suspect
a problem.
What do I do?
In this case, simply
contact your child’s school and
ask that they pursue an assessment.
It is necessary to be as specific as
possible
about the types of problems you see your child experiencing.
This is needed so that it can be determined
what professionals need
to
be involved
and the extent of the assessment that will be needed. Some problems
can be solved simply by bringing them to the attention of everyone
involved. Others will require full evaluations. Either way, the
school is the best place to start.
If
your child is not enrolled in a Shelby
County school, or you are not satisfied
that the problems have been dealt
with at the
local school
level, contact the Division of Special Education at (901-321-2710).
How
often must my child be reevaluated?
Current law requires that a reevaluation
occur at least every three years. The
extent of this reevaluation is determined
by the IEP
team. In many cases, additional testing will not be required.
IEP-Teams
and
IEPs
What is an IEP-Team?
This simply refers to the group of
individuals at the school level who
will meet to discuss your child’s needs, develop and review
plans, and decide what placement will best meet his/her needs. Typically,
the IEP-Team will consist of the school principal or his/her designee,
your child’s teacher (or teachers), a special education
teacher, and the parent/guardian. At times, others may be a part
of the team.
Other individuals might include: speech pathologists; physical
therapists; occupational therapists; specialist teachers like
art, music, and
physical education teachers; and even the student. The parents/guardians
may
bring anyone to the IEP-Team that they feel can assist them in
the process.
When should the IEP-Team meet?
The IEP-Team will meet when your child is initially placed in a special
education program at least annually thereafter. However, any member
of the IEP-Team, including parent/guardian, may ask for the team
to reconvene at any time.
What is an IEP? Is it the same as an
IFSP?
An IEP is an Individualized Education
Program. It is developed on an annual
basis and provides the guidance for
the provision of special
education services for your student. Present levels of performance
lead to the development of appropriate goals and objectives for
the coming year. The IEP also spells
out what, if any, related services
will be required for your child to benefit from his/her special
education program.
An IFSP is an Individualized
Family Service Plan, and it is developed
for students below the age of 3. Early intervention service providers
work closely with families to develop a plan for the types of
services that are needed to give the
infant/toddler the early intervention
he/she requires. IFSPs or parts of them, can sometimes be used
in place of an IEP. In Shelby County we have usually preferred
to use
the IFSP for guidance but to develop a new IEP appropriate for
the school setting.
What is a Transition Plan?
Transition plans are required by law
to be included as a part of the IEP
for students age 16 and older. They
may be written
for
students at an even younger age if the IEP-Team feels it is
appropriate. The
Transition Plan is intended to provide guidance for the IEP-Team
and the family in seeking the appropriate services and preparing
for life after the student exits the school system.
Moving to
Shelby County with a Special Needs Student?
Memphis and Shelby
County are
two separate school districts. Geographical location will
determine which district will provide
services for your child. Your real
estate agent can provide that information, or you can call
the main offices
of either school system with your exact address in the
greater Memphis area. This website also
has a “School
Zone Locator” feature.
Providing a full copy of the student’s
record of special education services
will be required. This can be accomplished
either
by signing a release of information at your present school
and asking that the records be forwarded
to the above address or by securing
a release form from our offices for that purpose. Either
way, your signature will be required
before records will be released. School
systems across the country handle records differently,
so you should
allow plenty of time for records to be copied and mailed
to Shelby County Schools, Waiting until
you actually move to Shelby County
before requesting the records may slow down the process
of records transfer.
If you have records sent ahead before your family actually
moves, please ask the sender to identify the child and the proposed
address
in Shelby County. We occasionally get records with no identification
and have no way of acting upon the records or contacting the parent/guardian.
Be sure to have copies of your child’s birth certificate, social
security card, immunization record, proof of residence (Policy #6103)
and record of custody (if applicable). These will be needed for enrollment
into the public school system.
Will my child be able to start school
right away?
You have the right to enroll your child in a public school upon
meeting the regular enrollment requirements (proof of in-district
residence,
current immunizations, birth certificate and social security numbers).
However, it is not possible to provide special education services
until eligibility is determined. This is done by a review of records
and/or additional testing followed by a meeting of the IEP Team
members.
We
in Shelby County Schools pride ourselves on working very hard to
get students enrolled in the appropriate special education programs
as quickly as possible. We assure you that we will make every effort
to assist you in this process.
What happens after I send the special
education records?
An appropriate professional reviews the records and makes a determination
as to whether the previously completed testing meets the standards
set forth by the State of Tennessee for identification of a disability.
A brief report is then compiled and the student’s record is
sent to the proposed school. The school then contacts the family
to arrange for an IEP Team meeting to discuss the student’s
needs, develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and determine
placement.
If the records review results in a determination that the
records are not current or not adequate for state standards, the
parent/guardian
will be contacted to arrange additional testing.
What is APEX?
APEX (Academic Program for the Exceptional) is a special education
service designed for students in the Shelby County School System who meet
the criteria
for intellectually gifted students in the state of Tennessee.
APEX emphasizes:
critical and creative thinking; research and study skills; problem-solving;
decision making; communication skills; leadership skills;
and development of students as self-motivated, life-long learners. Students
apply these processes in the development of quality products within a curriculum
rich in academic content.
Terms Used
IEP Team is a multidisciplinary team composed of parents, teachers,
administrators, and other professionals who meet together to
determine if the student is eligible
for special education services. The IEP Team also develops the student's
individualized education plan.
IEP is the Individualized Education Plan designed to meet the
educational needs of the student. The IEP Team meets to discuss and develop
the IEP.
Curriculum
Compacting involves modification of the regular curriculum by replacing previously
mastered material with opportunities to extend learning through
enrichment.
Specific Information
A copy of the procedural rights under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) is sent to parents with notification of
the IEP Team meeting and
is provided at the IEP Team meeting. Rights include such items as notification
of parents concerning IEP Team meetings, role of the IEP Team in development
of the IEP, evaluation procedures, and rights concerning the review of information.
Parents are encouraged to become familiar with this document and ask questions
for clarification.
Placement and Classes
The initial IEP Team meeting is scheduled
to discuss the results and recommendations from the psychological evaluation.
The student's educational needs are discussed
and the IEP is completed to reflect these needs. Minutes of the meeting are
read, placement and permission forms explained, and all documents are signed
by members of the IEP Team. IEP Team meetings are scheduled annually to review
the student's educational program and develop an IEP. An IEP Team meeting
may be scheduled prior to the annual review, if necessary, by calling
the school.
APEX
classes begin in third grade for students who are identified as intellectually
gifted according to the criteria for the state of Tennessee. Pull-out classes
meet weekly in third through fifth grades with curriculum designed to address
educational needs in the student's IEP. Critical and creative thinking skills
are emphasized through experiences related to academic content and products
reflect learning at the student's intellectual ability level.
APEX students
in sixth, seventh and eighth grades may participate in selected Enriched
classes daily with "Seminar" classes offered by the APEX
teacher each nine weeks. Eighth grade students also may participate in an "Introduction
to Foreign Language" class. . Recommendations for enrollment in Enriched
Classes are determined on an individual basis.
APEX students in high school
are encouraged to enroll in Honors and Advanced Placement courses. An APEX
consulting teacher meets with students and parents
to assist with course selection and future planning and to guide the development
of the IEP.
