Improving Learning for Children with Disabilities
Welcome to the ILCD Support Site!
(UPDATED August 31, 2007)
ILCD - Everyone is Playing - All districts in ESU 4 are participating in the ILCD Process. On Wednesday, September 19, 2007, we plan to update all districts on the ILCD process, introduce any changes to the ILCD website, and review the state's current performance plan (SPP) and the impact of the SPP to districts at the local level. Each district must send at least one representative to this meeting. The agenda will include a discussion of the following items: - State Determination from OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs) and the Impact for Districts
- Data collection for the SPP (State Performance Plan)
- Local District Determinations and Our Response
- Special Education Data and your District's State of the Schools Report (SOSR)
- ESU 4's 2007-2008 SCIP Grant which is required to address any areas identified in the District Determinations
Registration for this meeting is posted on the ESU 4 Registration site. This update will begin at 1:00 and will conclude by 3:30 p.m. If you'd like to meet with Aimee Daily and myself prior to the update, please let us know. If you have any problems registering for this workshop, please contact Holly at ESU 4. 402-274-4354 or hhawley@esu4.org. ;
Speaking of Aimee Daily... Aimee Daily is joining the ESU 4 Staff as our new school psychologist. She is joining Kathy Novak in that department! Aimee will also be supporting the districts of ESU 4 with implementing and collecting data for the ILCD process. You will see and meet Aimee along the way!
FILE REVIEWS... Every district is involved in the File Review and/or Corrective Action Planning process! WooHoo! Everyone's participation in the process was wonderful... it's my impression that we all LEARNED a lot through this process. Here is a list of top things that we learned to remember...
- Reviewing IEPs can be intense, but it doesn't have to be intimidating!
- There should be a signed copy of an MDT and/or IEP invitation in the file.
- Parents need to be provided copies of the FINALIZED IEP as soon after the IEP meeting as possible.
- Transition... we know what we should be doing, but it's difficult to do! (Staff Development for 2004-2005!)
- The goals of the IEP should address the concerns/needs identified in the Present Level of Performance, but you don't have to have a goal for every concern/need!
- We must include a STATEMENT of the child's need for special education and related services. Percentages are not a statement!
- We should be including statements of how the student is performing on state and district level assessments, including both NRTs and CRTs. Statements of the student's overall performance in reading and math are best practices, at this point!
- If a parent has no concerns for their child's education at the IEP meeting, please note "No concerns identified by the parent at this time." ("NA" is not appropriate for this IEP component!)
- Brief statements as to whether the child needs any of the special considerations are preferable to "NA." (example: Behavior... "Not a concern at this time."
- Overall, each district's files looked to be in pretty good shape! Congratulations and Thanks to all the teachers for their hard work!
Coming Soon... a Special Education File Checklist!
ILCD and Early Childhood - The Region 4 Early Childhood Planning Team has created an ILCD team to support districts in evaluating their early childhood programs and services. This team met monthly during the 2006-2007 school year and will continue to do so throughout 2007-2008. Data from this committee was shared with districts at the May Annual Meeting. This information will also be shared with districts at the September 19th extravangza!
It is the goal of the PRT to assist districts in compiling and analyzing data about services that may be unfamiliar to district personnel. It is also to protect the confidentiality of families, especially in smaller districts. In developing a relationship with each district through the ILCD process, we believe that services for children will be enhanced.
Tip of the Month (August 2007) ILCD Steering Committees need to work with the steering committees of their district's School Improvement Team throughout the ILCD self assessment process. Our goal is to meld the two systems together as much as possible, so they should not be existing in isolation. As the School Improvement and ILCD processes continue, it's important for each committee to provide updates and timelines. What are some ways to bring the two systems together?
1. Provide information and training to the School Improvement Team about the ILCD process.
2. Provide updates of the ILCD self assessment at each school improvement meeting.
3. A member of the ILCD steering committee should also be a member of the school improvement steering committee.
The entire school improvement steering committee should know what ILCD is all about... AND ILCD should know what school improvement is all about.
Questions or Concerns??? Contact Ellen Stokebrand @ ESU 4.
Tip of the Year
Confidentiality is a crucial component when dealing with data and students. Because of the nature of the ILCD self assessment process, it is recommended that ILCD teams discuss the laws concerning confidentiality and implications for students and staff. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, known lovingly as 'FERPA', protects the rights of all students.
While it may sound a little nutty, we often ask teachers to recite the following pledge of confidentiality when hosting Data Retreats where district and individual student data are being analyzed. Having your ILCD members sign this Pledge of Confidentiality might assist in bringing home the importance of this issue.
Pledge of Confidentiality
I pledge to hold confidential and private any information regarding individual students and teacher shared during this ILCD self assessment process.
I will respect the use of data as a tool to facilitate the improvement of student learning.
Educational Service Unit #4, Auburn,
Nebraska
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