What is a Student Success Team?

If a student is not making sufficient progress in the general school program, even with modifications and interventions, they may be referred to the school's Student Success Team (SST). Parents/guardians are highly encouraged to participate in the SST process.

The purpose of an SST meeting is to identify concerns and problem solve how we can work together to improve the student’s progress. The SST develops a plan for modifications and/or interventions to be implemented in the general education classroom over a period of time (usually about 4 to 8 weeks).

SST Process

School staff schedules and invites parents/guardians to an SST meeting. The team members may include the parent/guardian, teacher(s), psychologist, counselor, and/or school administrator. The SST process usually includes the following steps. However, it may vary slightly from case to case:
 

1. Overview - The SST reviews information about students' strengths and areas of need, preferences, interests, and general health and well being. This includes any outside evaluations the parent/guardian may have gathered.
    
2. Goal Setting – The SST lists and prioritizes instructional and/or behavioral concerns and sets one or two measurable goals. The goals may be based on district content or developmental standards or peer performance.
    
3. Intervention Planning – The SST identifies possible interventions to meet the student’s goals and individuals accountable for providing the interventions (reading specialist, counselor, etc.).
    
4. Progress Monitoring – The SST establishes a continuous monitoring system to track the student’s progress toward achieving their goals. Adjustments to the intervention plan are made based on this information. The responsibility of monitoring student progress is assigned to one or more SST members.
    
5. Follow-up Meeting – A date is selected to reconvene the SST. Most interventions take from 4 to 8 weeks to see an effect. At the follow-up meeting, the SST will decide whether to:
   • Discontinue the intervention because the goals have been achieved.
   • Modify the interventions.
   • Develop an additional intervention or consider other options.
      

Many students are successful after the SST process and do not require special education services. However, if the modifications/ interventions are not successful, the SST may ultimately refer a child for special education consideration.

The primary assessment provider (e.g. school psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, etc.) will complete an assessment plan.  The parent/guardian must sign an assessment plan before the school can begin an individual assessment of a student. Parents must be informed about the assessments' purpose, the methods or techniques which will be used, and the people (by title) who will be conducting the assessment.  The purpose of the assessment is to answer one or more questions identified on the assessment plan.  The assessment questions are designed to identify the type of services and level of support that will assist the student in attaining the district standards.  If a parent does not approve an assessment plan when the district believes an assessment is needed, the district or parent may request an Alternative Dispute Resolution panel or proceed to due process.  

The Assessment Process

The assessment of a student is conducted to determine whether or not the student has special needs that qualify him or her for special education services and to assist in instructional planning.  Testing should result in identification of the student's present skill levels and interventions that are likely to be successful.  The final step in the process is a team meeting where the separate components of the assessment are brought together.

The assessment involves collecting important information from parents/guardians and from qualified district personnel.  These people may include some or all of those listed in the table below.

1. Formal/informal test(s) administered in a one-on-one setting
2. Review of school records and district assessments
3. Parent interview
4. Teacher interview
5. Observation of the student in the classroom and possibly other setting, such as the playground
6. Health and developmental history

In addition, the assessment will include reviewing any outside evaluations that have been obtained and made available to the school district.

Data gathered during the assessment process will be summarized in written assessment reports. IEP members may want to consider the following questions as they review the assessment reports:

1. Based on what we know about the nature of the student's needs, is the assessment thorough?
2. Does the assessment provide a clear picture of how the student performs in critical skill or developmental areas? Does the assessment describe the student's areas of strength as well as his or her weaknesses?
3. Do the assessment results help to develop instructional or behavioral goals?
4. Do the assessment results help to identify interventions that are likely to help the student reach these goals?
5. Did the assessment process answer the questions on the Assessment Plan?

What is an IEP?

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document that must be written for each child who is eligible for special education services. The IEP helps ensure that special education services are provided as planned, and that their appropriateness is evaluated regularly.

The IEP specifies services to be provided by the school district. It describes anticipated long-term goals and short-term objectives for a student, and serves as a "blueprint" for instruction in the school environment.  It is not, however, a daily lesson plan.

The IEP must be reviewed and updated annually. However, parents and/or teacher(s) can request a review more frequently.

Who should attend an IEP team meeting?

Current law stipulates that, at a minimum, the following persons must attend an IEP team:

• The parent(s) or guardian(s);
• A teacher knowledgeable about the student (a student's general education teacher participates to the extent appropriate);
• An administrator, or designee;
• The student, when appropriate, (usually middle and high school students attend); and
• A special education teacher

Who else may be members of an IEP Team?

• Advocates from organizations or agencies, such as a Regional Center counselor;
• Non-school therapists or specialists who work with a child; and
• A friend or relative who will provide moral support and take notes for the family

How does a "team approach" to an IEP team meeting work?

The team approach to developing an IEP involves communication and cooperation among parents, teacher(s), and other specialists with different kinds of skills who may work for the school district or outside agencies. Together, the team prepares an IEP that best suits the student's present educational needs. The team develops the IEP at a meeting that is held at a time and place that is convenient for parents and the school personnel.

What must the IEP document contain?

In addition to eligibility information, the IEP document always includes the following components:

1. A statement of the student's present levels of educational performance
2. A statement of the student's annual goals and short-term instructional objectives
3. A statement of specific education and related services to be provided to the student.
4. A description of the extent to which the child will participate in the general education program or natural preschool environment and a description of the program to be provided.
5. Participation in State or District-wide Assessments, with accommodations where necessary.
6. Projected dates for initiation of services and the anticipated duration of services.
7. Annual and triennial dates
8. Signatures and parent/guardian approval

GUSD makes programs available to meet the needs of all disabled children. In determining the appropriate program placement for each individual, the Glendale staff is committed to the belief that disabled students should be educated to the maximum extent appropriate with their non-disabled peers.

General Class Accommodation/Modification
The regular class teacher may accommodate and/or modify the educational program to meet the student's needs. These modifications are usually the result of consultations with the parents, school psychologist, a special education teacher, and/or other members of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team.

General Class with Related Services:

• Speech/Language/Hearing Therapy
  • The speech and language impaired student has a communication problem involving his/her speaking, hearing, or overall language skills. The district makes available individual or small group therapy for articulation and language development.
• Adapted Physical Education
  • Adapted Physical Education is an instructional program designed for individuals with exceptional needs. Students may be eligible for this specialized instruction as determined by various assessment instruments. Services are provided by a credentialed Adapted Physical Education Specialist.
• Itinerant Teacher for the Hearing and Visually Impaired
  • Some hearing impaired and visually impaired students attend regular classes with an itinerant teacher providing support services according to the child's needs as determined in the IEP.
• Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI)
  • Special Education teachers provide instruction and services for those students whose needs have been identified in an IEP and who are assigned to the general education classroom for a majority of the school day. The SAI Program may serve students representing a variety of handicapping conditions whose educational needs can be appropriately addressed within this part-time setting.
• SAI - Self Contained
  • Special classes are situated on general education campuses and are designed to meet the specific educational needs of students with learning, language, emotional, or physical problems. A student placed in one of these self-contained settings may be mainstreamed for one or more general education classes as appropriate. 
• Special Center/College View School
  • A student may be placed in this setting to meet their unique individualized needs. College View is a separate facility from other GUSD campuses.
• Non-Public School - NPS
  • When student needs cannot be met through GUSD placement options, students may be directed to specialized schools, facilities and programs outside the District.

The IEP will be reviewed at least once per year. The annual review date indicates the date that the IEP must be reviewed.  A triennial review, which closely examines the appropriateness of the student's program, is conducted every three years.  This three-year review may entail an informal consultation between the parent(s), the teacher and the school psychologist or a more formal assessment.   The IEP should include objective criteria, evaluation procedures, and schedule for determining whether short-term and long-term educational objectives are being achieved.