Exceptional Student Services
Occupational therapy is a related service that provides education-related services for students with disabilities. These services can enhance the student’s potential for learning and facilitate the performance skills needed to function within the education system. Occupational therapy brings a special perspective to educational teams, particularly in situations where a child’s development and occupational performance are disrupted by disabilities or vulnerabilities in activities of daily living, in work and productive activities, and in play or leisure.
Physical therapists are contracted on an itinerant basis depending upon need. The physical therapist assesses students ages birth to 21, with known or suspected physical delays. Physical therapists evaluate, plan and provide therapy to eligible students. Physical therapy provided in the school must be educationally relevant. The focus of educational physical therapy is to promote functional independence or participation within the educational environment.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) Meetings and Reports: For students that have an initial referral for an IEP the nurse visits the student and performs a physical assessment. A written health assessment is completed from information obtained from the parent or guardian.
Screening: Every fall students in Preschool, Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, new students, special education students, and any student that teachers or parents have concern for are screened for hearing, vision, height and weight.
Medication Delegation and Medication Administration Classes: Each year the nurses teach required classes for school staff that administer medication to students at school. A state curriculum is followed, then one-on-one delegation is provided for school staff. Preschool staff must take a four-hour class every three years and have medication delegation every year. Classes for Para Educators and classes on Universal Precautions are offered as needed.
Classroom Health Care Plans: For students that have special health problems such as diabetes or asthma, nurses provide Classroom Health Care Plans to give school staff information that is related to the individual student’s health problems.
Medicaid Billing: Nurses are responsible for submitting forms for billing for all special education students who have received nursing services such as physical assessment, a written care plan, or attendance at the staff meetings.
Miscellaneous: From time-to-time additional requests are made such as First Aid Guidelines or help in talking to students and parents about specific topics such as hygiene or puberty.
School Psychologists have extensive training in research-based educational and psychological practices and collaboration skills. Their duties include:
- providing consultative services to school personnel, other BOCES staff, and families about students’ learning, behavior, and their learning environments
- developing, implementing, and supporting individualized or group academic and behavioral interventions to promote academic success
- participating as part of the multidisciplinary assessment team by providing accurate and comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations to identify individual strengths and learning challenges to determine eligibility for special education and related services
- assisting in developing Individual Education Plans (IEP’s)
- providing school-based mental health psychological services
- providing education and professional development for educators, staff, and families
- participating in screening and early identification activities
- linking students and families to resources within the community.
The NE BOCES works with the Colorado Department of Education to implement positive behavior supports in participating school districts.
The professionals involved in H.I. services are: an Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.; an Educational Audiologist; and Educational Interpreters. The goal of these professionals is to provide hearing disabled pupils with remediation, assistive devices and accommodations that will enhance their academic, communication and social skills. It also enables them to function maximally in the regular classroom. They guide students/teachers in the appropriate operation of all specialized equipment and regularly check the working condition of such equipment. Identified D/H.H. Students can have an audiogram completed regularly by the Educational Audiologist at no charge to the family. Providers will foster understanding and acceptance of hearing impaired pupils among administrators, teachers, peers and parents. The teacher of the D/H.H. will implement activities that develop social skills and inform parents of opportunities to interact with other D/H.H. peers and adults. All providers work to prepare students for independent living and inform families of transition programs available through the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind.
As a teacher of the visually impaired, services to children often begin in infancy, and continue during the school years. Services to students with visual impairments include teaching travel and self-advocacy skills along with academic and communication systems including Braille reading and writing and computers. Appropriate materials are provided as needed in Braille, Large Print or recorded form so students can fully participate within the general classroom setting. Consultation and on-going communication is established with teachers and parents as needed for students.
Northeast BOCES also participates in the legal mandates of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.). This section of federal, special education law describes a system of early intervention supports and services for infants and toddlers with special needs, birth thru 2 years of age, and their families. Some of the activities include child identification, multi-disciplinary assessment, the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan for each child, coordination of a variety of supports and services to meet the needs of the child and family, public awareness, and transition planning for entry into special education if necessary at age 3. Every referred family is assigned a service coordinator to assist families through the process. Families find Early Intervention services very family-friendly because most interventions are provided in the family home or in a community setting and are oriented toward functional outcomes, which improve the child’s functioning across every day routines. Community agencies such as Departments of Human Services, the Health Department, Eastern Colorado Services for the Developmentally Disabled, Child Care and Family Centers also participate in the supports and service mandates of Part C. Judy Fehringer, O.T.R. is the coordinator for this project across the six northeast Colorado counties.
Early identification and intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities is critical. Children who begin receiving appropriate services earlier have better outcomes. Within the Northeast BOCES administrative unit, the Infant/Toddler Child Find Coordinators are responsible for identifying infants and toddlers from birth thru 2 years of age who may be eligible for Early Intervention Services. The Infant/Toddler Child Find Coordinators coordinate efforts with other Northeast BOCES providers to conduct screenings and assessments in order to determine eligibility for early intervention services.
The Family Support Specialist conducts the social/emotional assessment during Initial and Triennial staffings. A social history is obtained by utilizing one or all of the following techniques: parent questionnaire, parent interview, and record review. Social histories are used to evaluate the impact of cultural factors, mobility, family stresses/changes and other external factors on the student’s academic and social achievement.
Additionally, formal assessment tools may be used to assess adaptive functioning and social functioning in the home, school and community. Social and emotional areas assessed are friendships, response to adults, adaptability, daily living skills, emotional concerns and behaviors as they impact the child’s ability to learn in the school setting. Significant peer conflicts, depression, anger, or other conditions are assessed for their impact on learning.
The Family Support Specialist helps parents and students understand special education processes, terms, transition issues, and legal issues related to IEP’s.
The Family Support Specialist addresses social and emotional conditions by consulting with school staff, assisting in the development of behavior plans, making community referrals, and providing direct counseling services as determined by the IEP Team. They also assist with the transitioning of students from high school to work or college through agency collaboration.
The Family Support Specialist also leads or participates on a variety of teams including the Autism Team, BEST Team, Statewide Augmentative Alternative/Assistive Communication Team, Parent Advisory Committee, English Language Learners, School-to-Work, and Behavior Coaching. They offer a variety of trainings related to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Behaviors, School Wide Behavior Support Plans, Nonviolent Physical Crisis Intervention, Classroom Interventions, Transition, English Language Learners, Social Skill Development, and Parenting Skills.
The Speech/Language Department at the NE BOCES has the largest number of employees. Speech/Language Specialists work in the school setting to help reduce or eliminate the problems that stem from speech and language disorders that interfere with a child’s ability to derive full benefit from the general education program. As part of our duties we conduct assessments and diagnosis of speech, voice, and language disorders. We are part of the screenings and referral process for those children suspected of having a speech or language delay. SLP’s develop appropriate individualized programs of therapy to meet individual needs of students with speech and language disorders. We maintain records and collect data on those children receiving speech/language services. We assist in providing in-service training and attend professional meetings and conferences.
Northeast BOCES Early Childhood Coordinators support the provision of quality early intervention and education services for special needs children three to five years of age. The two Early Childhood Coordinators cover the seventeen preschools in BOCES school districts. We are responsible for working with early childhood educators in developing and providing integrated programs, assisting communities in developing early childhood educational options, and coordinating individualized developmental screenings, assessments, and staffings for the 3-5 population. We also act as a resource for families of special needs children 3-5, locating and coordinating services available to meet identified needs.
The ELL team provides leadership, knowledge and materials to address identification, assessment, and the instructional needs of English Language Learners with disabilities.
The BEST team is a group of professionals representing preschool through high school. The BEST team is dedicated to assisting and expanding the capacity of schools to respond to behavioral needs of students.
Learning for students with disabilities can be supported with assistive technology. SWAAAC stands for Statewide Augmentative, Alternative, Assistive, Communication Project. The NE BOCES has a team to conduct assessment, as well as provide technical assistance and training around the use of assistive technology to improve communication for students with disabilities.
Parents are important partners in supporting the education of students with disabilities, and provide guidance regarding special education services and supports.