Conference Summary Minutes Outline

ARC Chairperson Resources SY 2011-12

Conference Summary Minutes Outline Initial Evaluation and Eligibility Meeting

Purpose of Meeting: To discuss results of an individual evaluation Other possible purpose: To develop, review, and/or revise the student’s IEP and make placement decisions

Note: Be prepared for the meeting having read the report, highlighting relevant details regarding the eligibility decision. Determine prior to the meeting who would be sharing information and who would be taking minutes that are part of the “official record.” It is recommended that at least one other ARC member take additional minutes that might be included in the final version in case the official recorder missed an important supporting statement. Sample statements provided are intended to provide some (not all) examples of statements that may be used on the Conference Summary. They are not intended to be used exactly as worded here but rather as samples that should be edited to fit the particular student and situation being documented.

Introduction/Roles of ARC Participants and Purpose for Meeting (Record Review Items #15-#21) (Sample statement) All members of the ARC invited to the meeting were present and introductions were made. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the evaluation/written assessment report conducted by school personnel and to determine ______’s possible eligibility for special education (and related) services.

Parent Rights (Record Review Item #29) (Sample statement) Parents were provided a written copy of the procedural safeguards with a verbal explanation of those rights given by ______. Parents had questions regarding their rights if their child was not eligible for special education services. The ARC Chairperson again reviewed the section on State Complaint Procedures and how disagreements regarding decisions could be resolved.

Section I: Description of Procedures (Record Review Item #24) Review of the Written Assessment Report – The ARC should have a hard copy of the evaluation written report and of the eligibility determination form(s) at this time to reference and use as a guide for discussion. All ARC members should have reviewed the written assessment report prior to the meeting to become familiar with its contents and be prepared to participate in the discussion. If parents have not already received a copy of the report (which is recommended), be sure to provide a copy at this time. Introductory explanation of the report: (Sample statement) ______was evaluated for a suspected disability in the area of ______. The evaluation information was gathered through multiple sources including (Examples may be behavior observations, parent interview, standardized achievement tests, etc.) ______and included assessment in the areas of ______(Examples may be academic achievement, cognitive ability, etc.). Assessments were administered by a variety of qualified school personnel including the guidance counselor, special education teacher, and school psychologist. ______was tested in ______which is his native language as determined by the home language survey.

Be sure to check each box under Section I of the Conference Summary used as a basis of the decision(s). Check the box of each description which correlates with types of assessment in the written assessment report.

Section II: Parent Concerns and Input (Record Review Item #46) Be sure to check Parent Input box in Section I on the conference summary.

Disclaimer: This resource was developed as a guide for ARC Chairpersons in conducting a meeting which includes compliance documentation. It should not be considered a legally required document.

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(Sample statement #1) Mr. and Mrs. ______reported that they had had ______evaluated for dyslexia at the Shedd Academy and had a report confirming her eligibility. The chairperson asked for the school to have a copy of the report for ______’s record and asked for ______’s parent to summarize the results. The LEA Representative explained that in order to determine the presence of a learning disability, the state regulations and district policies require the use of standardized instruments that were administered by qualified personnel as determined through district procedures. Since the individuals at Shedd Academy did not have the evidence of such qualifications, the committee would consider the report but could not use it as a basis for ______’s eligibility decision. (This would be considered an option refused with explanation.) (Sample statement #2) Mr. and Mrs. ______had taken their daughter, ______, to Step One, an independent diagnostic/consultative agency, in Louisville which conducted a very thorough evaluation of ______’s needs at the request of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. ______shared a copy of the final report with the ARC members. This report was reviewed by the ARC and determined to evidence the same conclusions regarding ______’s disability as was found in the district evaluation. (Sample statement #3) Mr. and Mrs. ______reported to the ARC that even though they were divorced, they would continue to work together in supporting ______’s educational needs and would expect to both be invited to all meetings pertaining to their child. (Sample statement #4) When asked by the ARC Chair if they felt the evaluation results and written assessment report were accurate, Mr. and Mrs. ______said they agreed with the results of the testing and that it described their child’s abilities and challenges.

Section IIIC: Eligibility/Continued Eligibility (Record Review Items #25 and #26) Explanation of results: (Do not include as the only statement: “Refer to written assessment report.” Provide a short summary of the test results which were discussed as is provided in the following examples.)  Social-developmental history (Sample Statement #1) A review of the social-developmental history completed by ______’s mother indicates that ______lives with his family. The only stressful event in the past 12 months was the death of his grandfather who had an extended illness. It was noted that ______was in daycare prior to kindergarten and repeated first grade. His health was rated overall as being good. He is only on medication for common allergies. ______likes to spend time with his family and friends, going to the park, and participating in sporting activities, including baseball and soccer. He also participates in his church youth group.  Individual standardized test results (including interviews, rating scales, commercial tests) (Sample statement #1) Per the written assessment report, the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement indicated that ______evidences a notable difference between her ability to do math calculations and what might be expected for a student with her cognitive abilities. Though given a systematic series of interventions provided in the general classroom setting and in small group settings, ______was unable to demonstrate sufficient progress to benefit from this level of intervention. (Sample statement #2) ______is functioning at least two standard deviations below his same grade peers in the areas of cognition, academic achievement and adaptive behavior. He appears to have notable challenges in daily living skills that require independence. Overall academic skills are approximately three grade levels below his current grade, and his cognitive abilities are below the second percentile. (Sample statement #3) According to the results of the behavior rating scales, the teacher and parent rated ______in the clinically significant range for externalizing behaviors. The standard score on the parent

2 ARC Chairperson Resources SY 2011-12 report was _____ and on the teacher report was ______. These scores were consistent with how the student rated himself. ______received interventions through the school’s Check and Connect Program and an individual behavior contract. These were continued through the evaluation process, with progress indicating behavior significantly and consistently below that of his peers and exhibited across settings.

 Behavior observations (Sample statement for suspected disability in SLD for written expression) An observation of ______’s expressive writing skills was conducted in his English class as the students were required to complete on-demand tasks. ______did not complete the task during the allotted time when the rest of his peers had been able to do so, and the teacher later reported that he had left out significant details required in the rubric.  Academic and/or Behavioral History (This may include district/statewide assessments.) (Sample statement #1) The regular education teacher reported that current classroom-based assessments and observations reveal ______is struggling with basic math calculation with his performance continually falling below that of his grade peers. MAP scores over the past three years indicate that he consistently performs in the first percentile in math as compared with both national and district norm. On AIMSweb he has performed consistently below peers, scoring in the lowest ten percent of his grade as measured by this curriculum-based measurement. He has scored at the novice level in math on state assessments since the third grade.

Eligibility Decision: This decision includes criteria for the specific disability, adverse effect, and exclusionary factors. Be sure to use the appropriate eligibility determination form with you to guide the discussion.  Eligibility criteria – Do the student’s assessment results meet the eligibility criteria in state regulations and district procedures? (Sample statement #1-OHI) ______received 12 weeks of intervention demonstrating that her progress was below the expected goal on 5 of the 6 points of reference. ______’s difficulty with completing tasks, maintaining focus and contributing to on-topic discussions was further evidenced by parent and teacher input, observations, and existing data. Based on the analysis of the above evaluation data and comparing it to the eligibility criteria as referenced in state regulations and district procedures, ______does meet eligibility requirements in the area of Other Health Impairment with a diagnosed condition of Attention Deficit Disorder which impacts his limited alertness in the educational environment as noted by the physician.  Adverse Effect – Is the child’s progress impeded to the extent that his/her educational performance is significantly and consistently below similar-age peers? (Sample statement #1-OHI) In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria for Other Health Impairment, the impact of this disability is evidenced in difficulty in sustaining his attention to tasks including written assignments and classroom lectures or discussions that require his independently completing and participating in a task that other students can do without prompting. These challenges are specifically manifested in difficulty with staying on topic during a writing assignment and contributing only when called on during a class discussion. When the teacher does call on ______, he is not aware of the preceding discussion and frequently has not attended to the question that was asked.

 Exclusionary Factors – Has the student received appropriate instruction in reading and math? Is the student identified as being Limited English Proficient? If yes, is his limited proficiency in the English language the barrier to his learning/behavior or is it the identified disability? Are there any environmental, cultural, or economic factors that are the root cause for the learning/behavior problems?

(Sample statement #1-OHI) The ARC identified no environmental, cultural or economic factors that could be the basis for his difficulty in attending. School records reveal that ______has received appropriate instruction in both reading and math since kindergarten. Other Eligibility Sample Statements for Various Disability Categories: (From Karen Frohoff, DoSE, Mason County School District, Kentucky) (Sample statement #2-MMD) _____’s cognitive performance and adaptive behavior is at least two standard deviations below the mean. Testing results indicate low achievement in reading, reading comprehension, reading fluency, math, and written expression consistently impact learning in content classes. Adaptive behavior information gathered from the assessments and parent/teacher input support ____’s problems with interactions in social settings with peers and with independence in the home and community. Based on these results, the ARC determined that _____ meets eligibility criteria in the area of Mild Mental Disability. ____needs multiple visual prompts such as graphic organizers to support learning in content areas and elective classes. ____ has difficulty maintaining a schedule. He responds well to direct instruction and relies on verbal and visual cues to support his learning. His academic and functional skills are at the 3rd grade level which is significantly below his 8th grade peers. The ARC reviewed possible social and cultural factors that may have impacted ______’s progress and determined these are not mitigating circumstances. ____ has had appropriate instruction in reading and math but his cognitive delays and delays in adaptive behavior skills across home, school, and community settings have significantly impacted his rate of learning compared to peers. The ARC determined that ____ requires specially designed instruction to support his access to and progress in core content areas and functional skills to support his ability to benefit from direct instruction and independent/functional learning activities.

(Sample statement #3-FMD) ______’s characteristics of cognitive delay and adaptive behaviors that are three standard deviations or more below the mean have adversely impacted ______’s achievement in reading, reading comprehension, reading fluency, math, written language and adaptive behavior. ____ requires extensive modifications and accommodations to learn core content concepts. Based on the assessment results, _____ meets eligibility criteria as a student with a Functional Mental Disability. _____benefits from adult and peer prompts to help guide him during transitions throughout the day. _____’s academic skills are between a preschool and kindergarten level in reading and at 2nd grade level in math. _____’s adaptive behavior is similar to a 5 to 7 year old student and he requires constant supervision in unstructured settings. Due to his disability, ______is not able to identify danger and is trusting of all adults. He is a follower and wants to do everything the other high school students are doing. The ARC reviewed possible social and cultural factors that may have impacted ______’s progress and determined these are not mitigating circumstances. ____ has had appropriate instruction in reading and math but his cognitive delays and delays in adaptive behavior skills across home, school, and community settings have significantly impacted his rate of learning compared to peers. The ARC determined that ____ requires specially designed instruction to support his access to and progress in core content areas and functional skills to support his ability to benefit from direct instruction and independent/functional learning activities.

(Sample statement #4-EBD) The ARC reviewed ____’s history of emotional and behavior issues across settings which have existed for a period of time greater than six months. It was determined that these issues have impacted his achievement in reading, reading comprehension, reading fluency, math and written expression. Based on all of the assessment information, it was determined that ____meets eligibility in the area of Emotional Behavioral Disorder. ____ requires extensive modifications, accommodations and positive behavioral supports to learn core content due to his explosive behavioral issues that impact this ability to attend, accept, and participate in instructional activities.

The ARC reviewed possible social and cultural factors that may have impacted ______’s progress and determined these are not mitigating circumstances. ____ has had appropriate instruction in reading and math but his emotional and behavioral issues across home, school and community settings have significantly impacted his rate of learning compared to peers. The ARC determined that ____ requires specially designed instruction and positive behavioral interventions to support his access to and progress in core content areas, functional skills and home, school, community social settings. (Sample statement #5-Autism) ____exhibits delayed expressive and receptive language skills, poor executive functioning skills, sensory concerns, and delayed social skills with peers and adults. These skill deficits have impacted ____’s achievement in reading, reading comprehension, reading fluency, communication, math, written language and adaptive behavior. According to the results of the evaluation, ____ meets the eligibility criteria as a student with Autism. ___requires extensive modifications and accommodations to learn core content concepts and to participate in social activities within the school including riding the bus, eating in the cafeteria, participating in PE and gym activities, engaging in reciprocal conversations, and understanding appropriate interactions with adults and peers. The ARC reviewed possible social and cultural factors that may have impacted ______’s progress and determined these are not mitigating circumstances. ____ has had appropriate instruction in reading and math but his communication delays and delays in adaptive behavior skills across home, school and community settings have significantly impacted his rate of learning compared to peers. The ARC determined that ____ requires specially designed instruction to support his access to and progress in core content areas and functional skills. He requires significant adaptations and modifications to his environment and instructional delivery modalities to support his ability to benefit from direct instruction and independent/functional learning activities.

(Sample statement #6-SLI) According to the evaluation results, ____ is not able to effectively communicate with peers and adults. He constantly needs to repeat his words, sentences and phrases to his listener. Although his speech production of one word utterances does not indicate a significant problem, his connected speech is not intelligible to his listener. Due to not being understood, he exhibits frustration, and the natural flow of communication between communicative partners is impeded. The ARC agreed that ____meets eligibility criteria for Speech Language Impairment. _____’s articulation errors significantly impact his progress and communication in all oral activities including academic, social and extra-curricular opportunities. The ARC reviewed possible social and cultural factors that may have impacted ______’s progress and determined these are not mitigating circumstances. ____ has had appropriate instruction in speech through modeling; his articulation errors have significantly impacted his oral communication skills compared to peers. The ARC determined that ____ requires specially designed instruction and positive behavioral interventions to support his access to and progress in core content areas, functional skills and home, school, community social settings.

Complete Eligibility Determination Form. The “Supporting Evidence” boxes on the Eligibility Determination Form may include some of the statements from the explanation of evaluation results and the eligibility decision section (refer to above samples).

If the ARC determines the student to be eligible for special education services, proceed to Section IIID. Individual Education Program.

Sample statements for a student who is determined to not be eligible:  Eligibility criteria (Sample statement for a student who is determined to not meet the eligibility criteria)

______received 12 weeks of intervention demonstrating that her progress was below the expected goal on 5 of the 6 points of reference. ______’s difficulty with completing tasks, maintaining focus and contributing to on-topic discussions was not evidenced in all academic classes. Her difficulty was much more pronounced in subject classes that she listed as being uninteresting to her or saw no connection to everyday activities. Based on the analysis of the above evaluation data and comparing it to the eligibility criteria as referenced in state regulations and district procedures, ______does not meet eligibility requirements in the area of Other Health Impairment even though he has a diagnosed condition of Attention Deficit Disorder. It was noted that the physician’s diagnosis was made without input from school personnel.  Adverse Effect (Sample statement for a student who meets the eligibility criteria but there is no adverse effect) The results of the assessment data indicate that ______does meet the eligibility criteria for Other Health Impairment under Attention Deficit Disorder. However, the ARC was unable to determine a specific and consistent impact of this disability across environments. In his favorite classes, he participates in class discussions and shows the ability to complete his assignments without prompting.

 Exclusionary Factors (Sample statement for a student who meets eligibility criteria and for whom there is an adverse effect, but there are exclusionary factors that impact the difficulties) Although ______meets eligibility criteria for OHI based on an Attention Deficit Disorder, the parent reported that since the family moved in with the grandparents due to the loss of the father’s job, ______started demonstrating these behaviors which were not a problem when the family lived in their own home. Other Eligibility Sample Statement for Student Not Eligible: (From Karen Frohoff, DoSE, Mason County Public Schools, Kentucky) (Sample statement for student who is being dismissed from DD) The ARC reviewed the integrated report for assessment, teacher and parent interviews, interventions, classroom observations and reports from the University of Kentucky Medical Center. ___ has a diagnosis of ADHD and received services the past three years under Developmental Delay. ___ is seen by a therapist at UK on a monthly basis to monitor his medications. ___ currently takes 18 mgs. of Concerta one-time per day. ____ has graduated from the social skills groups at UK and is not enrolled in any outside counseling or therapy. ____ is currently functioning in the average range in all academic areas according to the recent evaluation results. He gets along well with his peers and is participating in the after school archery program. He has two close friends at school and participates in scouts as an extra-curricular activity. It is reported that he is developing leadership skills in school and is able to take redirection from adults without demonstrating frustration or anger. ____ has developed a tool kit of strategies to assist with his ADHD characteristics. He uses a planner and his cell phone to keep track of course assignments and homework. He turns in work in a timely manner and is passing all classes with a B average. If ___ gets anxious regarding an assignment or activity in class, he will request adult assistance and will ask for clarification. The ARC discussed ____’s diagnosis and determined that at this time there is no adverse impact on his educational and social performance. ____’s diagnosis does not significantly impact his progress or his ability to access the core content. The ARC is in consensus that ___ does not meet eligibility as a student with a disability under OHI. The ARC was unable to identify any adverse impact academically and/or socially for ___ in the school setting.

Complete Eligibility Determination Form. If the ARC determines the student to not be eligible for special education services, proceed to Section VI. Other Actions Relevant to the Action which might include a

6 ARC Chairperson Resources SY 2011-12 discussion of continuation of the interventions and progress monitoring/formative assessment in the general education setting as well as other options rejected. Following this discussion, conclude the meeting.

Section IIID: Individual Education Program (Be sure to include parent input regarding IEP.) (Sample opening statement regarding the reason for writing an IEP for this student-Record Review Items #25, #36, and #27). Based on the results of the evaluation and the identified adverse effect of the disability, the ARC agreed that ______needs special education services in order to benefit from instruction in the general curriculum at her grade level. A draft IEP was presented for discussion by the ARC which included suggestions for annual goals and specially designed instruction aligned with information in the written assessment report.  Present Levels and Special Factors (Record Review Items #33 and #34) (Sample statement) Using the information from the written assessment report and input from ARC members who have worked most closely with ______, the ARC discussed the present level of performance statements as drafted by school personnel, including special factors. The parent expressed concerns about how ______’s behavior appears to interfere with his ability to learn. The ARC concluded there was sufficient evidence from observations to include this as a special factor. If the student is Grade 8 or age 13 years + 1 day, refer to the annual review Conference Summary Minutes Outline which includes related notes.

 Annual Goals, Benchmarks/Short-term objectives, Progress Monitoring (Record Review Items #35, #37, and #38) (Sample statement) Annual goals and short-term objectives were discussed targeting the identified areas of ______. The parent noted that they wanted an additional benchmark to address ______’s inability to take turns with peers. Progress will be measured by scoring rubrics, checklists, and will be shared with the parent on a quarterly basis when the student receives his report card.  Specially Designed Instruction (Record Review Items #36) (Sample statement #1) The ARC determined that ______would need special individualized instruction in the use of assistive technology as recommended through the evaluation in order to meet the annual goal in written expression. (Sample statement #2) The special education teacher presented options for SDI that included choral reading and direct instruction in reading. The committee agreed that these strategies are the most supportive for reading instruction.  Supplementary Aids and Services, Program Modifications, Testing Accommodations (Record Review Items #39, #40, #41, #42) (Sample statement #1) ______will have access to additional adult support in the regular education classroom with modified tests and study guides. The school personnel will have specialized training in responding to medical conditions related to seizures. The ARC completed the Accommodations Determination Form to specify appropriate test accommodations for ______. The first option for accommodations was the use of assistive technology to allow ______to be as independent of adult assistance as possible. (Sample statement #2) The ARC determined that ______is eligible for Alternate Assessment; he is able to communicate with words and gestures. Current data indicate that ______’s cognitive and adaptive performance inhibit his being able to complete the requirements of the general curriculum with typical accommodations allowed for the general state assessment. He will be participating in the non-diploma program. The ARC completed the Alternate Assessment Determination form, and the parent was given a copy of the Parent Guide.  Least Restrictive Environment (Record Review Item #43)

(Sample statement #1) ______will participate in all regular education core content classes. He will be removed from a general education non-core class for two periods a week to receive speech services in the resource room. (Sample statement #2) _____ will not participate in the general education core content classes of math, reading, science, and social studies. She will receive instruction for her core content classes in the resource room.

 Special Education and Related Services (Record Review Items #44 and # 45) (Sample statement) ______will primarily receive special education services in a co-teaching classroom for ______minutes per day in the area of reading. Services in a resource room to provide more individual pre-teaching of vocabulary concepts will be provided for (Student’s Name) 30 minutes a week.  Extended School Year Services (Record Review Item #48) (Sample statement) Since this is an initial IEP for ______, there is no data to determine this would be a need at this time. Should ______exhibit notable problems with regression and recoupment of achieved skills, the ARC will reconvene at that time to review progress data and determine need for services.

If the student is Grade 8 or age 13 years + 1 day, refer to the annual review Conference Summary Minutes Outline which includes related notes. (Record Review Items # 49a-i, #50, and #51)

Section IIIE: Placement Options (Record Review Item #53) (Sample statement) The ARC first discussed ______’s placement full time in a regular education classroom. It was determined that the regular education setting allows for ______to have the opportunity to learn from same age/grade peers in order to generalize skills in a natural setting. However,______will also need to receive services in a resource setting for pre-teaching concepts since he has difficulty with content vocabulary. (Refer to other samples in the LRE Justification Statements document.) When calculating how much of the day ______will be removed from the general education classroom setting, it was determined that he will be in a regular education setting for more than 80% of the day. Section IIIF: Potential Harmful Effects (Record Review Item #52) Make sure you check one of the two boxes. If there are harmful effects, complete the explanation in the space provided. (Sample statement) Even though ______may have difficulty with pacing his assignments in the general education class, he will have additional time to complete an assignment which would compensate for this issue.

Section VI: Other Factors Relevant to the Action (Record Review Item #28) Be sure to check one of the two boxes. (Sample statement for other factors) The ARC discussed possible complications that may arise from upcoming changes in medication for ______’s seizure disorder.

Consent for Special Education and Related Services (Sample statement) The parents signed the consent for CCSD to provide special education in the area of ______. No related services are needed at this time.

Other options rejected: (Record Review Items #27 and #28) (Note that the above sample statement for “Placement” was also an example of an option rejected.) (Sample statement #1) No options were discussed that the ARC rejected.

(Sample statement #2) The ARC discussed and determined that additional adult support was not needed for ______because she may become unnecessarily dependent on this rather than learning to rely on more natural supports (e.g., peers) as documented through data collected during observations.

Review the conference summary and obtain signatures. (Record Review Items # 19 and #21)