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The Special Education Resolution Center of OSU (SERC) has been collaborating with the Oklahoma State Department of Education for over 10 years to help families and school districts resolve conflicts at the earliest stage possible. SERC provides services for children from birth to 3 in SoonerStart and for students 3 through 21 in public schools.
Working together and through conflict to support students with disabilities can be challenging for parents and schools. Learn helpful information, tips, and techniques from the experts that can help you navigate through difficult situations.
Join us for this 1.5-hour webinar series every month from 12 pm to 1:30 pm CST.
View the Wisdom Wednesdays flyer with information and registration links to monthly webinars.
IEP team meetings are intended to be a collaborative partnership between school personnel and parents. Effective communication is an essential tool that supports this required teaming and collaboration. Because it is difficult to listen and hear anything positive from any team member who is adversarial to the process, consider tips and resources for supporting a a better way forward. When your best efforts aren’t working, for whatever reason, SERC is positioned to attend meetings, at your request and the approval of the other party, to support the team so that it can do its important collaborative work. Contact SERC (888-267-0028) for information about seeking an IEP team facilitator to handle eruptions and conflict that may be occurring.
View the OSDE Special Education Guidance Brief on Effective IEP Team Meetings.
View SERC’s Communication Guidelines for Effective IEP Team Meetings.
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During the last few months of the school year, calls to SERC increase about issues surrounding discipline. Under the IDEA, which is a federal law, the manifestation determination is made answering only two questions. The following steps should be followed during this process:
1. Review All relevant information in the student’s file and information from the parent,
AND
2. Determine if :
a. The conduct in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the Student’s disability;
OR
b. The conduct in question was a direct result of the LEA’s failure to implement the IEP.
3. If the answer is Yes to either question, the behavior is a manifestation of the Student’s Disability:
a. Conduct or review an FBA
b. Implement (or review and revise ) a BIP; AND
c. Return the Student to the pre disciplinary placement.
4. If the answer is No to either question, the behavior is not a manifestation of the Student’s Disability:
a. Discipline without regard to disability; AND
b. Provide FAPE in the disciplinary setting.
The disciplinary placement is the stay put if Challenged. 34 CFR 300.5333
In a snapshot of America, 11 states were sampled to determine the prevalence of autism and many interesting related factors in children aged 8. The CDC of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services published a report last December. If you have wondered how Autism Spectrum Disorder presents itself in cognitive ability, race, or diagnostics – it’s an interesting read!
View the related CDC Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8.
While IEP facilitations and mediations will continue to be offered through online-video format with Zoom, in-person meetings will also be available. To participate in a virtual meeting, you will need a computer/iPad/smartphone with WIFI and a place to meet without interruptions. Participants can also access by phone. An iPad with hot spot can be provided for use at no cost for those without access to a computer and/or WIFI.
Contact SERC for more information about scheduling a virtual or in-person meeting.
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Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is a nationally recognized training that helps people have difficult conversations that they are afraid to have or that aren’t going well. And the focus of the training is not just about communication – it’s about helping people get the results they want and need.
Crucial Conversations can help you in your conversations with:
- School administrators
- School Staff and personnel including general ed teachers
- Service resource providers
- IEP team members
- Parents and their advocates
- Organizations and family support personnel that work with children with disabilities
While we will continue to offer a virtual training format for this course, we are now able to schedule in-person classes starting in July, 2022. Both formats include five 2.5-hour sessions. The in-person format will take place over two days. The virtual format can be scheduled over two to five days. We have a lot of flexibility regarding scheduling and only suggest that the sessions not be spread apart too far in order to maintain momentum and maximize learning.
Crucial Conversations is available at no cost to those attending through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
If you are interested in scheduling a future training for your district, please contact Rob Keiter.
For more information view Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue.
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You may be wondering which dispute resolution process would be the best for you when dealing with special education-related disputes. This dispute chart will help you understand the differences between the three processes offered in Oklahoma. Each of these processes is offered at no cost to schools or parents. Please contact us with any questions related to our dispute resolution processes. We can help you decide which process will work the best for your situation.
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ABLE Tech has successfully completed several series of virtual workshops for special education and related service providers. The feedback was outstanding and focused on planning positive systemic improvements and changes.
Monthly workshops are currently scheduled through March, 2022. For more information about the ABLE Tech monthly workshops, visit the ABLE Tech calendar here.
Jo Anne Pool Blades, Program Manager
Special Education Resolution Center (SERC) Oklahoma State University Sponsored Program 9726 E 42nd Street, Suite 203 | Tulsa, OK 74146 Phone: 918.270.1849 | Email: jo.blades@okstate.edu
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