Tuesday Tips – Implement the IEP with a Change of Location Webinar

Rhonda: Thank you all so much for joining us today for our Tuesday Tips. And we’re going to talk about implementing the IEP with the change of location due to COVID.

[00:00:14] Just to tell you a little bit about ourselves, we’re Kentucky SPIN is Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network. And we are the parent training and information project for the state of Kentucky and have been since Kentucky first received one back in 1988. And this is actually funded under IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is the same federal law that calls for IEPs in school.

[00:00:45] Just to tell you a little bit about myself, I don’t even know if I told you my name’s Rhonda well I get carried away, I just jumped right on in. So, three of my siblings who have a variety of disabilities from the seen to the unseen, had IEPs through school and are smarter than I could wish to be.

[00:01:07] And you know, we are all family members or persons with disabilities. And, also maybe family members or parents of children with disabilities helping one another through peer support, stepping through the process. We do not represent families, we are not attorneys. We are here to help you to be able to help your child and help your family member.

[00:01:33] And just a few housekeeping things, Stella Beard with Kentucky SPIN is on here with us, helping us. And we’re going to pause throughout if there are any questions you’ll notice you should see a questions in your menu bar to where you can ask questions. We will try to get to all of them that we don’t happen to see it please don’t be offended, just follow-up with us. Our email address will be on there.

[00:02:01] We’ll also be sending a follow-up email that has Stella’s contact information as well as the handout, you’ll notice there is one handout too, if you don’t have time to download it, it’s the PowerPoint. And within the PowerPoint, there are links that you can click on to download those documents. So don’t worry if you don’t see the handout section, cause I know sometimes some people don’t see it in the menu bar, not to worry. We’ll follow-up and you’ll receive a certificate for attending as well as the PDF. And in case you’re not able to take the survey right after the webinar ends there’ll be a link also included in that email to take the survey. Cause we greatly appreciate your feedback and your feedback actually, is what shapes what we offer next week, and on out. So just to best help you and to best serve you.

[00:03:00] Now, if you’ve been on some of ours, I always bring this slide up because I think it’s so critical because it takes all of us working together regardless if you are a parent, a teacher, and we, especially now, after really think creatively so that we ensure that everyone has access and is still able to learn even more the change of location. Which we’re going to talk about a little bit more here in just a little bit.

[00:03:31] This is another one I always bring up, cause I just want to make sure that everybody knows that our federal law, which I’ve already indicated, IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which calls for the IEPs in schools, section 504, which is a Civil Rights Law and Title II of the ADA and our state laws, none of them had guidance or a plan, what you do if a pandemic occurs. None of us have ever lived through this before. And it’s important to always remember that none of the laws accounted for this happening. Where a lot of times or situations to where they do and you sort of have a roadmap you can follow. So we’re all having to pave the road as we go through this. So it’s just really important to keep that in mind.

[00:04:24] Now, this I know you may have seen several times if you’ve been on our webinars too, but it’s important this week, for the majority of the schools, if not all in Kentucky are going back to school this week. My son’s school started yesterday back, and I know a lot of people were starting back today. The majority are starting all virtually, which is the change of location, right. Because it was recommended by the Governor that no in-person plan be implemented yet having them in-person, due to the rising rates and the safety of everyone involved. And the Governor right now had recommended that no in-person go back until, I believe it’s until after September the 28th.

[00:05:19] So all school districts had been, throughout the summer, everything coming up based on guidance, which you’re going to see right here and in the pictures, I’m a visual person, I like to see the pictures. But again, you can follow the links, my cursor there that you should see down at the bottom where it then has the hand, when you get the PDF and bring it up, you can click right on that and see that press release and the actual guidance document that gives you more detail of these strategies and recommendations.

[00:05:49] These were guidance that was released of possible ways for districts to be planning. Here’s the thing though, we’ve got 171 school districts, public school districts in Kentucky. It can look different from one school district to another which strategies they choose and they offer. So it’s very critical to, even though everybody and, and I do think there’s a couple of school districts that have not followed the recommendations, and we’re going to go back to some degree in-person. But regardless what’s important is at what point you will go back, you’ve got to know what options and strategies has your district decided to offer. You’ll see here that there are four guidance’s of ways that you could go back.

[00:06:37] In all of these, there is an aspect of from live at home or on-demand or they get the assignments and they do those. So, and that’s gonna look different too depending upon each teacher, are they uploading assignments? If the children have the access. Or is it actually live streaming? What’s going to be important is, and to always keep in mind, is that regardless of how your child is going to school, their IEP services and supports still have to be provided. Now it may have to be adapted, which we’re going to get into, to some degree depending upon how you go back.

[00:07:21] So it’s important for you first off to know, even though the majority is going back all virtually now, except for a couple of districts. So, we’ve got to know what the plan is come after September 28th, if everything still keeps going as its planned again, we all know that with the pandemic, it’s just like our lives with families, we have to adapt day by day and different things are rolled out. But regardless, you need to know what your district is planning so that you can make the appropriate choice from the options that are available of what you feel best for your child and what’s best for your family.

[00:08:05] So I just want to bring that up there because, then what I’m going to put up before we get into some actual examples of adapting for the change of location is to explain and show you from guidance that’s been issued from the U.S. Department of Education and the Kentucky Department of Education,  (coughs)  pardon me. What’s going to be important when it says, and I’ve got it underlined here. SEA, that is your state education agency, which is the Kentucky Department of Education, LEAs is your local education agency, which is your local public, the County or independent school district. And then your individual schools. When all children are attending school, whether it be in-person or virtually, no matter how it is, if all the general student population is attending school in some form or fashion, you have to still receive special education services and related services that are in a child’s IEP and also the 504 plan. So keep those in mind. And the reason I always want to show the guidance that is spoke to that, because I want to make sure that everybody knows that this is the groundwork that has been laid and stated so that it’s not, well, this is what Rhonda said,  because that’s not going to help you. You need to know what the federal law and the guidance that has been coming out at the federal and state level and within the district.

[00:09:50] Now, from initial guidance, and these were early on in March. You’ll see I put the dates down there just like the one that we just looked at from the U.S. Department of Education. But this is, when you’re on the non-traditional instruction program, which, all of our schools are participating in and how, they may be calling it a little different, but it’s pretty much a change of location and they’re learning from home, right. That you still, and it’s stated also in the Kentucky Department of Education’s guidance that the special education and related services, they may have to be adjusted or adapted, but you still have to provide those services through an alternate means to the best extent possible. So it’s not that you don’t get them at all, we’ve got to adapt and figure out how we can offer them, and to what extent we can offer them, given the change of location.

[00:10:54] Also again it stated, from the U.S. Department of Education, is ensuring that school districts remember that a provision of FAPE, which is free, appropriate public education, which is in the federal law, includes the special education and related services, meaning you still have to have access to those. If you don’t, then that’s a denial of the free, appropriate public education that children with disabilities are entitled to. If you could provide the distanced instruction in a variety of ways, and really using what you have to make the best of what it is. And again, they also stated, because we do have to keep in mind the safety and how feasible it is.

[00:11:45] You know, example even from the U.S. Department of Education, was that if there’s physical therapy, that is part of your related services, you may not be able to do the hands on with the physical therapist, but you could still do other things, and to the greatest extent possible. So like not a, you get it or you don’t. And that’s where I think that, you know, because we have to at least do it to the greatest extent possible and provide the services and supports within the parameters, given the state of emergency that we’re all under and keeping everyone safe.

[00:12:24] So there’s a lot of different areas and ensuring not only do they receive the services, but it’s in an accessible format, right? So there is our children, many of our children who have disabilities in their IEP, you’ve got to really be thinking of, okay, if you change this to virtual, what then, because it’s all going to be happening virtually, there may be some additional things that has to be done that creates it accessible for your child, because, just for the example of different disabilities, when you take everything virtually, we have to make sure that we’re still creating those opportunities that are accessible from all.

[00:13:12] Another that I wanted to talk about here is that, you know, really, and the thing that I think, unfortunately I would have never wanted any of us to be going through this, but there have been some blessings that have come out of this and really opportunities with teletherapy, that are actually taken place that have done wonders and been so very positive for many of our families, and our children that we have heard from.

[00:13:44] And again, when we’re looking at adapting, it doesn’t mean that it’s the super extensive stuff. So, you know, I think of things, that just with my family, that we’ve adapted with my brother’s disability. Because he has a physical disability, but he’s legally blind too, there are simple things, inexpensive things that we use in our daily lives and many of you all I know we’re probably the same, little things that don’t really costs nothing. It’s just thinking outside the box. How can we adapt this to where it could be best for our children and through a change of location, virtual means what can we do, you know, and it could be making sure that they get the paper packet. That the assignments are accessible for some that, now this wouldn’t have worked with my brother because of his physical disability, but others who are blind, braille is their means of reading. So making sure that they’re provided with the braille, just like they would have been in school. So just making sure that there’s those opportunities and the ways that you still receive the services and support, but in a different place.

[00:15:08] Now in this, when the different guidance, and again, you can read all of it by clicking on the links and up here too which this question came out of. There has been throughout the different guidance, that’s been released indications about contingency plans. And each ARC can come up with a contingency plan, which I think would be very critical and especially because we’re all, outside of a couple of school districts, we’re all pretty much starting virtually, not in-person. So this is critical to develop and probably go ahead if you haven’t and request an IEP ARC meeting so that you all can develop this contingency plan. What’s going to happen when this occurs, right? So we need to have a contingency plan of how we’re going to deliver the services.

[00:16:01] And it’s gotta be unique for each child. Regardless of the category of disability, we know that all children are different. What’s going to work with one person that may have a physical disability, is not for another. So we have to come up with a plan because we also know what this pandemic, that the plans change frequently, because for the safety of everyone involved. But we know that it’s going to be critical to have these plans in place. None of us had an opportunity when March hit and everything changed to plan for those things, right. We all just had to pitch in and do the best that we could and adapt as we went, regardless if you’re a family, a student, a teacher but now, especially now, we need to make sure that we put into place these contingency plans, not only so that we have a plan of how we’re going to deliver these services or supports, but so that everybody understands their role and what needs to take place, and it be very specific. So I would recommend coming up with those contingency plans. Not all students will need it. But I do think that it is an important conversation and to be thinking of.

[00:17:27] And a lot of times I get questions, this is just like with the IEP, well what could be in it? Or what goes? Or what could be in a contingency plan? Here’s the great thing, it’s just like an IEP is. Anything can go it, that’s appropriate, and that the IEP ARC team decides. Because it’s going to look very different when contingency plan that might be for my brother would have been totally different than what it might be for your child. So there is no right or wrong. You all develop the plan that best suits and provides their services and support.

[00:18:05] And you want to be very specific in those plans. We talk some more about this, and that’s why we wanted to expand this week on the Tuesday Tips to dig a little deeper. Again, requesting that, making sure in the contingency plan who, what, when, where, how. How is it going to happen? Now what we’re going to get into here in just a second is what we wanted to take our time and really focus on this week on our Tuesday Tips was examples of goals, objectives, related services and accommodation. And how you can provide the alternate ways to provide that in a change of location.

[00:18:47] I want to take just a moment to stress the importance of that a change location, is not a change of placement for a child. A change of placement is decided in the IEP, ARC meeting. So it’s not a change of placement. It is a change of location for all students. Even when we go back and some are allowed in-person, depending upon what option you choose, that your districts offering, it still would be a change of location, if you choose the virtual means for your child, because you feel that’s what’s best for them during the COVID. It might be because of their health condition. So it is not a change of placement.

[00:19:35] The other thing that is very critical to keep in mind is IEP goals, objectives, related services, and accommodations should not be changed based on a change of location. That’s not appropriate. What it is, is a child’s IEP goals, objectives, related services, and accommodations are not to be altered because there has been a change of location. Because they still need those services. Those are still their goals, objectives, related services, accommodations. What you do though, is you plan and would be part of the contingency plan of how those are going to be delivered. Some of them are not going, which were to get into detail, some of them are not going to be able to be delivered to the same extent they would have with in-person. And that then is going to fall to compensatory education, which when we wrap up, we’re gonna hit on that a little bit more. But you do not change again and sorry to harp on this, you do not change what your child’s IEP based on where they’re going to be getting the services. Because a child’s IEP is based on what is appropriate for them and what they need to be successful, not based on because there’s a pandemic and we changed the location that it’s provided.

[00:21:04] Now, before we get into the examples, I want you to keep in mind and you’re going to see that these are on every slide. All IEPs are different. Each child is unique. We thought though that it was very critical to give you some examples so that you then can look at your child’s IEP and start thinking of, how can we maybe offer that? So this is not a set in stone, how you do this. Because every goal, objective, related service and accommodations delivery is based on your individual child. But we thought it was important, and from what we’re hearing from families, teachers, a lot of people is it would be very helpful to kind of see how you would adapt for someone.

[00:21:50] Let’s take a moment here just to see if there are any questions so far?

[00:21:56] Stella: I don’t see any questions, Rhonda, but just remind everyone, go ahead and if you have any type them in the question box and I will let Rhonda know, and we will do our best to answer them for you.

[00:22:10] Rhonda: Thank you so much Stella. So let’s kind of dig in. And what we wanted to do was, you’ll notice on the first three, this actually came, we took a goal from the Kentucky Department of Education, IEP guidance document. And then you’re going to see we’re giving tips of maybe how you could adapt those throughout this, whether, if it’s a goal, objective, related service or an accommodation. So, and again, keep in mind now on the first three, we don’t know the exact disability, and the category they qualify, but on the ones that we did, because the others you’re going to see, we changed the name, but they are actually, what would have been on as a staff all compiled what would have been on our family member or our child, we put examples of actual goals. Now these are actual goals that someone would have, but again, we didn’t know the exact disability that they had.

[00:23:21] So when given 20 consecutive related vocabulary words, Mary well orally defined 18 out of 20 words correctly, four consecutive probes is measured by a weekly checklist. So the tip would be, you can still do that for Mary going virtually. This will provide an opportunity, one-on-one interaction with her teacher. This could be over the phone if there’s not the technology that you could do it where, but you could also like face time, or through zoom, there’s all types of things that are available to where she can actually, the teacher would give the vocabulary words orally to her and she will define them. And she’ll use this as a checklist for measurement. So you could still do it, it’s just change of location. Right.

[00:24:19] So it’s not that, and here’s the important thing too. And we put these throughout the tips. It’s important to remember too, that all the responsibility does not fall on the parent at home to deliver all of this. There will be a combination  (coughs)  pardon me, and especially, working together with that partnership, but this is not solely on the responsibility of the parent or the caregiver that is at home helping the child.

[00:24:53] You would still, because Mary, think of it this way,  Mary would have been getting that one-on-one interaction with them teacher in school. She can still get it, even if it’s over the phone, or through sort of face time, she can still get that, even though she’s at home. So think of it in those terms, because those opportunities are still there. And I hear a lot of times because it’s not one or the other, we do it or we don’t do it, right. And not that it all falls on the parent or it all falls on the teacher. It all is all of us trying to work together. It may be too that the parent is helping out. And does the vocabulary words and writes them down and keeps the checklist. So we can be a combination of all of it. And this can be provided in an alternate location. Y

[00:25:54] Now, when, this is another goal. This would be for Chuck. When given a social conflict scenario, Chuck will demonstrate problem solving by identifying the problem and identifying two solutions appropriate to the situation, right, four out of five times. So again, that can be the same, just like Chuck would have been in-person in school, working with the teacher, they would still be able to do it with the teacher or with an assistant, someone with the school on the phone or virtually through their  computer. Now, also too, the parent can assist. So again, keeping that combination and that partnership, you can still do these. It’s going to have to be through a different way, but you can still accomplish these.

[00:26:51] Now Steve, that we’re going to give an example. Now, this one is going to be a little, because this has to do with Steve interacting with peers. This one may be more difficult, and you may not be able to do it to the same extent, obviously that you would have been able to in-person, in a classroom around his peers. Right. So part of Steve’s goal is, you know, during the unstructured sort of play time, Steve will interact with peers appropriately and maintaining personal space and respectful, and really learning those boundaries and showing that to where then again, it would be, you know, documented 80% of the time over a two week period. You can work towards this goal, it will not be to the same extent as in-person. But a nice example that I saw, and it was actually an example too, that was given from a school district and it may have even been in some guidance from the Kentucky Department of Education, we’ve had so much great input. That’s the thing I love about Kentucky. Everybody is sharing so that we all can do our best. Is that because, given the situation of COVID and social interaction is being limited and you can’t be in-person. It could actually take place with, you know, it could be with the teacher observing, you know, virtually, or the parent could record it. It could be interactions with their siblings. Or interactions with their parents. The thing about it, and especially with using with the siblings is that that provides, even though there may be a couple of years difference, more of the appropriate example of sort of peer interaction. Again, though, if it is siblings then we gotta keep in mind, everybody has been isolated is a good way to say it.

[00:29:05] And I don’t know if you all are like my family. We love one another, but we have had moments throughout this where it was like, okay, I need to be away from you all for a moment. So again, keeping all those things in mind. But making sure that the data that’s collected is authentic, just because of the situation and that we’re all going through, we just need to make sure that what you’re tracking is going to be accurate based on if it would have been an interaction and it was appropriate. Obviously you’re going to know if it’s appropriate right. And maintain the personal space. But sometimes, and especially the more that we have been in this with COVID regardless if you have a disability or not, is sometimes it could get to be too much for us adults. Right.

[00:30:03] So we can still work towards this. Right. Don’t just say, no, we can’t do that. The creative thing is thinking of how can we? A perfect example also might be that I’m just thinking of is say, if you all have to go to a store, right. And there may be other children, obviously, if anywhere that you might have a chance for this interaction, might be an appropriate situation to see, and to practice those skills. But again, you’re not going to be able to do it to the extent that you would, but you still can to some level. For some families, my child, my greatest blessing I’ve ever received. My sky. He’s an only child, so there’s not, there’s not an example or a way to do it that, but you could still work on, do some role playing of what would be appropriate. It would not be to the extent but you could still work on it.

[00:31:12] So what would be some other things that you could do that would help to reinforce appropriate behavior and interaction and initiating those things. And also keeping personal space, being respectful. So they’re all different ways you can get creative. Again, it will be to a different degree than it would have been, but you’re still working on it, which is the important thing.

[00:31:41] Now, Sally, and I want to make sure because now we’re starting where we know the exact disability, that we could tell you, because that was shared, is a functional mental disability. And what it is here is that, and Sally is a teen too. So that might be good to know. When presented with functional words or survival signs. Sally will say the words, select the correct meaning or sign and describe the word to a hundred percent accuracy on three consecutive trials. So Sally can still work on this and goal virtually, sort of safety programs that could be found online and really knowing, because it has to do with because Sally is older and actually, on the alternate assessment and this is actually, Sally is going to have several examples we’re going to show you here.

[00:32:47] Because we thought it it’s very important to show you also, Sally has a transition goal that she’s working on. But she has needs to know these things, and the safety. And she actually, it would be the grade 14. She actually is working on these things so that she is able to stay safe. Because we all grow up we’re adults, right. To be adults, and we need to learn these things so that we’re safe. So there are things that you could do with safety programs online. The teacher could, by showing different words or survival pictures through zoom or the Google classroom, the virtual, and having the student answer it. So you would still have the specially designed instruction, that would come, you could adapt it to the computer modeling, manipulative, provide to the student ahead of time, and then those opportunities to practice it. So at some level it might be with all of you all working together and it might be different people working with Sally, but you’re still able to provide it because you would have at home or excuse me, you would have it at school. So you can, it’s just take advantage of virtually how we can do that.

[00:34:14] And actually it’s very critical the way that technology is today and with phones and with everything that is a critical part of safety for our youth and adults who have disabilities. And learning, so this almost creates an opportunity of learning the safety online too, because online and in-person collide, right. And many times there are things that could occur where people are reached out to virtually. And then it leads to in-person which could put them at risk. So just keep in mind those things that you can adapt and incorporate. And making sure that everybody is prepared as much as possible to handle the different situations.

[00:35:03] Now, Sally also has, when presented with a list of items, Sally will locate the price, figure the amount and determine if it’s within budget, a hundred percent accuracy over 5 consecutive sessions. Here’s the thing, you could still do it virtually. The great thing about it is online shopping, and we know if you all are like us, is that, we have had, I think everybody’s online ordering has went up and many of you go, even if you go physically pick it up, you place your order online. And a lot of groceries have done this for safety reasons where you could pick it up. That’s a prime opportunity that Sally could work on pricing out stuff and could actually work on doing that with the teacher face-to-face through the virtual and stepping through that process and actually place an order and they ride with the parent to go pick up the order. So, and it’s actually putting the real life experience to it, of the budgeting. But then also picking up the groceries, getting the groceries, and you know, even if they don’t go pick it up, it’s delivered to the house, they’re still a part of it. And you can do this, even if it’s not the in-person. And it may not have been in-person when you were in school, but this is a great way, especially given so much stuff now is done online ordering. And that’s a great skill that Sally will need to know and to be able to access.

[00:36:50] Another great example, before we pause for a moment to see if there’s questions is, in Sally’s goal and this was her transition goal, she’ll identify and locate the bank by giving direction, and accessing services with adult assistance on two out of four occasions, monthly as measured by observation and checklist data out in the community.

[00:37:14] So this is a goal that’s in the community. So, right, we can’t go into the community now, but we can definitely still do this. Just like the grocery could have been turned into a community thing too to where it was actually, you would go out as well. That may have initially been coming up within doing the math and the budgeting the grocery list about the bank, the opportunity now, you might do a virtual road trip to the bank. Again, once things get back to, I guess, the so called normal, where you’re in-person, and then not only in-person in class, they are able to go out into the community, you would still want to do that, but you can still do this. And this is another great skill that needs to be learned, especially in the day that we live in, internet banking going on there. How do you budget? How do you check how much money is in your account? Most places don’t send bank statements anymore. So it’s going to be critical for them to know how to access and to keep up to date and paying bills. Yes, she could still write out checks, but you can also pay your bills online. So here is a great opportunity where you might not have otherwise have a skill and add to it about keeping an eye on your bank account, how to use it, how to pay bills, how to budget.

[00:38:48] Also, you know, you still would want that opportunity to physically locate it, but look depositing a paycheck, now it could be online. If you receive, most you can actually take a picture of a check that you received, the front and back of it, that’s a skill that would need to be added. Because too keep in mind and especially in rural areas, transportation, and, depending upon the age of your child, you may not be thinking about this, but I know from my own experience and because my siblings, they’re all, everybody has been way out of school for a long time. Right. So as you get older, transportation is harder and harder for persons with disabilities. And especially the more complex your disability is or what you might need, right. So making sure that they have a means to do this.

[00:39:48] Memorizing their pin, not only memorizing stuff and accessing, here’s another area of safety that would be important is making sure you don’t share it with people. So people don’t steal from you. So there’s all kinds of things that can be incorporated. Check your bank account balance. All of these things are great opportunities that is going to help Sally be able to be successful in adulthood and out of school so that she can actually keep track of everything, access it, and also know how, and the importance of not sharing that with anybody, but that she isn’t having to rely on just transportation, if she could get there, there are other ways that she could still accomplish the same thing.

[00:40:40] Which also goes with the grocery shopping too. Because we want everybody to be able to be out in the community as much as they can. But they also need a means to be able to do it if they cannot access it at that moment, because you still have to be able to pay your bills and buy and have groceries. So these are some critical skills. I know I’m spending a long time on this. But this is key because I’ve heard a lot of things come up that’s like, well, these are transition goals. We can’t work on those, it has to do with community. Yes. Yes, we can. It may not be that we were physically able to go there, but the way I keep thinking of stuff is just like my everyday life and my family, we have to adapt as we go. And what we think might work might not. So if we think of this, every goal, objective, related service, accommodation, how can we make it work? It might not be to the extent. How can we make it work to where they still get it right? Because that’s, what’s critical.

[00:41:46] Now, let me pause just for a moment and see if there’s any questions.

[00:41:53] Stella: Rhonda, there is a question. What if the IEP or when we’re at the ARC meeting and they don’t want to do the goals this way, what would we do then?

[00:42:15] Rhonda: So if I’m understanding, right, like these examples — sorry, I’m getting some feedback, hold on just a moment. Okay, it went away. Okay sorry about that That is a great question because if they don’t then it needs, well first of all what I would request in the IEP meeting that the  suggestions, and everything, we always want to make sure that our conference summary reflects what took place at the meeting. What you requested, ideas that you had come up with. And what you’re trying to, how you’re trying to adapt it, make sure that that’s in there. They’re not able to then add that also needs to be documented in the conference summary. But then what you need to, what I would suggest saying back is, so then how are you going to adapt this so that you are ensuring FAPE, and that your child is receiving the free, appropriate public education and is receiving their IEP services and support? Because even if you don’t want to do it this way, that still doesn’t alleviate that services had to be provided.

[00:43:32] If they’re not provided, or if they’re not able to be provided to a certain extent, which we’ll talk about, that gap between that is what is going to be considered compensatory education. And at some point that is going to have to be provided to your child in school. So it’s not an option of they can or can’t do this. You have to at least to some extent work to do it. So with the suggestions that you bring up aren’t then what I would suggest is, okay, so then how are you going to provide these? Because you still have to provide them. I hope that helps.

[00:44:09] Is that kind of, did I understand that right? Stella?

[00:44:14] Stella: Yes. You sure did. And would an ARC have to occur for these changes to go into effect?

[00:44:23] Rhonda: So if you all develop a plan, cause here’s the thing is, I suggest that it be handled through the ARC, ARC meeting, IEP team meetings, and that there be and especially the contingency plan, all of that needs to take place in the ARC IEP meeting. You can develop a plan with the teachers and how they’re going to provide it. I always recommend though it be handled through that so that it is documented. And it’s part of who, what, when and where. Everybody knows what part and role they play in everything. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate these, cause you’re not changing to change. You’re not changing goals, objectives, related service or anything.

[00:45:07] What you’re doing is coming up with a contingency plan, how they’re going to provide it. So you would want it to happen in that, in an IEP meeting, ARC meeting, because that lays the groundwork and the plan that everybody has to follow. But again, keep in mind, that does not stop them from putting these things in place at any point. And actually hopefully the sooner than later of how they’re adapting it. Because your goals and objectives did not change. Or anything in the IEP, it’s just the change of location. So technically, and if you’re not developing a contingency plan, you wouldn’t have to, but I always recommend too, because then it is part of the IEP and it is very clear who’s to do what, when, where, and how.

[00:45:58] And also too, it just helps on building that partnership throughout this. But again, we’re not changing any of it, we’re developing a plan of how they’re going to provide what’s already in place and there to receive, even with the change of location. There’s a great question.

[00:46:19] So I want to also get, oh, I’m so sorry, I did not, Tyrone, cause I know we’re getting close on time, but I want to give you these great examples here. Tyrone will ask when he needs help or a break 80% of the time as measured by every week on a teacher checklist. So we can still work with Tyrone on this one-on-one with the teacher, using social stories, role-playing practicing, and having him ask. And seeing you will be able when the teacher or assistant or someone with the school may be on there and working with him is they will be able, if he takes those opportunities, regardless of what they’re working on with him, that they are, that he indicates that he needs help or a break, those are prime things that you could build in with different people working with Tyrone. So it doesn’t necessarily have to be one person because Tyrone, if I understand right also receives behavioral therapies, and a whole variety of other things. It could be that, as long as everybody is keeping the checklist and documenting it, it could be when you’re at home, whoever is working with the child at home, and giving the prompts for him to ask for help. But teachers, therapists, throughout all different areas, you can incorporate this. Because again, this goal is overall, and applies to all areas of school, because this is important skills that he needs to be able to do that will help him so that he can be successful. And using those social stories and role-playing are also opportunities that will help him to create more of a habit and trying to do it within different situations.

[00:48:26] Now Tyrone also has a de-escalating strategy when he becomes stressed, upset, or frustrated. I can completely understand Tyrone because over here I will tell you that’s how I feel, that the picture. Which is, that’s not actually Tyrone, sorry. But that’s why I chose that picture because I don’t know about you all, but that’s how I felt yesterday on my Monday. It was a great productive day, but I hit that moment, just like Tyrone did. And so it’s important that we have ways to work through that.

[00:49:08] So again, you can adapt it virtually and get additional instruction, sort of one-on-one and the counselor, case manager. It could be a whole variety of people coming up with those coping skills. Deep breath, visualize and relaxing, counting backwards. And again, incorporating it when everyone is working with him, right. Because there’s just like his other goal is overall. It doesn’t apply just when you’re one-on-one with that one counselor that maybe helping you with this behavior, right? You want to apply it everywhere because maybe when the teacher is working with him, one-on-one. When the parents working with him one-on-one, having him be able to do it and use it in all of those areas is what is going to make a difference so that Tyrone then when he grows up, he can use it in all aspects of his life and be successful.

[00:50:09] We all have to learn that, I was feeling just like Tyrone yesterday and I just had to, I had hit that moment. and I had to step away for a moment. And you know, our children are no different.  (coughs) And we’re going to give some other examples here and again, Tyrone had autism, Marla has a specific learning disability and one of the related cause we wanted to give you all some examples of related services and accommodations too.

[00:50:40] So Marla, this is a related service, her speech therapy. Is she’ll look at a picture for understanding and be able to respond by telling a story verbally. So she would still be able to re receive her speech therapy. Right. She would be face-to-face through virtual means and the speech therapist would be able to show the picture and then Marla will work to tell her the story about the picture. So you still can do it and to the same extent.

[00:51:13] Say Marla had speech therapy one time a week for 30 minutes. You can incorporate that in that. You may also be able to incorporate, because that would have been her goal, you may be able, because the related services in your IEP support goals and objectives that are in your IEP they’re not just sort of out there. So you can also incorporate that working with other teachers, and say, if it is English that you’re working on and you have the teacher has the pictures and everything that will help with her doing the story and be able to not verbally, but also you can add on there, that she could write a story about that. She could tell it, but then also be able to write it and that would be in her English and now you have sort of the crossover.

[00:52:09] So also Marla has occupational therapy and her parents could help her virtually, the occupational  therapists could help her parents virtually or over the phone step through what would be the best way to set up the, you say the classroom at home, but actually set up her work space. Right? Because she needs it set a certain way, and the occupational therapist, when we’re in-person in school does that with a regular education teacher. So you would just do it and adapt it and still get that to where that’s what they do.

[00:52:47] Another example, that the occupational therapist works with on her IEP, is that the therapy for finger paints, making pudding, and she’s generally looking through sort of the textures and the contact and really making sure, because it’s important that these are things that were put into place that helps her with her occupational therapy that does relate to every day and being okay, the sensory things and being able to do that and adapt. So these were some things that were put in place. So making sure even when the occupational therapist may be working on them virtually with her, that she has access to those items at home provided by the school or if the parent has them to where she could still work with that on there. Now there may be some things with occupational therapy or physical therapy that has to be one-on-one with the teacher or with the therapist, but those would be things that you would have to look at, is that compensatory education, it wasn’t able to fully be provided?

[00:54:06] And I know we’re getting close on time here. So I wanted to give you an example of accommodation. Steve has ADHD and within his plan, he has an organizational schedule and prompts that it helps to keep him on task. These are things that could have been done even before COVID that was incorporated, especially because Steve, the team too, on his phone app, a calendar, or on a Chromebook at the schools provided that. Or printed, some children need the printed schedule, they do better. But just making sure that they’re provided a way to do it to where the schedule will prompt them and you can put reminders on it. And really help them because consistency for many students is critical and we already know that with the change of location, it does make sense hectic. So we also want to know that because Steve needs quiet because he’s easily distracted. So we need to make sure his work area is set up with the least amount of distractions as possible. Again a lot of times, that’s very hard at home, especially if they’re siblings, you as parents that is having to work from home too. Or, you know, there’s a lot of factors that play a part that wouldn’t have if it were in-person in school. But using the teacher or the parent could use different prompts to help him to really redirect and get back on task, and everything too. So those are some key things to keep in mind.

[00:55:43] So Moe his accommodation, Moe has cerebral palsy and was legally blind. Moe has a scribe, reader, untimed testing and one-on-one assistance. And he has one-on-one assistance with a variety of different things. So Moe could, or the aid that assists him can virtually read the information to him and can write the answers down. And they would automatically be able to be on the untimed testing through their virtual session. Moe could also be provided the prerecorded lessons or stories through the internet or CD. There’s also some text readers. But making sure those are provided, if that is going to be the means that the reader is provided to Moe making sure  the access to that and not only the access, but throughout all of these, we need to make sure that the parents and everybody that is working with the child, not only has the access, but understands how they work.

[00:56:47] Because I don’t know about you all, but a lot of the technology stuff I thought I was doing pretty good with technology, but when it comes to my son and what they know and do, I’m not, as far as I thought I was, so. But also he could get the one-on-one assistance as he would with the classwork, but through virtual. So you still can get it.

[00:57:09] Now again, on all this it may not be the same extent, but if it is not to the same extent and the reason I put this up here is because it did come out, this is the guidance document that did this. If it’s not to the same extent, the goal of compensatory education is to place the student in the position he or she would have otherwise been had there not been denial of FAPE. And it’s not to something that they did wrong, that because the pandemic created the situation. So you’ve got to keep in mind, and this is something else that IEP team would need to meet because towards the end of, from March onto the end of last school year, and then starting back out this year, to what extent and detail was, and parts of the IEP was not able to be provided because of the change of location due to the pandemic, right? So yes, we adapted, but there are going to be certain aspects where it could not all completely be provided for some children.

[00:58:16] That’s when it’s going to be key that we’ve got to look at this and the IEP, the ARC team can award, which a parent is a critical member of it, compensatory education because compensatory education is what you were supposed to have gotten but didn’t get, right? In the other words, failing to provide FAPE, but that was Rhonda’s terminology. But it’s at no fault of anyone the pandemic created. But what’s important is we are keeping track of, and these are going to be areas that you’re going to look at and discuss with the IE, ARC team to develop the plan if compensatory education is needed.

[00:59:01] Now what’s going to be important too, is record keeping. Keeping track of the different things, you know, what was it that they, you know, to what extent did they not. Because it’s going to help when you all meet that everybody is looking at that so that you know well, under this goal, I mean, we were fine, we were able to do that at a hundred percent, through the alternate, the change of location, right. And not every child is going to need compensatory education. Again, it’s going to be based on individual children and what was able to be provided, what wasn’t so that we get them, what they were supposed to have. And that’s what then is considered the compensatory education outside of their regular services and supports they are currently getting under their IEP. Not to take from that time though.

[00:59:57] Now, we wanted to give you all a couple of great examples. I know we’ve hit 12, I do apologize on going over, but we’ve got a few great examples here. Our Kentucky SPIN staff and Stella did this one for us/ she went and just spent $8 at the Dollar Tree. She created a workstation. We’ll also have a video from both of these examples we’ll be posting too that the ladies have created very little created a workstation, and the positive word.

[01:00:30] Now another one of our staff with no money spent used things that were already within her house. And this right here, the second picture over, right here is a sensory box, in the video you’ll be able to see a little more detail about it, but these were things that were needed to sort of help and depending upon and making sure that there was the organizational and staying on task. But also it’s going to look very different. So you don’t have to spend money. You can adapt and set up the workstation, however best you can to suit their needs.

[01:01:06] But we want to show you a couple of examples where very little money was spent setting up a work area. And then where no money was spent, it was just from within the house and the computer you see there, that might be the, because I know a lot of them the Chromebooks that you pick up from the school. So you set up the Chromebook, if that’s what’s offered in your district to have access, because there has to be access provided to be able to access that. Or it could be just in print.

[01:01:38] So these were some great examples we wanted to share also too, there’s again, like we always put in there so that you see important guidance that has been issued. We also, we did include this last week, but we also want to make sure that everybody knows that there are, WellCare does have a smartphone program if you’re a member. So check that out because we want to make sure everybody, if at all means possible has WIFI and the phone services. Also McDonald’s is offering the free WIFI in their parking lot for families that you can access.

[01:02:15] Charter communication is also opening up WIFI hotspots across the County. There’s a phone number to call to see if you would be able to get the free broadband WIFI. Also to Stella had shared with me and was a great idea, checking your local area because a lot of small businesses are opening up opportunities to where you can come to their parking lot and park, just like McDonald’s and access their WIFI. Everybody is really trying to work and come together. I do know, I can give you the example of in my district it was if you needed to pick up a Chromebook, here’s the time. They also had if you do not have access to the internet for the Chromebook, they have, I call them junk drives, thumb drives that may not be the technical term, MIFI ones that you could pick up. So, depending upon what your district is providing, check with them to make sure that you get that.

[01:03:19] But also too like Stella said, check to see what your community is doing. A lot of small businesses, the great thing I love about being from Kentucky, everybody is coming together. So don’t forget every Tuesday we’ll have our Tuesday Tips on a variety of topics. We also on Thursdays have webinars and Stella. I am so awful Stella, in just a moment is going to have to remind us, I think it is, Self-directed IEP. So we’re going to let Stella tell us, cause I’m not straight. But also you can sign up directly by clicking into our listserv, which we send out a lot of updates.

[01:03:56] This will be recorded and on there. We have a lot of video and archived webinars and our web page about COVID. Stella is that what are, it’s actually from 11 to 12, I believe, Eastern standard time, this Thursday

[01:04:14] Stella: You’re right, Rhonda. And it is the Self-directed IEP for students. And they can still register for that of course.

[01:04:21] Rhonda: Okay. Awesome. I just wanted to check, I know we’re over time, but I did want to take a moment to check to see if anyone had any questions Stella.

[01:04:31] Stella: I don’t see any more questions right now.

[01:04:35] Rhonda: Okay, will you all please let us know. We’re not gone, here’s our 800 number, email address. And as we go through this, we’re trying, you’re going to be prompted for an evaluation as soon as this ends, please take time to fill that out because it is so critical and your feedback helps us to plan for more. But we greatly appreciate you and thank you for joining us today. I hope you have a great day and love to you all. Bye bye.