District Developed Special Education Delivery Plan
July 2019
A system for delivery of instructional services including a full continuum of services and placements to address the needs of eligible individuals ages 3-21 years of age.

		

						

Question	Answer	
1. What process was used to develop a delivery system for eligible indificulas?	

Purpose:
 The purpose of this question is to document that the district has met all the process requirements in the development of their DDSDP.	The delivery system was developed in accordance with Iowa Administrative Code rule 41.408(2)c. The committee of individuals was comprised of parents of eligible individuals, special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators and a representative from Great Prairie Area Education Agency.

The CCSD Special Education Committee collaborated to create the current plan following the organizational structure and timeline as outlined.

Committee Members:
Parents:                                        Teachers:
Victoria Shafer                             Chasity Hardin, Preschool Teacher
Carissa Thomas                            Linda Harlan, K-1 Special Education Teacher
Lora Jones                                     Jolynn Kruzich, 2-5 special Education Teacher
Steve Logsdon                              Tina Bauman, MS Special Education Teacher
Julie Cowan                                   Julie Vanderlinden, MS Special Education Teacher
                                                       Missy Cisler, 9-12 Special Education Teacher
                                                       Tracie Valentine, HS General Education Teacher  
Administrators:
Jeremy Hissem, HS Principal
Karen Swanson, MS Principal
Terri Schofield, Elementary 2-5 Principal
Dianne Fatka, Elementary K-1 and Preschool Principal
Rhonda Raskie, Special Education Director
Great Prairie AEA:
Alan Schwarte, Regional Director 
Timeline and Structure
February 21, 2019	Committee reviewed current plan, process and purpose. Began
                                       the work on Questions 1-3.

March 13, 2019           Committee reviewed and discussed  Question 3 and previewed  Q4

March 20, 2019            Committee reviewed and determined that they would adopt the 
                                       Matrix format for caseload reviews and finalized Question 3. 
                                       The committee discussed and finalized Question 4 and 5.	
Question	Answer	
2. How will the services be organized and provided to eligible individuals?

Purpose:
The purpose of this question is to describe how the district will provide special education instructional services. Districts must include the full continuum of services and placements for eligible individuals from age 3 to 21, including preschool. When describing services for preschool children, the district must adhere to federal data reporting definitions of settings for preschool.	Centerville Community School District Continuum of Services: The district will provide access to the continuum of services for all eligible individuals as defined below based on their IEP. The continuum includes services for eligible individuals ages 3-21. Services may be provided within the district, or through contractual agreement with other districts and/or agencies. Students may receive different services at multiple points along a continuum based on the IEP.

General Education with consultation/accommodations and/or modifications: The student is served in the general education setting with consultation and support from the special education teacher(s). The general education teacher is responsible for direct instruction, testing, grading and behavioral management as specified in the IEP.
Example: The classroom teacher is responsible for teaching, testing, grading, and discipline in the general education setting. The special education  teacher/service provider is responsible for assisting the classroom teacher by helping design and adapt assignments and by monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals, as well as how a student’s specially designed instruction may be carried out in the general education classroom and in accordance with what is written in the student’s IEP for a particular goal area(s).

General education with direct special education support in the general education          classroom: Co-teaching services are defined as the provision of specially designed instruction and academic instruction provided to a group of students with disabilities and nondisabled students. These services are provided by the special education teacher and general education teacher in partnership to meet the content and skills needs of students in the general education classroom or regular early childhood program. These services take shape in a variety of manners.
Example: Teachers co-plan, divide the class, and provide the instruction to smaller groups, or teachers co-plan and then co-instruct different components of the content. The special education teacher/service provider is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals.

General Education with direct special education support outside the general education classroom:  Direct specially designed instruction is provided to an individual student with a disability or a group of students with disabilities by a certified special education teacher to provide instruction that is tied to the general education curriculum, but has been modified to meet the unique needs of the student(s) in a self contained setting. This takes place when services cannot be appropriately provided in the general education or program setting, the student may receive selected services or all services he/she needs in a separate educational setting (including, but not limited to special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions). This means that the student is receiving his or her primary instruction separate from non-disabled peers. The special education teacher/service provider is responsible for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals.
Example: A special education teacher provides specially designed instruction services in an individual or small group special education classroom setting for part of the day and follows what is written in the student’s IEP for a particular goal area(s). The assigned special education teacher monitors the students progress on goal areas.

Regular Early Childhood Program with Teacher holding Dual Endorsements: The student is served in the regular early childhood classroom with a teacher who holds a valid practitioner’s license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners that includes pre-kindergarten and early childhood special education. The teacher is responsible for direct instruction, preparation of materials, adaptations and accommodations as specified in the IEP. The teacher with dual endorsement is responsible for implementing and monitoring the child's progress according to the IEP. 
 Example: The classroom teacher and the special education teacher may be the same individual and is responsible for teaching, testing, grading, and discipline in the general education setting. In the role of special education teacher/service provider, they are responsible for designing and adapting assignments and for monitoring the student’s progress on IEP goals as well as adjusting the level of special education services according to the individual student’s needs.

Accommodations vs. Modifications
●	Accomodations do not reduce learning expectations, accommodations provide access.
●	Modifications refer to practices that change, lower, or reduce learning expectations. 
It is important to note that when modifications are used, what a student learns is different because the learning expectations for the student is changed, lowered, or reduced. The use of accommodations does not change the learning expectations for the student, accommodations change the way the student accesses or demonstrates learning, not what is learned.
	
Question	Answer	
3. How will the caseloads of special education teachers be determined and regularly monitored?
Purpose:
This requirement exists to ensure that teacher caseloads do not become unmanageable and compromise the provisions of services prescribed in the IEPs.	Caseloads will be tentatively set each spring (April) for the following school year. Caseloads may be modified based on summer registration and actual fall enrollments. Caseloads will be  reviewed 3 times during the school year. A scheduled review of teacher caseloads will be conducted by the building principals and special education director as follows:
●	Within the first 20 school days of each academic year
●	Within the first 20 days of the second semester of each academic year.
●	By May 20th to plan for the following academic year.

A teacher may request a caseload review any time during the school year.
In determining teacher caseloads, the Centerville Community School District will use the 
Special Education Matrix, (Appendix A). 

A teacher may be assigned a caseload of no more than 100 points. This caseload limit may be exceeded by no more than 10% for a period of no more than 9 weeks, if doing so does not prevent the affected teacher’s ability to provide the services and support specified in his or her student’s IEPs. 
The Centerville Community School District’s regular early childhood program and early childhood special education programs must meet the criteria of the Preschool Program Standard (QPPS) being implemented regarding maximum class and teacher-child ratio.	
Question	Answer	
4. What procedures will a special education teacher use to resolve caseload concerns?

Purpose:
The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that special education teachers have a way to request a review of situations that have not been addressed by the caseload review process.

	Caseloads will be reviewed 3 times during the school year. A scheduled review of teacher caseloads will be conducted by the building principals and special education director as follows:
●	Within the first 20 school days of each academic year
●	Within the first 20 days of the second semester of each academic year.
●	By May 20th to plan for the following academic year.

Upon review, if there appears to be an overload, the teacher may request and the principal will arrange a Caseload Assistance Team (CAT) meeting. The CAT will be comprised of a general education teacher,the special education teacher, the building administrator, and an AEA representative. The CAT will make recommendations as to whether there is a need for adjustments to a teacher’s schedule or roster.

At any other time, a teacher may request a caseload review by submitting, in writing, the request to the building principal. The building principal must convene the CAT within 5 working days. A resolution and written decision must be made available to the teacher within 5 days after the CAT meeting.

If a district is exceeding the limits specified in this plan, it may ask the AEA Special Education Director or his/her designee to grant an adjusted caseload status. An AEA may grant an adjusted caseload status for “good cause shown.” 41.408 (2) g. A showing of good cause is highly dependent on the facts and circumstances surrounding the request and a determination of “good cause” is within the sound discretion of the AEA Special Education Director. As a general rule, “good cause” will not be satisfied by a district’s unsupported request for an adjustment to its caseload, and will typically require demonstration that the district considered other alternatives before seeking an adjustment. As with all special education questions, the primary concern should be the district's ability to provide FAPE in the LRE to the eligible individuals it serves	
Question	Answer	
5. How will the delivery system for eligible individuals meet the targets identified in the state’s performance plan and the LEA determination as assigned by the state?
What process will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery system for eligible individuals?

Purpose:
Dependent upon any needs indicated by data or determination assigned by the State, the district will examine the District Developed Plan to determine if a revision to the plan is warranted in order to effect the desired change. 	The district will examine their State’s Performance Plan (SSP) and Annual Progress Report (APR) data to determine priorities and develop an action plan. If the district meets SPP/APR requirements, the delivery system will be considered effective. If the district does not meet the requirements, the district will work in collaboration with the state and AEA.

Appendix A 
Teacher:											Student:
	Curriculum	IEP Goals	Specially Designed Instruction	Joint Planning and Consultation	Para Support	Assistive Technology	FBA/BIP	
0 
Pts	Student is functioning in the general education curriculum at a level similar to peers	Student has IEP goals instructed by another teacher or service provider	Student requires no specially designed instruction	Joint planning typical for what is provided for all students	Individual support needed similar to peers	Assistive technology use is similar to peers	Student requires NO FBA or BIP	
1
Pt	Student requires limited modifications to the general curriculum	Student has 1-2 IEP goals	25% or less of instruction is specially designed and/or delivered by special education personnel	Special education teachers conduct joint planning with one general education teacher or para over the course of each month	Additional individual adult support is needed for 25% or less of the school day	AT requires limited teacher provided individualization or training for the student	Requires limited time, assessment, planning, data collection and communication with others (not more than 2 hours per month)	
2
Pts	Student requires significant modifications to the general curriculum	Student has 3 IEP goals	26%-75% or less of instruction is specially designed or delivered by special education personnel	Special education teacher conducts joint planning with 2-3 general education teachers or paras over the course of each month	Additional individual adult support is needed from 26%-75% of the school day	AT requireds extensive teacher provided individualization or training for the student	Requires 2-4 hours monthly for assessing, planning, data collection, and communication with others
	
3
Pts	Significant adaptation to grade level curriculum requires specialized instructional strategies. Alternative assessment is used to measure progress	Student has 4 or more IEP goals	76%-100% of instruction is specially designed or delivered by special education personnel	Special education teachers conduct joint planning with more than 3 general education teachers or paras over the course of each month	Additional individual adult support is needed from 76%-100% of the school day	AT requires extensive teacher provided individualization or training for the student. Significant maintenance or upgrades are anticipated	Requires more than 4 hours monthly for assessing, planning, data collection, and communication with others