MISSION STATEMENT

 

We are committed to the development of the mind, body, and spirit of every student through the unified efforts of the school, family, and community; supported and nurtured by appropriate funding and training, accountability, teamwork, and advocacy.
 
We believe in fostering new ideas and challenging boundaries that will enhance the quality of life and self-worth of all individuals. 

 

ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY PROGRAMS:

The Resource room provides specialized instruction to students with disabilities in the elementary schools. The types of services delivered are varied and are dependent upon the student’s individual unique needs. These services range from consultation services
from a Consulting Resource Teacher/Technical Assistant (CRT/TA) to the direct delivery of services in a regular classroom by a regular classroom or service provider or the direct delivery of services in the resource rooms by a Resource Room Teacher
(RRT) or service provider. (NOTE: Each elementary school administrator is responsible for securing the Resource Room teaching positions needed to provide the services to the students in their school. Because of this, the responsibility of the supervision of the RRT falls directly to the individual school administrator.)
 
Part of the services the Special Education Preschool/Elementary Programs provides is that of the IEP Coordinator (IEPC), or Case Manager. The IEPCs play a critical role in the Preschool and Elementary programs in the Department of Education (DOE) school
system. The primary responsibility of an IEPC is to manage all cases from suspicion of a disability, referrals, evaluations, and special education meeting documents from the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) of students in compliance with the IDEA rules
and regulations. The IEPCs are the liaisons between the schools and the Division of Special Education. In addition, the IEPCs provide the necessary support and expertise to school staff to ensure successful implementation of special education services to students who are entitled to receive these services.
 
The Preschool/Elementary Program also supports the Guam Department of Education by coordinating the services students with special needs as stipulated in their IEPs and supporting the educational teams with meeting the needs of their students with disabilities; which can range from students needing one-to-one support during the school day, training to school personnel, or services that are outlined in a child’s IEP.
 

 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

IEP Coordinator (Preschool & Elementary)

General Responsibility:

• To monitor the implementation and compliance of the IEPs of students in the ECSE Program and within the Guam Department of Education public schools by facilitating child find activities with the school and community.

 

 

Specific Responsibilities:

• Ensure the appropriate referrals are made and coordinate the assessment efforts.
• Schedule eligibility meetings, initial IEP placement meetings, IEP review meetings, and re-evaluation meetings.
• Facilitate the dissemination of notices for the necessary meetings.
• Complete and process all required documents related to the IEP process and ensure that all parents and the school receive their appropriate copies.
• Document all team meetings and ensure that documents are appropriately filed in the Data Office and in the school cumulative folders.
• Consult with the school in relation to the services provided through the Division of Special Education and describe the range of services available.
• Participate and consult with GEIS service coordinators in the planning, transitioning, and implementation of services for students moving from Part C to Part B programs (Preschool IEPCs).
• Consult with other Division personnel to obtain additional information for individuals requesting the information (school, parents, etc.).
• Assist the school and parents in exploring appropriate interventions for students or children who are identified as experiencing difficulties (in school, at home, or in the community).
• Consult with the Language Other Than English (LOTE) Coordinator within the schools in the identification, assessment, and placement of limited English proficient student (LEP).
• Act as a liaison between the school, the Division of Special Education, and other service agencies such as Mental Health, Public Health, etc. for the provision of services for students with disabilities.
• Participate as a core member at in-school referral meetings or meetings with GEIS to assist in determining whether a referral to SpEd is appropriate or whether there should be a continuation of services from Part C to Part B programs.
• Facilitate in the identification of the areas of suspected disability and the composition of the assessment team.
• Provide technical assistance to program teachers. This may include but not be limited to, scheduling meetings, modification implementation, IEP issues, communicating with parents, and retention issues.
• Maintain on-going communication with the Division of Special Education concerning the status of services within the schools.
• Provide an orientation to staff regarding referral procedures and access to services.

 

Para-educators

• Work hours vary depending on the assignment. It is understood that the hours will be consistent from day to day unless needs change (i.e. student leaves school or student requires more assistance). Some situations will require the set duty hours to be when school is in session; while other needs may require additional time after school.
• If the student is absent, the aide may be assigned by the school administrator to assist another student requiring 1:1 assistance; or to assist the resource room teacher in working with other students receiving special education services.
•  An aide should not be assigned to cover as an on-call substitute teacher in any class.
• Depending on the student’s unique needs, the aide will supervise the student during instructional and non-instructional times. Other duties given to the aide should not interfere with the primary responsibility of following the daily schedule and/or routine as described in the student’s IEP.
• Training workshops: All aides will be required to attend any schedule workshops. The aides may also participate in workshops school administrators have scheduled for other employees at the school.
• Primary duties: The aide will be assigned to a student needing 1:1 assistance as indicated in the IEP. The classroom teacher will provide the lessons, materials, and general instruction on what the aide is to do. The aide will assist in providing direct instruction the student and may include other students in a small group activity.
• Self-help needs: The aide may be required to assist a child with feeding, toileting, dressing, and other self-help skills.
• Behavior Management: Aides will assist with the implementation of appropriate behavior management strategies prescribed in the student’s IEP. The aide has an important role in assuring consistency in behavior management and other program areas.
• Communication and Data Collection: The aides may be asked to assist the teacher in collecting, recording, and graphing data related to the student’s programs. If the student has a communication journal that requires some written feedback to parents, it is the TEACHER’S responsibility to record the information – not the aide. The aide may be asked to provide information, but the communication is primarily between the teacher and the parent.
• Meetings: The aide may be required to meet with the teacher or administrator at the end of the day to provide or be given feedback and recommendations necessary for developing and evaluating the student’s program. The aide may also be invited to participate or provide written information for the child’s IEP meeting, as the aide is certainly an important part of the child’s educational program.
• Assisting the teacher: Aides will assist the teacher by preparing (copying, collating, developing) materials for students, set-up or put away equipment, and in general, assist the classroom teacher in preparing the lessons and the classroom for instruction.
• After completing all tasks relating to the student’s IEP, the school administrator has the authority to assign other related duties or school tasks, such as assisting in student supervision, answering phones, and general light maintenance, etc.
• Because these responsibilities affect the academic and social growth of students with disabilities, the aide must be committed to meeting the needs of his or her assigned student. In addition, the aide must understand that every student with a disability has the right to confidentiality. This means that student names and issues cannot be revealed or discussed with other individuals not involved directly with the student.

 

Consulting Resource Teacher - Technical Assistance

Position Description: The Technical Assistance must hold teacher certification from the GPSS certification office.  The Technical Assistant (TA) is a position within the Division of Special Education.  The CRT-TA is an itinerant service provider.  The position was developed to provide training and support to school personnel, parents, and other service providers that work directly with students with disabilities. 

 

TRAINING DESCRIPTIONS

 

TRAINING

To instruct or teach; to make skillful or capable of doing something

Training to School Personnel

An IEP committee may determine that instruction, education, and/or awareness to the educational team is required in order for the personnel to carry out the individualized education program.  Example in IEP:  Training:  autism awareness training for team

The administrator of a school may request, in writing, for training to school personnel that may be unrelated to a specific IEP.  This may be a result of a teacher or faculty need.   For preparation purposes, the Division of Special Education recommends at least two weeks written notice.

Training for Non- Special Education/Certified Teachers

The TA will be responsible for providing annual training to all non-SPED certified teachers or limited term teachers placed in Special Education classrooms. This includes but not limited to areas in Special Education required under IDEA such as the: Disability Awareness, the IEP Process, Writing Effective Goals and Objectives, Accommodations and Modifications and Behavior Management for Educators, etc.

 

Training to Parents:

Training is provided to parents, as per the IEP to:

• Assist parents in understanding the special needs of their child
• Provide parents with information about child development; and
• Helping parents to acquire the necessary skills that will allow them to support the implementation of their child’s IEP or IFSP.

*Training to parents is considered a related service:

Example in IEP: training to parents by TA, 1x/month for 60 minutes to assist parent in developing and implementing visual schedule in the home.

Training to parents may be delivered by itinerant service providers other than TA’s due to their special expertise in the needed area: 

Example:  physical therapist may provide consultation/training to parents regarding the implementation of exercises in the home.

Possible training areas to teachers, aides, related service providers, other school personnel and parents include the following:

• Training in disability areas to schools (learning disabilities, mental retardation, etc.;
• Training in teaching strategies for disability areas to teachers (autism strategies, PECS, etc);
• Training in modification and accommodations;
• Training on functional assessments, behavior intervention strategies and developing behavior management plans;
• Training on documentation and data collection, etc.;
• Training to parents on child’s disability;
• Training on Special Education Process;
• Training on the Child Study Team Process;
• Training on the IEP process
• Training on how to Write Effective Goals and Objectives
• Training on the Paraeducator Determination Process
• Training on orientation and mobility
• Alternate Assessment process

 

SUPPORT/CONSULTATION DESCRIPTIONS

 

Definition

Support is defined as “follow up” required to support the training identified.  This is delivered in the form of consultative services.

Consultation, as a support service, is defined as “providing opinion on, based on expertise; to confer with.”   

Example in IEP:  Training on autism strategies.  Consultation by CRT/TA  2x/month to consult on implementation of strategies.  

The service may also specify an amount of time that may be needed initially and will eventually transition to a lesser amount: 

Example:  3x/week, 30 minutes for a 6 week period to support lesson planning; after 6 weeks, consultation to monitor delivery of assignments 1/week for 30 minutes; etc.

Example:  3x/week for 30 minutes to one to one aide to set up binder system, 1x/week for 30 minutes once binder system is in place.

Possible consultation areas to teachers, aides, related service providers, other school personnel and parents include the following:

• Consult on teaching strategies;
• Consult on modifications and accommodations;
• Consult on behavior management;
• Consult on data collection.
   

It is not the responsibility of the TA to direct the teacher on WHAT to do with the student.  It is, rather, the responsibility of the TA to SUPPORT the teacher in what he/she has decided to do, base on his/her expertise.

In addition to IEP stipulated services, all TA’s are designated as the “RESOURCE PERSON” for their school in regards to any and all supports to school personnel as they relate to students receiving special education and/or possible students that may need special education. 

This may be in the form of, but not limited to, participation at a child study team, modeling teaching strategies, observations, modeling behavioral interventions, working with peer groups, etc.

• Consulting is the means by which YOU can help other professionals meet a student’s IEP goals and objectives.
• The recipient of consulting is not the student, but another professional.
• Consulting is a service delivery that is best used to insure that a student has multiple opportunities in a day to use a particular skill or opportunities to generalize the use of skills.
• Consulting is the means by which a student receives MORE, not less service.
• GOOD consulting will include observation of and interaction with ALL students with disabilities.  A good consultant will know the students as well as they would if providing direct service.
   

Each TA is required to document all consultative services provided on the “Consultation Log” form.

 

NEW AIDE REQUEST

 

It is the responsibility of the TA to conduct observations, interviews and assessments on all requests for adult support.  Each TA is required to complete all forms, necessary observations, and interviews as stipulated in the Paraeducator Determination Process packet.

 

AIDE ASSIGNMENT/COORDINATION

 

The TA will be responsible for creating a list of all paraeducators in each school with the following information: who the assigned student is, if paraeducator is assigned to another student other than the student that he/she was assigned to by SPED, document who the student is; verify what training(s) the paraeducator is in need of and conduct.  

 

CASES INVOLVING LEGAL MATTERS

 

For cases involving legal matters that require Training and Support, each TA must ensure that they have a full understanding of the following:

1. Formal Complaint
2. Settlement

• Training and Support-Conduct training and provide documentation for services rendered.
• Provide support to educational team upon completion of training(s).

 

TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS

 

Transition of services is crucial to the success of any program.  The transition may be any one of the following: 

• Student is transitioning from one grade level to the next:
• Student is transitioning from elementary to secondary level:
• Student is transitioning from school year to summer program:
• Student is transitioning from summer program to new school year:
• Student’s case is transitioning from one TA to another TA:

 

Requirements for Students with Autism:

 

Because students with autism require additional supports for transitioning, each TA’s servicing students with autism must ensure that the following procedures take place:

• Inform/attend transition “staffing” meeting
• Inform/Meet with receiving TA
• Send/Receive appropriate documents

 

Requirements for Students with Medical Needs:

 

For students with health needs, each TA must ensure that the following procedures take place:

•  Required CPR/First Aid training
•  Appropriate feeding techniques
•  Appropriate lifting techniques
• Implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (as identified in the student’s IEP) for students who experience seizures

 

PARAEDUCATOR DETERMINATION PROCESS

 

**See Paraeducator Determination Flowchart in appendix

 

PERSONNEL ISSUES

 

All TA’s adhere to the Department of Education Personnel Rules and Regulations.

 

Duty hours:

TA’s adhere to the school calendar and its holidays and/or any adjustments relevant to the Division of Special Education (make up days, Staff Development, etc.).

TAs may service both the elementary and secondary schools.  Duty hours reflect the schedule of the school being serviced on that specific day.  If both and elementary and secondary school are being serviced on one day then the TA must ensure that “teacher hours” are completed. 

The Division of Special Education operates on the Elementary level schedule (8:00 am to 2:00 pm).  For those days in which the TA works out of his/her “base,” the duty hours are 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, unless otherwise changed by the Division.

Parent Teacher Conference and Professional Development days are considered work days.  TA’s should service those schools that are not scheduled for conference/staff development day unless they are involved in the staff development day.  

 

Assignments:

 

School assignments are made by the Program Coordinator based on the need of the population of students being serviced. 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

The Program Coordinator will be responsible for providing staff development to all TA’s that is separate from school’s Staff Development Days.

 

CRT-TA TRACKS

Direct Services:

 

Student:

• What are the needs of the child?
• What are the services that the student receives?
• What / Who are the natural supports at the school?
• Is the child making progress towards goals and objectives?
• If the child is not making progress towards goals and objectives what are the other factors that affect it?
• Summary or copies of evaluations.

 

Consultation:

 

People that directly work with the student

• Who are the related service personnel that work with the student?
• What are the goals that they are working with the student?
• Do the goals overlap with other service providers?
• If some goals overlap, is there collaboration between the service providers on how it’s supposed to be worked out?
• Develop collegiate interdependency to work towards building capacity
• What are the supports that they can give the teachers, para educators or the school community?

Work with administrators on how they can support the student AND actively participate in “capacity building”

 

Training and Supports:

 

Who would be receiving training and supports:

• What are the justifications for the training? (ie. Is it based on the needs of the child? Is it for related services to train teachers / para educators to provide quality services for the student? Is it for the school community to have a better understanding of the disability and how it affects the student?, etc.)
• Training should be tailored towards the target audience and emphasize on how the training relates to the needs and disability of the student?
• As part of the training, an action plan or service plan  should be put it in place to assure that the goals and objectives of the training were met

 

Resources:

 

How can they provide resources for the schools:

• Binder of resources / Bag of tricks that they can readily give the teachers (include the team—teachers, counselors, nurse, related services, etc..)
• A home base that TAs can come together to discuss cases and collaborate on training
• A library that can be accessed by teachers and other members of the educational team (*This can be a collaborative effort you lead and have  the team build)