Chapter 115 – State Superintendent; General Classifications and Definitions; Children with Disabilities

As a principal I have many roles when working with special education students, as well as students with disabilities.  Some of these roles include meeting IDEA regulations, using the RTI process to qualify students, developing and implementing IEP’s, as well as 504 plans, and following established law regarding disciplining students with disabilities.

As leader who must enforce IDEA regulations, I must keep in mind that IDEA covers infants to age 21.  My district must provide early intervention services to these infants, toddlers, and their parents.  I must provide adequate communication to my community so they know these services are available for children before the start a formal public education program.  As a principal I will need to make sure my school has the resources and training needed for all these ages and disabilities.  I must also stay current on the law.  

As a leader I will need to ensure my staff is using the RTI model to identify students who may need special services.  This will include making sure a policy is in place for referring students who may need special services.   I will be part of the team to come up with interventions that provide early assistance to children who are having a difficult time with grade level instruction and meeting academic standards.  I must help to monitor interventions and collect data in order to demonstrate a notable difference between the students IQ and standardized test scores.  As a leader it is my responsibility to make sure parents are informed and give consent to all evaluations and placements outside the regular classroom.  A placement into special education would require an IEP be in place.  When developing the IEP I need to keep in mind the goals and services that will be provided to meet the goals in the least restrictive environment.  

As a school leader, I must always pay attention to students who have disabilities, but do not qualify for services under IDEA.  As an educator, it is my duty to provide equal access to educational opportunities for all students.  These students could get special education services through section 504.  As a district we would still be responsible for developing an IEP for services.  The implementation and follow through with these plans requires an extreme amount of professional development to prepare all staff to design instruction for children with disabilities.

Finally, the school must have clear discipline guidelines and procedures for all children.  When disciplining students with disabilities, I must keep in mind that I can not discipline a student with a disability for behavior that is a manifestation of their disability.  Sometimes students will put themselves or other students in danger due to their behaviors.  If this is the case, regardless of the disability, the student may be suspended for up to 10 days without any inquiry as to whether the behavior manifested from their disability or not.  There are times when the “stay put” provision is put in place.  This may be the result of an extreme discipline issue.  The “stay put” clause states that the child remain in their current placement until the current IEP and placement can be reviewed.  Regardless of any disciplinary outcome, the special education student must continue to receive educational support.