Merissa Leonard

September 7, 2017
SpecEd 420
Checklist 3

1. During my meeting with the schools special education teacher, we discussed

many of the different IEPs that she sees all throughout the year. It was
interesting to hear about the student with an IEP in my classroom. We discussed
some different ways that I can help him in the classroom, and we both believe
that these few things will really help him in and out of the classroom. The first
thing we both agreed would be best to do for him, is to implement a behavior
chart separate from the classroom behavior chart. This is to keep him
accountable for his own actions and to give him a reminder that in order to get
smiley faces and not frowny faces he need to participate in classroom activities.
We also noticed that he needs a lot more one-on-one support in the classroom, to
give him reminders of what he needs to be doing, or to not talk at a normal voice
when it should be a whisper voice. Overall, he does really well in and out of the
classroom and we do not seem to have many troubles with him.

2. We also discussed how a teacher would go about referring a student who may
qualify for extra services, and it was different than what I had suspected it
would be. At Renton Park Elementary teachers first go to Care Team with all
data that they have collected throughout the year so far, and present that data.
From there Care Team decides if the student qualifies to go to Small Team and
creates an action plan. Then, from there they take it to Evaluation Team and
each team is made up of different staff such as, the counselor, principle, sped
teacher, the students teacher, and the schools psychologist, but each team has
that students best interest at heart. In this meeting, I also learned that the
parent of the child must agree that they want their child to receive whatever
extra services that the staff is willing to provide for that student. If the parent
does not agree to put in place the decided upon action plan then the school has
no say in it. If the parents do agree, the special education teacher has only thirty
days (that includes weekends) to get all the paperwork signed, and if it is not
signed in thirty days the process starts over again. It sounds like it can be a
pretty tedious process especially because there is a constant flow of new students
that teachers feel may qualify.

3. As for assessing students throughout the year to monitor their progress, their
class work is collected for data. The teacher then brings that to meetings with
the special education teacher and they review the progress that student is
making. Progress monitoring is something that is done all throughout the year
with students and is collected by their different teachers, and that data is then
used to determine if the student is ready for evaluations. When the student is
sent for evaluations, they are done by the schools psychologist. They then take
all collected data from work and tested and determine what is the next step for
that student. While the process seems long, it is reassuring that they are so
cautious with their decisions because it is for the good of the student and that is
Merissa Leonard
September 7, 2017
SpecEd 420
what is most important.

Through this meeting I learned more about how schools handle students that they
worry may have a disability or may need extra services. It is reassuring to me that
my school seems to be so diligent and cautious of the students needs.