Does your IEP grid use the words "Sped Staff" under Type of Personnel? I am currently reading through three (3) separate IEPs that use this term to describe the Personnel in the Grid. Despite PQA finding a District in noncompliance for using this term in 2013 (!), Districts are still attempting to use this in IEPs. (Examples below)

PQA ruled that this is in violation of 603 CMR 28.06(2)(a) and stated that "the term SPED Staff is not sufficient to describe the types of personnel required on the IEP service delivery grid." PQA directed the District to refrain from using the term sped staff and that each IEP should identify the type of service providers, e.g., special education teacher, paraprofessional, Occupational Therapist, etc.

CMR 28.06(2)(a) requires an IEP Team to consider "the types of service providers." In order for an IEP Team to make a reasonable decision regarding a student's placement, the IEP Team (and this includes, YOU, the parent!) must have some knowledge of the kinds of service providers who will provide the student services. PRS stated, “In the same manner which the IEP Team must distinguish between the types of related services necessary for the student (for example, "speech Therapy" or "Physical Therapy") in making its placement decision, the regulation requires the same sort of consideration for distinguishing the student's service providers.” "SPED Staff is not sufficient to describe the types of personnel required on the IEP service delivery grid. PQA ordered the District to send a memo to the IEP Team Chairpersons stating that the use of term "SPED Staff' on the IEP service delivery grid is not acceptable and that each IEP should identify the type of service providers, e.g., special education teacher, paraprofessional, Occupational Therapist, etc.

Parents - your child’s IEP depends on the specificity of the language. How can you provide informed consent if you do not understand what you, the most important member of the team, are consenting to in the IEP? Details and language matter! When reading through your child’s IEP, go through the language in the document word for word. If you interpret the language one way, the likelihood is that someone else will interpret the language another way. When reading an IEP, a Hearing Officer found that the sentence, “rules-based reading with one-to-one instruction” did not equate to the interpretation proposed by the Parent that the child’s systematic reading instruction be delivered only in a one-to-one setting. Rather, the Hearing Officer found that the IEP language was inclusive and should be read broadly to permit flexibility in selecting the appropriate setting for the delivery of services.

Scenario: You are in an IEP meeting. You discuss needs, goals & services, come to what you believe was a mutual conclusion/s, only to wait (what the District finds as "reasonable time") to receive the IEP and N1 to see it describes very little, or the complete opposite, of what you discussed? Then, you find yourself in an "I said, They said" email back-and-forth chain, which in the end, only serves to delay and drag the ticking clock of your child's school year. Assert your parental rights at your IEP meeting. Districts have the technology to present at least the key service components of an IEP as you leave the meeting. This "summary," at a minimum, MUST include (1) "a completed IEP service delivery grid describing the types and amounts of special education and/or related services proposed by the district, and (2) a statement of the major goal areas associated with these services." IF the school provides this, they may take no more than 2 calendar weeks to prepare the complete IEP. Request and review this summary, as well as the Chair's notes before you leave that room! If this summary and notes do not accurately reflect your revisions or decisions, politely wait until it does... (See: Memo on the Implementation of 603 CMR 28.05(7), MDESE December 1, 2006). #specialeducation #specialeducationadvocate #specialeducationlaw #FAPE #IEP #IEPhelp #IEPmeeting #ADHD#Autism #Dyslexia

Regardless of your research and team construction of well-written goals, without proper services, a student will regress and cannot receive an appropriate education. The service grid lists all the services your school must provide in order for your student to reach his or her goals.  The Service Delivery Grid has three sections: A, B, C, referred to as “the A Grid”, “the B Grid”, and “the C Grid.”

IEP meetings are confusing, but the service delivery grid can cause some parents panic. What does A mean? Why are there so many numbers? Who is “Staff”?  When we think about services in special education, we specify whether the student receives service in the classroom with general and special education students combined, or whether the student receives service in a setting outside of the general education setting.  

The A Grid: The A grid corresponds to teacher/provider/parent support, training, or consultations.  It can be as simple as two teachers having a 1X20 consult a week, or a parent’s consult with the teacher/provider. 

The B Grid: This describes your student’s services IN the GENERAL education setting.  If your child has a provider in the general education class, or has “push in” service, you will find the information here (academic support in the class, SLP “push in” service, Math support via the Math teacher).

The C Grid: This describes services OUTSIDE of the general education setting. Typically, school will refer to this as “pull out” services, or services spent with providers in their various other settings (OT room, SLP service 1 on 1, resource room, Reading specialist, etc). 

Under A, B, and C, you will find 6 columns: focus on goal, type of service, frequency and duration/per cycle, start date, and end date.  The first column, Focus on Goal #, corresponds to your child’s measurable goal # in the IEP. Some services will correspond to one goal, whereas some services may correlate to several goals.  Regardless, if a service is on the grid, it must relate to a goal. The second column is Type of Service.  This is the service or subject area of your child’s IEP. This can be academics, counseling, speech, OT, or ANY area of need that is identified and has a correlating goal.  The third column is Type of Personnel. This will be a separate blog topic, but for now, you must pay attention to this column to see which member is responsible for the service. Does it say Staff? Does it say SPED Staff? Does it say Aide? Does it say Math Staff? ASK who is providing the service and what are the qualifications of this provider? If your child's service grid has SPED as the provider, this could be done by an assistant or any person on the special education staff. There is no obligation to provide a certified or highly qualified staff to provide services unless it is written in the service delivery grid or IEP. The fourth column is Frequency/Duration (Per cycle). This is an important section to review, as well, because it is very easy to miss the fact that duration or frequency of services could be an inadequate amount of time to cover material per class time (think Middle School transition and time blocks). You may have a laundry list of services on your grid, but if the time is minimal and infrequent, your child will not progress as you hope. The fifth / sixth column refer to start and end date of services. Typically, this corresponds with your IEP meeting, signifying the beginning of new goals, and the end of the IEP period. As with anything you discuss regarding your IEP - concerns, edits, additions - make sure you do so in writing, AND it is written in your IEP! As always…written, or it didn’t happen!