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School Board Receives Results of Special Education Audit
On Tuesday, July 15, 2008 the School Board received the results of a comprehensive audit of the division’s PK-12 special education programs. The audit was commissioned as result of the School Board’s goal to improve special education. In September school administration will present an implementation plan. You can read the full copy of the audit here 
.
Do you have a question about the Special Education program?
E-mail us at robert.mitchell@vbschools.com
The Special Education Process
The special education process of identification, referral and screening, evaluation, eligibility, IEP/placement, and triennial reevaluation is a joint effort between school staff and parents. This process begins when a referral from a parent, teacher, physician, or another interested person is received by the school. At this time, a screening committee reviews all the available information and determines whether or not there is enough information to suspect that a student has a disability. This screening committee has ten (10) administrative working days in which to meet and reach a decision as to whether or not a student needs a comprehensive assessment.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) screens the vision and hearing of all students within the first sixty (60) business days of initial enrollment. All students in grades kindergarten through grade 3 are also screened in the areas of speech, voice, language, and motor development. During the 3rd, 7th, and 10th grade school year, all students are screened in vision and hearing.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools has established and maintains screening procedures that assure the identification of students with disabilities who may require special education services. Procedural safeguards, which include written notice, confidentiality, and maintenance of student's scholastic records, are incorporated into this screening process. The notice of general screening is provided in the student handbook given to all students annually.
Assessment involves gathering and analyzing information that is related to the educational needs of the student. Should the screening committee decide that a comprehensive assessment is necessary to determine if a student has a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), formal notification must be made to the Director of the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children. Written parental consent must be obtained prior to this assessment.
The components of a comprehensive assessment must include all areas of this suspected disability. This may include:
1. Educational Summary - a written report describing a student's current educational performance and identifying strengths and weaknesses in academic skills and language performance.
2. Medical - a written report from a licensed physician indicating general medical history and medical/health problems which may impede learning.
3. Sociocultural - a written report from a qualified visiting teacher or school social worker which describes family history, structure and dynamics, developmental and health history, and social/adaptive behavior in the home, school, and community. This information is obtained through interviews with parents or primary caregivers in addition to other social appraisal methods.
4. Psychological - a written report from a qualified psychologist based on the use of a battery of appropriate instruments which shall include individual intelligence test(s), and psychoeducational tests.
5. Developmental - a written report describing how the student presently functions in the major areas of development such as cognition, motor, social/adaptive behavior, perception, and communication.
6. Other - a written report such as speech, language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, as appropriate.
All components of this comprehensive assessment will be completed in time to have the reports available to the
parent(s) no later than 2 business days before the eligibility meeting.
Within 65 business days from the date of the referral for an initial screening, the evaluation components must be complete and eligibility for special education determined. Eligibility is determined by the Special Education Committee after review of all pertinent information. When a student has been determined eligible for special education, a summary of essential deliberations is forwarded to the IEP team. The IEP must be developed within 30 calendar days of eligibility.
Individualized Education Program
Each student who meets the qualifications for special education is entitled to an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP team is made-up of parents, school personnel, and students (when appropriate) who work together in developing the IEP. The IEP states the levels at which the student is functioning, what the student will be taught over the next school year (goals and objectives), how these goals and objectives will be evaluated, any related services needed by the student to support the special education program, who will teach the student, how much time the special education professionals will spend with the student, how much time the student will spend with peers not receiving special services, where the student will be taught, and other components. For the initial IEP, no services will be provided until parent consent is received. The IEP is valid for up to one calendar year unless the IEP committee agrees to make changes before then.
An educational placement decision for a student with a disability must be made after the development of, and based on, the student's IEP. Consideration is given to the least restrictive environment concept. The least restrictive environment concept means that students with disabilities will be educated to the maximum extent possible with students who are not disabled. This placement decision is the responsibility of the IEP team.
| Timelines | |
| Referral to Screening Meeting | 10 Administrative Days |
| Referral for a Comprehensive Assessment to Eligibility Meeting | 65 Administrative Days |
| Eligibility to Initial Individualized Education Program Meeting | 30 Calendar Days |
| Annual Review of the Individualized Education Program | 1Year |
| Reevaluation of Student Eligibility | Every Three (3) Years |
Special Education Categories
What Services Are Offered?
The school system is committed to providing free, appropriate educational opportunities for all students with disabilities, ages 2 through 21 years. Services are provided in the most appropriate, least restrictive environment, as outlined in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is developed cooperatively by the student's parents, educators, building administrators/ designees and other invited participants. The student is also included when appropriate.
- Students attend neighborhood or zoned schools at all levels and are served according to their needs in general and/or special education classes.
- Students with disabilities may also attend one of the three alternative education sites within the city wherein they may receive academic and/or technical and career related education. The selected sites include one middle school setting (Center for Effective Learning) and two senior high school sites (Virginia Beach Central Academy and the Technical and Career Education Center).
- Students who receive less than 50 percent of their instruction from a special educator are considered Level I students. Students receiving 50 percent or more of their instruction from a special educator are considered Level II students.
- Special curriculum, equipment and materials are used for instruction as described in each student's IEP. Whenever appropriate, the materials and curriculum used in general education are also used in the student's special education program.
- All students receive special education services from teachers who are approved by the state to teach students with disabilities.
- Music, art, library, physical education, extracurricular activities, and nursing services are available to students with disabilities. Based upon each student's Individualized Education Program, related services (e.g., speech therapy, occupational therapy, or physical therapy), and other resources are also available to students with disabilities.
Students with autism are those who have a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, which adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to noises, smells, taste or touch.
Children are classified as developmentally delayed who are aged 2, 3, or 4 years as of September 30 of the current school year and who are found to have a significant delay in one or more of the following areas of development: cognitive ability, motor skills, social/adaptive behavior, perceptual skills, and communication skills. Students of these same ages, with hearing impairments, mental retardation, orthopedic or health impairments, speech/language impairments, emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, multiple disabilities, or developmental delays are considered to be preschoolers with disabilities and may be served in the early childhood special education program.
Developmental Delay/School Age
Children, ages 5 through 8 as of September 30 of the current school year, may also be included as developmentally delayed if there is a significant developmental delay and the primary disabling condition cannot clearly be identified.
Students whose conditions cause them to exhibit over a long period of time and to a marked degree one or more of the following characteristics, which adversely affects educational performance, are classified as having an emotional disturbance:
- an inability to learn, which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;
- an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;
- inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
- a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; and
- a tendency to develop fears or physical symptoms associated with personal or school problems.
The term "emotional disturbance" includes students who are schizophrenic. The term does not include students who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have a emotional disturbance.
Students with a hearing impairment, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but is not included in the definition of "deafness" are classified as having a hearing impairment.
Students with a hearing loss so severe as to impair the processing of information through hearing with or without amplification, and that adversely affects educational performance, are classified as being deaf.
Students with mental retardation have significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing at the same time as deficits in adaptive behavior, beginning during the student's first few years, and adversely affects the child's educational performance.
For the purposes of educational programming, students with mental retardation are classified according to the levels of retardation at which they are functioning. These classifications include:
- educable mental retardation and
- trainable mental retardation.
Such classification assists educators in matching instruction to identified individual needs.
These students have more than one disability (such as mental retardation and blindness, or mental retardation and orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational problems that they can not be accommodated in special education programs designed solely for students with one of the impairments. The term does not include students who are both deaf and blind.
Students with a severe physical disability which adversely affects educational performance are served under this category. The term includes impairments with which the student is born (e.g., spina bifida, absence of some limb), impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contracture).
Students are classified as having other health impairments when they have limited strength, vitality or alertness due to health problems such as a heart condition, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, arthritis, asthma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, leukemia, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or diabetes. These health impairments, which adversely affect a child's educational performance, may be chronic or acute.
Students who have primary disabilities that severely impair cognitive abilities, adaptive skills, and life functioning are diagnosed as having severe and profound disabilities. They may have associated severe behavior problems and/or sensory impairments. In addition, they require significantly more educational resources than are provided for the students with mild and moderate disabilities.
Students classified as having a learning disability demonstrate a disorder in one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding or using written or spoken language. This disability may become evident as a problem with their ability to listen, think, speak, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. The term does not include students who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantages.
Students who have a communication disorder such as dysfluency (i.e., stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or voice impairment), which adversely affects educational performance are classified as having speech and/or language impairments.
A speech disorder is characterized by an inability to:
- produce speech sounds (articulation);
- use appropriate speech rhythm (stuttering);
- control vocal production (voice);
- use words and meanings appropriately;
- use grammatical patterns appropriately; and/or
- use the rules of the speech sound system.
Students with traumatic brain injury have acquired injury to the brain caused by an external force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, which adversely affects educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as understanding, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem-solving, sensing and motor abilities, social behavior, physical functions, information processing, or speech. The term does not apply to injuries which students are born with or that happen at birth or are caused by a condition that will continue to get worse.
Students with a visual problem even with correction (such as glasses or contact lenses), which adversely affects educational performance, are classified as having a visual impairment. The term includes both partially seeing and blind children.
Special Education Services
The Virginia Beach Child and Adolescent Day Treatment Program is an educational and therapeutic program for students with emotional disturbances (ED). The program is sponsored by Comprehensive Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). There are Day Treatment Programs at selected elementary, middle, and high schools.
Students with emotional disturbances and serious perceptual/cognitive problems or serious affective problems may benefit from a placement in the Day Treatment Program. The purpose of the program is to provide individualized academic instruction supported by individual, group, and family therapeutic services. The goals of the program are to: (1) increase the student's learning; (2) improve the child's behavior so that he can be returned to a less restrictive environment; (3) prevent unnecessary hospitalization; and (4) assist the families of the student with emotional disturbance by providing comprehensive mental health services.
These services are accessed by contacting the Special Education Coordinator for the student's school.
Students who have health impairments due to chronic or acute health problems (e.g., heart condition, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, nephritis, asthmatic sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, leukemia, or diabetes), which are severe enough to limit strength, vitality, or alertness which adversely affect educational performance can be eligible for homebound services.
Elementary school (grades K-5) students enrolled in the homebound instructional program receive up to twenty (20) hours of instruction per month. Middle school (grades 6-8) students enrolled in the homebound instructional program receive up to forty (40) hours of instruction per month. High school (grades 9-12) students enrolled in the program receive ten (10) hours per subject per month with a maximum of sixty (60) hours per month. Students are counted present on the roll of their home schools when they receive instruction as indicated above. High school students enrolled in the homebound instructional program must meet the minimum State Board Education requirements, follow prescribed courses of study, and acquire the required number of units in order to graduate from high school. Students enrolled in the program are taught by teachers who are approved by the school system's Department of Human Resources.
A student will be determined eligible for these services upon receipt of a signed statement from a licensed physician, licensed clinical psychologist, or public health officer, indicating that the condition of the student prevents or renders inadvisable, attendance at school.
Parent Support and Information Center
When parents and professionals effectively share their knowledge about students, the special education process becomes an efficient tool for educational program development. However, since students are unique, and special services are individualized, planning the most productive program sometimes can become a complex task. With this in mind, the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children has established the Parent Support and Information Center to offer support and assistance to parents and to encourage communication among parents, schools, and community groups. The Parent Support and Information Center offers a variety of mini-courses, workshops, library materials, and other services designed to help parents become informed advocates for their children. The center is staffed by the parent of a child with disabilities and a special educator. Patrons are encouraged to telephone or visit the Parent Support and Information Center with questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding special education and related services.
Parent Support and Information Center is located at:Office of Programs for Exceptional Children
Laskin Road Annex
1413 Laskin Rd.
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451-6007
Office: 757.263.2066
Fax: 757.263.2801
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (call for extended hours)
The Virginia Beach City Public Schools Preschool Assessment Center provides screening, testing and program planning for children between two and five years of age who are suspected of having speech/language impairments and/or developmental delays. A preschool child can be served in the speech/language impairment program if he/she is identified as exhibiting a significant delay in speech and/or language skills. Once identified these children are usually served on a resource basis through the elementary school in their neighborhood.
A preschool child can also be served in the preschool program for children with developmental delays if he/she is identified as exhibiting a twenty-five percent delay in at least one of the following developmental areas:
- Cognitive skills - knowing, understanding
- Fine motor skills - holding objects, drawing, writing
- Gross motor skills - hopping, skipping, jumping, walking
- Self-help/personal-social skills - toileting, feeding, dressing, sharing.
Other services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy are provided within the preschool program as required to meet an individual child's educational needs. There are a variety of service delivery models available for children with developmental delays.
If you suspect that a child has a speech/language and/or developmental delay, the first step in the process is to contact the Preschool Assessment Center to "refer" the child for an informational screening. A child can be "referred" by a parent, doctor, case manager, teacher, speech pathologist, or any other concerned party. A referral can be made by calling the Preschool Assessment Center directly or by mailing test information and other paperwork to the Center. Phone calls can be made during regular business hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. or, if necessary a message can be left on the Center's answering machine anytime after office hours. The Preschool Assessment Center staff will schedule a special education committee screening meeting within ten (10) administrative working days of the initial referral. At the screening meeting, information will be shared and any concerns discussed in order to determine if further testing may be needed. If the child is referred for a comprehensive assessment, the Preschool Assessment Center has sixty-five (65) administrative working days to complete all testing components and to meet and determine whether or not the child is eligible for special education services. However, further testing can only be initiated after obtaining the parents' permission.
When a child is found eligible for either program, the Preschool Assessment Center staff will work with the parents and the serving school to develop an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) to meet the child's specific needs. All confidential information is forwarded to the serving school.
Preschool Assessment Center is located at:
Laskin Road Annex
1413 Laskin Rd.
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451-6007
Office: 757.263.2800
Fax: 757.263.2801
Hours: Please call for an appointment.
Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs
Virginia Beach City Public Schools contracts with the Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP) to provide specialized settings, curriculum, and services for three distinct groups of students.
The SECEP Autistic Program provides services to students who have moderate to severe symptoms of autism. This program stresses the importance of parental involvement as collaborators in their child's educational process.
The SECEP Re-Ed Program is designed for students with emotional disturbance who need a more restrictive setting than their self-contained class.
The SECEP Educational and Behavioral Interventions for Challenging Students (EBICS) Program is designed to serve students with moderate to severe mental retardation and challenging behaviors.
Special Education Advisory Committee
The Special Education Advisory Committee is appointed by the local School Board to advise the Board through the Superintendent. The membership includes parents of children with disabilities and persons with disabilities.
The functions of the Special Education Advisory Committee are:
- to advise the Local Education Agency (LEA) of needs in the education of students with disabilities;
- to assist the LEA in the formulation and development of long-range plans;
- to participate in the development of priorities and strategies for meeting the identified needs of students with disabilities;
- to submit periodic reports and recommendations regarding the education of students with disabilities; and
- to assist the LEA in interpreting to the community plans for meeting the special needs of students with disabilities for educational services; and
- to review the policies and procedures for the provision of special education and related services prior to submission to the local school board and the Virginia Department of Education
For information about serving on the committee or about committee meeting dates, times, and location, call the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children at 757.263.2400 or Sandra Herman, Chairperson, Special Education Advisory Committee at 757.368.5327.
Special Education Advisory Board Members - 2009-2010 |
|
| Sandra Hermann, Chairperson | Sharon LaVier |
| Kara Russell, Vice Chairperson | Bonita Lyman |
| JoAnna Bryant, Secretary | Kathy Major |
| Norman Brown | Robert Mitchell |
| Beth Callahan | Lisa Parker |
| Ping Camano | Brenda Reid |
| Dr. Judith Green | Jan Solock |
| Doral Jackson | Carolyn Stark |
| Suzanne Kumpf | Marianne Stinson |
| Cheryl Ward | |
Special Education Advisory Committee Meeting Calendar 2009-2010 Unless otherwise noted, all Special Education Advisory Committee meetings are held at the Laskin Road Annex, 1413 Laskin Road in Room 25. Meetings begin at 9:00 a.m. with the exception of two evening meetings. |
|||
| Day | Date | Time | Location/Meeting Minutes |
Monday |
08/10/09 | 9:00 a.m. | minutes |
| Monday | 09/14/09 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 10/05/09 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 11/09/09 | 6:30 p.m. | Landstown High School |
| Monday | 12/14/09 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 01/11/10 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 02/08/10 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 03/08/10 | 6:30 p.m. | Landstown High School |
| Monday | 04/12/10 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 05/10/10 | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Monday | 06/14/10 | 9:00 a.m. | |
The surrogate parent is appointed to serve as the educational representative for the student who is suspected of having, or has been determined to have a disability. This appointment is made under certain conditions with certain qualifications required.
State and federal regulations require the surrogate parent to represent the student in all matters relating to:
- the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student; or
- the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for the student.
When Must A Surrogate Parent Be Appointed For A Student?
A surrogate parent must be appointed for a student, ages 2 through 21, inclusive, who is suspected of being or determined to be disabled when:
- no parent can be identified; or
- after reasonable efforts, the whereabouts of a parent cannot be identified; or
- a student has reached the age of majority and the student is not competent to provide informed consent and no family member is available to serve as the student's educational representative.
How Is A Surrogate Parent Selected For Appointment?
The Local Education Agency (LEA) is required to develop and maintain a list of individuals who have volunteered to serve in this capacity and who are qualified to serve as surrogate parents.
Following state and federal guidelines, the Director of Special Education or his designee appoints surrogate parent(s) as required.
What Are The Qualifications Of A Surrogate Parent?
A person shall be determined as qualified to serve as a surrogate by the Director of Special Education or a designee. Qualification requirements include and adult who has:
- no interest that conflicts with the interest of the student;
- knowledge and skills that ensure adequate representation of the student;
- completed an approved training session prior to representing the student; and
- residence in the same geographic area as the student, whenever possible.
A person who is an employee of the Virginia Department of Education, or any other agency which is involved in the education or care of the student, may not be appointed surrogates. This includes the departments of social services.
How Can You Become A Surrogate Parent?
Persons who are interested in serving the division's students with disabilities should contact the Parent Support and Information Center 757.263.2066 for further information.
Tidewater Center for Technology Access
Tidewater Center for Technology Access (TCTA) is a non-profit organization comprised of professionals who provide individuals with disabilities access, support, and knowledge regarding technology to maximize independence and participation in all environments.
What is Assistive Technology?
It is a piece of equipment which will increase, maintain or improve your ability to function in day-to-day activities regardless of your abilities. Just a few examples are: devices for communication, voice activated phones, and alternative keyboards.
What is the Criteria for Services?
Students must be eligible for special education services under an IEP or 504 plan. When developing the IEP, the IEP committee should consider the student's needs for assistive technology services. A referral is received from the requesting school and is assigned to an assistive technology specialist. The assistive technology specialist reviews the records and develops a team of professionals currently working with the student to take part in the assessment. The recommendations are forwarded to the IEP team at the requesting school for final determination of assistive technology devices and services.
What are the Program Responsibilities?
The program provides services for assessment, training, technical assistance, and on-site consultation to students, teachers, parents, and staff in the use of assistive technology for instruction.
It also maintains and repairs assistive technology equipment as necessary.
The program maintains and updates information resources in the assistive technology center, develops, updates and maintains an inventory of hardware, software and educational materials.
TCTA provides parents, students, administrators, and educators with information about new assistive technology developments. There is ongoing monitoring of students throughout their school career to ensure that the student has access to appropriate assistive technology.
Personnel from TCTA attend IEP meetings as needed for students referred for or currently using assistive technology.
Location
TCTA is located at the Laskin Road Annex, 1413 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451-6007.
Support
TCTA is a non-profit organization. It relies on contributions, gifts, bequests, and civic, corporate, and foundation grants for continuing and expanding services and programs.
Affiliations
TCTA has developed a unique partnership with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools. TCTA is a member of the Alliance for Technology Access, a network of community based technology resource centers that provide access to technology for people of all ages with disabilities.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools provides transition planning to students with disabilities. There are three components to consider in the planning process - education, employment, and adult living. This student-centered planning involves family members, teachers, support staff, and community and adult agencies. The goal of transition planning is to assist students in making a successful move from school to a meaningful and productive adult life.
In 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was re-authorized. This revised act requires transition planning and services to be included in a student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) beginning no later than age 14 with an annual review of this plan. Transition services are defined in IDEA as "a coordinated set of activities including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment, supported employment, continuing adult education, adult services, independent living or community participation." Since a student's needs change, transition services must be constantly evaluated and adjusted to meet the student's post school outcome.