Student Support Services Division Activities: Special Education Advisory Panel: Required by IDEA. Panel makeup is also in regulation. We include two extra members, a student with a disability and a representative from Disability Rights Montana. Dick Trerise is the lead on this activity, with support provided by Marlene Wallis. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development: This is a project under IDEA and is in administrative rule. We are required to ensure that schools have qualified personnel and this is one of the activities that supports that goal. Jen Cline is the lead on this activity. State Council: In rule, the state council is made up of stakeholders from across the state and representing various roles in education. Regional Councils: 5 regions. The ARM requires that the system have regional representation. This has been accomplished by having a council in each region and a coordinator that is paid a part-time salary to manage the activities of the region. We have contracted with the center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) to conduct a study of the CSPD system and to make recommendations regarding how to move forward with that system in a more efficient and effective manner. Montana Behavior Initiative/Multi-Tiered System of Supports: Under the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) called Project REAL 2.0, we are in the process of bringing together our MBI (Behavior) and RTI (Academic) training systems into one unified Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS). The MTSS work has been supported by the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), which is entering into the last year of the grant. MBI has been supported through the IDEA Part B dollars and we are striving to have a MTSS program that can be sustained through that funding stream after the grant ends. Jen Cline is the lead on this project. Jen has been working with Deb Hunsaker and her group to align their work with the work that we have been doing for many years. Training for school teams: There is a two-year process for providing training to school teams in implementing the multi-tiered framework in their school. Some districts to take longer than two years to complete the training. This model provides face-to-face training and a consultant to work with the school team to help them implement the framework with fidelity. Youth Days: Regional youth engagement activities that bring teams of students together to learn about how to be engaged in their school and community. Teams develop a plan for community services that is implemented at home. High School Forum: Provides an overview of the MTSS process and training specific to the challenges of implementing a MTSS framework in a high school setting. Summer Institute: Annual conference in Bozeman that provides over 300 sessions in several training strands. This conference has attracted over 1300 participants for the last several years. This conference is very highly rated by participant. We contract with MSU
Conference Services for this activity. The conference is designed by a team of stakeholders led by Marcy Otten. Montana Autism Education Project: this activity is led by Doug Doty, our office Autism specialist. Consultation: The OPI has available several consultants who have training specific to educational and behavioral strategies that have proven effective with children with autism. These consultants are available to go to a school, at the school’s request, to observe and provide recommendations and training for school staff. Online training resources: The OPI maintains a subscription to a catalog of online training through Relias Learning. This program makes available over 55 hours of training to educators in Montana. Doug manages the subscriptions and tracks usage to make sure that the system is being used effectively. Staff delivered training: The MAEP staff are also available to provide training to anyone regarding evidence-based practices in educating children with autism. Conferences: The OPI sponsors an annual Autism conference and provides support to other organizations that are providing training in autism. The OPI also provides scholarships for parents and educators to attend training that is relevant. Higher Education Consortium: We work with the faculty and leadership from the teacher preparation programs in Montana to help them understand the skills needed by our schools, and to provide training to the faculty on evidence-based practices that can be taught to their teaching candidates. This project has been going for over 15 years and is facilitated by the staff from TAESE. Participants include the public, private and tribal colleges. This activity is led by Jen Cline. Hearing Conservation Program: This program is funded by an appropriation by the legislature. Danni McCarthy leads this activity. The OPI contracts with 9 providers to cover the state. This program makes audiologists available to assist schools in conducting the required hearing screenings, and to provide follow-up evaluations when necessary. This is not a special education program, but has been managed by the special education division. Behavior Consultants : Dale Kimmet manages this program that makes available a cadre of behavioral consultants to schools. Consultation: Like with the MAEP, the behavioral consultants are a vailable at a district’s request to go to a school and work with the staff to observe interactions with a student and to make recommendations regarding the development of a positive behavior intervention plan and the conduct of a functional behavioral assessment. Staff delivered training: The staff members are available to provide training to district staff regarding the implementation of evidence-based strategies. Early Assistance Program: The EAP is in administrative rule and is the OPI’s method of altern ative dispute resolution. This program is led by Mandi Gibbs (from the legal division) and is funded using IDEA Part B funds. This program is effective in facilitating communication between families and schools and often can resolve disputes quickly and without the need for formal complaints. Phone calls: Mandi, and the rest of the division staff, field phone calls from parents and schools regarding issues related to the provision of special education and related services
to students with disabilities. The vast majority of these calls are simple questions and do not involve any type of dispute. IEP Facilitation: the OPI has a cadre of trained facilitators that are available to attend an IEP meeting, with the agreement of both the parents and the school. The facilitator functions to keep the process of developing an IEP for a student moving, and to facilitate communication between the various team members. The facilitator is not there to say who is right or wrong. Dispute Resolution: required under the IDEA. Program managed by Mandi Gibbs and Nicole Hanni. All activities funded with IDEA Part B monies. State complaint investigation: Currently, the OPI does not employ a complaint investigator. We contract with TAESE for investigators. When a complaint is filed, the EAP process has 15 days to try to resolve it under ARM. If not resolved, we contact TAESE and they give us a list of investigators that are available at that time. Mandi chooses from the list and the investigation proceeds. Mediation: The OPI maintains a list of qualified mediators that the parents and district choose from. The OPI pays the costs for the mediator. Due Process Hearing: The OPI maintains a list of qualified hearing officers. The parties are given a strike list and then the OPI chooses a hearing officer based on the parties responses. Training for mediators and hearing officers: the OPI is responsible for ensuring that we have qualified mediators and hearing officers. To this end, the OPI participates in quarterly trainings provided by Lenore Knutsen from TAESE for the complaint investigators, mediators, hearing officers and IEP facilitators. The OPI also provides an annual hearing officer training with a nationally recognized expert and pays the costs for the mediators and hearing officers to attend the Northern Plains Law Conference. Teacher Learning Hub: the special education division has been a primary supporter of the Hub since its inception. Annette Young has been the division lead on this project. Fiscal support for staff: the special education division provides funding for Jess’s position and administrative support in CSI. Develop courses: our division has many courses in development and currently has several courses available on the Hub. Our primary focus with the MTSS work is on getting courses developed and available through the Hub. Leadership team: Frank has been involved with the Hub since the MDPLN project ended at UM. Special education has provided funding for the Hub since that time and Frank continues to serve on the leadership team for the Hub. Wrap-Around Facilitators: The special education division funds two full-time positions for wrap-around facilitators in the Indian Education division. This project is funded through IDEA Part B dollars. Special Education Endorsement Project: Grant program with MSU-B. Funded with IDEA Part B dollars. Dick Trerise is the lead on the grant. Communication Sciences and Disorders Project: This is a contract with UM Communication Sciences and Disorders department to help support the training, certification and stipends for practicing speech
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