School Social Work Basic Information Flashcards
Please describe your views of the characteristics that make a student eligible as a student with an EI? What are some examples of an emotional impairment?
- EI stands for Emotional Impairment
- Having one of the following over a period of time (6 months) that negatively affects the students ability to learn:
#1) Inability to learn which cannot be explained by other factors #2) An inability to build or maintain relationships with peers or teachers #3) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances #4) A general, pervasive mood of unhappiness
Examples:
- anxiety disorders;
- bipolar disorder
- conduct disorders;
- eating disorders;
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); and.
- psychotic disorders.
Please describe your views of the characteristics that make a student eligible as a student with ASD?
- ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Must have all 1-3 of these, with #4 not having to being included.
#1) Impairments in reciprocal social interactions #2) Impairments in communication #3) A restricted range of interests, or repetitive behavior #4) May have unusual response to sensory stimuli
If you think a student has an EI or an ASD diagnosis, what critical questions must be a “yes”?
#1) Does the student have one or more qualifying disabilities? #2) Is the student not making effective progress in school? (This also includes social learning) #3) Is the lack of progress a result of a disability? #4) Does the student require specially designed instruction OR related services in order to access the general education curriculum?
What previous interventions must be shown prior to certification for an EI or ASD diagnosis?
When evaluating a student suspected of having an emotional impairment, the multidisciplinary
evaluation team report (METR) is needed to be completed.
The METR shall include documentation of all of the following:
(a) The student’s performance in the educational setting and in other settings, such as adaptive
behavior within the broader community.
(b) The systematic observation of the behaviors of primary concern which interfere with
educational and social needs.
(c) The intervention strategies used to improve the behaviors and the length of time the strategies
were utilized.
(d) Relevant medical information, if any.
(5) A determination of impairment shall be based on data provided by a multidisciplinary evaluation team,
which shall include a full and individual evaluation by BOTH of the following:
(a) A psychologist or psychiatrist.
(b) A school social worker
What characteristics would preclude (prevent) eligibility for an EI or ASD diagnosis?
#1) If symptoms do not interfere with school/social learning #2) If symptoms do not meet timeline criteria (90 days for EI and developmental years for ASD) 3) If symptoms/behaviors are related to another medical condition 4) If child does not meet criteria
How do you conduct an FBA? What must you have? How do you create/test it?
FBA - Functional Behavior Assessment
- What factors influence the behavior?
- Why is the student doing what they are doing?
- What function does the behavior serve?
- MUST HAVE A HYPOTHESIS
“When ________, the student does _______ in order to ________.”
To create and test your hypothesis: #1) Clear, observable, and objective description of the problematic behavior #2) Information must be gathered from a variety of sources #3) Classroom observations, teacher interviews, student interviews, grades, attendance, etc #4) Best to give specifics for when the behavior does AND does not occur.
Please discuss how you would develop a BIP?
- BIP stands for Behavior Intervention Plan
- Components of a BIP
1) Definition of the target behavior
2) Identification of the replacement behavior to be taught
3) Description of interventions/strategies that target:
- Accommodations needed (such as changes in the environment/classroom, changes to the antecedents (what comes before the behavior), etc)
- Skill-Building Strategies (Strategies that help teach lagging skills such as checklists, time management, coping strategies)
- Interaction Strategies (How should adults talk and interact with the client?)
- Prescribed responses to target behavior AND the replacement behavior
- Consequences and reinforcement
4) Plan for monitoring behavior/tracking progress
5) Agreed upon and implemented by designated team members (such as teachers, administrators, social workers, and parents)
6) Monitored and reviewed regularly
What is an RTI? Please discuss this
- Response to Intervention
- These include Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 strategies
- Tier 1 and Tier 2 strategies are tested and revieweed every 1-2 weeks
An RTI is a process used by educators to help students who are struggling with a skill or lesson; every teacher will use interventions (a set of teaching procedures) with any student to help them succeed in the classroom
What is PBS? Please discuss this and give examples
- Positive Behavior Support
A PBS provides a framework for considering development of instructional environments that increase the teacher’s ability to deliver effective instruction to all students, thereby increasing success rates and reducing negative behavior across the school.
Examples:
- Routines
- Silent signals
- Proximity
- Quiet corrections
- Give students a task
- Take a break
- Positive phrasing
- State the behavior you want to see
What is Section ___ of the ____ Rehabilitation Act?
- Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that bans disability discrimination.
It’s also the law that provides 504 plans.
Under Section 504, students with disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodations.
What is FERPA?
- the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FERPA is a law that protects the privacy of your child’s educational records.
Under FERPA, you have the right to see these records and request to correct them.
Your child’s educational records may not be released without your written consent. There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule.
Give examples of methods and interventions to increase positive response for students at Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III?
Tier 1 - Core Classroom and Entire School
- All students receive instruction in the classroom together
- Data on student progress is collected at three “benchmark periods” throughout the year (Fall, Winter, Spring report cards/parent teacher conferences)
- Restorative Justice, positive approaches to discipline, etc
- Tier 2 - Targeted small groups
- Can be done in and outside of the classroom
- Examples would be:
- Check in and Check out system:
- Some kids need more individual check-ins such as “how did today go?”
- Peer tutoring
- Small Groups for Skill Development
- Tier 3 - Most intensive level
- 1:1 support
- Removed from classroom with others
How can the SSW contribute to a building PBS team?
Positive Behavior Support:
- Strategies used to increase positive behavior and reducing negative behavior
- Ex: Setting routines, create silent signals to remind students to stay focused and stay on task, Closer Proximity, Quiet Corrections (whisper consequences in child’s ear in a non judgemental way and ask them to implement the plan), take breaks for 3-5 minutes, Give Students a Task, Tangible Reinforcers, Positive Phrasing (ex: instead of “don’t run in the halls” say “we walk in the halls”)
- To create a PBS environment, the social worker could do trainings with the teachers, and also involve the parents in this process too
What is the IDEA? What is included in the IDEA?
IDEA - (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
Includes FAPE and LRE
- IDEA is the nation’s special education law.
- Schools must find and evaluate students thought to have disabilities — at no cost to families.
- Having a diagnosis doesn’t guarantee that a child qualifies under IDEA.
If a student is having difficulties in school, request there be a review of the student’s record, that a plan be put in place to assist the student, and that the plan has a way to track data to see if the student is responding well to the intervention. This is a right.
What is FAPE?
FAPE - Free Appropriate Public Education
- To provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with disabilities.
- IDEA requires schools to find and evaluate students suspected of having disabilities, at no cost to families. This is called Child Find.
- Once kids are found to have a qualifying disability, schools must provide them with special education and related services (like speech therapy and counseling) to meet their unique needs.
- The goal is to help students make progress in school.
