Flashcards — All Books

Norm-referenced tests compare a student's performance to a national/local sample of same-age peers. Criterion-referenced tests measure whether a student has mastered specific curriculum content or instructional objectives.

PARC (Pennsylvania Assn. for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of PA) and Mills v. Board of Education (D.C.) were early 1970s cases that challenged exclusion of children with disabilities from public schools, catalyzing passage of Public Law 94-142.

An Individualized Education Program is a written, detailed plan developed by a team for each student aged 3–21 who receives special education services, outlining their unique educational needs and services.

The core entitlement under IDEA — special education and related services designed to meet a child's unique needs, provided at no cost to parents, as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1400(d).

Mainstreaming places special-needs students in regular classrooms for part of the day, often on a voluntary basis. Inclusion means special education students attend their home school with age/grade peers all day in the regular classroom, with support services brought to the child.

Of 8+ million children needing special education, only 1.9 million received appropriate education; 1.75 million received NO services; 2.5 million received inappropriate education.

1. Working memory – holding pieces of information until they form a full thought. 2. Short-term memory – storing information temporarily for limited time. 3. Long-term memory – information stored and available over a long period of time.

Goals must be measurable, based on PLPs, address each area of need, enable progress in general education curriculum, be achievable within one academic year, and include well-defined terms, measuring periods, and types/numbers of prompts.

Clean Intermittent Catheterization (CIC) qualifies as a related service under IDEA, meaning schools must provide it so students can benefit from special education.

Schools must evaluate students in a reasonable amount of time after being notified of a suspected disability. Monetary damages are available under Section 504 when Child Find obligations are violated.

1. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type. 2. Predominantly inattentive type (also called ADD). 3. Combined type (both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms).

Factors include: (1) benefits to the student of placement in the least restrictive setting, (2) the student's ability to function in the setting, and (3) the intensity of services needed by the student.

The educational setting where students with disabilities are fully participating members of the general education classroom, to the greatest extent appropriate, in their home school, with supplementary aids and services provided as needed.

Latin for 'and the following ones.' It indicates the law begins at the cited section and continues in subsequent sections (e.g., 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.).

The guide references the CAST/UDL principles. UDL provides multiple means of: 1. Representation (the 'what' of learning). 2. Action and Expression (the 'how' of learning). 3. Engagement (the 'why' of learning).

Present level of performance, measurable annual goals, special education and related services, participation with typical students, state/district assessment accommodations, dates and locations of services, transition services, progress measurement, and age of majority.

Other Health Impairment (OHI). ADHD is NOT classified under Specific Learning Disabilities, though approximately 20-30% of children with ADHD also have a specific learning disability.

Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by entities receiving federal funds and requires accommodations. IDEA specifically governs special education services and requires individualized plans (IEPs), while 504 provides broader protections and accommodations without requiring an IEP.

Provide visual cues and schedules; establish consistent routines and structure; familiarize students with new materials beforehand; reduce transitions; give step-by-step directions verbally, visually, and with physical supports; be concrete and explicit; prepare student for changes.

A combination of standardized testing, documented observation, parent and teacher questionnaires, and past reports. Findings must be presented in a formal report available to the IEP team.

An Individualized Education Program — a written education plan developed for a child found eligible for special education, documenting placement, services, goals, and present levels of performance.

1. Can the student make satisfactory progress in general education with modifications and supplementary aids? 2. Has the student been integrated to the maximum extent appropriate? Both must be evaluated to determine LRE compliance.

A required IEP statement describing the student's current functioning and how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. PLPs form the baseline from which annual goals are measured.

Autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment (including blindness).

Notify the special education director in writing (child's name, school, description of issues, proposed resolution). The school notifies OSAH. Within 15 days, an Informal Resolution Session occurs. If unresolved, a formal hearing is scheduled with an Administrative Law Judge.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, signed into law December 3, 2004, effective July 1, 2005.

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), which established that all children have the right to equal educational opportunities.

Attitude, availability of planning time, voluntary participation, mutual respect, administrative support, and a shared philosophy of instruction and behavior management.

Part A: General Provisions (§§1400–1409); Part B: Assistance for All Children with Disabilities (§§1411–1419); Part C: Infants and Toddlers (§§1431–1444); Part D: National Activities (§§1450–1482); Part E: National Center for Special Education Research (§9567).

States must guarantee FAPE to all children with intellectual disabilities ages 6–21, place students in the most integrated environment, and engage in Child Find. Parents have the right to participate in educational decisions.

Children with disabilities must be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate. Removal from regular classes occurs only when education there cannot be achieved satisfactorily even with supplementary aids and services.

Learning Potential Assessment examines the process of learning using a test-teach-test format. It assesses a student's response to intervention and focuses on how to meet a student's needs rather than just identifying eligibility for special education.

The ability to speak up for one's own wants, needs, rights, and preferences — ranging from basic communication of preferences to requesting workplace accommodations — to whatever extent the individual is able.

A parent-secured evaluation that serves as a second opinion. Parents have the right to obtain an IEE at any time. If parents disagree with the district's evaluation, they may request an IEE at public expense.

Free Appropriate Public Education — all children with disabilities must receive an education appropriate to their unique needs at no cost to parents, regardless of disability severity.

The Fourteenth Amendment requires states to provide education on an equal basis and requires due process before denying equal educational programming. It laid the groundwork for special education laws by securing rights for all persons regardless of creed, color, or condition.

FAPE stands for Free Appropriate Public Education. BCPS ensures FAPE by offering a continuum of supports within each school and a continuum of service delivery models, from general education with supports to more specialized settings, based on individual student need.

Generally 60 days from the date the parent approves the plan (certain vacation periods exempted).

Advocating to someone without authority to grant your request won't achieve your goal and may create an adversary. Identify the decision-maker (e.g., district superintendent) and consider making lower-level staff your allies to bring your request forward.

Parents who unilaterally place a child in a private school may be reimbursed for tuition if the IEP was inadequate and the private placement was appropriate.

1. Input (getting information into the brain). 2. Organization/Integration (making sense of information). 3. Memory (storing and retrieving information). 4. Output (getting information back out).

Parents can receive tuition reimbursement for a private placement even if the private school does not meet all IDEA requirements, as long as the IEP was inappropriate and the private placement provided a FAPE.

Plans collaboratively with special educators; shares responsibility for teaching and assessing all students; seeks support for struggling students; monitors class performance; supervises paraeducators and support staff; directs support staff on how to assist instruction; encourages peer tutoring.

29 U.S.C. § 794 et seq.

Recognizing when communication is needed, having an effective means of communicating, understanding their rights, assessing problems, negotiating, making decisions, and knowing if/when to disclose their diagnosis.

A model introduced under IDEA 2004 where students receive increasing levels of intervention based on their needs. It reduces inappropriate referrals for special education by providing early support before formal evaluation.

Allow frequent work site changes; assign tasks involving movement; stage/chunk assignments with breaks; teach students to verbalize a plan before tasks; permit use of hands-on tools during listening (stress ball, clay); use multi-sensory strategies; vary tone of voice; use inconspicuous cues for inattention.

Formal assessment includes standardized tests of intellectual ability, achievement, motor and language skills, and social adjustment. Informal assessment includes systematic observation, work sample analysis, task and error analysis, interviews, and questionnaires.

Administrators actively support inclusive philosophy; all students receive age-appropriate general education curriculum; teachers differentiate instruction; teachers plan IEP accommodations into daily instruction; general and special educators have collaborative planning time; all staff view instruction of students with disabilities as shared responsibility.

IDEA stands for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It requires that each special education student receive a full Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) documenting which parts of the general curriculum are relevant to that student.

Prepare family in advance, request a quiet retreat space, bring comfort items, create visual schedules, arrive early, bring preferred foods, alert hosts to seizure triggers, give advance warnings before transitions, and consider two cars if early departure may be needed.

Non-English proficient children cannot be placed in special education based on culturally biased tests or tests given in any language other than their native language.

A thorough evaluation (also called an assessment) in all areas of known or suspected need, conducted before an IEP can be developed.

Volume 34, Part 300 of the Code of Federal Regulations (cited as 34 CFR § 300).

The Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that parents have the right to represent their children in IDEA-related court cases. IDEA grants enforceable rights to both children AND their parents.

A letter from the district documenting its rationale for the proposed program, typically issued in response to a parent's disagreement with the IEP. If disagreement continues, parents may request another IEP meeting.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, enacted November 19, 1975. It established the right to education for all children with disabilities and created procedural safeguards to protect their rights.

Title 20 of the United States Code, beginning at Section 1400 (cited as 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.).

20 U.S.C. § 1232 et seq.

A full-service school is a model that coordinates diverse agencies to provide integrated education, health, and social services to eligible families, creating a 'one-stop shop' that eliminates barriers to student achievement through community partnerships.

A principle that schools cannot exclude students with disabilities due to the nature or severity of their disability. All students with disabilities must be provided a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

A mandate requiring all students with disabilities or suspected of having disabilities, ages birth to 21, to be located, identified, and evaluated. Schools must have an active system in place to find these children.

IDEA does not authorize courts to award expert witness fees to prevailing parents; only attorneys' fees are recoverable under IDEA's fee-shifting provision.

1. Having a shared philosophy. 2. Establishing effective communication. 3. Maintaining positive attitudes. 4. Clarifying roles and responsibilities. 5. Maximizing effectiveness through collaborative problem-solving.

FBA is the process of determining the cause of a behavior before developing an intervention. It involves observing a person in their natural environment and analyzing what preceded and followed the behavior to create appropriate interventions.

From birth (early intervention under Part C of IDEA), preschool at age 3, and through age 22 — as long as the student has not graduated with a regular high school diploma.

Immediate school enrollment for homeless children, decisions made in the 'best interest of the child,' and that homeless children with disabilities retain their rights under IDEA.

1. Monitoring (indirect support). 2. In-Class Support (service provider visits as needed). 3. Co-Teaching (both teachers in same class). 4. Special Education Pull-Out. 5. Special Education Self-Contained (least inclusive, but can use reverse mainstreaming).

Community-Based Instruction is a curriculum approach that takes learning outside the classroom into real-world community settings, allowing students—especially those with significant disabilities—to practice skills in the actual environments where they will use them.

Autism, deaf-blindness, developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech/language impairments, traumatic brain injury, visual impairments.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that IDEA requires schools to provide an educational program reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit, not to maximize a student's potential. Schools are not required to provide the best possible education.

Be calm, clear, and concise. Focus on strengths alongside challenges. Provide objective information, articles, books, and videos. Project unconditional love. Get the child's permission first if he/she is older and understands the diagnosis.

Schools violate FERPA when they disclose private student information to outside agencies without written parental consent. FERPA strictly protects student privacy, and parental consent is required before releasing student information.

The CFR contains detailed federal regulations that interpret and guide the implementation of laws passed by Congress. States and agencies must comply with CFR requirements, and states must meet these federal minimum standards to receive federal special education funding.

Scaffold lessons with supports removed as students progress; tier lessons for various readiness levels; vary instructional methods and materials; use cooperative learning and graphic organizers; build rapport; reinforce effort; set high expectations; monitor progress consistently; provide frequent quality feedback.

The IEP team is a multidisciplinary group responsible for developing, reviewing, and revising a student's IEP. It documents which parts of the general curriculum are relevant to the student and determines appropriate goals, services, and placements.

A condition showing one or more characteristics over a long period of time that adversely affects educational performance: inability to learn, inability to maintain relationships, inappropriate behavior/feelings, pervasive unhappiness/depression, or physical symptoms/fears related to school.

Significantly below-average score on intelligence test AND limitations in daily functioning (communication, self-care, social situations). Can begin before age 18 due to injury, disease, or brain abnormality. Children learn but more slowly; may not learn some things.

The privacy and confidentiality of student educational records. It governs parental access, amendment, disclosure, and destruction of records.

1. Communication (verbal and non-verbal). 2. Social interactions (sharing emotions, empathy, holding conversation). 3. Routines or repetitive/stereotyped behaviors.

Parents must be notified when a referral is made and must give consent before any individual assessment is administered. If parents disagree with an evaluation, they can bring the case to a mediator. Parents also have the right to participate as partners in their child's educational team.

School administrator, general education teacher, special education teacher, parents, relevant therapists (speech, OT, PT, behaviorist, etc.), school psychologist, school nurse, and when appropriate, the student. Others with knowledge of the child may attend at parent or district discretion.

Congress found ongoing overrepresentation: African-American children were identified with mental retardation and emotional disturbance at disproportionately high rates. Advocates must watch for inappropriate placements driven by race rather than disability.

A class action case where the court found Milwaukee Public Schools failed to implement Child Find requirements for at least five years, violating IDEA obligations.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (1974) protects the privacy of student education records. Parents have the right to inspect records, request amendments, and must provide written consent before records are disclosed. Rights transfer to students at age 18.

Confirm goals address all areas of need, goals are measurable, services specify individual vs. group instruction, frequency per week/month, mainstreaming time, and appropriate accommodations/modifications are included.

The 'Analysis of Comments and Changes' published with the IDEA 2004 regulations in the Federal Register (pp. 46547–46743). It clarifies definitions, disputed issues, and plain meaning of regulations — invaluable for legal research.

Schools cannot hold an IEP meeting without a parent present unless the parent affirmatively refuses to attend. Scheduling a meeting without a parent who is actively trying to reschedule and participate violates IDEA and denies FAPE.

1. To gain access to social interaction. 2. To gain access to activities or objects. 3. To terminate/avoid unwanted situations. 4. To gain access to stimulating events.

The U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause requires that when a state law conflicts with federal law, federal law controls. States may provide MORE rights than IDEA but never fewer.

Advocacy focuses on convincing the other party of the merits of your position. Negotiation involves both parties with a stake working toward a mutually acceptable agreement through discussion and bargaining.

Section 504 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires accommodations, modifications, and improved access. Unlike IDEA, it does not provide special education services but ensures access to general education programs.

Full inclusion means full-day placement in the regular education classroom for all students, regardless of their handicapping condition, with support services brought to the child rather than pulling the child out.

Continuous one-on-one nursing services required during school hours are 'related services' under IDEA that schools must fund, if necessary for the child to access education.

1) Provide education that meets a child's unique needs and prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living. 2) Protect the rights of children with disabilities and their parents.

A legal right allowing parents/guardians who disagree with a school's educational decisions for their child to request a formal hearing. Rights are protected under IDEA. Parents may challenge IEPs, placements, evaluations, or services.

Teachers differentiate by: 1. Content (what students learn). 2. Process (how students learn/make sense of content). 3. Product (how students demonstrate learning).

No. Services must be based on individual need. A district may not limit or restrict services simply because of the child's eligibility category.

A statute is a law passed by a legislature (e.g., IDEA). A regulation clarifies and explains the statute, is developed by an agency (e.g., Dept. of Education), and has the same force of law.

Schools cannot unilaterally exclude students with disabilities through long-term suspensions or expulsions for disability-related behavior; the 'stay-put' provision must be followed.

Keep dated copies of all written communications, use fax for proof of receipt, track all timelines, request draft assessments before IEP meetings, document disagreements in writing, and stay organized with evaluation reports and IEP documents.

Tier 1 (Universal/Primary): supports for ALL students. Tier 2 (Selected/Secondary): group contingency for students not responsive to Tier 1. Tier 3 (Intensive/Tertiary): highly individualized plan for the most intensive needs.

1. Team Teaching. 2. Parallel Teaching. 3. Alternative Teaching. 4. Station Teaching. 5. One Teach – One Assist.

UDL is a curriculum framework that proactively designs instruction to be accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities, by providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975). Four purposes: (1) Ensure FAPE for all children with disabilities, (2) Protect rights of children and parents, (3) Assist states in educating children with disabilities, (4) Assess effectiveness of efforts to educate children with disabilities.

Use concrete language; use manipulatives and concrete models; plan tiered instruction; structure and scaffold tasks; ensure clear time expectations; demonstrate rather than giving verbal directions only; break tasks into small steps; provide extended time.

Alternate assessments are modified evaluations designed to reflect the individual circumstances of students with disabilities. They are used when a student's curriculum goals are unique and not covered by general assessments, and are intended to provide access to testing without altering essential elements.

Free Appropriate Public Education — the legal right of students with disabilities to receive special education and related services at no cost that are designed to meet their individual needs.

The REI is a position held by some special educators that students with disabilities should be served exclusively in regular education classrooms and should not be 'pulled out' to attend special classes.

In writing, dated and faxed with confirmation to the district. Keep a copy of the signed assessment plan with proof of the return date. Add language requesting draft assessments at least 5 business days before the IEP meeting.

PL 94-142 is the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The '94' refers to the 94th session of Congress when it was passed, and '142' means it was the 142nd law enacted during that session.

Each Local Education Agency (LEA) must conduct a full individual evaluation before providing special education services, completed within 60 days of receiving parental consent.

1. Explain exactly which behavior is inappropriate. 2. Explain why it is inappropriate. 3. Present reasonable choices or consequences. 4. Allow time for the student to process. 5. Enforce the consequences while avoiding power struggles.

1) Identify your goal, 2) Develop a plan/strategy, 3) Consider the other party's perspective, 4) Be aware of emotions on all sides, 5) Understand who has authority, 6) Present your case, 7) Consider possible resolutions acceptable to all parties.

A document a parent files when they agree with some parts of the IEP but disagree with others. It outlines concerns about intensity, duration, or type of services and can become the basis for a due process hearing.

Established the standard for FAPE: schools must provide personalized instruction with sufficient support services to permit the child to benefit educationally, but are not required to maximize potential.

Child Find is a program that disseminates information through pamphlets, newspaper articles, and local presentations to promote screening procedures for all incoming students, aiming to identify children with potential learning problems before they manifest in academic settings.

Technology, including adaptive input and output devices, can be integrated into curriculum to facilitate learning objectives and keep students with disabilities involved in the regular classroom, supporting their participation without requiring removal from the general education setting.

1. Philosophy that placement begins in general education with age-appropriate peers. 2. Interdisciplinary team planning. 3. Instructional methods that engage all learners. 4. Administration and faculty accept ownership for all students' success.

At minimum every three years (triannual review). With IDEA reauthorization, districts may be asked to conduct a new evaluation once per year. More frequent assessments may be necessary given child development complexities.

Parents may be reimbursed for private school tuition if the public school fails to provide an appropriate IEP and does not comply with IDEA, even if the private school does not meet IDEA standards.

Least Restrictive Environment — the legal requirement that students with disabilities be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.

Parity means both educators are equal partners. It is demonstrated by having appropriate desks and storage space for both teachers, and using both teachers' names on classroom entrances, schedules, and correspondence.

An IEP must include: present levels of educational performance (test scores), measurable annual goals with benchmarks and short-term objectives, ways to measure progress, and a clear link between what the student was taught and what assessments measured.

Generally within 30 days of the written request.

Assessment and evaluation focus on: (1) ability to learn, (2) achievement, (3) specific learning problems, (4) giftedness, (5) creativity, and (6) socioemotional adjustment.

A written request to evaluate a student to determine whether they have a disability. It must contain detailed reasons and documentation supporting the request.

The first major case questioning special education placement. Ruled against a tracking system placing students in regular or special education based solely on intelligence test scores, since tests were normed on white middle-class children.

Students who are gifted but also have a disability. They often display a discrepancy between measured academic potential and actual classroom performance. Their intelligence may mask the disability while the effort to cope may hinder expressions of giftedness.

LRE means students with disabilities must be educated, to the maximum extent appropriate, with students without disabilities. Placement must be individually determined based on each student's educational needs.

§1400 (Findings & Purposes), §1401 (Definitions), §1412 (State Eligibility), §1413 (LEA Eligibility), §1414 (Evaluations, IEPs, Placements), §1415 (Procedural Safeguards).

Advocacy should be rational, not personal. Emotional arguments are less persuasive. Being aware of your own emotions and those of school staff helps maintain a collaborative relationship and leads to better outcomes.

Dual exceptionalities refer to students who are both gifted and have a disability (e.g., a hearing-impaired gifted child or a learning-disabled gifted child). These students are often underserved because the disability may overshadow recognition of their superior intellectual ability.

An intervention process that occurs before a formal referral for special education. School-based teams provide assistance to determine if further evaluation is needed, reducing unwarranted referrals.

The process of trying to persuade others to support your position or point of view; it can occur in formal settings (IEP meetings, courtrooms) or informal settings (family conversations).

Evaluations must be comprehensive, cover all areas of suspected disability, use multiple tests, be administered in the student's native language, and be conducted by a multidisciplinary team without racial or cultural bias.

The WISC-III is an individual test of intellectual functioning used to assess cognitive abilities in children. It is one of the primary tools used in special education evaluations to determine intellectual ability and eligibility for services.

Determined that certain health services (clean intermittent catheterization) are 'related services' required under IDEA when necessary for a child to attend school and benefit from special education.

LRE stands for Least Restrictive Environment. It means students with disabilities should be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate, with removal to more restrictive settings only when necessary.

Addressed whether peer grading violated FERPA. The Tenth Circuit found graded papers maintained by teachers are educational records, making peer grading a potential FERPA violation regarding student confidentiality.

42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.

Both observe/record progress, provide reinforcement, and maintain confidentiality. IAs have additional responsibilities such as modifying materials, reteaching concepts, setting up learning centers, and monitoring assessments. AA responsibilities are marked with an asterisk in the guide.

1. The student must have a disability covered by IDEA. 2. Because of that disability, the student needs special education and related services.

The National Association of State Boards of Education found poor outcomes with mainstreaming, including unnecessary segregation and labeling of children, and described mainstreaming as an 'ineffective practice' that splintered the school life of many students both academically and socially.

The burden of proof in IDEA due process hearings rests on the party seeking relief, which is typically the parents challenging the IEP.

RTI is a multi-tiered instructional approach that uses a test-teach-test format to identify students who need support and measures their response to specific interventions, helping distinguish between students who need special education and those who need instructional adjustments.

Head Start is a federal early childhood program developed in the 1960s under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It was created based on the belief that early educational intervention increases the likelihood of later school success, and it included provisions for young children with disabilities.

The district must initiate a due process hearing to defend its findings without unreasonable delay. Most districts are reluctant to file due process, especially if their evaluation may be flawed.

1. Pre-Assessment/Diagnostic Assessment. 2. Formative Assessment. 3. Summative Assessment. 4. Testing (including statewide assessments with permitted accommodations).