special education presentation for parents

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Module 1: Top 10 Basics of Special Education

** Este módulo está disponible en español: Los 10 Datos Principales Acerca de la Educación Especial

Editor’s note | January 2018 | This module was first produced by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) in 2007. NICHCY no longer exists, and most of its materials have moved here, to the Center for Parent Information and Resources. While the date of publication for this training module was July 2007, the information provided about the 10 basics of the special education process is still accurate. The requirements of the law ( IDEA ) have not changed since this module was written. What’s most likely out of date as of January 2018 will be the many references to resources of further information or assistance on the steps involved in special education.

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Module 1 welcomes everyone to IDEA. With these training materials, you can learn about and give trainings that include:

• a quick overview to the 10 major steps in special education (three of which are evaluation, eligibility, and writing the IEP); and
• the top 5 acronyms used in special education (IDEA, FAPE, LRE, IEP, and TA&D) and what they mean; and
• 5 key terms in IDEA and their definitions (child with a disability, special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, and transition services).

Module 1 is available in English and Spanish, as you’ll see below. It includes:

• 2 slideshow presentations;
• a Trainer’s Guide to the content of each slideshow; and
• handouts for participants.

Please help yourself ! Download the components you need to learn on your own and/or to train others in the top 10 basics of special education.

Just looking for a quick summary, not all this detail? You’re in luck. Visit these resources on our site:

• 10 Basics Steps of Special Education
• Key Terms to Know in Special Education

Back to top

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Due to its size and complexity, Module 1 is the only module in Building the Legacy that’s divided into 2 slideshows. If you want to give an overview of the special education process and acquaint audiences with its 5 top acronyms, download Slideshow 1-1. If you want to go into a lot of detail, including the 5 key terms in IDEA, then also download Slideshow 1-2.

Slideshow Presentation in English Saved as a Powerpoint presentation. Extract the ZIP file you want, then double-click on the PLAY.bat file to launch the slideshow.

Slideshow 1-1 (Zip folder)

Slideshow 1-2 (Zip folder)

Diapositivas en Español ** Saved as a Powerpoint Show. If you don’t have the Powerpoint software, download the free Viewer .

Spanish Slideshow 1-1

Spanish Slideshow 1-2

PDF for Trainers | This file shows trainers how the slideshows in Spanish work. (Be sure to download the trainer’s guide in English—immediately below—which explains the content of each slide.)

Component #2: Trainer’s Guide to the Content

This guide is in English but should also be downloaded if you’re training in Spanish. That’s because here is where you’ll find the full explanation of each slide’s content. It also offers much additional info so that trainers can adapt training sessions to a length or detail suitable to the given audience.

PDF | Complete guide to both slideshows (128 pages, 3.8 MB)

Word | Complete Trainer’s Guide discussion for both slideshows (Accessible Word file)

Component #3: Participant Handouts | Folletos para Participants

Theme A handouts for participants are available in English and Spanish and are designed to accompany Modules 1 and 2. For your convenience, the handouts are available in PDF and accessible Word formats.

Handouts in English

PDF | English Handouts for Theme A

Word | English Handouts for Theme A (Accessible Word file)

Folletos en Español **

PDF | Folletos para la Tema A

Word | Los Folletos para la Tema A (en archivo accesible)

Note about the Spanish Translations:

In preparing the handouts in Spanish, we’ve chosen to use a certain vocabulary set for the terminology most frequently used in IDEA. IDEA itself is extremely and purposefully consistent about its terminology, and we felt it critical to do the same in Spanish. However, we fully recognize that there are many ways to say the same thing, and Spanish is rich with alternatives from country to country, region to region. So we’ve also prepared a glossary of the terminology used in IDEA, how we’ve rendered that terminology in Spanish, and other ways of rendering it that families may also hear. Share this with participants as you see fit or use it to guide your own translations. The glossary of terminology is available in two formats, PDF and Word:

• PDF | Glossary of English-Spanish Terminology
• Word | Glossary of English-Spanish Terminology

There! You have all you need for Module 1. Please remember that these materials are designed to be thorough and authoritative sources of info on IDEA 2004. That’s why they are so detailed. As a trainer, you are free to adapt the info we’ve offered to serve the purposes and needs of your audiences and the amount of time you have to spend with them.

**Highly Rated Resource! This resource was reviewed by 3-member panels of Parent Center staff working independently from one another to rate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of CPIR resources. This resource was found to be of “High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness” to Parent Centers. ________________________________________

Quick-Jump Menu to Other Modules 1: Top 10 Basics of Special Education (you’re already here) 2: Key Changes in IDEA 5: Disproportionality in Special Education 6: Early Intervening Services and Response to Intervention 7: Highly Qualified Teachers ( withdrawn with the reauthorization of NCLB as the ESSA in 2015) 8: NIMAS 9: Introduction to Evaluation under IDEA 10: Initial Evaluation and Reevaluation 11: Identification of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities 12: The IEP Team 13: Content of the IEP 14: Meetings of the IEP Team 15: LRE Decision Making 16: Children Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools 17: Introduction to Procedural Safeguards 18: Options for Dispute Resolution 19: Key Issues in Discipline

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ECAC offers training for both families and professionals both in-person or via webinar. All of our training and activities are available free of charge to families. We offer trainings on a variety of topics and can customize our workshops to match the needs of the audience.

Workshops (“in-person” learning opportunities) and online webinars are excellent ways to learn new information and tune up your skills. If you are interested in scheduling a workshop in your area, please contact Toni Stephens at 1-800-962-6817, ext. 320 or use our online form .

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Assistive technology: it’s not rocket science, becoming your child’s best and most effective advocate, effective communication skills – keep communication between home and school on the right track.

As an equal partner in your child’s education, you must be able to effectively communicate your views and feelings to the School Team and other school personnel. This workshop explores styles of communication, listening skills, organization skills, tools, resources and more to help you keep communication between home and school on the right track!

EVERYONE Belongs: Inclusion

Iep road trip, i’m growing up – transition from early intervention to preschool and/or kindergarten services.

This workshop includes important information for parents/caregivers of children 2.5 through 5 years of age. Prepare for the big move from Early Intervention services into school-age rights and services (beginning at age 3) and continue building a strong educational foundation for your child. Learn about the school-age special education process and your role and responsibilities in that process. Become better prepared to participate on the IEP Team and develop an appropriate program for your child.

Informed Effective Parents

Life is a journey… prepare for the trip (transition to adulthood), parents role in special education, special education basics, telling your story, what is ecac, writing effective ieps, when behavior gets in the way: positive behavior intervention and supports.

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Reaching out to a larger audience :  Presentations

How often do we meet people who are doing what they meant to do and love doing so?  Fortunately, I am one of those people for the special needs path is a calling, guided by years of experience working closely with parents, teachers, and administrators on this path.  

Through  presentations and workshops at the national and local level, i am able to share empowering messages  such as “love, understanding, and other best practices” and “embracing the gift within” to parents and educators; highlighting the work we do together., this is critical for i know there are many parents and educators who struggle with the traditional system and are searching for hope and a new paradigm to work from; i meet you every day   so i am here to help you, your school district, and your  organization through humor, inspirational stories, and most notably, strategies and skill-building which create a positive approach to intervention.  recent presentations include:.

• Presenter, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Conference
• Presenter, Northwest PBIS Annual Conference
• Presenter, Edmonds School District
• Presenter, SENG National Conference for Gifted Education
• Presenter, Washington Association of School Administrators
• Presenter, Seattle Childrens Hospital Autism Center
• Presenter, University of Washington Autism Center
• Trainer, University of WA, DSHS / Alliance for Child Welfare, WA State
• Keynote; Fathers Support Network, WA State

Recent presentations:   

“Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Special Education But Didn’t Know Who or What to Ask”

Simply; the special education arena is chockful of mazes, twists, turns, and a language unique to its own world.  a often frustrating and confusing for many parents.  the primary purpose of this session is to give direct answers to your questions, translate as needed, and offer tried and true strategies in support of learning through advocacy and instructional planning.  an open forum with inspiration, laughter, and straight talk about the special needs path; no holds barred, “ the insiders guide to special education”  101 primer for parents :, the “insiders guide” provides a step by step process as you represent yourself as your child’s advocate within iep or 504 meetings. when your child’s learning is at stake, you need to be prepared this workshop is based upon the complimentary handbook designed specifically for parents. simply, the complexities of add/adhd, anxiety, autism, depression, and other learning disabilities significantly impact your child’s success at school and requires parent advocacy beyond what you are ready for or prepared for. the  “insiders guide” provides you the fundamentals in a step by step process so you can take lead as your child’s advocate. go to your next meeting knowing what to say, what to ask, and how to take charge, “ love, understanding, and other best practices “, someone much wiser than me shared the following statement:  “peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone.  but it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best they have and all that they are [abiola]”.  as such, we are all part of a greater mosiac called life where we are all contribute in extraordinary ways.   , based upon years of research, study after study has determined that the best conditions for learning build upon previous success and our children deserve an educational platform which supports their development toward their promise, potential, and purpose.   and within the iep / 504 process, our greatest strides will always develop from each child’s gifts, interests, and learning assets.  this workshop offers a fresh perspective on meeting the instructional needs of our children through a strength-based frame of reference.  as the old paradigm supports iep / 504 intervention through the lens of the broken child needing to be fixed,  love, understanding, and other best practices , offers a refreshing, uplifting perspective and guides the process to enlightened levels of mutual understanding through strength-based intervention and the belief that “every child is a gift”.  i would love to share this message with you and your organization.  based upon the book now available on amazon.com., “canary in the coal mine kids”: the new “a” students: autism, anxiety, add, aces …,   after years of doing this work, a pattern clearly presents itself; our children are teaching us something in the way they are navigating their lives.  this message comes at us loud and clear: “we need to take a serious look at lifestyle choices and decisions we make” for so many of our children are experiencing epidemic-like behavioral tendencies.  anxiety, stress, and “fight or flight” related responses across all social-demographic levels.  at the same time, we are seeing an amazing development of talent, abilities, interests, and intuitive capabilities like never before.  this presentation, “ canary in the coal mine kids” , is a celebration of today’s youth and the emergence of their extraordinary nature unfolding before our eyes.  our children, more sensitive and intuitive than any other generation, requires a new platform for parenting, teaching, and most notably, understanding.  in addition, this inspirational talk highlights a variety of lifestyle choices which enhance and support our children toward the promise, potential, and purpose within.  i look forward to sharing this upbeat presentation with you and your community  , “selfirst”, as a behavior specialist, working within classrooms throughout k-12, there is one thing that stands out as the number one guiding principle supporting student learning and that is “relationship building”.  however, it’s not so simple as learning a few sel (social emotional learning) tips and tricks.   for our ability to truly love another, show compassion toward another, and express empathy toward another, is solely based upon our ability to do the same toward ourselves first .  as such, the selfirst project is developed for teachers and educators (including parents for you are your child’s first and foremost teacher) in the development of a new set of practices.  simply, we are striving to shift from the “reactive self” (working from our default mode) to a “responsive self” (through conscious thinking) via what we often refer as the “resilient self”.   these presentations have been well received across school districts, communities, and across the larger landscape of education for selfirst gets to the core of true educational reform: “it’s an inside job”.  i look forward to sharing this with you and your organization, recent webinar with dr dan peters:   parent footprints.

How Parents and Educators Can Team Up on Special Education

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As its name suggests, the Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion School in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood was founded with the goal of fully embracing students with disabilities and their families.

You can see that philosophy at work when you walk through the door—literally.

Unlike many schools, “the Henderson” doesn’t require parents to drop off their children at the school entrance. Usually schools make that request so they can efficiently get the kids to their classrooms.

But Henderson parents are welcome to take their children right in to the building each day—not just on opening day—and to chat with staff along the way.

“If they want to walk their student to class, they can come in and feel better and trust that their student is going to be well taken care of,” said Patricia Lampron, the principal of the 900-student school, which serves students in pre-K through 12th grade. “That’s the beginning of building relationships. You get to know people, and we begin to build partnerships that way.”

Strong partnerships between schools and parents of students with disabilities go beyond creating a pleasant atmosphere. A strong parent-school bond contributes to student success, research has shown. And in the case of students with disabilities, schools and parents are mandated to work together to draft a student’s individualized education program.

But all too often, that relationship is easily strained. Parents worry that their needs or requests are ignored, and school staff members feel that parent demands are unreasonable. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, parents have the right to legal remedies if they disagree with a school decision. And, though schools win the vast majority of such disputes, even the threat of such an action can leave both parties on edge.

Establishing Trust

Leslie S. Margolis, a managing attorney for Disability Rights Maryland, said that most parents she’s worked with have appropriate expectations.

“The vast majority of parents that I’ve come across know their children very well,” Margolis said. “They want the services that the law requires. They want staff that cares about their kids. They’re not expecting their kids to be rocket scientists, unless their kids have potential and want to be rocket scientists.”

Academic standards have gotten more rigorous over the decades, and with that has come a higher set of goals for students with disabilities, Margolis said.

But when parents are told that their children don’t need certain accommodations or when they’ve had the same IEP for years on end, that’s when they end up thinking “there’s something wrong here. You have to do better for my kid.”

There are some steps school leaders can take that create the foundation for a future success, however. Amy Gailunas, the director of the lower campus at the Henderson School, said parents often arrive at the school having gone through a bruising mediation process with the district just to get their students enrolled in the school, which has a lengthy waiting list.

The first step is to establish trust and collaboration, she said.

“One of our tenets is, we don’t want experts, we want problem-solvers,” Gailunas said. “A parent has equal voice to a teacher, to a paraprofessional, to a speech and language therapist. Everyone has an important perspective.”

Source: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

At Henderson, every classroom includes both a general educator and a special educator. Each has 24 students—19 students are in general education or have mild to moderate disabilities, such as dyslexia or speech and language impairments. Five students are classified as having significant disabilities that manifest in many different ways.

Because there are so many different needs in each class, “we kind of respond to the need of the population,” Gailunas said. “We don’t have a ‘wait to fail’ model. If you need rules-based phonics, like Wilson Reading System or Orton-Gillingham"—two educational methods commonly used to for children with dyslexia—"we’ll give it to you because you need it.”

Another facet of the Henderson school’s inclusion philosophy is that all needed therapies are given in the regular classroom. That means therapists travel to the classrooms, rather than pulling the students out to a separate location. The school nurse even visits classrooms to feed students who require feeding tubes.

“The class has to adjust to meet the needs of the child,” Gailunas said. Sometimes the parents worry that classroom-based therapy won’t be as intensive as their child needs. In such cases, “we say, ‘Why don’t you come in and lay eyes on it, and see what it looks like?’ That takes care of a lot of arguments before it gets to the IEP table.”

And sometimes, a change meant to accommodate a specific child can spread throughout the building. Gailunas told a story about one high-performing classroom where the teachers had abandoned whole-class instruction because two young children with Down syndrome were easily distracted during large-group lessons.

The outcomes for all the children in that classroom were so positive that Henderson’s lower grades have all set aside whole-class instruction in favor of smaller group and individual work.

Eliminate ‘Unequal Dynamics’

Henderson School used a creative approach with parent Carolyn Kain. Her daughter Mary, now 19, enrolled at age 4 with disabilities including an intellectual impairment and cerebral palsy. Kain fought to have her daughter enrolled at the school, and has since been deeply involved in special education advocacy, including serving as the chairwoman of Boston Public Schools’ Special Education Parent Advisory Council.

Rather than closing ranks, the school opened itself to her.

“I went to school with her the first six months, full time,” said Kain. “I knew that no one would know her or her needs.”

Kain said that first year, “I was basically an extra [paraprofessional] in the classroom.” But that connection with school staff helped them get to know her daughter as a person, and to be aware of her family’s expectations for her.

Other schools may not be able to immediately implement the philosophy and practice that Henderson has used for nearly three decades. (The school, once a typical neighborhood school, was converted to an inclusion program in 1989.)

But Margolis, the Maryland advocate, said some small shifts in perspective can help build a stronger relationship. For example, she said, during some IEP meetings all the staff members are addressed by their professional titles or their last names. In contrast, parents are just called “Mom” or “Dad.”

“It sets up this absolutely unequal dynamic, that you’re not really a member of the team, we’re the professionals and we know best,” Margolis said.

Failing to explain acronyms, assessments, and other materials can also lead to problems, Margolis said. Those conversations take time, “but it’s not a short process to really look at how you individualize an education for a child.”

More Money Needed

Kurt Hulett, a former principal in Virginia and Texas who is now an educational consultant, said that schools are constrained by a lack of resources. But, he added, they don’t help themselves by not looking for creative ways to solve problems.

“I don’t know if you can legislate common sense and creative thinking, but that’s where we need to move,” said Hulett, who manages a website called the Center for Special Education Advocacy.

He also said school officials can sometimes worry too much if a parent brings an advocate or attorney to such meetings, without keeping in mind that school staff often outnumber parents.

“You don’t want to be arguing over this,” Hulett said. “Principal, stand up, shake their hand, let them know you’re not frustrated and angry that they brought one person to your 12.”

In the bigger picture, Kain, the Henderson parent, said that “Congress needs to put more money into the IDEA. They’re asking local school districts to foot the bill for the majority of the costs. The needs are rising, and it’s continuing to put more of a strain on local resources.” That strain can lead to conflicts.

But children who aren’t supported in their education will often go on to be dependent on the government later in life, Kain said. Shirking the spending now “is backwards thinking,” she said.

Coverage of how parents work with educators, community leaders and policymakers to make informed decisions about their children’s education is supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, at www.waltonk12.org . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. A version of this article appeared in the December 05, 2018 edition of Education Week as How Parents and Educators Can Forge an Effective Team

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Maximizing Parental Involvement in Developing the IEP

Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

An individualized education program (IEP) serves as a blueprint for special education services. Its creation should be a collaborative process, serving the student as a living document, its implementation requiring a constant and collaborative conversation between all stakeholders . The input and involvement of the student’s family prior to the annual IEP meeting is critical to this process.

Laying the Groundwork

It is important to create an open and ongoing line of communication with families (such as parents and primary caregivers) early in the school year so they can ask questions, provide information about the child, take part in classroom activities, share stories both of success and challenges at home, and discuss thoughts on the IEP’s progress. This data will be invaluable to a teacher as a tool for guiding instructional and programmatic decisions.

Daily journals, reciprocated notes in students’ agendas, phone calls (about both the positives and the concerns), establishing a reliable email chain, invitations to participate in classroom activities, and the use of teacher-created classroom websites are all examples of effective communication.

Establishing a written communication system, such as notes in a student agenda book and those just discussed, keeps parents and caregivers informed of the child’s progress while providing them the opportunity to express concerns or compliments. Implementing the IEP, conducting IEP-related pre-meetings, and writing the IEP will be easier for the team who have been working together with the parents throughout the school year.

Teachers can also use phone conferencing with parents to increase participation. First, teachers must establish clear rules and expectations. Parents should know that because of their teaching loads, school activities, busy prep periods, teacher duties, or school meetings, teachers cannot respond to all calls immediately. Simultaneously, teachers must recognize the importance of promptly returning phone calls. This strategy will help to build trust.

Inviting families to take part in classroom activities is another good way to build rapport. Opportunities to serve as volunteers for classroom parties, guest readers, activity chaperones, or classroom aides allow families to become active participants in the educational process.

Teachers can create a variety of ways for students’ families to gain access technologically. With the click of a computer mouse, they can access classroom events, activities, assignments, and homework expectations. Teacher websites are extremely useful because they allow teachers to communicate with all families at once rather than individually with each parent.

The exchange of student artifacts between parents and teachers is an efficient way to communicate student progress while also guiding and justifying the IEP team’s placement and programmatic decisions. This could include sending home photocopies of student work so that parents can keep track of their child’s progress. Using shared folders (such as those found on Google Drive) allows stakeholders to share work, notes, and other information that can improve the educational experience of the student.

Preparing for the Annual IEP Meeting

Stakeholders can meet in pre-meetings as a prelude to prepare for the annual meeting . Online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangout allow for document sharing. Team members can easily display student work or data gathered to show why specific decisions will be discussed at an upcoming IEP meeting. The artifact-sharing practice will be more effective than simply sending progress reports as outlined in the IEP’s Measurable Annual Goals section because it will be ongoing rather than sporadic.

Before the annual IEP meeting, the teacher should provide the parents with a draft IEP and give them ample time to read and review it. A pre-conference meeting can help by providing parents time to go over the draft IEP, answer questions, and clarify anything that needs to be clarified.

Helping Parents Write Their Portion of an IEP

It’s common practice to send a form home for parents to complete that summarizes their perspectives on the effectiveness of their child’s educational program. While this practice satisfies the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated parental involvement requirement, it frequently yields minimal insights and does little to instill a sense of empowerment in the parent.

Instead, a teacher can assist families in writing their portion. Together, they can collaborate to write this section of the IEP, ensuring that any concerns and suggestions are summarized. The parents can then clearly communicate their input to the team during the IEP team meeting.

Conducting the Annual IEP Meeting

Teachers can do things during the annual meeting to increase involvement and participation in the IEP meeting. The IEP meeting seating arrangement can help to set the tone for collaboration. Parents, students, and advocates frequently sit on one side of the conference table while school district professionals sit on the other. This creates an us-versus-them atmosphere. Simply by arranging the seating so that the two entities are not seated across from each other, the intimidating nature of the conference room setting can be reduced.

The special education teacher should actively seek stakeholders’ input and make certain that everyone is on the same page throughout the meeting. A collaborative IEP meeting should never consist of the teacher simply reading the document to the team and asking for signatures. Stakeholders should view it as a conversation rather than a presentation. At the end of the meeting, the team should spend some time summarizing the child’s IEP plan, focusing on goals, services, and specially designed instructional strategies.

Simply thanking parents for their input and participation, followed by a promise of continued collaboration throughout the IEP’s life span, will empower them even more. Familial stakeholders must believe that the IEP meeting is not a onetime event and that the IEP is a living document in which they play an important role.

Finally, following the meeting, the teacher should contact the family for a follow-up. Many IEP team meetings are packed with data, information, and planning. Allowing the parents a week to review the meeting and the IEP document allows them to process everything. A follow-up call, email, or meeting will emphasize the open, ongoing nature of communication, allow them to ask additional questions that may not have been raised during the meeting, and restate the meeting outcomes.

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• Board Certification in IEP Development (BCIEP)
• NASET Continuing Education/Professional Development Courses
• HONOR SOCIETY - Omega Gamma Chi
• Other Resources for Special Education Teaching Positions
• Highly Qualified Teachers
• Special Education Career Advice
• Special Education Career Fact Sheets
• FAQs for Special Education Teachers
• Special Education Teacher Salaries by State
• State Licensure for Special Education Teachers
• Video Lectures

Video Lecture Topics

The following list of video lecture descriptions provides a link to the specific video lecture page. In addition to the video lecture there is a link to view or download the accompanying Power Point presentation.

Characteristics of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This lecture focuses on an overview of terms and concepts of importance in special education.  Areas covered include: definition of special education, exceptionality, disability classifications, gender issues in special education, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, using correct language, accommodations and modifications, expectations for special educators, universal design for learning, inclusion and the difference between a disability and a handicap. Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Evaluation and Eligibility of Children with Suspected Disabilities

The process of a child moving from general education to special education has many steps. The federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), sets forth very specific steps and procedures to ensure that children with suspected disabilities are evaluated for special education and determined eligible for services in a step-by-step manner. Each step along the way often has many parts, and it is imperative as a teacher that you understand the nature of the special education process involving evaluation and eligibility. This NASET professional development course will focus on the identification, evaluation and eligibility of children with suspected disabilities. After watching this video lecture, you should understand the following:

• Indicators of Children Who May Have a Suspected Disability and Need an Evaluation
• How Students Are Identified For An Evaluation For A Suspected Disability
• Child Study Teams (CST)
• Parental Consent
• Consent v. Agreement
• Evaluation Standard
• Multidisciplinary Teams
• Discriminatory Evaluations
• Validity and Reliability
• Standardization
• Comprehensive Evaluations
• Testing and Report Writing in Native Language
• Eligibility
• Eligibility Committees
• Annual and Triennial Reviews

Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Exceptionality and Special Education

Free appropriate public education (fape).

Prior to the passage of P.L. 94-142, many students with disabilities were excluded from school entirely, and many others were offered an education that was not appropriate to their needs. ? When P.L. 94-142 was enacted in 1975, it required that States submit plans that assured all students with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Today, IDEIA requires that all States demonstrate that they have in effect “a policy that assures all children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education.” But what really is a FAPE? What’s mandated in order to provide FAPE to all children receiving special education? The focus of this NASET video lecture will be to discuss in detail a free appropriate public education.

Topics covered include:

• Introduction to FAPE
• Definition of FAPE
• “Free”--Education Be At No Cost To The Parent
• Hendrick Hudson District Board of Education v. Rowley
• Educational Benefit
• Cadillac v. Chevrolet argument
• Best v. Appropriate
• Defining An “Appropriate” Education
• Graduation and FAPE

To Access this Lecture - Click here

Gifted and Talented Students: An Overview for Teachers

According to the National Association for Gifted Children, “children are gifted when their ability is significantly above the norm for their age. Giftedness may manifest in one or more domains such as; intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, or in a specific academic field such as language arts, mathematics or science…It is important to note that not all gifted children look or act alike. Giftedness exists in every demographic group and personality type. It is important that adults look hard to discover potential and support gifted children as they reach for their personal best.” There is no standard global definition of what constitutes a gifted student. Multiple definitions of giftedness are used by different groups. Most of these definitions select the students who are the most skilled or talented in a given area, e.g., the students with the most skill or talent in music, language, logical reasoning, or mathematics. Being gifted and talented does not fall into one of the 13 classifications of special education, however, these children are still considered “exceptional children”. The focus of this NASET video lecture will be on learners with special gifts and talents.

• Definition of gifted and talented
• Bright versus gifted students
• Key points on giftedness
• Teaching strategies for gifted students

Historical Overview of the Legal Issues in Special Education

Generally, over the years, special education has been restructured and transformed by legislation. Today, we have a federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children.  An “appropriate” education differs for each child with a disability because it is based on his or her individual needs. IDEA specifies in some detail how school systems and parents are to plan the education that each child receives so that it is appropriate—meaning, responsive to the child’s needs. The plan that parents and school staff develop is documented in writing through the individualized education program (IEP), which the school is then responsible for carrying out.  IDEA has been revised many times since 1975 and it remains the cornerstone of special education. But how did we get to this law? The path was not an easy one. This lecture takes teachers through the history of special education and how state and federal laws were enacted.

• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
• 14th Amendment of the US Constitution
• 1960s—What happened during that time regarding special education?
• Parc v. Commonwealth of PA
• Mills vs. Board of Education of D.C.
• Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act
• P.L. 94-142
• Six key provisions of P.L. 94-142
• Key points about P.L. 99-457
• Definition of Reauthorization
• Today under IDEIA—What do we know?

IEP (Individualized Education Program) Development

The centerpiece of IDEIA is the requirement that each student receiving special education and related services has an individualized education program (IEP). The contents of the IEP are designed to provide a road map for the child’s educational programming during the course of the coming year. The IEP is the primary mechanism for ensuring that students receive an appropriate education. An IEP summarizes all the information gathered concerning the student, sets the expectations of what the student will learn over the next year and describes the special education and related services the student will receive. The development of an IEP is a collaborative effort between the LEA and parents to ensure that a student’s special education program will be appropriate and meet his or her individual unique needs. IDEIA spells out very clearly the required components of an IEP. This NASET lecture will address the required components of an IEP under IDEIA. Topics covered include:

• The child’s present levels of educational performance
• A statement of measurable annual goals
• A description of how the child’s progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured
• A statement of the special education placement, related services, and assistive technology services to be provided.
• An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with children without disabilities
• A statement of any accommodations or modifications in the administration of state or district-wide assessments of student achievement
• The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications.
• Transfer Rights at the Age of Majority

Finally, the lecture will conclude with a discussion of early intervention and the development of IFSPs.

Related Services

Related services help children with disabilities benefit from their special education by providing extra help and support in needed areas, such as speaking or moving. Related services are defined in IDEIA as: “transportation, and such developmental, corrective and other supportive services….as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.” Related services must be provided to all eligible children in special education. But, just because a child is in special education doesn’t mean he/she will be eligible for related services. IDEIA includes a long list of related services that schools must provide to students who need them to receive a meaningful education. It is important to note, however, that this list does not include all of the services which a school district may be required to provide. The focus of this NASET professional development course will be to address some of the most common related services offered to children with disabilities. After viewing these videos you should understand the following:

• Overview of related services
• Transportation
• Speech and language therapy
• Psychological and Counseling Service
• Occupational and Physical Therapy (OT/PT)
• Orientation and Mobility Services
• Medical Services
• School health service
• Parent counseling
• Travel training

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

This lecture focuses on students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Topics covered include: definition of ASD, prevalence of ASD, possible causes of ASD, educational programming for students with ASD, characteristics of students with ASD, Asperger Syndrome and teaching students with ASD. Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Students with Communication Disorders (Speech and Language Impairments)

This lecture focuses on students with communication disorders (speech and language impairments). Topics covered include: definition of a speech and language impairment, differences between speech versus language, types of speech disorders, characteristics of speech disorders, language disorders, characteristics of language disorders, causes of communication disorders and teaching strategies for students with communication disorders. - Click here

Teaching Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This lecture focuses on teaching students with ADHD.  Topics covered include: definition of ADHD, types of ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, diagnosis of ADHD, problems associated with ADHD, prevalence, treatment recommendations, medications, behavioral therapy, and educational interventions. Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Teaching Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This lecture focuses on teaching students with emotional and behavioral disorders.  Topics covered include: overview of emotional disturbance (ED), definition of ED, social maladjustment, prevalence controversy, gender features of students with ED, age of identification of students with ED and education of students with ED. - Click here

Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities

This lecture focuses on teaching students with intellectual disabilities.  Topics covered include: definition of intellectual disabilities, adaptive behavior, IQ, prevalence, levels of intensities and support, degrees of intellectual disabilities, causes of intellectual disabilities, Down Syndrome, phenylketonuria (PKU), drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome, perinatal and postnatal causes of intellectual disabilities, characteristics of children with intellectual disabilities and classroom management strategies. Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

This lecture focuses on teaching students with learning disabilities.  Topics covered include: definition of learning disabilities, processing disorders, visual processing, auditory processing, processing speed, types of learning disabilities, discrepancy formulas, causes of learning disabilities, characteristics of children with learning disabilities and teaching strategies. Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

Traumatic Brain Injury: An Overview for Teachers

This video lecture will provide teachers with an overview of TBI. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by the head being hit by something or shaken violently. This injury can change how the person acts, moves, and thinks. A traumatic brain injury can also change how a student learns and acts in school. The signs of brain injury can be very different depending on where the brain is injured and how severely. Although TBI is very common, many medical and education professionals may not realize that some difficulties can be caused by a childhood brain injury. Often, students with TBI are thought to have a learning disability, emotional disturbance, or an intellectual disability. As a result, they don’t receive the type of educational help and support they really need. Topics covered in this lecture include: educational Definition of Traumatic Brain Injury; Types of TBI—Open Head Injury; Types of TBI—Closed Head Injuries; Causes of TBI; Deficits Resulting from TBI; Educational Concerns for Students with TBI; and Classroom Management Strategies. - Click here

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Workshop Topics

At the Federation for Children with Special Needs, we strive to:

• inform families of their legal rights,
• educate families about systems and strategies, and
• empower families to be their child’s best advocate.

Workshops Calendar Request a Workshop

PTIC Workshop Prices and Topics

The Federation for Children with Special Needs presents workshops throughout the year in communities across Massachusetts. All Parent Training and Information Center workshops are open to the public and free to attend.

2023-24 School Year Pricing for school districts, SEPACs and organizations requesting to host a workshop

The Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) has the following price levels for workshops:

• If you are a current MassPAC member, one workshop from our Basic Rights Series is included in your membership.
• $495.00 – This is for all workshops including Bullying and Turning three for School Districts/SEPACS (MassPAC non-member), Community Based/Human Service Agencies and Medical Offices.
• $247.50   – This is for a second workshop request by a MassPAC member.
• No Cost – Turning Three Essentials workshop for Early Intervention programs only.
• Please note that if you are a current MassPAC Plus member, any additional workshops after your second request will be invoiced at $495.00 each.

Special education laws are complex, and we recommend that parents attend several PTI workshops to be fully apprised of their legal rights and responsibilities. Many parents find it useful to attend our workshops multiple times. A good place to start is our  Special Education Basic Rights Series. All of our Basic Rights workshops provide foundational information on the rights of families under state and federal special education laws.

Basic Rights: Evaluation and Eligibility This presentation is a comprehensive introduction into special education laws and procedures. We will delve into the purpose of the law, referrals, evaluations, and the team meeting process including determining eligibility.  Further discussion will focus on services, placement, and what to do when you receive a proposed IEP. You will also learn what to do if the student is not eligible and parent’s procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP This presentation was developed to help families gain a deeper understanding of the IEP document. We will talk about why it is important, how it is developed and the different sections of the document. Further discussion will focus on what types of services are included and measurable goals. You will also learn about what to do when you receive a proposed IEP and parent’s procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

Basic Rights: Transition Planning (for IEP students ages 14-22) – Highly recommended for Regional High School Districts and Vocational High Schools. This presentation addresses the planning involved when a student is of transition age. The importance of planning, the roles of both parent/guardian and student and the student’s post-secondary vision. We will discuss how to prepare for the transition planning meeting, the age of majority, and procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

For more information on topics outside the Basic Rights Series, we have the following workshops:

Social Emotional Learning New this year! This presentation provides an introduction to social emotional learning – what it is, why it’s important, and what it may look like at home and at school. You will learn about how to help your child develop social emotional skills. and how to include social emotional learning in the IEP.

Bullying: What Parents Need to Know Our new presentation addresses what a bully is; the school’s legal obligation to prevent and address bullying; some strategies and tools for dealing with bullying; and how to address bullying in the IEP. We welcome both parents and professionals to join us for this extremely important discussion.

Turning Three Essentials Explains the differences between early intervention and special education, the transition planning conference, the special education procedures including referral, evaluation, the Team meeting, eligibility determination, services, goals, placement, response options and parent’s procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

504 Plans Explains 504 Plans, who qualifies, what it contains, and the major differences between a 504 Plan and an IEP.

Creating a Post-Secondary Vision Explains the role of the student’s post-secondary vision in transition planning, where to start, how to write a vision statement and how the vision can impact assessments and the transition planning process.

Effective Communication Describes how to be an effective communicator, why effective communication with the school is important, summarizes the methods of communication, how to establish effective communication with the school and parent’s procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

MCAS: Access & Achievement for Students with Disabilities Introduces the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and how children with disabilities can participate in meaningful ways in MCAS.

Suspension & Discipline in Special Education Describes school responsibilities for discipline, range of consequences for rule violations, difference between suspensions, expulsions and emergency removals, procedures for out of school suspensions and expulsions, and legal protections for students on IEPs.

Your Support Moves Dreams Forward

From our information specialist-staffed Information Center to our annual Visions of Community Conference, your generous support helps inform, educate and empower families with the information they need to ensure better outcomes for their children.

Family Resource Center on Disabilities

Providing parents of children with disabilities with information, training, and assistance.

• Recorded Special Education Webinars

Youth Programs for Chicago Youth Presented by Access Living’s Youth and Employment Institute

Access Living offers multiple opportunities and award-winning virtual programs for youth with disabilities to learn, grow, build community, and prepare for their futures. In this presentation, you will learn about: -Access Living’s Youth Team and their Youth Focused Programs, -What Youth will gain from participating in these programs. -How youth can access these programs, -And participation criteria,

Dissecting the IEP 6 Part Webinar Series on Demand

Do you find your child’s Individualized Education Program(IEP) document cumbersome and overwhelming? Would you like to feel better prepared for your child’s next IEP meeting? This 6 part webinar series breaks down the components of the IEP to ensure that you have clear an understanding of your child’s IEP.

Dissecting the IEP Part 1: Understanding the Present Level

This webinar teaches parents how to understand the present level section of their child’s IEP and how to form productive questions and assumptions based on the information found in this section.

View Webinar:   https://youtu.be/3WlkGChmZbo

Part 1 PowerPoint and supporting resources:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KcN5vLKPoJ6iPRO53SO1hcbd4BHmEpgdHbCJl8wrvw4/edit?usp=sharing

This webinar focuses on the statement of measurable goals section of the IEP. Following this webinar, parents will be able to better assess their child’s current goals and along with the IEP team, help to build future goals that will ensure that their child will be a successful and continuous learner.

View Webinar:   https://youtu.be/9ON1pmp1_j8

Part 2 PowerPoint and supporting resources:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/15mZ3dX5GbavtG6nRKZKRTItc3-Jp03_xdSVaQWsNoPs/edit?usp=sharing

 Dissecting the IEP Part 3: Placement and Least Restrictive Environment

This webinar focuses on the placement section of the IEP and delves into the Least Restrictive Environment.  Placement refers to the amount of time in each school day that a student spends in the resource or in a general education classroom. The school district is required to have a range of placements where your child can be taught, including in the general education classroom.

View Webinar:  https://youtu.be/ecipMOjjT0o

Part 3 PowerPoint and supporting resources:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qxb7EUdEpN_d8gbGwqIEyGgMyYhsd5TCdmfPcrhOuYI/edit?usp=sharing

View Dissecting the IEP Part 4: Accommodation and Modification

This webinar focuses on the Accommodation and Modification section of the IEP and how it allows students with IEP’s to access and participate in the general curriculum.

View Webinar:   https://youtu.be/0sHiEA8BEO0

Part 4 PowerPoint and supporting resources:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fC4RxHjqQaVDdAy4XtG2-NzNMWgRIippMsnOj-xHXBw/edit?usp=sharing

 DISSECTING THE IEP PART 5: TRANSITION

This webinar focuses on the transition to the post-secondary education portion of the IEP process and questions parents should be asking.

View Webinar: https://youtu.be/FJ6jTDNrUaw

Part 5 PowerPoint and supporting resources:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GYdlQtwlkX9STzZNk-4C0GwyRtzEW4VmGffju39JuLg/edit?usp=sharing

 Dissecting the IEP Part 6: Extended School Year

This webinar focuses on understanding the purpose and process of the Extended School Year.

View Webinar:   https://youtu.be/76Zmy-1QJjQ

Part 6 PowerPoint and supporting resources:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mc33LFZPAG3zpfUy6rn4JjwB8s8aTrAPh16JJ3mEDZ8/edit?usp=sharing

Do you need IEP Support?  Complete the form below, and one of our parent trainers will contact you.

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Parent Rights in Special Education

Mar 15, 2019

550 likes | 664 Views

Parent Rights in Special Education. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 Michelle Fattig, Ed.S. IDEA 2004.

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• special education
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• individualized education programs ieps

Presentation Transcript

Parent Rights in Special Education The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 Michelle Fattig, Ed.S.

IDEA 2004 “I think the thing that you can pass along better than anything else is your passion for kids that need somebody to care about what they need outside the system rather than how they simply need to fit into the system.  Once somebody has the heart for kids that are different, they won't break any sort of law because they will be taking such good care of what makes their own life special.” 

IDEA 2004 The new authorization of special education law, which became effective in July 2005 called the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act or IDEA 2004, allocates money for Parent Training and Information Centers. The reauthorization changes the original language of the act to include the partial statement, “strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at school and at home.”

IDEA Reauthorization 2004 • House Bill passed in April 2003 • Senate Bill passed in May 2004 • Conference Committee appointed in October 2004 • Conference Bill passed in November 2004 • President signs the bill into law on December 3, 2004 • Provisions took effect on July 1, 2005 except personnel requirements

NEW THEMES • Access to the general curriculum in the regular classroom • Strengthening the role “and responsibility” of parents • Coordinating IDEA with “improvement efforts under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965” and NCLB • Scientifically based instruction

NEW THEMES • “Parents and schools should be given expanded opportunities to resolve their disagreements in positive ways.” • Understanding and involvement for parents! “Meaningful participation” • Providing incentives for whole school approaches, to reduce the need to label children as disabled in order to address the learning and behavioral needs of such children.

Parent Advocacy • School can be a difficult place for any student regardless of race, socio-economic status, disability, or gender. Advocating for a child with a teacher or school can be a daunting task for any parent. When a child has a disability, the experience can be exponentially greater. Some parents are upset about difficulties faced in advocating for their child. This can be a very trying situation!

Parent Advocacy • Understanding the law, navigating “the system,” or questioning the professionals can leave a parent feeling overwhelmed and under qualified.

IDEA IDEA is founded on the principle or ideal that what a child requires in order to be successful to the greatest extent appropriate with regular education peers may not necessarily be a “cookie cutter” service plan. IEP teams should closely evaluate, consider, and monitor services determined appropriate for each child.

IDEA Schools are required to offer a continuum of services or alternative placements in order to best meet the special education needs of all children. These services or alternative placements may include, but are not limited to: supplementary aids and services; curricular adaptations and accommodations; medical, speech language, psychological, or social work supports; and resource rooms, special classes, and special schools.

FAPE • A school must clearly demonstrate that a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) cannot occur within a regular education classroom before alternative settings may be considered. • The courts interpret appropriate services in meeting FAPE, not as the “Cadillac” of services to meet all needs and wants fully, but to be “reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive educational benefits”

LRE IDEA requires that children with disabilities be educated in their Least Restrictive Environment. LRE requires that children be educated with their non-disabled peers to the greatest extent appropriate. Students should be provided with the LEAST amount of special education services and supports needed in order for them to progress with regular education peers in the regular education setting and curriculum.

LRE • The tricky part in determining LRE, is the term appropriate. Each child has unique and individual needs. What may be most appropriate for one child may not be appropriate for another child. • Sometimes a child needs a MORE restrictive environment to meet his or her Least Restrictive Environment mandate. In other words, sometimes a child is unsuccessful with minimal supports and requires more supports or a different placement in order to be successful in his or her educational placement.

Meaningful Participation IDEA maintains emphasis on parental involvement and participation. Parents generally understand and know the child better than anyone else on the team. Schools are expected to encourage and enable active and meaningful involvement of parents.

Parental Safeguards • Parents of children with special education needs have many federally protected rights. • These rights are an important part of the federally protected mandate and it is important to read the packet fully and to ask any questions you may have about these rights. • As a parent, if you have any questions but are intimidated to ask in front of a table surrounded by professionals, consider asking other parents, the school psychologist, principal, teacher, view online forums, or call the state department for clarification.

Parent Rights • Parents have the right to receive a written notice within a reasonable amount of time before the school district PROPOSES or REFUSES to initiate or change the identification, evaluation or educational placement of your child or the provision of a free appropriate public education to your child.

The notice of meeting shall include: • a description of the action proposed or refused by the school district; • an explanation of why the action is proposed or refused; • a description a of each evaluation procedure, test, record, or report used as a basis for the action proposed or refused; • a description of any other factors relevant to the school district’s decision; • a statement that you have protection under the procedural safeguards set forth in the federal law, and the means by which you may obtain a copy of a description of those procedural safeguards; and • sources for you to contact to obtain assistance in understanding your rights.

A copy of the procedural safeguards must be given to the parent, at a minimum: • one time per year, • upon initial referral or parent request for evaluation • at parent request; and • upon filing for a due process hearing. The school district must take steps to ensure that the parent understands the information provided in the notice.

Consent means: • That a parent has been fully informed in his or her native language or other mode of communication of all information relevant to the activity for which consent is sought; • that a parent understands and agrees in writing to the activity for which his or her consent is sought; • there is a description of the activity and lists of records (if any) which will be released and to whom; and • that written consent is voluntary and may be revoked at any time.

Consent • Written consent must be obtained before a school district conducts an initial evaluation or reevaluation for a student and before the district makes an initial placement into a special education program

Consent • Consent for an evaluation will not be construed as consent for initial placement. • Consent may be withheld, withdrawn, or revoked at any time.

Reasonable Effort If a school district has attempted to obtain your consent for a reevaluation with no response, the district may conduct the evaluation without consent, provided that the school district can demonstrate that it had taken reasonable efforts to obtain consent and failed to gain a response to the requests.

Records Parents or guardians have the right to inspect and review all education records with respect to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of their child and the provision of a free appropriate public education.

Parent Rights Forms Individual states may have slightly different language. Most will probably be revised following the implementation of IDEA 2004.

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Evaluation -60 school day timeline for completion of evaluation from time of consent for ages 3-21 -Timeline relaxed for transfer students as long as receiving district is making sufficient progress to insure a prompt completion of the evaluation and parent knows when it will be completed.

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Reevaluations -Conducted in language and form most likely to yield accurate information Frequency -Not more than once a year (unless school and parent agree otherwise) -At least every 3 years unless parent and school agree that a “reevaluation is unnecessary”

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Evaluations before change in eligibility -When exiting for purposes of maximum age eligibility or graduation with a regular diploma a reevaluation will not be required -LEA shall provide a summary of the student’s performance and academic achievement to assist in meeting the student’s postsecondary goals.

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) -Present levels of “academic achievement and functional performance” -Annual goals must include “academic and functional goals” -Short-term objectives/benchmarks not always required -Only for those children who take alternative assessments to be aligned to alternate standards

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Contents of IEP -Description of how progress toward goal will be measured and when reported -Statement of Special Ed Services -“Based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable” -Appropriate accommodations in district-wide assessments -Why students can’t participate in regular assessments -Why alternate assessment is appropriate -What alternate test the student will take

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT Contents of IEP (cont.) -Statement on participation in regular classes and curriculum -Transition Services “Appropriate measurable post-secondary goals” based on age-appropriate transition assessment must be included in the first IEP to be in effect when the child is 16”

ELIGIBILITY, IEP, & PLACEMENT IEP Team Attendance • A member of the IEP team may be excused from the meeting if the parent and district agree in writing that attendance isn’t necessary because the member’s area of curriculum isn’t being discussed or modified. • If a member’s area of curriculum is being modified or discussed, that member may be excused, provided they submit written input prior to the meeting. • Their excusal must be agreed to in writing by the parent prior to the meeting.

IDEA 2004 Changes • IEP may be amended between the annual review meetings without calling an IEP Team meeting if agreed to by the parents and LEA • IEP Amendment shall be in writing • The parent shall be given a revised IEP with the amendments incorporated

Behavioral Intervention Plans • If behavior impedes his/her learning or that of others, IEP must include: • Positive behavior interventions • Strategies • Supports

Functional Behavioral Assessment • IEP Team, after 10 school days of disciplinary removal, meets to either: • Develop a functional behavioral assessment plan if a FBA was not previously conducted Or - Review the behavioral intervention plan as part of the IEP to determine what, if any, revisions are necessary

Change of Placement Procedures (Behavioral) • Notify parents of their rights • Conduct a manifestation determination • Plan for services starting no later than the 11th cumulative school day of removal

Manifestation Determination • IEP Team convened with school psychologist as a member • Determination made no later than 10 school days after determination of disciplinary sanction • Review information provided by parents and other evaluation information

Manifestation Determination • Manifestation if behavior is caused by or directly resulting from the disability or failure to implement the IEP • If manifestation, revisit FBA, implement/revise BIP, return to last placement unless otherwise agreed to • Disciplinary removals not permitted • Services are provided

No Manifestation • Student is subject to the regular disciplinary process of the school • Services must be provided no later than the 11th cumulative school day of removal in the school year

Students Not Yet Eligible • Basis of Knowledge: • Parent expressed concern in writing regarding need for special education • Parent requested an evaluation • Behavior/performance demonstrated need for special education; or • School personnel expressed concern about behavior or performance in accord with the special education referral system

IDEA 2004 Changes • Procedural Safeguard Notice provided: • Once per year • Initial Referral • Request from Parent • Due Process Complaint

Independent Educational Evaluations • Anytime at parent expense • At public expense if parent disagrees with district’s evaluation • District must pay or initiate a Due Process hearing • Team must consider the IEE

Stay Put • Unless otherwise agreed to, student remains in the last current placement • Exceptions • Dangerousness • Final Hearing decision agrees with parents that a change of placement is necessary

IDEA 2004 Changes • Interim Alternative Education Settings are up to 45 school days unless parents agree to extend • Adds “inflicting serious bodily injury” as grounds for IAES • Showing of substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain, protracted/obvious disfigurement, protracted loss/impairment of a bodily member or organ/ mental faculty

Interim Alternative Educational Setting (IAES) • Student possesses or carries a dangerous weapon to school or a school function • Student knowingly possesses or uses an illegal drug • Student sells or solicits a controlled substance

IAES for Safety Reasons • Determination by Hearing Officer or Court • Standard Burden of proof on the school to show by a substantial evidence that: • Student’s return is substantially likely to result in injury to self or others; • Current placement is appropriate; and • School made reasonable efforts to minimize the risk of harm to self/others

IAES IEP Team determines services and placement • Services that afford opportunity to participate in the general curriculum • Services called for in the IEP as adapted by team • Services to address the behavior

In School Suspensions Does not count as a day of suspension if: • Student is afforded the opportunity to progress in the general education curriculum • Student is provided their special education/related services • Student participates with non-disabled peers to the extent they would in their regular placement

Other Disciplinary Considerations • Portions of a day in which the student must be removed must be accounted for (cumulative counts!) • Bus suspensions are deemed a removal if: • Transportation is listed in the IEP • No alternate transportation has been offered

Curriculum Based Decision Making with Response to Intervention (RTI) • Focus on early intervention and prevention in general education • May be used at the district, school, grade, class, small group and individual level • The process may or may NOT lead to special education referral • Assessment and data-based decision-making are critical components

Additional Information Parent Training and Information Centers are designed to serve families of children with disabilities from birth to age 22. The centers work with families in obtaining appropriate education services and in training parents and professionals. Each state has at least one parent center. The centers help resolve conflicts between parents and other agencies or schools, and provide a connection for children with disabilities to the community resources needed. http://www.taalliance.org/centers/

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2024 Thrive Educational Series – Session II

We are pleased to announce the presenters for Session II of the 2024 Thrive Initiative’s Educational Series for Professionals. Join us in May and July for presentations on the topics of Working with Stepfamilies and the Hybrid Implementation of Thrive Parent-Education Programming. You can earn one hour of continuing education credit from the American Psychological Association for participating in each virtual event. The presentation dates and details are below.

Register today! https://bit.ly/ThriveEduSessionII

Working with Stepfamilies: Understanding the Challenges

Date: May 21, 2024

Time: 12-1 pm EDT

Presenter: Dr. Douglas Teti

Hybrid Implementation of Thrive Parent-Education Programming

Date: July 31, 2024

Presenter: Terri L. Rudy, M.P.A.

Additional Resources

Session II of the Thrive Educational Series 1

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Upstate Parent's 2024 Educators Who Make A Difference: Dori Helms

Jesse boyd elementary, special education specialist.

Dori Helms’ career started through a volunteer opportunity.

“I decided to become a teacher after volunteering for the Special Olympics at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind when I was in eighth grade,” she said. “This was part of a service project for Beta Club, and I continued to volunteer at the school afterwards because I had so much fun. At the end of this May, I will have been teaching for 26 years.”

Want More? CLICK HERE to return to 2024 Educators Who Make a Difference main page

Helms teaches in a self-contained special education classroom for second through fifth grades where she said she is part of a community that cares for each student individually.

“I am blessed to be at a school where my students are treated just like any other student, and it should always be that way,” she said. “One of these days, all my students will be out in the real world outside of school. They must learn and experience happiness and disappointment like any other student. I am thankful to be at a school where the administration and faculty include my students in everything. Another delight is that my job allows me to work as a team. I work with other teachers, therapists, doctors, and family. I have had neighbors, babysitters, and grandparents show up for meetings we have for my students. It is a great feeling to have that team approach to helping a child.”

Throughout her career, Helms taught students from ages 3 to 15 in various circumstances and with a variety of needs. She loves it so much that she now hopes to mentor others as they start on the same path. 

“I would love to one day work with first year special education teachers,” she said. “I have a background in co-teaching, so I think that going in and teaching alongside them and offering support is what many need to make it through the first year. College is great and student teaching is a wonderful way to prepare, but that first year – wow – for many it is a make it or break it year for them. I would like to be the person that can help that first-year teacher and make sure that they come back next year.”

Isolation and injuries: Parents say school autism program plagued by problems

Victoria Rojas' son Diego, 12, arrived home from school with a black eye in November.

Cynthia Howard's son Carter, 10, came home with what looked like carpet burns.

Melissa Shields' daughter Lily, 12, was physically assaulted by a bully.

Brandon Valdez's son Jeremiah, 8, had a large cut on his foot that was covered in blood one day, and an "oozing" scratch down his neck another. When Valdez inquired about the incidents, school officials claimed its records showed somebody had reached out to him about it, he said. They hadn’t.

April Hines' son Ralph, 11, had straight lines of bruising across his leg.

“Each one of them has come home with some sort of damage," Hines said. “My son is damaged, and I'm just supposed to take it.”

Six families said their children in Peoria Unified School District's autism program came home with mysterious bumps and bruises in late 2022 and throughout 2023 that officials at Kachina Elementary School in Glendale left unexplained or unacknowledged. Those parents accuse Peoria Unified of changing reporting procedures so incidents go undocumented, having understaffed classrooms that led to student injuries and dismissing their concerns. Staff members, meanwhile, told The Arizona Republic children are not safe in the program and problems have been longstanding.

"They can't admit they have a problem within the program," Howard said. "It's been detrimental to our child."

Because autistic children are sometimes nonverbal, their families rely on the adults in the room to communicate when something goes awry. Otherwise, they are left to their own imaginations.

Peoria Unified leadership takes accusations of physical harm seriously, spokesperson Danielle Airey said. The district has found no credible information that children were abused or mishandled by employees despite "at least eight meetings with parents and staff from Kachina," Airey said.

Airey said due to threatened litigation, no other district employee could comment.

What the parents see as Peoria Unified's persistent and potentially endangering practices, followed by what they feel are inadequate responses from district leaders, have prompted them to flee the district and solicit outside help.

Three families that spoke to The Arizona Republic have transferred their children out of Peoria Unified's autism program, with two leaving the district for a private school. A fourth parent has been trying unsuccessfully for months to transfer her son and has engaged the help of federal education officials. Three other families that remain are pleading for transparency about what's going on in the program.

School's new incident reports leave gaps, staffers say

Peoria Unified's autism program, ARISE, serves more than 300 students across seven campuses. About 50 attend Kachina. ARISE students are placed in separate classrooms from students without autism.

Peoria Unified changed the structure of the ARISE program several times in recent years, sometimes mixing students with all levels of need and, at other times, splitting them into groups of similar need. Airey did not respond to a question about how students are currently placed within the program.

Five people who work at Kachina and asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said recent procedural changes introduced barriers to student safety.

The Kachina staffers decried a change to how the school tracks physical incidents, which they said limits who is allowed to document injuries or contact families. Earlier this school year, administrators directed staff , including nurses, to stop filling out a “dated, school-created form” on paper that required follow-up from both the school nurse and an administrator before a report was sent home to families.

That form was replaced by a document that may only be filled out by teachers and administrators, cutting nurses out of the process and restricting other employees' ability to report physical injuries. The form states it “is only applicable if the behavior was dangerous in nature to the student or those in their environment" and that parents should be contacted only if the "team" deems it necessary. The "team" is not defined.

Nurses still document injuries if a student is sent to their office. They enter notes into the district’s digital system, but nurses may no longer contact families directly.

Employees said the reporting changes leave some incidents unreported.

Airey said the district's practice for documenting injuries has not changed.

In multiple emails to Kachina Principal Austin Chandler, parent Howard challenged the reporting change and said families were being “met with resistance or indifference” when they spoke up. Howard said classroom incidents were leading to "severe injuries" and allegations of abuse were not properly investigated.

The principal told Howard he did not believe the program operates under unsafe conditions or with inadequate support. In an Oct. 27 email, Chandler said he welcomes parental feedback.

“In some instances, however, the feedback is not well-founded, is based on unsubstantiated rumors and faulty assumptions, or results from differences of reasonably held opinions about what is needed or appropriate," Chandler wrote. "Such scenarios do not reflect indifference or improper resistance."

Understaffing leads to injuries, parents allege

Valdez’s son Jeremiah requires supervision via one-on-one support throughout the school day, according to his individualized education program. An IEP is a legal agreement describing what services a child's parents and school officials have decided the student must receive. 

That’s why Valdez was perplexed by a string of injuries that went unnoticed, or at least unreported.

“He started coming home really upset. I started noticing a lot more marks on him and bruising, and he seems to be more scared of stuff,” Valdez said. “Every single time I ask about one when I call, they have some far-out story that didn’t make sense.”

When Valdez said he called Kachina about bruising on Jeremiah’s face, the school said another student had punched Jeremiah because he refused to let go of her lunch bag. Had a one-on-one assistant been present, Valdez said, those injuries would never have happened. The school should have contacted him regardless, he said.

“Anything to the head — a kid falls and smacks his head, it looks like he could have hit his head — I think parents should know,” said Michelle Downie, who worked as a board certified behavior analyst for Peoria Unified from 2014 until 2022.

It is not an administrative best practice to restrict reporting duties to certain employees or limit the types of incidents that are reported, she said.

Injuries among autistic students aren’t all that unusual. Some kids lack spatial awareness and might cause harm by walking into classroom objects or bumping into other students, Downie said. 

But if injuries go undocumented, however innocent they might be, parents could fear sinister causes. Downie attributed underreporting in part to insufficient staffing at schools on the whole.

“Nobody sees it because there’s not enough eyes on the kids,” Downie said. “And that’s a shame because if public schools staffed their classes better … we would see so much improvement, so much better outcomes.”

In an October email to Chandler, the Kachina principal, Howard accused the school of reassigning one-on-one aides to support entire classrooms, “effectively breaching” students’ IEPs. Multiple staff members corroborated Howard’s accusation, saying instructional assistants this year were told to stop supplying one-on-one support due to short staffing.

Chandler rejected such claims in a response email to Howard: “It is inaccurate to suggest that there is broad failure to meet the service needs of students in the Arise program. To the extent that staff turnover may leave the school temporarily unable to provide a particular service in a specific instance, the school will offer compensatory services.”

Appropriate special education staffing levels depend on the needs of the students in a given classroom, experts said. The district declined to say how many students require one-on-one support and how many employees work in one-on-one capacities, citing the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA governs parental rights over the release of their children’s education records.

'I will never let him go back'

Sandy Zelenka said she is “scared to death” her son Levi might be sent back to a Peoria Unified school.

Public school districts must provide every resident student a free and appropriate public education regardless of disability status. If students' districts are unable to meet their needs, they must field the costs of transferring students elsewhere.

That's what happened to Levi. But when Levi's IEP team assembles each year to discuss his placement, they suggest returning him to an ARISE program, Zelenka said. And each year, Zelenka fights to keep him out.

In 2019, when Levi was in second grade, he cried uncontrollably on his way to Paseo Verde Elementary, another ARISE school, his mother said. She knew something wasn’t right, she said. 

Her fears were confirmed by an assistant she said took her to a small, unfurnished, uncarpeted room “no bigger than a closet.”

Zelenka said the assistant told her that’s where staff had been putting Levi for extended periods of time after placing him in physical restraints.

Zelenka documented the room with photographs and threatened legal action.

As she advocated for Levi, she learned more that concerned her, including finding out from other parents of instances where Levi was carried by staffers, she said. In an email exchange, Levi’s teacher said she “was just made aware” of an incident that had occurred more than 48 hours earlier. 

Peoria Unified transferred Levi to a private school in 2020.

“This child has been through hell,” Zelenka said. “I will never let him go back.”

Shayna Wofford, a former ARISE program teacher and a board certified behavior analyst, said she regularly voiced concerns to administrators that classrooms lacked appropriate support for students. 

“These kids are not getting a quality education,” said Wofford, who often advocated for her students to receive transfers. Administrators "were very aware of the situation. The problem that I found is they're only aware when they are about to get sued.”

Wofford said there was an incident in her classroom at Marshall Ranch, another ARISE program school, where an assistant dragged a child across the floor by the arm. Wofford immediately contacted her administrator, who removed the assistant from her room. That assistant continued to work at the school in another classroom.

Administrators let problem staffers stay on because it's tough to hire a replacement, Wofford said.

“We have many educated teachers that do things that are unethical, but what is the consequence? Because where are we going to find another teacher? Where are we going to find another assistant? ... That’s their mentality, but it can’t be,” Wofford said. “We could be picky. We should be picky. These are children's lives that we’re dealing with here.”

Wofford said district hierarchy dissuades staffers from questioning the administration's decisions about employee discipline. She left the district in 2020 after a decade and now works in special education in Virginia.

Airey, the Peoria unified spokesperson, said an employee found to have harmed a child may face termination or consequences from law enforcement, depending on the situation.

In response to The Republic’s request for information on the number of special education students Peoria Unified sends outside the district and the cost associated with those transfers, the district stated it “does not have any students that are sent to other schools due to their accommodations not being met.”

In addition to Zelenka's son, The Republic spoke to another parent who said her child with autism attends a private school paid for by the district.

Rejected: Arizona Board of Education rejects school voucher ban on luxury items, other changes

Peoria Unified withheld student records from parents

Multiple employees allege the district is purposefully hiding records from parents because they prove Kachina failed to meet the needs of students with autism. One employee told Howard to file a complaint with the Arizona Department of Education.

Airey said Kachina lacked a speech therapist for one quarter of the 2021-22 school year, but parents were offered compensatory services to make up for the lapse. Nineteen parents accepted that offer, she said, and four parents declined. Howard, Rojas and Hines said they never received any offer at all.

“We are grateful that it was only the start of the school year that we were without (a speech therapist), and that we were able to offer the compensatory services,” Airey said.

Peoria Unified records obtained by The Republic show that for six months of the 2021-22 school year, no one was billed for providing speech therapy to Rojas' and Hines' sons, suggesting the students did not receive any of their required speech minutes. They went two additional months with fewer minutes than promised that year, the records suggest.

In an October email to Principal Chandler, Howard requested copies of her son Carter’s IEP, the services he received that year and the types of therapies and number of minutes he received the previous two years. At Chandler’s suggestion, Howard submitted an official parent record request form on Oct. 16. 

Emails show school and district employees passed Howard from one individual to the next as she attempted to obtain copies of her child’s records. One employee told Howard she had those documents readily available but could not release them without district approval, emails show.

More than three months after her initial request, Howard was instructed to instead fill out a public records request. That Feb. 1 request is still pending.

And Rojas, who made her first request in November, said she had yet to receive all of her documents.

Her advocate, Elizabeth Ashline, supported those claims. Ashline is a special education teacher and adjunct professor at Alliant International University who is assisting Rojas to ensure fair treatment at IEP meetings.

"It makes me think that they're trying to hide something, that they don't want what's going on out there to the public or to the parents," Ashline said.

The district disagreed. In a March 5 email, Executive Director of Exceptional Services Lori Garcia told Rojas all of the records from her initial request were provided in December.

“I reaffirm that the District has operated — and continues to operate — on student-centered principles, and remains committed to complying with its legal obligations in working through points of disagreement and conflict,” Garcia’s email stated.

Under FERPA, schools may not take more than 45 days to fulfill a parent’s request for their child’s records. Schools can use that 45-day period to redact information as necessary if documents mention other students.

Rojas made her initial request more than 100 days ago. And more than 160 days later, Howard is still waiting for her son's records.

“It’s just very hard to take their word. Because if they wanted the best for Diego, then why haven’t they done that simple thing of giving me my records?” Rojas said. "They are hiding something. They don’t want the truth to come out.”

Months later, parents still seek answers from school district

Rojas removed Diego from Kachina after his black eye. She has been pushing the district to transfer him ever since, and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights is now investigating her case after failed attempts at mediation. 

Kimberly Peaslee, a special education consultant, said parents with concerns about the treatment of their special education students should first approach school leaders. Start with the principal, she said, then contact the district's superintendent or special education director. The special education director is the person most responsible for a special education program's success, she said. Peaslee is a past president of the Arizona Council for Exceptional Children , a professional association dedicated to improving education for special needs and gifted students.

Read the document: U.S. Department of Education's letter to Victoria Rojas on Peoria Unified

Should working with school leaders fail, as some parents say it has in Peoria Unified, there are several routes for outside intervention, Peaslee said.

Raising Special Kids , a nonprofit group that supports families of students with disabilities, partners parents for free with an experienced advocate who can help them resolve conflicts.

Parents can also elevate their concerns to the Arizona Department of Education's Office of Dispute Resolution and the Office for Civil Rights . Both can launch investigations, often including site visits and interviews. The Office of Dispute Resolution investigates procedural violations of the federal law outlining special education requirements. The Office for Civil Rights investigates allegations of discrimination.

Diego's last day at Kachina was more than four months ago.

“I can’t send him back to school knowing he’s not safe,” Rojas said. “I would like answers about what happened.”

Howard pulled Carter from Kachina in October after his teacher resigned over what Howard said was a lack of support in her classroom. The Republic could not reach the teacher for comment.

Peoria Unified transferred Carter to a private school in December, where he’s thriving today, his mother said.

Shields pulled Lily at the same time after the teacher who resigned informed her of two physical bullying incidents that went undocumented. 

The district transferred Lily to a new school outside of the ARISE program, where she was named choir student of the month in March and celebrated at a school assembly. At Kachina, she wasn't allowed at assemblies, Shields said.

But Lily's new school is still within Peoria Unified, a district that breached her mother's trust.

“Every morning I have a little breakdown letting Lily go to school because I don't trust them,” Shields said. “It hurts so hard to know ... that these people in their lives who are supposed to be trusted have hurt them.”

Hines said she just wants her son to be happy and his basic needs fulfilled. Valdez said he’s been worn down to the point where he no longer asks questions. 

“It’s just been a constant — every year, every semester — battle with them,” Valdez said.

Peoria Unified maintains parents have brought no credible concerns to its attention.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] .

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Corporate Training and Professional Education Instructor Jay Powers Gives Insightful Presentation on Leadership and Success

• Tatiana Del Valle
• March 28, 2024
• Leadership and Management
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The event GROW Pasco 2024 was the backdrop for retired Colonel and University of South Florida instructor Jay Powers, wherein he guided entrepreneurs and leaders toward success earlier this month using the expertise he developed as a U.S. Army Green Beret and leader within Joint Special Operations. 

GROW Pasco is an event designed to equip local entrepreneurs and executives for growth in the evolving business landscape. Hosted by the SMARTstart entrepreneurship program at Pasco EDC, it provides educational and networking opportunities for business owners in the area. With a full schedule of speakers, including business and community leaders, and breakout sessions throughout the day, attendees learned how to leverage everything from marketing and social media to artificial intelligence. 

USF’s Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education attended to absorb more knowledge, connect with others in the local community, and see unique perspectives on entrepreneurial success.

Weaving Leadership with Self-Care

Powers emphasized key aspects of leadership and organizational growth in his presentation, “Lead Your Way to Entrepreneurial Success,” and coupled these observations with valuable perspectives he’s gained as COO at Tampa Bay Wave, a renowned non-profit accelerator dedicated to tech company growth and the development of Tampa Bay's tech ecosystem. 

He honed in on the similarities and differences between the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs and leaders. Good leaders have strengths such as delegation, integrity, empathy, and respect, while entrepreneurs have characteristics such as flexibility, curiosity, persistence, and innovative thinking. Both should have self-awareness to reflect on their actions and how they affect others. 

“There’s no single approach to leadership that will work for every person and situation, that's why it's difficult,” Powers said. “It’s important to get feedback to know how you’re truly impacting people.”

He believes people are the critical resource for any organization to succeed, so leaders should strive to create environments where people can thrive.

He also stressed the importance of balancing your business efforts with the other essential areas of your life. Be sure to prioritize sleep, exercise, family, and other parts of your personal life to ensure you bring the best version of yourself to your organization. “If you take the time to invest in it, family can be one of your biggest sources of resilience,” he said. 

Ultimately, Powers had two major takeaways:

One: Identify when you need to do less and lead more.

Two: Take a long-term approach to balance.

By getting to know your team, prioritizing feedback, giving people space to take initiative, and taking care of yourself, you can set yourself up with a strong foundation for success both in business and your life. 

The impact of his speech was evident in the long line of attendees who patiently waited to chat with him after the presentation. View the full presentation here .

Level Up Your Skills

For a unique opportunity to learn from an experienced leadership practitioner, join Powers for the next session of his course, “Executive Leadership Lessons,” starting Friday, April 5. Designed to accommodate the schedules of busy professionals, this course provides an overview of how to build positive environments, encourage employee input, give and receive feedback, and build trust. 

Register here or contact David Hill, associate director of the Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education, at [email protected] for more information. 

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About Corporate Training and Professional Education

USF Corporate Training and Professional Education empowers people to craft their future without limits through engaging professional growth learning and certification programs. Its programs focus on an array of topics – human resources, project management, paralegal, process improvement, leadership skills, technology, and much more.

Education | Colorado paraprofessional arrested after police…

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Education | Colorado paraprofessional arrested after police say video shows her beating autistic child on school bus

Parents worry about additional victims after ex-littleton public schools employee kiarra jones was arrested last week.

(Embedded video provided by Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC Attorneys at Law)

Police arrested a former Littleton Public Schools paraprofessional last week after they said video footage revealed she beat a severely autistic, non-verbal child on a school bus for special needs students.

Parents of the children who rode that bus, which takes kids to the Joshua School in Englewood,  say they believe the alleged abuse had been happening for months and that there are additional victims.

Englewood police arrested Kiarra Jones, 29, on Friday on a felony charge of knowing/reckless assault of an at-risk person and crimes against an at-risk person resulting in injury, according to court documents.

Littleton Public Schools fired Jones on March 19 after the district and law enforcement officials reviewed video footage of the previous day’s bus ride, district officials confirmed. The mother of the victim had complained about bruises on her son.

Jones remained in custody as of Tuesday morning, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Jones is out of police custody after posting $5,000 bail, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. She could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

“This kind of behavior cannot be and is not tolerated,” Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Todd Lambert wrote in an email to families who rode on the impacted bus. “As parents, you trust us with the well-being of your children and you should never have to worry about them being harmed when they are in our care.”

Video of the March 18 incident provided by attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai — who plans to represent the impacted families in an upcoming lawsuit — shows a woman Mohamedbhai identified as Jones sitting next to a 10-year-old boy on the school bus.

In the video, the child — who The Denver Post is not identifying — is sitting calmly when Jones, unprovoked, is seen elbowing the boy in the stomach, punching him in the head and slamming his head into the bus window.

At times, Jones’ actions in the video are obstructed by a bus seat, but Jessica Vestal, the boy’s mother, said Jones also stomped on her son’s feet and hit his legs.

In an interview with reporters, Vestal said she could only stomach watching two minutes and 25 seconds of her son being beaten before asking police detectives to turn the video off.

Englewood police have surveillance footage of three dates this year that show Jones allegedly abusing the disabled boy, according to an arrest affidavit.

In court documents, police who watched the videos described Jones punching the child so hard that his head flung back to hit the seat. Investigators wrote that the boy began crying and pushing Jones away, but she continued her alleged assault. Police said it appears in the three videos that Jones also assaulted another child.

“I don’t want this to be something that’s hushed up,” Vestal said in the interview. “I’m sure a lot of people would be like, ‘Why would you put this video of your kid out there?’ If you don’t look at it, the words don’t encompass it. If he had to live through it, the least everybody else could do is pay attention to it so that it doesn’t happen again.”

“I was just in disbelief”

On March 18, Vestal noticed bruising on her son’s foot and thigh. When Vestal contacted his school, the autism-focused Joshua School, officials there said her son did not have bruising when they put his shoes and socks on for dismissal.

The boy’s mother texted Jones asking whether anything happened on the bus. Vestal said Jones told her nothing happened, but that sometimes the boy sits on his foot.

Vestal said she was skeptical.

The mother contacted the Littleton Public Schools transportation department — which is contracted to bus students to and from the private school — and shared photos of the bruising, asking for an explanation.

The next day, Vestal said she was contacted by the school district and law enforcement saying they had enough video footage to charge Jones with abuse.

“I was just in disbelief,” Vestal said.

Vestal said she and Jones were friendly. The mother bought Jones Christmas presents. Vestal made Jones tea when she wasn’t feeling well. The two texted on occasion.

The bus paraprofessional had texted Vestal earlier in the year saying her son had a visibly poor reaction to one of the staff members, who he pushed and ran away from, the boy’s mother said.

Then Vestal said her son came home from school covered in bruises.

“When he did come home and we saw those bruises, the seed had already been planted,” Vestal said.

She assumed the other staff member Jones named had caused them and had a meeting with the school, saying her son should not be around this staff member again.

Vestal noted it can be difficult to determine whether a severely autistic child is hurting themselves throughout the day, so she and other parents on Jones’s bus chalked up other injuries — bruises, black eyes, scratches — to accidental injuries.

Vestal has a record of 15 dates when her son came home from school injured. Police, she said, confirmed three of those dates coincide with video footage of Jones’s alleged abuse.

An investigation is ongoing.

Months earlier, Jones had contacted the Joshua School, inquiring about bruises on her son’s arm, neck and thigh. Emails provided to The Denver Post show Littleton Public Schools employees talking about reviewing video footage from the bus to determine whether something happened there.

“We reviewed the video and there is nothing out of the ordinary that occurs during the ride home,” Michelle Molina, the Littleton district’s transportation operations supervisor, wrote in an email.

Now, Vestal and other parents question whether the school district was truthful.

“The abuses of special needs children continue to occur because school districts treat this community as a burden rather than a blessing,” attorney Mohamedbhai said in a statement. “School districts routinely fail to train and support those who work with special needs student populations. Choices of where funding goes reveal value choices and school districts lack expertise and compassion to protect our most vulnerable student population.”

Other instances of Colorado school bus attendants accused of abusing children with autism have been reported in recent years.

St. Vrain Valley School District bus assistant Monica Burke  pleaded guilty in 2017 to kicking and spraying disinfectant in the face of a student with disabilities . Last year, Poudre School District paraprofessional Tyler Zanella was arrested after video showed him striking at least two students on the bus, according to 9News .

When contacted by The Post for comment on Monday, Littleton Public Schools spokeswoman Diane Leiker shared Lambert’s email to families. The email said Jones was hired in August after “satisfactory reference checks and after passing a thorough background check.”

“She had very limited access to students during her employment with LPS,” the email said. “She has had no contact with students since March 19, the day her employment was terminated.”

The email confirmed police believe there may be another victim.

“We’re going to question everyone forever”

Brittany Yarbrough — mother to an 11-year-old severely autistic, non-verbal boy on Jones’s bus — is left to wonder whether injuries her son suffered since Jones’s hiring were of his own making or at the hands of an adult she trusted.

In September, Yarbrough took her son to the hospital after noticing an injury on his foot. His toe was broken, she said.

Yarbrough contacted the school, and nobody knew what happened, she said.

“He can’t tell us where it hurts and explain what he’s feeling,” Yarbrough said. “We thought, ‘Maybe he somehow hurt himself,’ and left it at that, which is so frustrating.”

Yarbrough is combing through other injuries her son endured throughout the year, wondering what really happened. She said police contacted her, saying they think her son may be a victim of Jones’s abuse.

She hasn’t seen video evidence yet as police continue to investigate.

“I feel betrayed,” Yarbrough said. “We fight so much with districts and schools and teachers to make sure the kids have everything with their IEP (individualized education program) they need and that it’s being followed and that they have the right programming. I never considered the bus for a second because it seems so basic… We have this assumption they’re keeping our kids safe because that’s their duty. Now I feel like we’re going to question everyone forever.”

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