IDEA Feedback Survey
PROFILE.
Please fill out this section.
Name:
E-mail address:
Local union:
District:
Your occupation:
Number of general education students you teach:
Number of special education students you teach:
This form is designed to collect information on the extent school districts are implementing the IDEA changes and their impact on programs and services to students with disabilities. Some school districts fail to comply with federal and state special education requirements, for example by exceeding special education class sizes without submitting a variance to SED or failure to provide services specified in the student's IEP. Under IDEA, local unions on behalf of their members may file a complaint with the SED alleging a violation of a state or federal requirement. If you believe the district is violating a special education law or regulation, please contact your local union leadership.
CSE MEMBER EXCUSALS
IDEA allows school districts and parents to exclude members of the Committee on Special Education (CSE) from attending a CSE meeting, in whole or in part, when the member’s area of expertise is not being discussed. If a member’s area of expertise is being discussed at the CSE meeting, the CSE member may still be excused with the written consent of the parent and school district. In this case, the CSE member must provide written input regarding the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) prior to the meeting.
1.
Are members in your district being excused from CSE meetings?
Yes
No
Not Sure
2.
If yes, what members?
Special Education teachers
General Education teachers
Speech therapists
Reading teachers
School Psychologists
Other (please specify)
3.
Is the excused member's area of expertise being discussed at the CSE meeting?
Yes
No
Not Sure
4.
Please describe the circumstances under which the members are being excused.
5.
How is this impacting special education students and the services they receive from your district?
IEP CHANGES
IDEA allows school districts and parents to agree to make changes to a student’s IEP after the annual review without a CSE meeting. Previously, all changes to the IEP required a CSE meeting.
6.
Are IEPs being changed after the annual review in your district without CSE meetings?
Yes
No
Not Sure
7.
What changes are being made?
Student classification
Change in type of special education services
Change in frequency of special education services
Other (please specify)
8.
Please describe in more detail, how this has impacted services to students with disabilities?
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION
The IDEA allows school districts to use the student’s “response to a scientifically-based intervention” as part of the evaluation in determining whether a student has a learning disability. While the term “response to intervention”(RTI) is not defined in the IDEA law or regulation, it generally refers to a process of assessing a student’s response to a high-quality instruction/intervention matched to a student’s need, for the purpose of making educational decisions concerning a student suspected of having a learning disability.
9.
Is the RTI process being used to identify a student with a learning disability?
Yes
No
Not Sure
10.
Is RTI being used as a general education intervention option in your school district?
Yes
No
Not Sure
11.
If so, what effect is this having on student classification for special education program services?
12.
What, if anything, has
your district done to support the implementation of RTI?
13.
What impact has the use of RTI had on your role and/or responsibilities?
14.
Please describe any collective bargaining issues that have arisen because of the use of RTI.
SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRALS
IDEA allows school districts to decide if a student suspected of having a disability will be initially referred for a special education evaluation. Previously, teachers and other professional members of the school could make a direct referral for an initial special education evaluation.
15.
Are teachers and other professionals in your district
being denied the opportunity to make initial referrals to the CSE?
Yes
No
Not Sure
16.
If so, does this effect the student's education program?
REEVALUATION
According to IDEA, special education students must be reevaluated at least once every three years. However, a reevaluation does not need to occur if the district and the parents agree that a reevaluation is not necessary.
17.
Are parents in your district agreeing to waive their right to the triennial evaluation?
Yes
No
Not Sure
18.
If so, how does this effect the student's educational program?