Special Education

Union Area SD

Special Education Plan Report

07/01/2020 – 06/30/2023

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK

District Profile

Demographics

2106 Camden Avenue

New Castle, PA 16101

(724)658-4775

Superintendent: Michael Ross

Director of Special Education: Marisa Federici

Planning Committee

Name Role
Scott O’Donnell Administrator : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan
Dr. Michael  Hink Board Member : Professional Education Special Education
Linda O’Neill Building Principal : Professional Education Special Education
Janet Dennis Community Representative : Professional Education Special Education
Susan Venasco Ed Specialist – Instructional Technology : Special Education
Charles Christiansen Ed Specialist – School Psychologist : Special Education
Anissa Cionni Elementary School Teacher – Special Education : Special Education
Lori Bowen High School Teacher – Special Education : Professional Education Special Education
Cynthia Eckert Parent : Professional Education Special Education
Marisa Federici Special Education Director/Specialist : Professional Education Special Education

 

Core Foundations

Special Education

Special Education Students

Total students identified: 167

Identification Method

Identify the District’s method for identifying students with specific learning disabilities.

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

Union Area School district is adopting MTSS starting the 2020-2021 school year.  MTSS is a framework that many schools use to provide targeted support to struggling students. It focuses on the “whole child.” MTSS supports academic growth and achievement, but it also supports many other areas. This includes behavior, social and emotional needs, and absenteeism.  The MTSS model can help general education students receive interventions sooner. It can also help identify sooner which students need special education.  UASD administrators and staff have been working closely with MIU4 in order to improve our reading and math curriculum, as well as having readily made research-based interventions available for teacher use in the classroom.

Tier 1

Tier 1 begins with the whole class.  All students are taught using a research-based curriculum.  In grades K-12, the district utilizes a core instructional reading program, Journeys, that contains the essential reading components.  The district purchased Heggerty Phonemic Awareness curriculum to be used in Pre-Kindergarten through grade one. Heggerty is a daily, ten minute phonemic awareness curriculum that utilizes auditory practice if skills through movement.  In grades K-12, the district utilizes a core instructional math program, Go Math!, that contains the essential math components. All students in grades one through five participate in the Accelerated Reader program in order to encourage a wide range of reading, essential for the development of reading skills.  For the 2019-2020 school year, fifth grade piloted the “Scottie Skills” intervention period. All fifth grade students are placed in small groups according to need and receive a daily thirty minutes of reading intervention.

Universal screening to measure reading and math skills takes place two or three times per year, depending on the building.  Kindergarten through fifth grade use AIMSWEBplus, grades six through eight use Study Island benchmarks, and grades nine through twelve use Classroom Diagnostic testing.  Results from the assessments, in addition to IOWA/PSSA/Keystone scores, test item analysis, and teacher recommendation are examined in both buildings by their respective Data Teams.  Data teams consist of the regular education teacher, building principal, special education director, and curriculum director. Data teams then determine which students move between the three tiers, as well as make recommendations for interventions.

Tier 2

Students move to Tier 2 when they are identified as “medium risk” or “below benchmark.”  These students receive thirty minutes of interventions twice per week in a small Title I group.  Interventions used are determined by the skill deficit identified by the Data Team. Students are monitored for progress on grade level twice per month.  After nine weeks of monitoring, if the student has five data points above the aimline, they will move back to Tier 1. If the student does not have five data points above the aimline after nine weeks, they will move to Tier 3.

Tier 3

Students move to Tier 3 when they are identified as “high risk” or “significantly below benchmark.”  These students receive thirty minutes of interventions three times per week in a small Title I group, as well as one-on-one interventions two times per week.  Interventions used are determined by the skill deficit identified by the Data Team. Students are monitored weekly on the identified skill deficit on their instructional level.  After nine weeks of monitoring, if the student has seven consecutive data points at or above the aimline, they will move back to Tier 2. A Special Education Referral will be completed when the student is unresponsive to interventions, as documented by at least 18 weeks of Tier 2 and 3 data.

Special Education Evaluation

Initial Evaluation Procedure

**UASD Request (Learning/Emotional/Life Skills Support):

  1. A student can only be referred for an ER following a pre-referral intervention
    • All students K-8 will be universally screened in academics and behavior three times per school year
    • Grade level data teams will meet to determine interventions for individual students
    • Intervention data must be collected for 9 weeks
  2. UASD staff must consult with the Special Education Director before suggesting an ER to a parent.
  3. The Special Education Director will contact the parents to discuss the referral.
  4. The Special Education Director will issue a PTE form with a Procedural Safeguard Notice.
    • If UASD does not receive the signed PTE back, a 2nd notice will be sent via mail.
    • Prior to sending a 3rd notice, the Special Education Director will contact the parent by phone to again discuss the PTE and purpose.  The 3rd notice will be sent via mail. All communication dates will be documented in the student’s file.
  1. When the PTE is received, the date will be documented on the form.  A copy of the ER must be presented to the parent no later than 60 calendar days (excluding summer break) from the receipt date.
  2. If the student is eligible for special education, an IEP meeting will be convened within 30 days of the ER.  If the student is not eligible for special education, the Special Education Director will issue a NOREP.

 

**UASD Request (Speech/Language Support):

  1.  Requesting teacher will speak to the speech therapist and complete a screening request form.
  2. The speech therapist will screen the student to determine if they need an ER.
  3. If the student needs further assessment, the speech therapist will issue a PTE form with a Procedural Safeguard Notice.
    1. If UASD does not receive the signed PTE back, a 2nd notice will be sent via mail.
    2. Prior to sending a 3rd notice, the speech therapist will contact the parent by phone to again discuss the PTE and purpose.  The 3rd notice will be sent via mail. All communication dates will be documented in the student’s file.
  4. When the PTE is received, the date will be documented on the form.  A copy of the ER must be presented to the parent no later than 60 calendar days (excluding summer break) from the receipt date.
  5. If the student is eligible for special education, an IEP meeting will be convened within 30 days of the ER.  If the student is not eligible for special education, the speech therapist will issue a NOREP.

The district currently follows the ability-achievement discrepancy model in the identification of Specific Learning Disabilities. Students are considered for special education placement if they are determined to not be meeting State-approved grade-level standards after being provided with appropriate learning experiences and scientifically based interventions  in one or more of the following academic domains: oral expression; listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, and mathematics problem solving.

 Ability/achievement discrepancy analysis is completed as part of the evaluation process to determine if a child’s current level of academic achievement is discrepant from his/her overall ability level. For this discrepancy analysis, scores obtained from the measure of academic achievement administered are compared to a student’s predicted scores based on his/her performance on the measure of cognitive ability administered.  The district uses a regression discrepancy model between ability and achievement to determine the presence or absence of a learning disability. The differences between the two scores are computed to determine if a significant discrepancy exists, indicating the presence of a learning disability. A discrepancy alone is not sufficient to identify a student as having a specific learning disability. The student must also be demonstrating achievement significantly below age and or grade level.

An observation of classroom behavior by the school psychologist is conducted and parental input via questionnaires, interviews and rating scales is obtained.  Evaluations provided by the parents are incorporated into the Evaluation Report. Information from related service providers, teacher observations and rating scales, and the results from interventions that have been implemented are included in the Evaluation Report.  

Cognitive and achievement assessments are also administered.  When there is evidence of a significant discrepancy between achievement and ability, the team determines whether or not this deficiency can be corrected without special education and related services.  A team, including a minimum of the student’s teacher, the school psychologist, and the student’s parent are involved in making this decision.

The following exclusionary factors are also considered and ruled out as factors in the student’s lack of progress:

Visual Impairment

Hearing Impairment

Orthopedic Disability

Intellectual Disability

Emotional Disturbance

Cultural Factors

Limited English Proficiency

Environmental or Economic Disadvantage
 

 

Enrollment

Review the Enrollment Difference Status. If necessary, describe how your district plans to address any significant disproportionalities.

The data is publicly available via the PennData website. You can view your most recent report. The link is: https://penndata.hbg.psu.edu/PublicReporting/DataataGlance/tabid/2523/Default.aspx

The district has a disproportionate number of students identified as needing special education services, with 20.3% of the student population identified, compared to the state average of 17.3%.  Students identified as having an Intellectual Disability increased to 7.9%, compared to the state average of 6.3%.  Many of our students come from impoverished backgrounds, as we generally have approximately 53% of our students classified as low SES. Students identified as having an Intellectual Disability increased to 7.9%, compared to the state average of 6.3%.   Many of our students come from impoverished backgrounds, as we generally have approximately 53% of our students classified as low SES. We have also had an influx of special education move-ins. This increase has been a pattern in recent years, therefore, it reflects new district policy to aggressively intervene at the lower grade level, with the implementation of MTSS and the addition of Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum. We have provided a full-day kindergarten since the 1990’s, a half day 4-year-old program since 2005, and an infant-3-year-old family education/literacy program since 2006. In September of 2016, the district started a 3 year old program. It is held for 2 hours on 2 days of the week. In the previous Special Education Plan (2017-2020), the district had a disproportionate number of students identified as having a Speech or Language Impairment.  This percentage went from 25.7% to 13.2%, which is now below the state average of 14.3%. In addition to the above mentioned interventions, the district has taken steps to decrease the number of students receiving services by setting referral, eligibility, and dismissal criteria.We believe these efforts contribute to our consistently below state average identification rates, despite unfavorable social/economic factors. We will continue to monitor our identification rates and to search for effective pre-referral interventions to address the needs of our student population.

 

Non-Resident Students Oversight

  1. How does the District meet its obligation under Section 1306 of the Public School Code as the host District at each location?
  2. How does the District ensure that students are receiving a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)?
  3. What problems or barriers exist which limit the District’s ability to meet its obligations under Section 1306 of the Public School Code?

There are currently no facilities located in the District.  If a facility were to locate within the District, we would contact the facility and become the LEA which would require the review of any student records of children with disabilities, evaluate “thought to be exceptional” students, re-evaluate currently identified students with IEPs, and set up and conduct IEP meetings with parents (or surrogates) so as to ensure provision of FAPE (either at our campus or in some other facility as determined by the IEP team).
The Union Area School District is committed to providing FAPE to any eligible student residing in the District.  When the District is made aware of a student who is in need of special education or thought to be in need of special education, the District procedures are followed as would be for any other student. An evaluation process would be initiated and an IEP, if eligible, would be generated, based on the Evaluation Report.  Programming, location, related services, and specially designed instruction would be addressed to ensure the student’s educational success.  The District has not encountered any barriers that would limit its obligations under Section 1306 of the Public School Code.  However, the District would ensure the timely and persistent request for records and make sure to utilize educational records from student’s home school district and also facilitate parent involvement and participation in the delivery of FAPE.

 

Incarcerated Students Oversight

Describe the system of oversight the District would implement to ensure that all incarcerated students who may be eligible for special education are located, identified, evaluated and when deemed eligible, are offered a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

There are currently no prisons located within the Union Area School District, nor does the Union Area School District currently have any students who are incarcerated. Should any of our special education students be incarcerated, we will take an active role in notifying the institution of the student’s special education status and forward IEP’s, ER reports, and attend any evaluation, reevaluation, or IEP meetings and cooperate with providing relevant educational information.  The district will also forward appropriate educational records of non-special education students to the institution.

 

Least Restrictive Environment

  1. Describe the District procedures, which ensure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including those in private institutions, are educated with non-disabled children, and that removal from the regular education environment only occurs when education in that setting with supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
  2. Describe how the District is replicating successful programs, evidence-based models, and other PDE sponsored initiatives to enhance or expand the continuum of supports/services and education placement options available within the District to support students with disabilities access the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment (LRE). (Provide information describing the manner in which the District utilizes site-based training, consultation and technical assistance opportunities available through PDE/PaTTAN, or other public or private agencies.)
  3. Refer to and discuss the SPP targets and the district’s percentages in the Indicator 5 section – Educational Environments. Also discuss the number of students placed out of the district and how those placements were determined to assure that LRE requirements are met.

The Union Area School District adheres to the guidelines and procedures as outlined in Chapter 14 for servicing students in the Least Restrictive Environment to the maximum extent appropriate.  Accommodations, modifications, Title I interventions, and classroom interventions, and progress monitoring are provided within the regular education setting prior to referral for multidisciplinary evaluation.  If after evaluation, the student qualifies for special education services, the placement decision is made by the team at the IEP meeting. The student’s full range of needs are reviewed and a continuum of placement options are available and considered.  Consideration of provision of services begins with reference to the regular education classroom and curriculum. Supplemental aids and services provided within regular education include collaboration among school-based supports (regular education, special education, administration, contracted service providers) with a focus to provide instructional, physical and social/behavioral supports that are individualized to meet student needs.  Unless the IEP dictates otherwise, students participate in the general education curriculum with supports provided to meet student needs within the least restrictive setting. Prior to removing the student from the regular education environment, there must be a demonstration that education in that setting could not be satisfactorily met even with supplementary aids and services. The District supports students at the Itinerant, Supplemental and Full-time levels.  The District attempts to service the student within the home district prior to looking for a place outside of the student’s home district. Regardless of the student’s program, the District encourages participation with same age peers in the general education setting for nonacademic and extracurricular activities. The school LEA, administrator, school psychologist or designee attends each IEP meeting.  

A comprehensive range of programs/services is available to private and public school students either within the district, neighboring districts, multiple district programs operated by Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, or private institutions. 

All decisions concerning appropriate Special Education Services and Programs for students, including consideration of services and programs in the home school will be based upon the following guidelines:

 1)  The school will assure that the placement decision is made at the IEP meeting with parent participation.

2) The student’s full range of needs will be examined, including behavioral and socialization needs.

 3) A full range of placement options will be available and considered, including supplemental aids and services.

4) Prior to a removal from the regular education environment, there will be evidence and documentation that education in that environment could not satisfactorily occur, even with supplemental aids and services.

5) The justifications given for any restrictions that might be placed on the student will be educational justifications and not administrative convenience.

6) Efforts will be made to integrate students as much as possible into regular education environments.  Efforts will be made to provide programs within the district. 

7) Placement options are determined at the time of each individual student’s IEP.  Special Education students are served in regular education classes whenever it is deemed appropriate. When special needs students are placed in regular education programs, supplemental aids and services are provided as determined by the IEP team.

At the start of the 2013-2014 school year, the district added a secondary life skills classroom to the high school, which resulted in 7 students returning to the district.

Starting with the 2016-2017 school year, the district created a middle-school Like Skills support classroom, which allowed 6 students being educated outside the school district to return.

Co-teaching was implemented at the start of the 2017-2018 school year at the middle and high school in order to serve more students in the least restrictive environment.  Regular education and special education teachers were trained by MIU4 in effective co-teaching procedures.

For the 2019-2020 school year, three additional paraprofessionals were hired at the middle and high school levels.  These paraprofessionals are placed in many core general education classes in order to provide additional support to special education students.  Supports may include prompting to remain on task, oral reading of tests, testing in small groups, providing a sensory break, ect.

Analysis of Indicator 5 (Educational Environments) indicates that the district did not meet the State Performance Plan Targets, based on the 2018-2019 Special Education Data Report.  With a state average of 65% of students in regular education environments 80% of the time or more, the district was at 51.0%. Meeting the State Performance Plan Targets will be a focus for the next three years.

The Union Area School District Plan for Improvement of SPP Indicator 5 will include the following goals:

12/1/20             55% special education students within regular education 80% or more

12/1/21            60% special education students within regular education 80% or more

                       

12/1/22             65% special education students within regular education 80% or more

                       

UASD’s plan to improve in Indicator 5 include revising the K-5 schedule, which could allow for co-teaching at these grade levels.  The addition of three paraprofessionals at the middle/high school will allow for more inclusion support for students. Penn Data calculations will be checked and monitored to ensure that the data is correct.  

District special educators, regular education staff, administrators, Paraeducators, and parents will participate in training that addresses alternative service delivery models, differentiated instruction, inclusion models, co-teaching practices, evidence-based practices, and positive behavior supports.  Among the training that is offered by MIU-IV & PaTTAN that would assist the district in meeting SPP goals include:
 

Effective Practices for the General Education Classroom

Supplementary Aids and Services Consideration Toolkit

IEPs for students with Reading and Writing Disabilities

Students with Complex Instructional and Support Needs

Co-Teaching Connections

Inclusive Education: Leading and Improving School-Based Practices
 

SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES

Among the most frequently utilized supplementary aids and services used for special education students are:
 

Collaborative

         Differentiated Instruction

         Paraprofessional Support

         Special Educator Consultation

         Early Intervention Transition Meetings

         ISPT Meetings with local agencies to coordinate services

         OVR Meetings with parents to assist in transition
 

Instructional

         Providing Instructional Adaptations

         Pre-teaching

         Providing extra practice, review, and repeating directions

         Extended Time

         Projects broken into smaller steps

         Teacher assistance with long-range projects (Term Papers)

         Books and Texts in audio format

         Modified Tests, Modified Goals

            Wilson reading program

         Chrome Books

         Research-based interventions

         Access to online learning materials (Google classroom)
 

Physical

         Adaptive Equipment

         Sensory Materials

         Classroom sound systems

         Individual FM sound systems

         Paraprofessional Support to move from class to class

         Specialized Transportation
 

Social/Behavioral

         Social Skills Instruction

         Counseling Supports

         Positive Behavior Support Plans

        One on One Paraprofessional support

School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention System
 

 

Behavior Support Services

  1. Provide a summary of the District policy on behavioral support services including, but not limited to, the school wide positive behavior supports (PBS). 
  2. Describe training provided to staff in the use of positive behavior supports, de-escalation techniques and responses to behavior that may require immediate intervention. 
  3. If the district also has School-Based Behavioral Health Services, please discuss it. 
  1. UASD’s behavioral management policy consists of a school-wide positive behavior intervention support (SWPBIS), which is referred to as the “Scottie Way”.  It is implemented at the elementary, middle, and high school. The goal is to maintain a positive school environment and reward desired behaviors. The expected behaviors are Be Great!  Be Responsible! Be Respectful! Be Ready! The mission of the Union Area Scottie Way is to promote Great, Responsible, Respectful and Ready students and to create and maintain an effective learning environment by establishing behavioral supports and the social culture needed for all students in our school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.  The Scottie Way was first implemented in the 2013-2014 school year, but was not implemented with fidelity, nor was state recognition received.  For the 2019-2020 school year, the Behavior Team worked with MIU4 in order to work towards implementing Tier 1 with fidelity and earn state recognition.  UASD’s goal is to roll out Tier 1 in January 2021. The district is committed to implement all three tiers with fidelity over the next five years. Currently, the team is collecting staff and student data, rebuilding the behavior matrix, and creating lesson plans to teach expectations to students in all grade levels.

Tier 1

All students in the district will learn and practice Scottie Way expectations through district-created lesson plans.  Teachers will maintain appropriate classroom management and effective instruction in their own classrooms. Effective classroom management activities involve the establishment and maintenance of a productive learning environment that fosters high levels of student engagement and prevention of student disruptions.  The effectiveness of behavioral control strategies will be maximized when used in conjunction with preventive methods. Without proactive management methods, behavior-change interventions will have limited long-term effectiveness. Research evidence has revealed that engaging students at their instructional level will decrease negative behavior.  The district has also adopted the use of Owleus Bullying Prevention Program in grades PreK-8 and implemented Drug and Alcohol Awareness Presentations for grades K-12. Students that demonstrate Scottie Way behaviors are given a GRRR card. These cards are to be placed in a Scottie Way box located in each building. The cards are drawn weekly and students are rewarded with weekly or monthly incentives. 

Tier 2

A small percentage of students do not respond to the first level of support and are in need of additional interventions.  A student may then be referred to the Student Assistance Program (SAP) team. The SAP team will use school resources to assist in the student’s success. The SAP team is also used to identify problems with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and mental health issues.  The student may receive social skills and/or coping skills instruction from a certified teacher using age-appropriate social-emotional curriculum. Implementation of Tier 2 with state recognitions and fidelity will be complete for the 2022-2023 school year.

Tier 3

If the 2nd tier of intervention is not successful, then the student may need to be evaluated for an Emotional Disturbance or Positive Behavior Support Plans (PBSP).  PBSPs are based upon a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA). Parent permission is obtained; observations are conducted within a variety of settings and over a period of several weeks. The obtained student data is analyzed and a plan developed at an IEP Meeting.  Progress is then monitored after implementation and the plan is revised as needed. The underlying assumption of any behavioral intervention is that students’ behavioral problems represent either deficit in adaptive behavior or excesses in behavior that proves maladaptive in the student’s environment.  If a student is unable to carry out a required task or behavior because of deficits in prerequisite skills, the task of instruction may be to develop the lacking skills. In contrast, a student may be capable of performing a target skill or behavior, but may for some reason, not demonstrate the skill at an acceptable level.  In addition to basic acquisition or performance deficits, consideration must be given to other potential interfering behaviors. The student may receive social skills and/or coping skills instruction from a certified teacher using age-appropriate social-emotional curriculum. 

At the third level, very restrictive interventions are considered only after second level interventions have not worked and a crisis situation evolves in which the student is in danger of harming himself or others. Aversive techniques, restraints or discipline procedures are not used as a substitute for a positive behavior management program.  The district utilizes the Intermediate Unit’s “Safety Care” program to train staff in restraint and de-escalation techniques on as needed basis. The district continues to plan and schedule ongoing staff training in de-escalation techniques. Training of special education staff in Life Skills and Emotional Support programs will continue on an annual basis for the duration of this plan.    Staff are to follow the following procedures when in a crisis situation.

    1. Prevent crisis behaviors by eliminating known antecedents/triggers.
    2. When trigger occurs, remove vulnerable peers and potentially dangerous objects.
    3. Attempt de-escalation (talk quietly, stay calm, control verbal behaviors, facial expression, reinforce safe, desirable behaviors, use help, prompt, wait).
    4. Call for assistance from the administration or resource officer via radio.
    5. Follow criteria for physical management:
      1. There must be imminent risk of serious harm to the agitated person or someone else.
      2. There must be no other practical way to prevent that harm without physical management.
      3. The risk of not intervening must be greater than the risk of intervening.

***All special education staff is trained in Safety Care management techniques–follow physical management, release, and debriefing procedures.

    1. If a physical management technique is used, contact the parent.  Fill out UASD Restraint Notification Form and submit to the Special Education Supervisor.  Complete and distribute Restraint Notification Form to parent. An IEP meeting must be held within 10 days unless the parent waives the meeting using the Restraint Notification Form.
    2. If a student does not have PBSP, obtain parental consent to conduct an FBA.  If a student has a PBSP, the team should evaluate its procedures and effectiveness.

 

In March 2020, the district was awarded a $120,000 School Safety Grant to engage in a pilot program using the social worker as one mechanism to support students across the district.  The social worker will work with students and families identified as being at-risk and can serve as a point of contact for students who show early signs of violence or aggression. The social worker will be able to help families seek both school-related services and outside services that may be essential to help them remove barriers to school attendance, learning, appropriate social interactions and help students meet their basic physical and emotional needs. 

 

The district’s pilot program will add a currently missing component into our school safety protocol.  While the district employs guidance counselors, they already have high caseloads of students to oversee and are tasked with other duties including providing career and education counseling, classroom guidance, and brief counseling to students.  Due to these caseloads and duties, they do not have the adequate time to work with students who need more intense help. The social worker, who will have a smaller caseload, will be able to devote more of their time to the students who need more intensive assistance.  The guidance counselors will continue to serve as the first line resource for students and will recommend to the social worker students and families who could benefit from more intensive services. 

Social workers are able to provide home visits, crisis interventions, social skills training, and counseling services that are not currently offered in our district.  While we do employ the use of Human Services to provide limited counseling to students, not all students qualify for this service or are willing to work with Human Services.  The school-based social worker will have greater access to students and families and can help provide necessary resources to families who would otherwise go without.

UASD also partners with the Human Services Center to provide school-based therapy to students who are eligible and would benefit from the service.  Once enrolled, the HSC therapist, given permission, may consult with UASD staff regarding the student’s social and emotional status at school. The frequency and duration of the services is determined by HSC, the parent, and student.  UASD provides a safe space at school in which the therapy sessions can occur.

 
 

 

Intensive Interagency/Ensuring FAPE/Hard to Place Students

  1. If the LEA is having difficulty ensuring FAPE for an individual student or a particular disability category, describe the procedures and analysis methods used to determine gaps in the continuum of special education supports, services and education placement options available for students with disabilities.
  2. Include information detailing successful programs, services, education placements as well as identified gaps in current programs, services, and education placements not available within the LEA. Include an overview of services provided through interagency collaboration within the LEA.
  3. Discuss any expansion of the continuum of services planned during the life of this plan.

Presently all students with identified disabilities are placed in appropriate settings, as determined by IEP Teams. The district is committed to meeting the needs of its students within the least restrictive environment.  If the IEP Team determines that a student’s needs cannot be met within the home school district, options with local school districts and Intermediate Unit 4 are explored. If a situation arises in which an appropriate educational placement cannot be found, the district will contact supervisory personnel at the Intermediate Unit 4 as well as the local interagency coordinator to schedule a CASSP Team Meeting as soon as possible so that an appropriate placement can be assured.  The district would initiate contact with regional offices, should the need arise.

The district is addressing an identified gap with regard to providing emotional support services within regular education settings at the secondary level.  The district has contracted for Itinerant Emotional Support services to add to the available continuum of services for students in need of social, emotional and behavioral supports in our district’s Least Restrictive Environment.  

The district is adopting new placement procedures in order to evaluate if a placement is still warranted, or if the student is ready to transition back to their building.   We have been very successful in gradually transitioning these students back to the district full time, once the IEP team determines that district support services are sufficient to meet the student’s needs.

The Union Area School District meets with the Intermediate Unit and representatives from all of Lawrence County Schools on a monthly basis to identify needs and gaps in educational programming.  The district’s Special Education Director attends or gives written input for all wrap-around meetings in order to work collaboratively with other agencies and to provide appropriate educational services.  The district routinely meets with agency representatives who provide wraparound services within the school in order to coordinate behavior plans. The cooperation with wrap around agencies has greatly facilitated the provision of services within the least restrictive environment. 

 
 

 

Assurances

Special Education Assurances

The Local Education Agency (District) has verified the following Assurances:

  • Implementation of a full range of services, programs and alternative placements available to the school district for placement and implementation of the special education programs in the school district.
  • Implementation of a child find system to locate, identify and evaluate young children and children who are thought to be a child with a disability eligible for special education residing within the school district’s jurisdiction. Child find data is collected, maintained and used in decision-making. Child find process and procedures are evaluated for its effectiveness. The District implements mechanisms to disseminate child find information to the public, organizations, agencies and individuals on at least an annual basis.
  • Assurances of students with disabilities are included in general education programs and extracurricular and non-academic programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with an Individualized Education Program.
  • Compliance with the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education’s report revision notice process.
  • Following the state and federal guidelines for participation of students with disabilities in state and district-wide assessments including the determination of participation, the need for accommodations, and the methods of assessing students for whom regular assessment is not appropriate.
  • Assurance of funds received through participation in the medical assistance reimbursement program, ACCESS, will be used to enhance or expand the current level of services and programs provided to students with disabilities in this local education agency.

 

24 P.S. §1306 and §1306.2 Facilities

There are no facilities.

 

Least Restrictive Environment Facilities

Facility Name Type of Facility Type of Service Number of Students Placed
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center Other Learning Support, Emotional Support 17
Laurel Elementary School Neighboring School Districts Life Skills Support 4
Glade Run/St. Stephens Special Education Centers Emotional Support 1
Mohawk Elementary School Neighboring School Districts Autistic Support 1
Cray Education Center Special Education Centers Emotional Support 4
The Bradley Center Approved Private Schools Emotional Support 1
Instruction in the Home Instruction in the Home Life Skills Support 1
Western PA School for the Deaf Approved Private Schools Hearing Support 1
New Castle Junior/Senior High School Neighboring School Districts Emotional Support 1

 

Special Education Program Profile

Program Position #1

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: July 1, 2016

Reason for the proposed change: Special Education Plan Update

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 5 to 10 14 0.85
Justification: Students are grouped into learning support by instructional levels.  There are no instructional groups that have an age range of more than 3 years.
Locations:
Union Elementary School (Teacher AC) An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 5 to 10 3 0.15
Justification: Students are grouped into learning support by instructional levels.  There are no instructional groups that have an age range of more than 3 years.
Locations:
Union Elementary School An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #2

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: July 1, 2019

Reason for the proposed change: Take out teacher initials

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 9 to 12 11 0.75
Locations:
Union Elementary School An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 9 to 12 7 0.25
Locations:
Union Elementary School An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #3

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: August 26, 2020

Reason for the proposed change: Take out teacher initials

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 11 to 14 11 0.25
Locations:
Union Middle School A Middle School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 11 to 14 9 0.75
Locations:
Union Middle School A Middle School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #4

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: August 26, 2020

Reason for the proposed change: Remove program segments

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 14 to 18 7 0.7
Justification: Students are grouped by instructional levels. There are no instructional groups that have an age range more than 3 years.
Locations:
Union Area High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 14 to 18 7 0.3
Locations:
Union Area High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #5

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: ClassandPosition

Implementation Date: August 26, 2020

Reason for the proposed change: Removed 2 segments of this position

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 14 to 18 8 0.3
Locations:
Union Area High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 14 to 18 5 0.7
Locations:
Union Area High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #6

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: July 1, 2016

Reason for the proposed change: Students have moved up in age requiring an addition of a segment at the different grade levels. The district has also taken over segments that had been serviced by outside agencies.

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Speech and Language Support 5 to 12 35 0.65
Justification: Students are grouped by grade level, there are no groups with an age range larger than 2 years.
Locations:
Union Area Elementary School An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Speech and Language Support 10 to 13 9 0.17
Locations:
Union Middle A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Speech and Language Support 14 to 19 8 0.17
Justification: Students are grouped by grade level, there are no groups with an age range larger  than 2 years.
Locations:
Union High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #7

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: ClassandPosition

Implementation Date: July 1, 2016

Reason for the proposed change: Special Education Plan Update

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Life Skills Support 13 to 21 10 1
Justification: Students are grouped by instructional levels. There are no instructional groups that have an age range of more than 3 years.
Locations:
Union Area High School A Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #8

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: ClassandPosition

Implementation Date: August 26, 2020

Reason for the proposed change: Junior and Senior high school groups report together for social skills instruction, so they were merged into 1 segment.  Sixth-grade learning support was also added to this program position. The school district is now operating this position.

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Emotional Support 5 to 11 5 0.1
Justification: Students are not seen in groups that have an age variance greater than three years.
Locations:
Union Memorial Elementary An Elementary School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Emotional Support 11 to 18 17 0.4
Justification: Instructional groups can vary more than three years in order to address deficits in a small group.  All students have a waiver signed in the IEP.
Locations:
Union Area Middle/High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Learning Support 11 to 13 4 0.1
Locations:
Union Area Middle/High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Learning Support 11 to 13 7 0.4
Locations:
Union Area Middle/High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #10

Operator: Intermediate Unit

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Position

Implementation Date: July 1, 2016

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support 11 to 17 3 0.09
Justification: Students are seen independently.
Locations:
Union Middle/High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #11

Operator: Intermediate Unit

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Position

Implementation Date: July 1, 2016

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Itinerant Blind or Visually Impaired Support 17 to 19 1 0.03
Locations:
Union Middle/High School A Junior/Senior High School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Program Position #12

Operator: School District

PROGRAM DETAILS

Type: Class

Implementation Date: August 26, 2020

Reason for the proposed change: This is a supplemental placement, not full-time as incorrectly reported

PROGRAM SEGMENTS

Type of Support Level of Support Age Range Caseload FTE
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%) Life Skills Support 11 to 18 5 1
Justification: We have current waivers for anyone outside the 4 year age range.  
Locations:
Union Area Middle School A Middle School Building A building in which General Education programs are operated

 

Special Education Support Services

Support Service Location Teacher FTE
Learning Support Paraprofessional Union Area Elementary 3
Personnal Care Aide Union Area Middle/High School 2
Learning Support Paraprofessional  Union Area Middle School 2.5
Learning Support Paraprofessional Union Area High School 1.5
Life Skills Paraprofessional Union Area High School 1.5
Life Skills Paraprofessional Union Area Middle/High School 2.5
Special Education Director Union Area School District 1
Social Worker Union Area School District 1

 

Special Education Contracted Services

Special Education Contracted Services Operator Amt of Time per Week
School Psychologist Outside Contractor 2.5 Days
Occupational Therapy Intermediate Unit 4.3 Hours
Physical Therapy Intermediate Unit 4.2 Minutes
Assistive Technology Intermediate Unit 11.7 Minutes
Dysphagia Intermediate Unit 7.5 Minutes
Community Based Vocational Instruction Outside Contractor 12 Hours

 

District Level Plan

Special Education Personnel Development

 

Autism

Description This training will focus on supporting teachers working in the field of Autism including Regular Education Teachers instructing students with Autism. The training will provide an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as, classroom and behavior based strategies to support student learning.  Participants will learn about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), teaching procedures/social skills/ data collection , speech and communication / sensory Needs, and application of skills & strategies.
Person Responsible Marisa Federici, Special Education Administrator
Start Date 7/1/2020
End Date 6/30/2023
Program Area(s) Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services

Professional Development Details

Hours Per Session 6
# of Sessions 4
# of Participants Per Session 10
Provider Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV
Provider Type IU
PDE Approved Yes
Knowledge Gain This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
Research & Best Practices Base This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists
  • Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
  • Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles
  • Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
  • Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making.
  • Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
  • Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
Training Format
  • Professional Learning Communities
Participant Roles
  • Classroom teachers
Grade Levels
  • Elementary – Primary (preK – grade 1)
  • Elementary – Intermediate (grades 2-5)
  • Middle (grades 6-8)
  • High (grades 9-12)
Follow-up Activities
  • Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
Evaluation Methods
  • Participant survey

 

Behavior Support

Description Safety-Care Behavioral Safety Training program provides the skills and competencies necessary to effectively prevent, minimize, and manage behavioral challenges with dignity, safety, and the possibility of change.  Safety-Care provides the tools you need to be safe when working with behaviorally challenging individuals. Using up-to-date and effective technologies from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS), the Safety-Care program will provide your staff with strategies for preventing and managing behavioral challenges, and teaching replacement behaviors.  These strategies are appropriate for individuals experiencing developmental, neurologic, psychiatric, and other impairments. Safety-Care promotes a positive reinforcement based approach, and the development of new skills, resulting in fewer restraints.
Person Responsible Marisa Federici, Special Education Administrator
Start Date 7/1/2020
End Date 6/30/2023
Program Area(s) Special Education, Student Services

Professional Development Details

Hours Per Session 7.0
# of Sessions 2
# of Participants Per Session 10
Provider UASD’s Certified Safety Care Instructor
Provider Type School Entity
PDE Approved Yes
Knowledge Gain This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
Research & Best Practices Base This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists
  • Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles
  • Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
Training Format
  • Department Focused Presentation
Participant Roles
  • Classroom teachers
  • Principals / Asst. Principals
  • Supt / Ast Supts / CEO / Ex Dir
  • School counselors
  • Paraprofessional
  • Classified Personnel
  • New Staff
  • Other educational specialists
  • Related Service Personnel
  • Parents
Grade Levels
  • Elementary – Primary (preK – grade 1)
  • Elementary – Intermediate (grades 2-5)
  • Middle (grades 6-8)
  • High (grades 9-12)
Follow-up Activities
  • Learning communities will meet to develop district procedures and interventions.
Evaluation Methods
  • Participant survey

 

Paraprofessional

Description Paraprofessional staff will participate in special education learning community meetings as well as workshops, when appropriate. Paraprofessionals will be active participants in all aspects of the Special Education Personnel Development plan, which will address autism, behavior support, transition, and reading.  Evidence that this action plan has been implemented will include documentation of at least 20 hours of training each year for the next 3 school years.
Person Responsible Union Area School District & Building Administration
Start Date 7/1/2020
End Date 6/30/2023
Program Area(s) Professional Education, Special Education

Professional Development Details

Hours Per Session 2.0
# of Sessions 10
# of Participants Per Session 13
Provider Union Area School District
Provider Type School Entity
PDE Approved No
Knowledge Gain This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
Research & Best Practices Base This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists
  • Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
  • Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
  • Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
  • Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles
  • Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
  • Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
Training Format
  • Series of Workshops
  • Department Focused Presentation
  • Professional Learning Communities
Participant Roles
  • Paraprofessional
Grade Levels
  • Elementary – Primary (preK – grade 1)
  • Elementary – Intermediate (grades 2-5)
  • Middle (grades 6-8)
  • High (grades 9-12)
Follow-up Activities
  • Peer-to-peer lesson discussion
Evaluation Methods
  • Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.

 

Reading

Description MTSS–Understand the fundamental knowledge necessary to adopt, implement, and sustain a multi-tiered system of supports, learn and understand the six components of the MTSS framework, assess current practices in the six components of the MTSS framework, develop an action plan to strengthen the MTSS framework.
Person Responsible Marisa Federici, Special Education Administrator
Start Date 7/1/2020
End Date 6/30/2023
Program Area(s) Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services

Professional Development Details

Hours Per Session 6
# of Sessions 1
# of Participants Per Session 10
Provider Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV
Provider Type IU
PDE Approved Yes
Knowledge Gain This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
Research & Best Practices Base This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists
  • Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
  • Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
  • Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles
  • Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
  • Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making.
  • Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
  • Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
Training Format
  • LEA Whole Group Presentation
Participant Roles
  • Classroom teachers
  • Principals / Asst. Principals
Grade Levels
  • Elementary – Primary (preK – grade 1)
  • Elementary – Intermediate (grades 2-5)
  • Middle (grades 6-8)
  • High (grades 9-12)
Follow-up Activities
  • Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
  • Creating lessons to meet varied student learning styles
  • Peer-to-peer lesson discussion
  • Lesson modeling with mentoring
  • Joint planning period activities
Evaluation Methods
  • Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.
  • Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA
  • Classroom student assessment data

 

Transition

Description The High School Learning Support Teacher will continue to attend transition meetings presented by Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4  to keep the district current with transition requirements.  Updates will be provided to other staff members resposnible for writing transition IEPs.
Person Responsible Marisa Federici, Special Education Administrator
Start Date 7/1/2020
End Date 6/30/2023
Program Area(s) Special Education, Student Services

Professional Development Details

Hours Per Session 3.0
# of Sessions 4
# of Participants Per Session 1
Provider Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV
Provider Type IU
PDE Approved Yes
Knowledge Gain This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
Research & Best Practices Base This is an optional narrative for Special Education.
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists
  • Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
  • Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
  • Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
  • Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles
  • Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
  • Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making.
  • Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
  • Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
Training Format
  • Offsite Conferences
Participant Roles
  • Classroom teachers
Grade Levels
  • Middle (grades 6-8)
  • High (grades 9-12)
Follow-up Activities
  • Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
  • Analysis of student work, with administrator and/or peers
  • Creating lessons to meet varied student learning styles
  • Lesson modeling with mentoring
Evaluation Methods
  • Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.
  • Participant survey

 

Special Education Affirmations

We also affirm our understanding that any requests for any deviations from the Chapter 14 regulations, standards, policies, and procedures must be made in writing to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The school district understands that the Special Education Component of the District Level Plan will be approved by PDE in accordance with the following criteria as set forth in 22 Pa. School Code § 14.104 and as part of the District Level Plan:

  1. There are a full range of services, programs and alternative placements available to the school district for placement and implementation of the special education programs in the school district.
  2. The school district has adopted a child find system to locate, identify and evaluate young children and children who are thought to be a child with a disability eligible for special education residing within the school district’s jurisdiction. Child find data is collected, maintained, and used in decision-making. Child find process and procedures are evaluated for its effectiveness. The school district implements mechanisms to disseminate child find information to the public, organizations, agencies, and individuals on at least an annual basis.
  3. The school district has adopted policies and procedures that assure that students with disabilities are included in general education programs and extracurricular and non-academic programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with an Individualized Education Program.
  4. The school district will comply with the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education’s revision notice process.
  5. The school district follows the state and federal guidelines for participation of students with disabilities in state and district-wide assessments including the determination of participation, the need for accommodations, and the methods of assessing students for whom regular assessment is not appropriate.
  6. The school district affirms the Pennsylvania Department of Education that funds received through participation in the medical assistance reimbursement program, ACCESS, will be used to enhance or expand the current level of services and programs provided to students with disabilities in this local education agency.

We affirm that the school district has completed a 28 day public inspection and comment period as required under 22 PA Code § 4.13 (d) prior to the school entity’s governing board approval and submission to the Department of Education (Bureau of Special Education).

No signature has been provided

Board President

No signature has been provided

Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer