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Good Morning! Please remember to mute your mics when you enter the meeting. Thank you very much.
Good Morning!
Please remember to mute your
mics when you enter the meeting.
Thank you very much.
COVID-19 Guidance
Maine DOE
Office of Special Services
Updated 4/17/2020
Agenda4/17/2020
• Resources – Included as an Attachment
• No Special Services Zoom Meetings over April vacation
4/20 – 4/24.
• Starting 4/27/2020, Zoom Meetings may have limited
access.
• Please try to sign on earlier because of waiting room
access. Registration still required.
• What's Next
– Continuing to work on scheduling a Zoom Meeting for
Related Service Providers
– Continue daily Special Services Zoom Meetings at 10:00
• Questions – Roberta Lucas
Stay-cation Plans
Share:• OUTSIDE TIME! My daughter and I are going for a bike ride and
picnic on the Eastern Trail.
Q: I would like more information on CTE
programs for high school students with special
needs. What ideas do you have going forward
for vocational educational opportunities?
A: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/cte
Refer to Special Services Power Point from
Thursday, 4/2/2020. Office Hours every
Thursday are geared towards Transition
Planning.
Q: Would you continue with the transition
goals that are on current IEPs or write new
ones?
A: We are not advocating for any changes to
IEPs at this time. The team should continue to
honor the intent of the IEP and the transition
plan and related goals.
Q: What are your suggestions for helping 8th
graders transition to high school?
A: These discussions are happening at the
local level and you should continue to have
conversations with you district administration.
Q: What are your suggestions for acquiring the
necessary assessments for those students
applying for adult services, if those
assessments have not been completed yet?
A: When considering evaluations and
assessment, do the best you can.
Consider contacting your local Voc Rehab
counselor for additional information/guidance.
Q: Is it reasonable to try and assess using a
test like the Brigance over Zoom?
A: Always use professional judgement and
defer to your school psychologist. Be sensitive
to the current circumstances and how they may
be impacting students.
Q: How do you make
modifications/accommodations at home when
we aren’t in the home?
A: Follow the intent of the IEP. Have
conversations with parents to see what
challenges they might have and encourage
them to make modifications to meet individual
situations. Help articulate to parents each
modification and accommodation that is
available to the child during school. There are
parent resources available to support this.
Q: Is there any website for teachers that focus
on stress reduction and/or grieving?
A: Bear Shea from MDOE is doing webinars
daily at 8:30 around that piece.
It is called Brain Centered Emotional Support.
Q: What are teachers expecting out of
elementary students in terms of time spent
doing online learning each day?
A: Individualize per student and make sure
parents know it is okay to build in lots of
breaks, to get outside and move around.
Teachers and parents know their children best,
consider their needs. Seek guidance from your
special education director as you continue to
create your distance learning plans.
Q: Is it an expectation that Ed Techs are
available, or is that district by district?
A: This is local control. Check with your
special education director for guidance. MDOE
guidance is that it is best to access and use all
resources that are available, including all staff.
Q: Is it local control to determine who is having
April vacation or not?
A: Yes, local control.
Q: Are the Office Hours topics scheduled a
day or two in advance?
A: Special Services holds Office Hours every
day at 10:00. Topics are intended to support
the field, and feedback is welcome.
Please Note: No Special Services Zoom
Meetings over April vacation 4/20 – 4/24.
Q: Moving forward could we have guidance
about how we should handle IEP meetings
where parents or students feel that remote
instruction was the least restrictive
environment?
A: Learning environments are based on
individual student need and the IEP Team will
have to determine the best way to meet those
needs, including the learning environment.
Comment: Maine Parent Federation has a youth
coordinator who does an excellent self-advocacy
workshop for transition age youth. If that is
something educators are interested in
participating MPF is willing to try and set up a
webinar for professionals and youth. MPF will get
information out via social media after April
vacation.
Comment: Maine Parent Federation is
recommending that parents never opt out of the
opportunity for some type of distance learning.
We are asking them to communicate with their
SAUs especially when packets and virtual learning
are not working and to explore some natural
learning opportunities. We also realize that for
some of the most challenged students, and their
families, this just may not work right now.
Comment: JMG is a general education class that
supports all students and helps students learn job
skills, such as resume building, interviewing,
communication and collaboration and many other
related skills. Interestingly, their class population
should mirror school population for regular
education and special education.
Chat Box Check In
Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20
Guidance: Tele-Health Services for Speech/Language
• Board of Speech, Audiology and Hearing Laws &
Rules have no guidance on teletherapy services.
• Prioritize student needs.
• Make every effort to meet “the intent” of the IEP.
• Do as much as you can.
• Always check with your own licensing board.
Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20Guidance: Re-evaluations
• Consider the following –
• In the case of re-evaluation, can eligibility be determined using existing data?
• Can instruments be utilized that do not require face to face administration?
• We encourage you if you can to work to conduct evaluations and maintain activities
during this period of extended alternative learning by the following:
• Conducting interviews
• Completing rating scales
• Completing file reviews
• Possibly conducting observations of virtual instruction (case by case basis)
• Pause timelines (not waive them) for:
• Initial evaluations – pause timeline for initiating an evaluation when request is
received; consider delaying obtaining parent consent until school based
instruction resumes
• Documentation is critical. Note all discussions regarding evaluations.
Use your professional judgement and prioritize the health and safety of yourself
and others when considering conducting evaluations. Be mindful of increased
anxiety, depression and the overall well-being of the student and their families
before commencing any activities.
Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20
Guidance: IEPs
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
has indicated that if all students are receiving continued educational
opportunities then SAUs are not required to revise an IEP because
all students are receiving an alternate mode of instructional delivery
of the general education curriculum.
• Therefore –
• No need to conduct IEP meetings related to instructional
delivery method
• Focus on provision of supports and services
• If a parent or the SAU wishes to discuss the student’s continued
educational opportunity, there is flexibility to use other means of
conferring with one another
Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20
Guidance: IEPs
• If the team agrees to hold an IEP meeting, consider the following:
• Is having an IEP team meeting necessary?
• Will holding the meting affect the continued educational
opportunities being provided to the student?
• Will each team member be available and able to meaningfully
participate in the meeting?
• If the meeting is held telephonically or virtually, will each team
member have access to a private space?
• Is the virtual format you are using secure?
Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20
Guidance: IEPs
Remember –
• If there is a need to change the IEP, the parent and
SAU may agree to amend without convening an IEP
meeting
• Extend the IEP if it is not changing during the period
of alternative learning
• Document what you are doing.
Chat Box Check In
Disclaimer:
The links and websites shared in this
PowerPoint are for information and reference
only and are not endorsed in any way by the
Maine Department of Education.
Resources List
Included as an attachment
Where do I go for Current Updates?
Maine Department of Education Special Services Website:
https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed
State Director, Erin Frazier, has updated questions/answers, which
can be found in the Director's Corner on the Maine Department of
Education website:
https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/director
Where do I go for Current Updates?
Federal government documents:
OCR Fact Sheet (03/16/2020)
http://bit.ly/COVIDOCRFacts
FERPA Guidance (03/12/2020)
http://bit.ly/FERPA-COVID19
OSEP Guidance (03/21/2020)
Supplemental Fact Sheet
Just a Reminder –
– No Special Services Zoom Meetings
over April vacation 4/20 – 4/24.
– Starting 4/27/2020, Zoom Meetings
may have limited access.
– Please try to sign on earlier because
of waiting room access.
– Registration may still be required.
Remember...
Please know that MDOE is here to support you and
that we will continue to provide you with the most
updated information as we receive it.
https://mainealpacaexperience.com/virtual-visits
Maine DOE is offering Contact Hours for each
Special Services Zoom meeting you view.
Please follow these steps:
1. Email Leora Byras at [email protected] on Friday with the
codes for each Zoom meeting you viewed.
2. You can go back and watch prior Special Services Zoom
meetings.
3. Allow at least 5 business days to receive your certificate of
participation.
Code for Contact Hours
- haiku417
Social Distancing
Allows moments in the sun
Teach outside today.
- Roberta Lucas
Contact InformationAnn Belanger – Deputy Director for Special Services
Roberta Lucas – Federal Programs Coordinator
Leora Byras – Special Education Consultant
Anne-Marie Adamson – Special Education Consultant
Colette Soldati-Sullivan – Special Education Consultant
Who’s Who at MDOE• Pender Makin – Maine State Commissioner of Education
• Erin Frazier – State Director of Special Services B-20
• Ann Belanger – Deputy Director for Special Services
• Roberta Lucas – Federal Programs Coordinator
• Mary Adley – Coordinator of State Agency Programs and Special Projects
• Roy Fowler – State Director Child Development Services
• Barbara McGowen – Finance Coordinator
• Shawn Collier – Data and Research Coordinator
• David Emberley – Due Process Consultant
• Tracy Whitlock – Special Education Consultant/Special Projects
• Colette Sullivan – Special Education Consultant
• Leora Byras – Special Education Consultant
• Anne-Marie Adamson – Special Education Consultant
• Colene O’Neill – Secretary Specialist
• Julie Pelletier – Secretary Associate
