Weekly Update important clarification
2 messages

Ginger Gates sgingorgatesf?descd.nst> Sal? Feb 23. 2019 a! 6:31 PM
To: Ginger Gates <ginger.gates@esc4 .neiv

Dearest Directors,
Your iaiest Weekly Update can he found at the link below:


important Clarification Regarding information Shared by Janet Horton at our Director
Meeting:

At the directors meeting on February 14. Janet Horton discussed possibie ways to address
the issues created by initial evaluations that are not being completed within the required
timelines because of the volume of evaluations being done by a district. She discussed that
one possible way to address the tlrneline issue is to have an initial ARD meeting before the
evaluation is completed if the parts of the evaluation completed first indicate a disability and a
need for special education. This would aiiow special education services to begin white the
rest of the evaluation is finished.

As with many situations in SPED, the Federal law does not address these difficult dilemmas!
Janet knew i was going to be at a TEA meeting this week with Justin Porter and Tammy

Pearcy and asked if I wouid run the issue by them. So i did!

Our TEA friends indicated that they understand the very criticai situation that districts are
facing with the exponential lncreaSe in referrals and the shortage of evaluation personnel.
They also realize that the law can't account for every possible scenario. However, they
recommended holding the ARD only after the FIE is complete even if it was out of
timelines. Their concerns were of setting a precedent for coming to ARD before an FIE was
totaliy complete. Both emphasized the importance of districts responding to the opportunity
for ciari?cation following SPP t1 submission. Explanations regarding the reasons for missing
a timeiine and the attempts to remedy the situation will be taken very seriously. Districts will
likely be given "grace" for noncompiiance given the state of things statewide. They
recommended that the district also beef up general education supports during the evaluation
time to reduce potential compensatory services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jahet wanted me to share this update with you as soon as possibie since it was different
guidance than she had given at am Director Meeting, We appreciate Janet for helping us sort
thesg difficult times! 

 

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