Special Education
Click to learn more about the SSPT Student Support and Progress Team
If you feel your child is having a challenging time in school, please know that we are here to help. We understand that some students may need extra support with academics, behavior, or social-emotional learning. Here are the steps that need to be taken in order to get your child on track to having his/her needs met:
1. Conference with your child’s teacher. Contact your child’s teacher to schedule a conference to discuss specific problems and/or concerns. This will allow time for you to ask questions about your child’s progress within the academic setting. It is also a time for you and the teacher to work together as a team to discuss ways you both can help your child. At this time the teacher will share any interventions and accommodations that are being provided, or would like to begin providing, within the classroom and/or on the playground.
2. The teacher will begin/continue to provide accommodations, collect data, and document your child’s progress for a 6-8 week period. At the end of the 6-8 week period, the parent will conference with the teacher to determine next steps (Is the student making progress? Do accommodations need to be adjusted?) The teacher may also determine that a Student Success and Progress Team (SSPT) meeting is necessary. The SSPT is a teacher and student support system designed to problem-solve how to help students be more successful in school. Teachers, administrators, and other school support personnel are members of the team.
3. If it is determined that an SSPT meeting is necessary, the teacher will fill out and submit the necessary documents to the SSPT lead. The lead will review the data and documents, give an action to the teacher, and/or an SSPT meeting will be scheduled. You will receive a letter from the SSPT lead with a possible date and time for the meeting. During this process, the teacher will continue all accommodations, collect data, and document your child’s progress as necessary. If it is determined that the student does not need an SSPT meeting, the teacher will continue to provide accommodations as needed while monitoring progress.
4. SSPT meeting #1 will be held. The SSPT process provides everyone with an opportunity to share concerns and develop an intervention plan. The plan put in place for your child during the meeting will vary depending on your child’s academic or behavioral needs. At the end of the meeting you will receive a copy of the plan and a follow-up meeting will be scheduled to review your child’s progress.
5. The teacher will begin/continue all accommodations, collect data, and document your child’s progress for a 6-8 week period. The SSPT lead will check in with the teacher periodically.
6. SSPT meeting #2 will be held. At this meeting the team will review all data collected during the next 6-8 week period. The intervention plan will be adjusted and/or actions will be determined.
7. Steps 5 and 6 will continue to be repeated until the SSPT deems that the student has shown significant progress and is ready to exit the SSPT process. The SSPT may also determine that your child meets the criteria for a Section 504 plan (typically for a child with a medical diagnosis who requires accommodations in order to access the academic curriculum). After accommodations and interventions have been put into place, documented, reviewed, and revised, the SSPT may also recommend a formal special education evaluation.
8. If the SSPT recommends formal evaluation, an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) will be scheduled and an assessment plan for appropriate evaluations will be developed and sent to the parents for approval. Once the assessment plan is signed, an IEP meeting will be scheduled within 60 days to discuss the results of the assessments, present levels of performance, and if eligible, goals and objectives for the student.