What We Do
All Special Education Teachers are Case Managers. Special Education Case Manager’s primary responsibility is to ensure that students have appropriately written Individualized Education Programs and that these programs are being implemented, with fidelity, in all school settings. Plans must be developed following a process that reviews and considers all relevant factors including Full Individualized Evaluation (FIE) data, curriculum-based assessments, and input from all team members[1]. The Case Manager is responsible for monitoring the plan and ensuring program compliance: that required timelines are being observed; that direct services, accommodations, modifications and other services indicated on the plan are being implemented in all school settings; and that the student is benefiting from the services provided. The case manager is also a teacher who provides in-class support, pull-out support, and facilitated support to general education teachers to ensure that students receiving special education have access to the general curriculum.
Communication: - Maintain regular contact with parents; inform parents of upcoming events, student progress, and concerns. Discuss ways to best provide the needed resources and serves to students in the school setting.
- Communicate with assigned principal; meet with administrator before school begins to give a list of the students that you are supporting and their scheduled teachers. Be proactive in discussing academic and behavior concerns to assist with developing school wide intervention(s) for the student(s) as necessary.
- Communicate with the campus TL/DC if any part of a student’s plan is not being implemented appropriately and provide documentation of support that has been offered and outcomes on student achievement.
- Communicate with all educators (both General and Special); meet with teachers before the start of the school year to discuss student(s) individual needs as outlined in the IEP and known experiences that have proven successful for the student to make academic gains, have teachers sign for and secure student IEP documents, and offer ways to maintain contact with you and supports that they can expect to receive from you, explain how to work with paraprofessionals who are providing In Class Support to students in the general education classroom.
- Communicate with Paraprofessionals; give assignments for the day/week, outline classroom expectations when entering a classroom, encourage communication between general education teacher and paraprofessional, and ensure common understanding of expectations.
Management: - Participate in campus special education team meetings to maintain on-going and open communication with all team members regarding student achievement and access to the general education curriculum.
- Participate in RtI meetings for students currently receiving special education.
- Assist in the development & maintenance of student behavior intervention plan (BIP); communicate with teachers & other involved personnel on how to implement the BIP and specific areas to be aware of or how to support the student with specific areas of need.
- Keep all confidential documents, such as IEPs and evaluations, in a secure location (records and binders must be locked in a file cabinet).
- Computer files containing confidential student information should only be shared with staff who have a “need to know” and are password protected.
- Remain professional in all communications, interactions and meetings with students, parents and staff; keep team members informed.
- Perform duties as a certified teacher by specially designing the instruction, assignments, and assessments to meet the needs of the students receiving special education.
- Create daily lesson plans to guide the instruction outlined for each student (aligned to data, TEKS, and specially designed to ensure access to the general curriculum)
- Co-Teach using one of the districts adopted co-teach models: Team Teaching, Alternative Teaching, Station Teaching, Parallel Teaching.
- Monitor student behaviors and address inappropriate behaviors through teaching and support, ensuring that the student knows the expected behaviors and is able to execute the behaviors on his/her own prior to removing supports.
- Document services provided using the Service Logs or SHARS link within eSped (all service logs should be entered into eSped by the end of each the week - if not completed daily).
- Documented indirect support that is provided to the general education teacher(s) to ensure students receiving special education are learning at high levels.
- Support to the general education teacher that focuses on three areas: lesson planning, instruction delivery, and/or assessment.
- Oversee Paraprofessional(s) providing In Class Support: Express expectations, hold regular meetings to give next steps in support, provide frequent feedback, clarify preferred disciplinary practices & classroom routines; if difficulties arise, communicate with building administrator regarding those difficulties.
Participation in ARD/IEP meetings: - Distribute Teacher Input Forms 3-4 weeks prior to ARD/IEP meeting with a due date no later than 2 weeks before the scheduled ARD/IEP meeting (If an ARD/IEP meeting has not been scheduled, distribute the paperwork based on the student’s last annual ARD/IEP month and day).
- Prepare draft annual IEP documents beginning 3 weeks ahead of scheduled meeting.
- Draft PLAAFP statement using most recent evaluation, Teacher Input Forms, and goals and objectives, and accommodations, modifications and supplemental aids 5 days prior to the ARD/IEP meeting.
- Complete all components of the Frontline: eStar/eSped pages appropriate for the type of meeting being held
- Drive the conversation during the IEP meeting in relationship to the PLAAFP, accommodations, modifications, supplemental aids, goals and objectives to discuss all draft documents, make changes as needed, and finalize components of each.
- Make appropriate recommendations to local and state testing (type of test, accommodations needed, etc).
- Project & read the deliberations to ensure IEP meeting components have been accurately captured.
- Archive the IEP documents within 48 hours.
Monitor: - Keep systematic data on progress monitoring of IEP goals as indicated on the student’s IEP.
- Work with nurse to develop Health Care Management Plan—if plan includes diet needs or restrictions, be sure to provide a copy to food service personnel.
- Confirm therapy schedules and goals; ensure that related service therapy is being provided as indicated on each IEP; confer with therapist(s) if services are not provided as written on IEP; notify principal if problem persists.
- Maintain a support log to collect data on availability, usage of and need for accommodations, modifications, and/or supplemental aids to support students learning at high levels.
- A timeline has been developed to assist teachers in performing some of the duties listed above.
[1]Team membership includes, but is not limited to: the parent(s), case manager, general education teacher(s), CTE teacher, building administrator, counselor, transition specialist, related service personnel, and any outside agencies invited to attend.
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