Equitable Participation

EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION Lincoln County School District #2 ensures equitable access and participation in all federally funded programs. Board Policy "AC, Nondiscrimination" codifies the District's adherence to this standard. In addition, the needs of individual students will be addressed through implementation of Board Policy "IHBC-R, At Risk Youth" regardless of a student's religion, gender, race, national origin, color, disability or age. Student performance data is disaggregated and analyzed to identify students who may need additional services in order to achieve District standards.

IHBC At-Risk Youth At-Risk students are students who appear likely to fail economically, socially and/or academically. Often, students are “at risk” as a result of physical, emotional, or behavioral problems that may be interfering with the student’s education. The term “at-risk” behaviors shall include but not be limited to: • Substance Abuse Risk • Teen Pregnancy Risk • Suicide or Severe Depression Risk • Dropping Out Risk • Academic Failure Risk • Legal System Involvement Risk • Victims of Violence Risk • Health Involved Risk • Dramatic Change in Behavior Risk Prevention: Prevention deals with specific problems and is directed, as the word suggests, toward those individuals who do not currently have problems. There are several categories of prevention efforts that are valuable. 1. Programs and support that provide important information people need to make healthy decisions. While information alone is not likely to prevent adolescent problems, it is an important part of a prevention effort. 2. Development of essential social skills young people need in order to make those healthy decisions. 3. Activities that help people establish and maintain healthy lifestyles. 4. Establishment of standards for safe, appropriate, and healthy behavior within families, social institutions, and the community. The school district desires to make a good faith effort to identify “at risk” students and to intervene when possible with the students to help minimize the risk of failure. The school district realizes that it is impossible to identify all students who are “at risk”. The district does not, by the adoption of this policy, intend to assume any legal responsibility or liability for identifying and intervening with “at risk” students, but only to make a good faith effort to do what it can to help students who can be identified as such. Identification: Suspected at-risk students shall be referred to the building principal, who will make a preliminary determination of the best course of action depending on the nature of the referral. The principal may convene a Building Intervention Team (BIT). Students may be referred by staff, parent, another student, self, and/or a Lincoln County community agency. Building Intervention Team: The building intervention committee shall include at a minimum, the building principal or designee, and two certified staff members. Community resource personnel should be considered as members of the B. I. T. when referring behaviors warrant their participation. The committee will determine interventions for the at-risk students and recommend appropriate programs or resources for the student. The committee shall be responsible for managing and completing the AtRisk Recommendation Referral Form (example attached) for each referred student. A copy of the completed form shall be retained in the building. The process will be confidential except for those who need to know (those with legitimate need or responsibility to be involved).

IHBC-R Page Two

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Crisis Intervention: Crisis intervention shall receive immediate attention using all necessary staff and internal and external resources. Established policies and school building procedures will be followed. Follow-up of identified at-risk students shall be recorded within six weeks of intervention and before the end of the school year in which the student was identified if the intervention started at least two months before the end of the school year. Internal Resources shall include but not be limited to: Building Principal School Counselors School Nurse School Psychologist Staff Members School Learning Specialists External Resources shall include but not be limited to: State Sponsored Social and Counseling Agencies County Sponsored Social and Counseling Agencies Independent Social and Counseling Agencies Community Law Enforcement Agency Lincoln County Community Hospital Parent or Legal Guardian

IHBC-R Page Three School Programs may include but not be limited to: Building Principal Conferences School Nursing Services Discipline Program Advisor / Advisee Programs School Health Curriculum Here’s Looking At You 2000 Program Individual Counseling with Appropriate Certified Staff Group Counseling with Appropriate Certified Staff Peer Counseling as Appropriate Specialized Study Staff Development for At-Risk Students: The Building Intervention Committees shall receive in-service focused on effectively meeting the needs of at-risk students. At-risk staff development will be incorporated into the district’s staff development program. School staff should be trained in identification, prevention, intervention and how to refer students they suspect are at-risk. School/Community Advisory Committee: A School and Community Advisory Committee will convene at least two times per year to monitor the district-wide at-risk program. The advisory committee should have student, community, school, local agency, county agency, and state agency representation.

W.S. 21-2-304 W.S. 21-2-202 W.S. 21-9-101 ADOPTED:

MAY 14, 1998

LINCOLN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2, WYOMING

Lincoln County School District #2 A System for Identifying and Working with At-Risk Youth Cite Board policies that reference the identification, the intervention, and the prevention of at-risk behavior. Policy IHBC Policy IHBC-R Cite Board policies that reference the training of staff in identifying, preventing, and intervening with students who exhibit at-risk behaviors. Policy IHBC Policy IHBC-R Name the specific training your staff has received in the past two years in interventions for at-risk youth.

Briefly describe how your school identifies at-risk students.

How does your school systematically intervene with all students who are at risk for school failure?

If your school uses a child study committee, who sits on this committee? How often does this committee meet? Who has oversight of this committee? What is this committee’s mission?

How expeditious is the process of referring students to at-risk programs in your school? Explain.

What forms do you use to systematically document the efforts of your child study committee? Attach samples.

Explain how you document the success of the interventions suggested by the child study committee.

What special programs does your school provide that are directed at the prevention of at-risk students?

Identify the instruction you provide through the general curriculum that is directed at the prevention of at-risk behavior.

Explain how your school monitors student learning results.

How do you ensure that relevant routine screening procedures (hearing and vision) are current?

Has your school demonstrated progress in improving the academic performance of students designated as at-risk for school failure? Explain how you know this. (Are there fewer students at the novice and partially proficient performance levels on the WyCAS each year? Does this same trend apply to student performance on district CRT’s?)

What enrichment activities (other than those routine to the general classroom) are provided to students who consistently exceed the standards?

These are the key issues that need to be addressed as you plan your school’s system for dealing with atrisk students. Answering these queries should guide your school’s efforts as it prepares for accreditation. The D.O. can assist you with the following:           

Updated board policies related to at-risk students Updated BIT documentation forms Staff and parent in-service on how the BIT process works Instructional materials on how to implement differentiated instructional practices in your school One-on-one guidance on how to structure and implement your school’s at-risk programs ESL/LEP program development, including mission, goals, measurable benchmarks, and student assessment. ESL instruction Professional development activities related to at-risk students, including LEP students Mentoring Moral support Empathy

Lincoln County School District Number #2 Building Intervention Team Procedures 1.

The referring teacher/person submits a request for Building Intervention Team assistance to the building principal.

2.

The building principal notifies the BIT including the chairperson and sends a letter to the parent indicating that the student has been referred to the BIT. This letter should explain the nature of the concern and the role of the BIT.

3.

The BIT convenes to review the request for assistance. This team should include the referring teacher(s) familiar with the strengths and needs of the student and the parent when practicable. The team then reviews the student’s cumulative record information, other background information including previous test data, samples of the student’s class work, grades, class schedule, and attendance records as appropriate. The team is also required to review the results of the student’s current vision and hearing screening. If this screening has not been conducted within the past six months, the BIT chairperson is responsible to contact the school nurse and/or the speech pathologist to conduct those screenings.

4.

The team creates an intervention plan for the student. This plan includes specific goals and objectives designed to meet the needs of the student. Specific intervention strategies are selected for the student based on the strengths and needs of the student. The BIT should work collaboratively with the classroom teacher(s), the student and the parent in creating these intervention strategies. Oftentimes this means finding unique and creative interventions for the student and/or the teacher(s). A list of common accommodations is attached to this document.

5.

With consultative assistance from the BIT, the classroom teacher(s) implements the intervention plan.

6.

The student’s progress is monitored and documented by the teacher. The BIT systematically reviews the student’s progress.

7.

If the student is successful with the interventions, the intervention plan is continued with consultative support from the BIT. If the student’s needs aren’t being met, the team reviews the current plan and either modifies the existing plan or initiates a new intervention plan. The new plan may possibly include a 504 plan. The student has to have had an evaluation to determine a disability under Section 504 (i.e., physician’s evaluation of ADHD, physical problem such as asthma, etc.).

8.

Once again with consultative assistance from the BIT, the classroom teacher(s) implements the new or modified intervention plan.

9.

If the referral is physical or health related, and requires temporary or long term modifications and/or accommodations in order to access the general curriculum, an immediate referral should be made to the building’s 504 coordinator.

10.

Only after due diligence has been made to assist the student can the BIT make a referral to the Director of Special Education for a special education evaluation. The formal documentation of the student’s learning and behavior performance gathered within the BIT process is to be used to make this referral for special education evaluation. The Director of Special Education and/or his/her designee will contact the student’s parents for permission to begin the multidisciplinary evaluation.

11.

The BIT may refer a student immediately for a multidisciplinary evaluation if: a. the student’s problems are so severe that intervention in a regular environment would be inappropriate; or b. the student’s only presenting problem is an articulation problem; or c. the referral is made by a parent and the pre-referral information indicates a severe problem and intervention would be inappropriate.

12.

The BIT process is also meant to provide services to students who are in need of an enriched educational experience. In such cases the BIT must create an intervention plan based on the strengths and the needs of these students. Following the guidelines outlined above, the BIT will monitor the success of these students and make adjustments to the intervention plan as necessary.

Lincoln County School District #2 Summary of Interventions Students Name:

Date:

Briefly describe the learning or behavior concern

List the interventions that have been implemented.

List the dates of the interventions.

Describe the results of the interventions and describe the assessments used to obtain these results.

Briefly describe the learning or behavior concern.

List the interventions that have been implemented.

List the dates of the interventions.

Describe the results of the interventions and describe the assessments used to obtain these results.

Hearing and Vision Screening Review Date of vision screening___________________ Date of hearing screening___________________ Does the student have deficits in hearing or vision? deficit(s):

Yes

No

If so, describe the nature of the

Describe what the BIT will do to address any deficits the student may have with vision or hearing:

Lincoln County School District #2 BIT Referral Processes Student_________________________________________

Grade_________________

Please mark each of the following as they are completed.  Request for Building Intervention Team Date of request:  Letter to Parents informing them of the BIT and inviting them to participate Date of letter:  Hearing and vision screening completed Date completed:  First Building Intervention Team meeting Date of first meeting:  Summary and results of interventions Must be done within six weeks of starting the intervention  Building Intervention Team review of student progress Subsequent meeting dates:  Referral for evaluation Date of referral:  Student folder sent to Special Services

Lincoln County School District #2 Request for Building Intervention Team Student’s Name: Grade:

DOB:

Gender:

Parent/Guardian: Address: Request completed by:

Phone: City:

State: Parent has been contacted:

Yes

No

In the space provided, please explain the specific reasons for referring this student to the Building Intervention Team. Attach pertinent documentation (work samples, grades, etc.)

In the space provided, please explain the interventions you have used for this student.

Lincoln County School District #2 Building Intervention Team Purpose The Building Intervention Team (BIT) is a school-based, problem solving team of professionals who are knowledgeable about intervention strategies and instruction for students at the grade levels in their building. The purpose of the team is to discuss specific needs of students (i. e., academic, social, emotional, physical, health) and to propose various strategies to solve problems. The team provides support and assistance to teachers as they help students to become effective and efficient learners. In accordance with state and federal regulations that dictate that students go through a pre-referral intervention process prior to being referred for special education testing, the BIT process is also used to determine if students can be successful in the regular classroom with modifications and accommodations without having to be placed in special education. The assistance the BIT gives can be in the form of crisis intervention, behavior intervention, screening, technical assistance, referral for special education evaluation, and/or referral to an agency outside the school. The BIT gives teachers immediate assistance for dealing with academic and behavioral problems of students. In addition, the BIT provides an avenue to promoting best instructional practices within a school by collaborating with fellow teachers and sharing their individual strengths, ideas and experiences. The overall purpose of the BIT, therefore, should be to foster a whole school approach to helping at-risk students. A BIT should be established in each building and not recreated every time there is a referral. The team should include at least two certified general education teachers, the school principal, and the school counselor, one of whom serves as the chairperson. In addition, the team should include the referring teacher(s) familiar with the strengths and needs of the student and the parent when practicable. Finally, the BIT can bring in a specialist(s) for consultation; however, this person should not be a regular BIT member.

Referral for Evaluation for Special Education Services

Student_______________________________DOB_______________School______________________ Address______________________________Phone_________________Grade____________________ Parent(s)____________________________________________________________________________ Person Making Referral___________________________________________Date__________________ Relationship to the Student

Parent

Teacher

Other

At-Risk Documentation and supporting data must be attached. For parent referral, list areas of concern:

Action Taken: Evaluation recommended. Assigned to:____________________________________________ Send “Prior Notice” and “Consent for Evaluation.” No evaluation recommended at this time.___________________________________________ Provide prior notice of refusal to evaluate (for parent referral only). _____________________________________________ ___________________________ LEA or Designee Signature Date Lincoln County School District #2 (Current Date)

DATE: TO: FROM: RE: Building Intervention Team Referral Dear: Your (son/daughter) has been referred to our Building Intervention Team because of difficulties (he/she) has been having in school. This team which is composed of classroom teachers and the principal is a mechanism for coordinating school-wide efforts for students who may be at risk for failing school. Because parent insights are a valuable part of the Building Intervention Team process, we invite you to become a member of your (son’s/daughter’s) team. The first meeting of this team will be on (cite a date, time, and place). Some of the things which might be considered at this meeting are your (son’s/daughter’s) attendance, study skills, general health, hearing, vision, educational history, academic functioning, daily grades, work samples, language and communication skills, classroom behavior, and social interaction. The Building Intervention Team will make one of the following recommendations: 

make no changes in the current instructional program



suggest specific interventions or adjustments to be implemented in the current instructional program



refer to district diagnosticians for an individual evaluation.

If your (son/daughter) is referred for evaluation, you will be notified. Your written permission must be obtained prior to an evaluation. If you have any questions, please call (cite a name) at (cite a phone number). Sincerely, (School Official’s Name)