Each building operates under an Intervention Model to help determine if a disability exists. Our K-12 buildings continue to utilize Intervention Assistance Teams to help teachers design and document the use of interventions in their classrooms. Along with using Response To Intervention to help provide individual learning experiences in the form of classroom and small-group interventions.
These interventions are designed by the building RTI team to positively impact the student"s educational program by enhancing his/her chances to make progress in the general curriculum. Screeners are in place to look at all children to determine the need for tiered intervention. However, parents who have concerns about their child"s educational progress should contact their child"s principal and classroom teacher to discuss those concerns.
Sometimes, the interventions designed by the IAT/RTI team are not enough to meet the needs of an individual student. Based upon the student"s response to the interventions, or the student"s apparent need for specialized instruction, the student my be referred for an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education. If the information seems to warrant it, a meeting is conducted and a building team – including the student"s parents – meets to determine if the student is suspected of having a disability. If that is the case, parent permission is received and the process for an Evaluation Team Report (ETR) is begun.
After completion of this evaluation, the team (including the parent[s]) reconvenes to determine if the child meets legal eligibility criteria for a specific disability. If the child meets eligibility criteria, the team (including the parent[s]) will develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) with specific goals and objectives, specialized services, accommodations as needed, and a determination of where the services will be provided for the child.