Clayton Ridge Community School District
Special Education Service Delivery Plan
December 2021
Question #1: What process was used to develop the delivery system for eligible individuals?
The delivery system was revised in accordance with Iowa Administrative Code rule 41 .408(2)c.
Members of the committee included the following:
- Shane Wahls – Elementary Principal/Superintendent
- Laura Bilden – Middle School/High School Principal
- Lori Bunting – Special Education Instructional Coach
- Halsey Darling – AEA School Psychologist
- Terri Thompson – AEA Special Education Consultant
- Brenda Bodish – Kindergarten Teacher
- Nicole Hampton – Parent/Preschool Teacher
- Michelle Scott – Middle School Social Studies Teacher/High School English Teacher
- Laura Morarend – High School Special Education Teacher
Question #2: How will service be organized and provided to eligible individuals, including preschool?
General education with consultation.
The student is served in the general education classroom without any accommodations or modifications to the curriculum, instruction, testing or grading. The service provider is responsible for consulting with the general education teacher and monitoring the students’ progress according to the IEP.
General education with consultation/accommodations.
The student is served in the general education classroom with consultation and support from the special education teacher. The general education teacher is responsible for the direct instruction, testing, grading, and behavioral management as specified in the IEP. The special education teacher support may include assisting the general education teacher with the design and preparation of materials, adaptations, and accommodations. The special education teacher is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals.
General education with direct special education support in the general education classroom.
The student receives special education support for the general education curriculum in the general education setting. The special education teacher, support service provider, or trained paraprofessional will be in the general education classroom to provide direct instruction, instructional support, or other assistance to the student or a group of students through models such as collaboration or co-teaching. The special education teacher/service provider is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals.
General education with direct special education support outside the general education classroom.
The student receives special education support for the general education curriculum outside the general education setting. When the services cannot be appropriately provided in the general education setting the student may receive selected services or all student needs in a separate educational setting (including, but not limited to special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions). The special education teacher/provider is responsible for monitoring student progress on IEP goals. Our district utilizes two curricular programs for both reading and math at all building levels. One program in each of these two content areas utilizes Direct Instruction. Specially Designed Instruction is provided outside of these core programs through a pull-out method requiring removal from the general education setting.
Regular Early Childhood Programs with Teacher Holding Dual Endorsement.
(i.e., Endorsement 100: Teacher-Prekindergarten through grade three, including special education). The child is served in the regular early childhood classroom with a teacher who holds a valid practitioner’s license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners that includes prekindergarten and early childhood special education. The teacher is responsible for direct instruction, preparation of materials, adaptations, and accommodations as specified in the IEP. The teacher with the dual endorsement is responsible for implementing and monitoring the child’s progress according to the IEP.
Notes:
Students may receive services at multiple points along the continuum based on the IEP.
The district will provide access to this continuum for all eligible individuals based on their IEP. Services may be provided within the district or through contractual agreement with other districts and/or agencies.
The continuum includes services for eligible individuals ages 3-21.
When describing services for preschool children, the district must adhere to federal data reporting definitions of settings for preschool.
For students 3-5 years of age the term “general education” refers to a regular early childhood program that implements either the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) the Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS) or the Head Start Performance Standards.
Question #3: How will caseloads of special education teachers be determined and regularly monitored?
Caseloads will be tentatively set in spring for the following year. Caseloads may be modified based on summer registration and actual fall enrollments. Caseloads will be reviewed at least three times during the school year by individual district special education teachers with their building principal and/or Designated Director.
In determining teacher caseloads, Clayton Ridge Community School District will use the following to determine teacher caseloads to the programs of each eligible individual receiving an instructional program in the district.
The Special Education Team at each center will determine a teacher caseload, not to exceed 18 students assigned to any one teacher that has students weighted at level 1 only. If a Special Education teacher has a combination of students weighted at level 1 and 2 then their caseload is not to exceed 16 students. A caseload limit of 12 students weighted at Level 1, Level 2, and 3 will be used with consideration given to ensuring the needs of each student are being met. The team will consist of the principal and special education teachers.
***Special consideration will be made for students that have a 1:1 interpreter, special education teacher, or nurse.
*** Special consideration will be made for special education teachers that are not full-time.
Caseloads will be tentatively set in the spring for the following year. Caseloads may be modified based on summer registrations and actual fall enrollments. The Special Education Team at the appropriate center will review caseloads at least twice during the school year.
An exception to the maximum caseload may be made if the special education team assesses the caseload and ensures, in their review, that the need of each student is being met.
Note: Early childhood programs will meet criteria for maximum class size of 20 and teacher to child ratio of 1:10; according to preschool program standards.
Question #4: What procedures will a special education teacher use to resolve caseload concerns?
Caseloads will be reviewed by individual LEA special education teachers with their building principal and/or Designated Director. A scheduled review of teacher caseloads will be conducted by the building principal as follows:
1. By October 1st 2. By May 1st
Procedural Steps
1. Informal problem-solving strategies in relation to caseload concerns have been discussed with principal and/or special education coordinator.
2. A written request for caseload review is submitted to the principal/supervisor.
3. The request is reviewed for clarification with the principal/supervisor. The
principal/supervisor tries to resolve the concern at this point within five school days.
The principal/supervisor will share a written recommendation.
4. If the caseload concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved, a written request is then sent
to the caseload committee (Special Education PLC) within five school days.
5. Within 15 school days, the caseload committee (Special Education PLC) will review the request and give a written recommendation to the individual’s principal/supervisor.
6. If the person submitting a written request and the review does not agree with the determination, he or she may submit a written appeal to the AEA Director of Special Education.
7. The AEA Director/designee will meet with the personnel involved and will provide a written decision.
Question #5: How will the delivery system for eligible individuals meet the targets identified in the state’s performance plan and the LEA determination as assigned by the state? What process will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery system for eligible individuals?
Individual student progress on IEP goals will be reviewed and discussed on a regular bi-weekly basis by the special education and general education teachers along with the AEA consultant/specialist and school administrator as appropriate. The purpose of this review is to determine if adequate progress is being made, if any adjustment in instruction is needed or if other targeted or intensive interventions are indicated.
Each building will review student progress monitoring formative or summative assessments on a bi-weekly basis during PLC time. The IEP subgroup performance in both reading and math will be reviewed and discussed by grade level teams which include both general and special education teachers. Subgroup achievement growth and the achievement gap will be included as items for discussion and planning. Buildings with a subgroup achievement gap; thus, impeding progress toward meeting the district ESSA designation requirements will develop a school-based plan to close the achievement gap by grade level in each building. These plans will be monitored at the building every semester and at the district level at the end of each year. If this process creates the need to revise the DDSDP the district will follow the process to revise and re-adopt the DDSDP.
At the district level, IEP subgroup data for each school along with the plans as described above will be reviewed on an annual basis by the district’s leadership team. IEP student data will also be disaggregated and examined by building level (elementary, middle, high). In addition, the district will examine their ESSA designation data to determine priorities and develop an action plan if needed. If the district meets ESSA designation requirements, both procedural and performance, the delivery system will be considered effective. If the district does not meet requirements the district will work in collaboration with the state and AEA.