INTERVENTION PROCESS

The intent of this document is to assist school staff members provide appropriate intervention to students who do not make adequate educational progress within the general education program.

Education law provides principles and parameters that guide the intervention process. 20 USC Chapter 33 Section 1400 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) states:

“Congress finds the following:

“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”

“Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by –

“having high expectations for such children and ensuring their access to the general education curriculum in the regular classroom, to the maximum extent possible”

“providing appropriate special education and related services, and aids and supports in the regular classroom, to such children, whenever appropriate”

“providing incentives for whole-school approaches, scientifically based early reading programs, positive behavioral interventions and supports, and early intervening services to reduce the need to label children as disabled in order to address the learning and behavioral needs of such children”

The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, section 3021 states:

“All school staff referrals shall be written and include:

(1) A brief reason for the referral.

(2) Documentation of the resources of the regular education program that have been considered, modified, and when appropriate, the results of intervention.”

The remainder of this document is to help districts comply with the legal requirements and apply the principles cited above in regards to intervention and special education referral.

The following chart shows the decision path when a concern is raised regarding a student’s educational progress.

School initiated request for intervention / Parent/agency initiated request for intervention
  • Teacher or other school staff member documents concern (doc: Request for Intervention Teacher/Staff) and submits to site administrator.
  • Administrator decides whether to address concern with teacher/staff or proceed with intervention process (see Intervention below).
/ The following must be completed within 15 days of reception of the written request by parent/agency:
  • Clarify concern with parent or agency if necessary.
  • Special education teacher, school psychologist, speech and language pathologist, or other individual knowledgeable about special education reviews student records (appendix B).
  • Individual who reviewed records and site administrator decide to either prepare an assessment plan or put in writing the reasons why an assessment is not warranted (no evidence to suspect that the student has a disability).

Intervention

  • Designated staff membergathers data from student records (doc: Student Records Review).
  • Student study team (SST) meeting to review teacher/staff concerns and data from student records. Based on data presented, SST identifies student needs and adequacy of baseline data. SST recommends or develops an intervention plan (doc: Student Study Team Meeting andIntervention Plan).
  • Implementation of intervention.
  • The SST reconvenes to review student progress and response to intervention. The SST compares baseline data to the student’s current performance and expected growth. If the student made adequate progress then the SST may recommend continuation or termination of intervention. If the student has not made adequate progress then the SST considers a change to intervention. The SST continues to monitor progress.

Assessment

  • The SST recommends an assessment when data shows that the student did not make adequate progress with targeted intervention over a reasonable amount of time.
  • The SST considers the data collected and determines areas of suspected disability.
  • Notify the potential individuals who might conduct assessments.
  • Add student in SEIS.
  • Use SEIS to complete a prior written notice (PWN) that indicates the suspected areas of disability and an assessment plan (AP). Use the PWN and AP from the student’s record in SEIS and not the document library. This creates a record of the documents in SEIS.
  • Send the assessment plan to parent and write the date received from the parent on the assessment plan.
  • Distribute a copy of the assessment plan to all who will assess within a week.
  • Conduct the assessment.
  • Hold the IEP meeting within 60 days of when the signed assessment plan was received from parent.