FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

 

1. What is special education?

 

            Every operating school district is required to have special education services for students who are identified as having some form of a disability that significantly interferes with their ability to learn or function in school. The role of the special education department is to provide services and/or supports that assist the student with learning and school functioning. Bob DiDonato is responsible for administration of the special education department (628-3510; didonato@upperschools.org).

 

2. What makes a child eligible for special education?

 

            The State of New Jersey has developed specific classification categories (i.e. learning disabled, autistic, auditorily impaired, etc.) to address the various disabilities that exist among students. Students need to meet certain criteria within a classification category in order to be found eligible for special education services.

 

3. Who determines whether a student is eligible?

 

            The school district must complete a comprehensive evaluation of a student to determine whether they are eligible for special education services. Once all components of an evaluation are complete, a determination of eligibility is made by the evaluating team.

 

4. Who requests that an evaluation be completed?

 

            School personnel, parents, or outside agencies can request that an evaluation be completed. The first meeting to be held in the process is a discussion of whether an evaluation is warranted. This is done at an Evaluation Plan meeting. There is a discussion of the student's potential handicapping condition, and whether it is significant enough to warrant an evaluation. A decision is made at this meeting on whether to evaluate or not. Parent input is very important in this meeting. Parents are asked to provide information about developmental and educational issues that may be affecting student performance.

 

5. If an evaluation is determined to be warranted, who completes the evaluation?

 

            The school district's Child Study Team (CST) completes the evaluation. The CST is generally composed of a school psychologist, learning disabilities teacher/consultant and social worker. A school district speech and language therapist or occupational therapist may also be involved in the evaluation depending on a student's presenting problem. There are times when the district uses outside consultants (i.e. psychiatrist) when a certain type of assessment is needed.

 

6. What types of tests are used during the Child Study Team evaluation?

 

            The Child Study Team will determine which tests to use for each student depending on the area of concern. This is discussed at the Evaluation Plan meeting. For students with possible learning disabilities, the evaluation typically includes achievement (academic) and ability (intelligence) testing. For all students involved in the evaluation process, the district is required to observe students in learning situations, review the student's educational history, review prior interventions used by teachers, conduct an interview with the teachers involved, and interview the student's parents to gain information about developmental issues. It is important to know that the components of an evaluation depend on the child's presenting problems. Evaluations are personalized to the student to the greatest extent possible.

 

7. Can a parent request that an independent evaluation be completed?

 

            The school district has the responsibility to complete an evaluation. If a parent would like an independent evaluation after the initial Child Study Team evaluation is completed, they can make such a request.

 

8. If a student is found to be eligible for special education, what happens next?

 

            When a child is determined to be eligible for special education, an Individual Education Program (IEP) is developed. This document includes all the information about a student that will guide future instructional programming. It contains components that insure that a student's school related weaknesses are addressed. This document is reviewed with parents at meetings scheduled by the Child Study Team. Parents have an opportunity to participate in the development of the document. The IEP is used by teachers and other school personnel throughout the school year to guide the instructional program. A Child Study Team case manager monitors the delivery of the IEP to insure that services are delivered appropriately.

 

9. What is a Child Study Team case manager?

 

            A Child Study Team member (School Psychologist, Learning Consultant or Social Worker) is assigned to monitor the delivery of the IEP. Parents are informed of their child's case manager at the start of the school year. The case manager can be contacted by parents to answer questions, address concerns, discuss student progress, etc.

 

10. Who should a parent contact if there are questions about a child's learning or school functioning?

 

            Parents are encouraged to speak directly with teachers when there is a question or concern about learning or school functioning. Teachers can often provide the best information about student functioning. If there are issues that cannot be addressed by the teacher, the Child Study Team case manager can be contacted for assistance.

 

11. If a parent is concerned about their child's progress, what alternatives do they have other than special education?

 

            Federal and state law clearly state that regular education must intervene to address student weaknesses prior to consideration for special education, and that their interventions be objective and comprehensive. Each school within UpperTownship has a special committee designed to develop appropriate interventions for students who are at-risk while they are in regular education. The school district has personnel who are specifically designated to provide academic remediation for students who are having academic difficulties. There is also a guidance counselor in each building to help with emotional and/or behavioral issues that may arise. These personnel often work cooperatively with regular education teachers to address a student's specific area of weakness. Progress is monitored closely to determine if interventions are working. If there is no significant change as a result of these interventions, a referral to the Child Study Team becomes appropriate.

 

12. When is it determined that a student has a learning disability?

 

            A learning disability is present when a student demonstrates a significant difference between ability (intelligence) and achievement in a major academic area (reading, written language and/or math). A Child Study Team evaluation includes testing that helps to determine whether a significant difference is present. As part of the testing process, the Child Study Team also looks at how a student has responded to the special interventions that have been used by regular education teachers.

 

13. What is a reading disability?

 

            Some students have difficulty mastering the skills involved in reading. Reading, while easy for some, is actually a very complex task that requires the efficient coordination of many parts of the brain. It requires that students learn the sounds that letters make (phonemic awareness), associate sounds with specific letters (phonics), efficiently combine sounds to make and recognize words (fluency), know the words that they are reading (vocabulary), and understand the words that they have read (comprehension). For students with reading difficulties, the process can break down at one, some or all phases of the reading process. Teachers can provide parents with information regarding where the break down points may be for their child.

 

14. What is a writing disability?

 

            Writing is also a very complex undertaking for many students. For those students who write effectively, they are able to develop and organize ideas in their mind, and then remember all the rules that go along with the English language when they actually put the pencil to paper. As with reading, students can experience difficulty at one or more phases of the writing process. Teachers design writing instruction so that students are trained in how to deal with all the skills required to be proficient writers. Teachers can provide information to parents on those skill areas that may be making writing difficult for a student.

 

15. Does a special education student have to participate in State of New Jersey testing in grades 3-8?

 

            The State of New Jersey allows 1% of a school district's students to be exempted from participating in state testing. These students are evaluated using an Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA) that is based on a student's IEP goals and objectives. The APA is generally used with students who demonstrate significant developmental delays. All other students, whether regular or special education, are required to participate in state testing. For special education students, specific accommodations are available to them. The accommodations that are used are determined by the IEP team when an IEP is developed.

 

16. What type of skills are addressed in the State of New Jersey annual testing?

 

            State testing, often referred to as NJASK testing, is based on the Core Curriculum Standards that have been developed and approved by the New Jersey Board of Education. There are standards for all curricular areas. UpperTownship, like other school districts, base their instruction at all grade levels on these standards so that students are prepared for state testing. The school district also utilizes instructional activities that help to prepare students for test day.

 

17. What areas are included in state testing?

 

            Testing in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 focuses on math and language arts. Testing in grades 4 and 8 includes math, language arts and science. The math test assesses: number and numerical operations; geometry and measurement; patterns and algebra; data analysis, probability and discrete mathematics; and problem solving. The language arts test assesses reading and writing. The science test for grades 4 and 8 assesses knowledge in: life science; physical science; earth science; and application.

 

18. Is there anything that a parent can do to help a child prepare for state testing?

 

            State testing assesses skills that are addressed in your child's everyday instuction in school. A parent can help their child by encouraging them to be dedicated to their school work at all times. A parent can also encourage their child to complete all homework that is assigned. Well developed reading skills are essential for students to perform well on state testing. Parents can help their child by encouraging reading outside of school.