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Prior to a referral for eligibility determination for special
education, the student who is experiencing difficulties in the
regular education program is referred to the Student Review
Council (SRC) in the building. This council helps teachers to
establish successful programs for students experiencing
difficulties in engaging in the learning process within the
regular classroom. The principal of the school is responsible for
ensuring that the pre-referral process occurs and that it is
documented in the student's regular education record.
In an effort to improve the Student Review Council process, the
district is vested in implementing data-driven decision making
through Response to Intervention (RtI). Response to Intervention
is a science of decision making and a way of thinking about how
educational resources are allocated (or reallocated) to best help
ALL children learn. The major premium is on student outcomes. RtI
is not a program, a curriculum, a specific intervention or a
particular model, but a way to use data to drive decision making.
Data allows us to provide faster more effective services for ALL
students; work smarter not harder, better utilizing the talents,
knowledge and skill bases of school personnel through school based
assessment and teams. The overarching objective of data driven
decision making is to make implementation simple and easy for
faculty and staff so that the Student Review Council can become
far more efficient and effective in guiding students toward
learning and achievement.
Any in-house student referral for special education eligibility
must be preceded by referral to the Student Review Council. It is
hoped that in some cases early intervention by Student Review
Council and guidance counselors can prevent later referral to
special education. This process must occur prior to referral for
eligibility determination. Any parent can refer a student for
eligibility determination at any time. Again, data is essential
when a parent refers a student for an eligibility determination.
As a result, parents/families are asked at the outset to complete
a survey helping to focus the efforts of the Special Education
Team Chairperson and the Special Education Evaluation Team. When
this occurs, the Special Education Team Chairperson and the
Special Education Evaluation Team move forward simultaneously with
their respective duties and focus their efforts on the areas of
greatest parent/family concern. In this way the student has the
benefit of receiving modifications and supports as recommended by
the SRC, the Special Education Team Chairperson as well as the
Special Education Evaluation Team while awaiting the 45-day
evaluation.
Modifications recommended may include, but are not limited to
modification of the curriculum, of teaching strategies, of
teaching environments, of materials and of the use of support
services, and/or consultative services. The pre-referral process
may be as short as four weeks or as long as six weeks. All
students, except preschool students, who are referred for
eligibility determination, must undergo the pre-referral process.
If you need assistance from the Uxbridge Public Schools Department
of Pupil Services, call 508-278-8648, Ext. 112 or e-mail
pupilservices@uxbridgeschools.com
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