Shaler Area SD
Special Education Plan Report
07/01/2018 - 06/30/2021

District Profile
Demographics
1800 Mount Royal Blvd
Glenshaw, PA 15116
(412)492-1200
Superintendent: Sean Aiken
Director of Special Education: Kathleen  Graczyk
Planning Committee
Name	Role	
Heather Berney	Administrator : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan	
Dr. Bryan O'Black	Administrator : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan	
Kathleen Newport	Ed Specialist - Home and School Visitor : Professional Education Special Education	
Mitch Stivenson	Ed Specialist - Instructional Technology : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan	
Maryann Swartz	Ed Specialist - School Counselor : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan	
Karen Constantakis	Ed Specialist - School Psychologist : Professional Education Special Education	
Julia Igims	Elementary School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education Special Education	
Michele Kline	Elementary School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education Special Education	
Listy Myros	Elementary School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education Special Education	
Gina Chmielewski	High School Teacher - Special Education : Special Education	
Sondra Jodkin	Middle School Teacher - Regular Education : Special Education	
Nichol Myros	Middle School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education Special Education	
Elizabeth Wolff	Parent : Professional Education Special Education	
Kathleen Graczyk	Special Education Director/Specialist : Professional Education Special Education Schoolwide Plan	

Core Foundations
Special Education
Special Education Students
Total students identified: 804
Identification Method
Identify the District's method for identifying students with specific learning disabilities.
Specific Learning Disability Criteria
 
The Shaler Area School District utilizes the Discrepancy Model which is a process that examines whether a child exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses relative to intellectual ability as defined by a severe discrepancy between ability and achievement, or relative to age or grade. A linear regression approach that examines the standard error of estimates, is utilized to determine if a statistically significant difference exists between the measured cognitive ability and performance on norm-referenced assessments of academic achievement. Additionally, the inclusionary and exclusionary criteria set forth by the Department of Education are examined in the determination of the existence of a specific learning disability. 
Although the Discrepancy Model is currently utilized in the determination of a specific learning disability, the district has embraced the Multi-tier System of Supports (MtSS) model for grades K-6 as a means of supporting struggling learners in a three-tiered model of intervention. In addition to a research-based, standards-aligned curriculum, benchmark assessments are administered in both reading and math a minimum of three times yearly at the elementary level. This data, along with local and state assessments, are utilized to make decisions about tiered interventions outside the core curriculum. Student progress is monitored regularly as prescribed by their level of support. Additionally, the primary and elementary buildings hold grade level data meetings on a monthly basis with the core team (academic coaches, Reading specialists, and principals ) to review data as well as student progress. The district is committed to refining the MtSS process and will seek to use professional development to support high-quality instruction as well as implementing research-based interventions with fidelity.
A student may be identified as eligible for special education as a student with a specific learning disability if the evaluation or reevaluation findings meet all of the following criteria:

1. The student’s achievement is below age or state grade-level standards or national norms in one of eight areas: oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency skill, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, mathematics problems solving.

2. The student exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in classroom performance, validated by standardized tests of academic achievement and intellectual ability which further define strengths and weaknesses and establish severe discrepancy.  The severe discrepancy must be both statistically significant and rare (base rate greater or equal to 10%) in normative populations.

3. The student demonstrates a need for specially designed instruction.
a. Appropriate instructional strategies were provided and documented over a sufficient period of time and the child has failed to demonstrate progress according to age, grade, or intellectual expectancy.
b. The child has made sufficient progress, but the level of support needed to maintain sufficient progress exceeds the resources of the regular education program.

4. Evaluation findings indicate that the student’s learning problems are not primarily the result of a vision, hearing, or motor disability; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage; or limited English proficiency.

5. Evaluation findings indicate that prior to, or in conjunction with, the referral process, (1) the child was provided with appropriate instruction, by qualified teachers, in regular education settings, and (2) repeated assessment of student progress occurred during instruction, with parents informed of findings. 

Enrollment
Review the Enrollment Difference Status. If necessary, describe how your district plans to address any significant disproportionalities.
The data is publicly available via the PennData website. You can view your most recent report. The link is: https://penndata.hbg.psu.edu/PublicReporting/DataataGlance/tabid/2523/Default.aspx
There are no significant enrollment disproportionalities in the District.

Non-Resident Students Oversight
1.	How does the District meet its obligation under Section 1306 of the Public School Code as the host District at each location?
2.	How does the District ensure that students are receiving a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)?
3.	What problems or barriers exist which limit the District's ability to meet its obligations under Section 1306 of the Public School Code?
1.  Within the Shaler Area School District boundaries a non -profit organization called HEARTH which provides transitional and supportive housing to women and children.  The District has met its obligations under Section 1306 of the school code by educating these students in district schools or transporting them to their home school to continue the continuity of their education.  These arrangements have been made in accordance with the mothers' wishes.  We assure that students being educated in our district schools are receiving FAPE by obtaining and following the IEP's from the students' home schools and subsequently revising those IEP's as needed.
2.  When students who live in the Shaler Area School District are placed in a residential treatment facility, the district liaison remains in contact with the school district who houses the RTF in order to stay connected to the students throughout the stay at that facility and to ensure a smooth transition back to the district when discharged.  In 2017, the Shaler Area School District entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Office of Children Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) to ensure the provision of services to optimize academic success for children and youth in foster care who are enrolled in the LEA. This MOU supports the assurance of FAPE for foster children as well as those categorized as homeless.
3.  While the District has a good number of students each year to service under Section 1306 of the Public School Code, it has been able to meet its obligations.

Incarcerated Students Oversight
Describe the system of oversight the District would implement to ensure that all incarcerated students who may be eligible for special education are located, identified, evaluated and when deemed eligible, are offered a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
There are no facilities for incarcerated students located within the School District boundaries.

Least Restrictive Environment
1.	Describe the District procedures, which ensure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including those in private institutions, are educated with non-disabled children, and that removal from the regular education environment only occurs when education in that setting with supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
2.	Describe how the District is replicating successful programs, evidence-based models, and other PDE sponsored initiatives to enhance or expand the continuum of supports/services and education placement options available within the District to support students with disabilities access the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment (LRE). (Provide information describing the manner in which the District utilizes site-based training, consultation and technical assistance opportunities available through PDE/PaTTAN, or other public or private agencies.)
3.	Refer to and discuss the SPP targets and the district's percentages in the Indicator 5 section - Educational Environments. Also discuss the number of students placed out of the district and how those placements were determined to assure that LRE requirements are met.
The Shaler Area School District provides a continuum of special education services from Kindergarten through grade 12.  Life skills, learning support, emotional support, and speech and language support are available at all grade levels.  All students are considered for instruction in the regular classroom before any pull-out program is considered.  Only when the needs of the student cannot be addressed with supplementary aids and support, and a highly adapted curriculum, does the IEP team recommend pull-out special education.  Pull-out classes are considered on an individual basis.  Students are included in general education classes to the maximum extent possible.  When necessary, the District has called upon the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to help individual IEP teams work through the Supplementary Aids and Services toolkit to further implement inclusion opportunities for specific students.
A district-wide survey was conducted with our professional staff, and the results of that survey indicated that the majority of the teaching staff wanted more special education and behavior modification training.  During the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years, the Shaler Area School District has conducted numerous trainings and has partnered with PaTTAN Pittsburgh and Allegheny Intermediate 3 to assist with professional development with our special education staff in the proper way to calculate Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for students' IEP"S.  The District has increased the opportunities for all students to participate in general education classes through co-teaching and the use of supplementary aids and services provided by general education teachers.  During that past two school years, the District has also provided general education teachers professional development on modifications, accommodations, and the compliance with providing those supports in order to assist students with IEPs in remaining in the general education classroom as much as possible.
In addition to our special education services, students are also supported by school counselors and social workers assigned to each building in the district.  Academic coaches, intervention coaches, and inclusion teachers provide assistance to special education students in the regular classrooms on a daily basis from Kindergarten through grade 8.  At the secondary level, inclusion teachers are assigned to specific general education classes as identified through students' need based on data collection and progress monitoring.  The District also runs an Emotional Support program in the elementary, middle, and high school buildings to help support those students identified needing emotional support services.
The District contracts with Grade Point Resources to provide consultation and behavior specialists to support students with Autism and Emotionally Disturbances.  These consultative services, in addition to those offered by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, are utilized to make recommendations to students' IEP'S before any outside or Approved Private school placement is considered.
The District created a protocol in which any change to a student's Least Restrictive Environment must follow a detailed set of procedures and checkpoints to ensure that no student is moved to a more restrictive environment based only on a single criterion.  Data collected must be reviewed with the building's department chair and principal, then the data and findings must be reviewed with the Director of Student Services to look for data gaps or to gain ideas for additional supplemental aids and supports, and finally, the agreed upon recommendation would be discussed with the student's IEP team to determine if moving the student to a more restrictive environment would benefit the student.  The use of this multi-leveled criteria has been constructed as part of the District's improvement plan to correct and imbalance of students being educated outside the general education classroom.
The Shaler Area School District makes every attempt to include students with disabilities in the regular education classroom with the appropriate supplementary aids and services.  All special education teachers in the district have earned highly qualified status.
Based on data collected on special education students, students are educated in either full inclusion classes with their general education peers with specially designed instruction alone or through co-teaching where the special education teacher pushes into the regular education classes to teach collaboratively with the general education teacher. The District utilizes co-teaching methods in the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Least Restrictive Environment for every student is monitored and assessed throughout each school year in order to ensure that every special education student has the opportunity be educated in the general education classroom to their fullest potential.
Content area teachers and special education teacher work together to provide instruction in the regular education classroom to all students. Teachers who are engaged in co-teaching assignments have been trained by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit on co-teaching styles and best practices. 
During the 2017-18 school year, the District has been focused on instructing teachers and administrators on moving toward more inclusive practices with students who receive special education services so that those students are able to access their grade level content yet still have the opportunity through an intervention period to gain extra support with academic work and skills that need further remediation.
Emotional support teachers at all grade levels co-teach in several classes and also provide direct instruction for those students who need one-one or small group instruction. The emotional support teachers also provide support for those students included in the regular education classroom. 
Students at the high school level who are part of the life skills program are included in regular education classes as decided upon by the IEP team. All students with disabilities participate in the regular education classroom for elective courses. As with all students with disabilities, LRE is decided by the IEP teams. The IEP team always considers the regular education classroom with supplementary aids and services first before moving toward a more restrictive environment.

Special education teachers work closely with the general education teachers in order to maintain IEP goals and provide supplementary aids and services, along with appropriate modifications and adaptations to adequately provide FAPE.
The district employs 65 paraprofessionals who provide one-on-one or small group support to our students with disabilities. The IEP team determines if a child needs paraprofessional support in order to access the regular education setting by completing a needs assessment, a review of data collection, and detailed discussions as to what has already been tried previously before making a recommendation for additional adult support.  Paraprofessional also are available to provide re-teaching and assistance to students with disabilities in various classrooms in the district. Many of the district's paraprofessionals provide support in the regular education classrooms to several students with disabilities in order to maximize inclusion.
All of the district's special education paraprofessionals receive professional development on in-service days. Grade Point Resources and PaTTAN are used to provide this training that is a minimum of 20 hours each year.  
The district has provided professional development to all administrators and special education teachers in order to enhance its continuum of supports, services and educational placement options. All teachers are required to use research-based instruction when working with students with disabilities. The Director of Student Services works closely with the School Psychologists and the Assistant Superintendent to assure evidence-based models of instruction are implemented across the district in order to expand the continuum of supports and services.
Regardless of where the student is receiving instruction, researched-based curriculum materials are used throughout the district and all teachers providing the instruction receive training on how to implement the curriculum with fidelity. Some of the resources used for students with disabilities who require a more specialized instruction include the Sonday System, Wilson Reading, Fundations in Grades K-2, Language! In Grades 5-8.  The elementary special education teachers are training MtSS teams to use these alternative resources for those students moving through the three tiers of MtSS.
The district consults with experts from PaTTan and the AIU on an ongoing basis to provide site-based training on district professional development days in order to strengthen and enhance our inclusive practices and programming for students with disabilities.
The district has worked closely with PaTTAN and the AIU to provide ongoing professional development in the area of co-teaching for both special education and general education staff K-12 in order to maximize LRE for students with disabilities. The co-teaching and inclusion initiatives have strengthened the use of the continuum of supports and services in order to provide students the best opportunities to be educated in the general education setting with their peers.
The Shaler Area School District has always been a big proponent of inclusive settings for students with disabilities. The goal has always been to educate our students in the school setting, specifically the regular education classroom. Students with disabilities are encouraged to be as independent as possible in all school activities, including transitions, extra-curricular activities, lunch, recess, and classroom instruction. The district will continue to provide and expand upon the appropriate supports to promote independence.
The District maintains effective instructional practices by providing explicit, data-based, systematic instruction for learning. IEP goals are standard-based and age appropriate. Instruction is adapted to meet the individual needs of the student as described in the IEP. The District also provides the required continuum of supports and services for students with disabilities that are designed to provide a rich supply of diverse programs that support sound inclusive practices.
The goal of the Shaler Area School District is to assure that students with disabilities are able to participate in their grade level, regular education classes within their neighborhood school by utilizing appropriate supplementary aids and services to support learning and participation. In all cases, the IEP teams consider and determine whether there is a need for instruction outside of the regular education setting and for what portion of the school day.
Program and placement decisions are based on student strengths and needs. IEP teams consider the regular education classroom with supplementary aids and services before considering a more restrictive environment. District administrators, special education teachers, regular education teachers and support personnel receive ongoing training in the area of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and the Federal and State requirements that govern LRE.
The Shaler Area School District requires that the IEP teams follow the proper protocols and procedures when making a determination for educational placement. Parents are an integral part of the IEP team and are instrumental in deciding LRE for their child.
After a student’s initial eligibility is decided, the IEP team develops the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for the student. IEP teams use Pennsylvania's Supplementary Aids and Services (SAS) toolkit to determine how FAPE can be delivered in the regular education classroom. All special education teachers K-12 received training on using the SAS toolkit in 2017 and continue to review the toolkit each school year. If the IEP teams determine the regular education classroom appropriate, then supplementary aids and services, adaptations and/or modifications will be established. The IEP team also determines if the student needs a co-taught regular education classroom setting.  If the IEP team determines FAPE cannot be delivered in the regular education classroom, then they move to the next step along the continuum of placement options to determine where FAPE can be delivered.
Should a student need to be pulled from the general education classroom for any level of instruction, the next step on the continuum is direct instruction from a special education teacher in the special education classroom within the school setting. All direct instruction for those students with disabilities takes place in the learning support program. IEP teams determine the level of direct instruction needed in specific academic subjects. In addition, IEP teams determine which supplementary aids and services and modifications will be needed in a more restrictive learning environment.
IEP teams are encouraged to first consider itinerant services for all students moving along the continuum of placement options to a more restrictive setting. However, if it is determined that a more restrictive environment is needed, the IEP team would then consider adding supplemental services.
Only after the IEP teams have exhausted all of the resources the district can offer including supplementary aids and services, modifications, and have followed the proper continuum of placement options for determining LRE, is an outside placement considered. A reevaluation is then conducted with the consent of the parent which may also include a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA).  If the IEP team determines, after a full review of the data collected and the results of the Reevaluation is shared, an outside placement is needed in order to receive FAPE, then intense planning is done in order to find the appropriate placement facility. Parents are an integral part of the decision-making process.
All faculty members, including paraprofessionals, are provided opportunities to participate in professional development activities in order to become familiar with research-based practices that can be used to support students with disabilities in both the regular and special education settings. Ongoing professional development in inclusionary practices and co-teaching has been offered over the past two years for all faculty.   
Students K-12, regardless of their disability, are included in the regular education setting for special area classes, rotation courses, and elective courses as much as they are able to participate. The IEP teams determine what supplementary aids and services, adaptations, and modifications are appropriate for the students in these classes.
According to the state's Special Education Data Report, in the 2015-16 school year, Shaler Area School District educated 48.7% of their special education population outside the regular classroom and in the 2016-16 school year, the percentage rose to 58.5% after the first year of intensive training on LRE.  Currently, the data indicates that 69% of the special education population is now being educated inside the regular class 80% of their day or more with that percentage expected to rise over the last few months of the school year.
The district has provided ongoing professional development in the areas of inclusion, LRE, co-teaching and differentiated instruction to all administrators, faculty and support staff K-12. As a result of these initiatives, the continuum of special education's supports, services, and placement options have expanded. Many students who received direct instruction in the past are now being educated in the regular education classroom through the co-teaching initiative and the use of supplemental aids and services. The special education teachers are team teaching with the regular education teacher and implementing students with disabilities' IEPs within this setting. Supplementary aids and services, adaptations and modifications are being provided in the regular education classroom.
Student's needs are being addressed through differentiated instruction and Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), and as a result, fewer students are being instructed in the special education classrooms. Special education teachers are now serving as consultants to the regular education teachers and providing them the necessary resources and training needed to support students with disabilities within the regular education classroom.  The District also created the position of Special Education Coach that will take effect the 2018-19 school year to support special education teachers in the areas of inclusion, LRE, and planning within a co-teaching setting.
The MtSS initiative at the primary and elementary levels has also expanded the continuum of special education supports, services and placement options for our students with disabilities and for those students struggling who are not identified as needing special education services. Regular education teachers and staff, along with special education teachers, have received training in MtSS, specifically in the area of Reading and data dissemination. Research-based intervention materials are being used to support the students in the different tiers of MtSS. Ongoing professional development and training are provided for those key educators facilitating this instruction and implementing the MtSS process. Student's needs are being addressed in the regular education classroom with added support through the MtSS process.
The district expands the continuum of supports, services, and placements to support students in extra-curricular activities, clubs and community events. Transportation, paraprofessional support, and other related services are provided as indicated in the student's IEP. Many students with disabilities are actively involved in activities outside the classroom setting because of the level of support provided by the district. Students with disabilities are able to actively participate in band class and attend the yearly band trips because the district provides paraprofessional support. 

 	 	 

 

Behavior Support Services
1.	Provide a summary of the District policy on behavioral support services including, but not limited to, the school wide positive behavior supports (PBS). 
2.	Describe training provided to staff in the use of positive behavior supports, de-escalation techniques and responses to behavior that may require immediate intervention. 
3.	If the district also has School-Based Behavioral Health Services, please discuss it. 
The Shaler Area School District's Positive Behavior Support plan contains all of the required components as evidenced by School Board Policy 113.2. The LEA's PBS Policy/procedure includes research-based practices and ensures that restraints are only used as a last resort. The Shaler Area School District's Positive Behavior Support Plan Policy for Exceptional Students reflects the effective strategies, methods, and techniques that govern student positive behavior support. Educating exceptional students who display disruptive behaviors requires a plan of action that is governed by PA rules and regulations and based on best practices and current professional research.
The following guidelines outline procedures and protocols for the development of effective positive behavior support strategies for identified students.
Level I

Good classroom management includes strategies that are preventive in nature. Management of behaviors at this level does not require a positive behavior support plan included in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).  Proactive classroom management is an essential prerequisite to instruction and includes responding effectively when problems occur as well as preventative measures to avoid problems from occurring by creating environments that encourage learning and appropriate behavior.Strategies utilized should include effective teaching practices, clear and consistent rules and procedures that are practiced and reviewed often, positive feedback, modeled and verbal instruction of appropriate behaviors, classroom discussions and role-playing of expected behaviors, and consistent family communication.  The goal of consistent classroom behavior management should be for all students to learn to manage their own behaviors and understand the expectations of positive behaviors.
 
             Level II

When dealing with students who do not respond to classroom behavior management strategies, an individualized Positive Behavior Support plan may need to be developed as part of the student’s IEP to address behavioral needs. The positive behavior support plan that is developed within the IEP will include positive behavioral supports and reinforcement systems. All interventions and strategies utilized should be least restrictive and delivered in accordance with Pennsylvania regulations.
The positive behavior support plan should include methods and strategies should be constructed in order to remove barriers to the student accessing a free appropriate public education (FAPE). A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) will be conducted prior to the implementation of a positive behavior support plan.
The Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) will include:
1.The target behavior
2.The setting in which the target behavior occurs.
3. Antecedents to the target behavior.
4. Instructional and social consequences resulting from the target behavior.
5. A hypothesis for the function of the target behavior.
6. Positive replacement behaviors for the target behavior.
7. Strategies to teach replacement behaviors.
Level III

The use of positive strategies and interventions for the development, change, and maintenance of identified behaviors should be tried prior to the use of more intrusive interventions including:
1.     The use of verbal techniques to de-escalate inappropriate behavior;
2.     The use of a non-exclusionary de-escalation location may be used to extinguish external stimuli, so the student may regain emotional composure;
3.     The use of a temporary exclusionary de-escalation area may be used to extinguish external stimuli, so the student may regain emotional composure;
4.     The use of restraints may be used as a non-violent physical crisis intervention to control aggressive behaviors but may only be used only when the student is acting in a manner that is a clear and present danger to him/herself, other students, or employees as follows:
a.     The use of non-violent physical crisis interventions may only be used when less restrictive measures and techniques have proven to be less effective.
b.     The use of non-violent physical crisis interventions to control aggressive behaviors of a student will necessitate an IEP meeting to review the current IEP and positive behavior support plan for appropriateness and effectiveness.
c.      The use of non-violent physical crisis interventions may not be included in the IEP for the convenience of staff, as a substitute for an educational program or employed as punishment.
d.     When a non-violent physical crisis intervention is used, the following procedure will occur:
i.     The incident should be documented using the non-violent physical crisis intervention report;
ii.     The parent will be notified of the incident as soon as possible by the school principal;
iii.     An IEP meeting will be convened with the parent/guardian within 10 school days;
iv.     The IEP team will develop a plan for the student's return to the classroom.
5.     The use of mechanical restraints that are used to control involuntary movement or lack of muscular control of students due to organic causes or conditions and may be utilized to prevent a student from injuring him/herself or others, to promote normal body and physical functioning.  The use of mechanical restrains would be utilized when:
a.     specified by the IEP team;
b.     determined by medical professionals who are qualified to make the recommendation;
c.     agreed to by the student's parent/guardian.
The District’s behavior support programs are grounded on positive rather than negative behavior techniques to ensure that students shall be free from demeaning treatment and unreasonable use of restraints or other aversive techniques. The use of restraints shall be considered a measure of last resort and shall only be used after other less restrictive measures, including de-escalation techniques. Behavior support programs and plans shall be based on a functional assessment of behavior and shall include a variety of research-based techniques to develop and maintain skills that will enhance students’ opportunity for learning and self-fulfillment.
Current Practices related to School-Based Behavioral Health:
When a concern arises about a student regarding behavioral health, they are referred to our Student Assistance Team.  The team gathers data from teachers, counselors, administrators, parents and the student.  They then use that data to make recommendations to the family.  One recommendation that may be made is a referral to the mental health liaison from Mercy Behavioral Health who works with the SAP team.  After the student is screened by the liaison from Mercy, a recommendation for treatment is made.  There are many different levels of services that students can qualify for.  If the evaluation results in a recommendation for outpatient therapy, students can access this support during school hours from Mercy Behavioral Health.  Mercy has one full-time and two part-time therapists assigned to SASD who provide school-based therapy to our students who qualify and choose to participate. 
If a student is recommended for outpatient therapy, but the family does not wish to utilize the services of Mercy, the SAP team will provide the family with phone numbers for other agencies in the community.  In addition, if it is determined that the student is in need of a higher level of care than outpatient therapy (Intensive Outpatient, Partial Hospitalization Program, Inpatient) the SAP team and Mercy Liaison will work with the student and their family to connect with the appropriate level of care.  Once students who are referred to a higher level of care step down to outpatient therapy, the option of school-based therapy is still available and will be offered.
Often students who are involved in therapy have a difficult time in some area of school.  If a release of information has been signed by the student and/or their family, the school counselor and/or social worker will be in contact with the therapist to determine if there are additional ways in which we can support the student in school.  Open lines of communication between the school and the treatment team is a very important aspect of helping students who struggle with behavioral health issues be successful in school.

Current Practices Related to De-escalation Techniques:
In general, students are aware that there are supports available in the District for students in crisis.  Students and parents are informed as to where these crisis-related supports can be found.  The information can also be found on the District’s website or in the Student Handbook that is distributed at the beginning of the school year to every student in the building.  Supports include School Counselor, Social Worker, Nurse, Teachers, Administrators, School Security and/or Clerical Staff.
Once a concern is brought to the attention of one of the support professionals mentioned above, the individual will be removed to a private, calmer location where confidentiality of the student can be maintained.  Here, the immediate risk to the student or others will be assessed by the most appropriate, qualified professional.   The level of risk which is determined dictates the appropriate plan of action.
Shaler Area trains district crisis and safety team members, which include teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals, in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.  The goal of nonviolent crisis intervention training is to teach staff how to intervene in a way that provides for the care, welfare, safety, and security of all involved in a crisis situation.  In order to accomplish this goal, staff are taught to recognize the early warning signs that a person's behavior may escalate, how to intervene effectively before the person's behavior becomes dangerous, and, if a person becomes violent, how to control the violence while still providing care, welfare, safety and security for all involved. 

Intensive Interagency/Ensuring FAPE/Hard to Place Students
1.	If the LEA is having difficulty ensuring FAPE for an individual student or a particular disability category, describe the procedures and analysis methods used to determine gaps in the continuum of special education supports, services and education placement options available for students with disabilities.
2.	Include information detailing successful programs, services, education placements as well as identified gaps in current programs, services, and education placements not available within the LEA. Include an overview of services provided through interagency collaboration within the LEA.
3.	Discuss any expansion of the continuum of services planned during the life of this plan.
All staff at the Shaler Area School District work cooperatively to ensure that the district provides FAPE to all students. Continuum of services and placement decisions are made via the IEP team and in accordance with providing all students with a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
If an issue were to arise where placement decisions proved to be challenging, the district would work collaboratively with parents and explore placement options that may exceed those currently available. Parents are considered to be an integral member of the IEP Team and are always invited and encouraged to participate in IEP meetings and placement decisions. If they are not available to attend in person, the district will offer other methods to ensure parent participation.
The District employs four licensed social workers who are available to provide support to students. The district is licensed as an outpatient service site for students and works with Mercy Behavioral Health to provide school-based outpatient therapy to students in need of mental health services referred through SAP/ESAP process or school counselors in each building. 
The district works with Juvenile Probation, Children and Youth Services, KidsVoice, Achieva, Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, partial hospitalization programs, and wraparound providers, and local shelters to address the intensive needs of students. The district also has a partnership with the Allegheny County Office of Behavior Health, Bureau of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services in order to be a resource for home services in conjunction with school-based services. 

 

Strengths and Highlights
Describe the strengths and highlights of your current special education services and programs. Include in this section directions on how the district provides trainings for staff, faculty and parents.
The Shaler Area School District’s Student Services Staff consists of 42 highly qualified special education teachers, five (5) speech and language pathologists, one (1) transition coordinator, four (4) licensed social workers, three (3) school psychologists, twelve (12) school counselors, five (5) school nurses, two (2) ELL teachers, and seven (7) GATE teachers.  Additionally, we have department chairs at each building level including primary, elementary, middle school, high school, and speech.  The District will also implement during the 2018-19 school year, a school counselor dedicated to college and career readiness and a special education coach to assist with the district’s inclusion initiative and implementation.
The district contracts with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to provide on-site travel-related Instruction to students and partners with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation This allows for cohesive teamwork and ready access to support staff by parents and team members.
The Shaler Area School is utilizing the MtSS model of building strong supports and interventions to general education students who are struggling either academically or behaviorally. This is a three-tier system that is used to support students in the classroom or through pull-out services via strategic or intense support. In strategic and intense tiers, MtSS staff work with individual or small groups of students a specified amount of time per week.
Each building has a core team that represents administrators, general education teachers, academic coach, social worker, school counselor, and school psychologist. In addition to the core teams, each building has a building level data team that meets to review student data and determine individual programming (tiers) for students based on the outcome of the data.
At the elementary level, benchmark assessments are administered in the fall, winter, and spring to all students in grades K-6 in reading and math. DIBELS and STAR are research-based data analysis and progress monitoring systems that allow for the collection of data and appropriate monitoring of student progress in relation to the MtSS process. The middle school uses a variety of assessments to determine placement of students in the appropriate tiers. Every month student performance in the various tiers are discussed during the data team meetings and, if appropriate, the tiers are changed based on the data and recommendation of team members.
Shaler Area’s Early Childhood Committee takes a proactive approach in identifying those children who may require additional support as early as Pre-Kindergarten. Each year, effective screenings take place for all incoming Kindergartners to identify areas of need for the children. Supports are then put into place in order to make the transition to Kindergarten successful. Pre-K students who are enrolled with the district and previously attended Discovery, Assessment, Referral, and Tracking (DART), which is a free early intervention program for children ages 3-5 in Allegheny County, are invited to attend the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program should their early screening indicate the need for extra instruction over the summer to better prepare them for the start of the school year.
Shaler Area is increasing the inclusive setting initiative K-12. Currently, the high school has a variety of course offerings that allow most of the students with disabilities to participate fully in regular education classes. Most students utilize the special education classrooms for support during study halls or to take tests. Many classes are designed to model a co-teaching experience, in which the general and special education teachers work as a team to deliver instruction within the general education classroom.
The co-teaching model is also implemented at the middle school, elementary, and primary levels. Ongoing professional development is offered to both regular and special education staff in order to provide a smooth transition from a pull-out model of delivery to a push-in model. This continues to be one of the district's biggest and ongoing initiatives in Special Education.
All of the district's special education teachers go through intense training and professional development throughout each school year. The Director of Student Services holds monthly Special Education Department Chair meetings in which programming, compliance, inclusion, and LRE are reviewed. Professional Development days are identified for further training in special education based on need. Some of the topics for training in the past few years have been:
·       Indicator 13
·       Writing Effective IEPs
·       Conducting FBAs
·       Writing BSPs
·       Autism
·       Co-Teaching
·       Least Restrictive Environment
·       Compliance Timelines
·       Components of the IEP
·       Conducting Affective IEP Meetings
·       Modifications and Accommodations
·       IEPWriter
 
The Shaler Area School District now contracts for three behavior specialists to assist in the Elementary School, Middle School, High School to support students with complex behavioral concerns as well as supporting the student who interact daily with those students.  They assist with completing FBAs, data collection, collaborating with behavior plans, attending IEP meetings, conducting group and individual therapy sessions, and daily check-ins for students.
 
The District has created sensory rooms in all buildings K-12 with a multitude of senorsy items and equipment that help to support our students who have prescribed sensory diets and/or need scheduled sensory breaks throughout their day. 
 
The District utilizes funds available through the School-Based ACCESS Program to support training, technology, and intervention materials. The district relies heavily on these funds to continue to enhance the special education program K-12.
The Special Education Department's transition program for students age 14 and older provides a variety of experiences. Students are able to receive a transition program that prepares them for life after high school. The district provides college prep experiences, school to work experiences, community-based instruction experiences and job shadowing experiences on an individual basis as determined by the IEP team.  This year, the District created the position of Transition Coordinate to assist students and teacher with transition opportunities and to strengthen transition goals in each student’s IEP who are age 14 or older.
Shaler Area has a District Parent Committee that meets every month throughout the school year to discuss programmatic issues and concerns in order to better develop communication between the district and the community. This committee allows parents the opportunity to learn about special education and what specifically the district is providing for their children each year. It also gives them a chance to give input to programs and offer suggestions on how to continuously work to improve the special education program.
The Special Education Department K-12 utilizes an online, web-based IEP writing system called IEPWriter that was implemented in the 2017-18 school year.  This system allows teachers to be able to complete paperwork in one web-based location in a more efficient manner of time than previously needed. This system allows teachers to focus more on instruction in the classroom and achieving students' IEP goals. 
The district's special education website is available for all district and community members. The website is a communication tool that acts as an interactive resource for all stakeholders. The website is updated and maintained on a consistent basis and provides information such as workshops and training for parents and educators, activities for students, program highlights, contacts for special education staff, disability information, child find and more. 

Assurances
Special Education Assurances
The Local Education Agency (District) has verified the following Assurances:
•	Implementation of a full range of services, programs and alternative placements available to the school district for placement and implementation of the special education programs in the school district.
•	Implementation of a child find system to locate, identify and evaluate young children and children who are thought to be a child with a disability eligible for special education residing within the school district's jurisdiction. Child find data is collected, maintained and used in decision-making. Child find process and procedures are evaluated for its effectiveness. The District implements mechanisms to disseminate child find information to the public, organizations, agencies and individuals on at least an annual basis.
•	Assurances of students with disabilities are included in general education programs and extracurricular and non-academic programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with an Individualized Education Program.
•	Compliance with the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education's report revision notice process.
•	Following the state and federal guidelines for participation of students with disabilities in state and district-wide assessments including the determination of participation, the need for accommodations, and the methods of assessing students for whom regular assessment is not appropriate.
•	Assurance of funds received through participation in the medical assistance reimbursement program, ACCESS, will be used to enhance or expand the current level of services and programs provided to students with disabilities in this local education agency.

24 P.S. §1306 and §1306.2 Facilities
There are no facilities.

Least Restrictive Environment Facilities
Facility Name	Type of Facility	Type of Service	Number of Students Placed	
Day School at The Children's Institute	Approved Private Schools	Autistic Support and Multiple Disabilities Support	8	
Community College of Allegheny County	Other	Adult Transition Education	4	
Friendship Academy	Approved Private Schools	Emotional Support	11	
Mon Valley School	Special Education Centers	Vocational Education	2	
PACE	Approved Private Schools	Autistic Support and Emotional Support	6	
Pathfinder School	Special Education Centers	Life Skills Support and Autistic Support	1	
Presley Ridge Day School	Approved Private Schools	Emotional support	1	
Western Pa. School for Blind Children	Approved Private Schools	Blind and Vision Support	2	
St. Stevens at Glade Run	Other	Autistic Support and Emotional Support	3	
The Education Center at The Watson Institute	Approved Private Schools	Autistic Support	9	
Western Pa. School for Deaf	Approved Private Schools	Deaf / Hearning Impaired	1	
Longmore Academy	Approved Private Schools	Emotional Support	1	
City Connections	Neighboring School Districts	Transition Program	1	

Special Education Program Profile
Program Position #1
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	6 to 8	5	0.45	
Locations:					
Marzolf 	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	6 to 8	6	0.55	
Locations:					
Marzolf 	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #2
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 9	3	0.43	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	8 to 10	4	0.57	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #3
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 9	3	0.37	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	7 to 9	5	0.63	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #4
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	6 to 6	1	0.11	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	6 to 8	8	0.89	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #5
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: June 14, 2017
Reason for the proposed change: Age range is not relevant as students are not seen by the special education teacher in the same setting at the same time.
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	5 to 9	12	1	
Justification: Students are not instructed by the special education together in one setting at the same time, so the age range is not a factor.	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #6
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: December 2, 2015
Reason for the proposed change: Student Placements
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	5 to 9	4	0.4	
Justification: Students are in class together but work individually or in groups based on their developmental levels.	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	7 to 9	2	0.2	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A special education Center in which no general education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Autistic Support	6 to 9	4	0.4	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A special education Center in which no general education programs are operated			

Program Position #7
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 10	5	1	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #8
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: June 14, 2017
Reason for the proposed change: Students are not instructed by the special education together in one setting at the same time, so the age range is not a factor.
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	6 to 9	5	0.5	
Locations:					
Jeffery	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	5 to 9	5	0.5	
Justification: One Kindergarten student puts the teachers caseload greater than three years.  Teacher is the only Learning Support teacher in the Jeffery School.  Students are not instructed by the special education together in one setting at the same time, so the age range is not a factor.	
Locations:					
Jeffery	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #9
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Low population of special education students
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	6 to 9	5	0.5	
Locations:					
Reserve	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #10
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 10	8	0.67	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	9 to 12	4	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary 	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #11
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	10 to 12	10	0.9	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	10 to 10	1	0.1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #12
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 12	12	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #13
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	11 to 12	9	0.75	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	11 to 12	3	0.25	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #14
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 10	12	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #15
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	11 to 12	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #16
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	11 to 12	12	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #17
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 10	16	0.94	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Emotional Support	9 to 9	1	0.06	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #18
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	10 to 10	10	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #19
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	10 to 11	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #20
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 10	12	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #21
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 11	10	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #22
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: December 2, 2015
Reason for the proposed change: Student Palcements
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Life Skills Support	10 to 12	4	0.45	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Autistic Support	12 to 12	1	0.11	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	10 to 12	4	0.44	
Locations:					
Shaler Are Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #23
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	13 to 14	6	0.75	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	14 to 14	2	0.25	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #24
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	13 to 15	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #24
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	13 to 15	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #25
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Life Skills Support	12 to 14	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #27
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 13	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #28
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Emotional Support	12 to 14	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #29
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	13 to 13	1	0.1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 13	9	0.9	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #30
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support	12 to 12	1	0.1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #31
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 14	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #32
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	13 to 14	1	0.1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 13	9	0.9	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #33
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	12 to 13	10	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #34
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	13 to 14	3	0.6	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Emotional Support	12 to 12	2	0.4	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #35
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	14 to 16	10	0.91	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	14 to 16	1	0.09	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #36
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	16 to 16	1	0.06	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	15 to 17	15	0.94	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High school	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #37
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Class no longer needed
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	15 to 17	1	0.07	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	14 to 15	14	0.93	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #38
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	16 to 18	14	0.82	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	16 to 18	3	0.18	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #39
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Emotional Support	14 to 18	4	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Emotional Support	16 to 19	6	0.5	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	15 to 17	2	0.17	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #40
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	14 to 15	12	0.86	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	15 to 17	2	0.14	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #41
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	14 to 18	13	0.67	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	15 to 17	2	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #43
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	15 to 18	21	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #44
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Emotional Support	15 to 18	5	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Emotional Support	14 to 17	5	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	15 to 15	5	0.34	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #45
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	16 to 18	18	0.9	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	16 to 18	2	0.1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #46
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: ClassandPosition
Implementation Date: December 2, 2015
Reason for the proposed change: Student placements
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	16 to 18	7	0.47	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Learning Support	14 to 16	5	0.33	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Life Skills Support	15 to 16	3	0.2	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High school	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #47
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Life Skills Support	14 to 18	11	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #48
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Supplemental (Less Than 80% but More Than 20%)	Emotional Support	14 to 18	9	0.64	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Emotional Support	15 to 17	5	0.36	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #49
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	16 to 19	14	0.93	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	18 to 18	1	0.07	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #50
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: Class
Implementation Date: May 1, 2018
Reason for the proposed change: Inclusion
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	9 to 11	13	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary School	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #51
Operator: Intermediate Unit
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support	7 to 8	2	0.14	
Locations:					
Burchfield 	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support	7 to 7	1	0.05	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support	17 to 17	1	0.01	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support	12 to 12	2	0.02	
Justification: AIU Teacher has 2 students from the Elementary school on her roster.	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary School	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #52
Operator: Intermediate Unit
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Blind or Visually Impaired Support	8 to 8	1	0.1	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Blind or Visually Impaired Support	10 to 10	1	0.06	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary School	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Blind or Visually Impaired Support	17 to 18	2	0.06	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #53
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	9 to 12	31	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #54
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	9 to 12	35	1	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Elementary	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #55
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	15 to 19	10	0.26	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School;	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 10	28	0.74	
Justification: Students are grouped for instruction within a two year age range	
Locations:					
Rogers 	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #56
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 9	11	0.3	
Justification: Students are within two year age range when grouped for instruction.	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 10	26	0.7	
Justification: Students are within two year age range when grouped together for instruction.	
Locations:					
Reserve	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #57
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 9	44	1	
Justification: When grouped for instruction students are within two year age range.	
Locations:					
Marzolf	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #58
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 9	44	1	
Justification: Students are within two year age range when grouped for instruction.	
Locations:					
Burchfield	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #59
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	5 to 9	34	0.74	
Justification: Students are within two year age range when grouped for instruction.	
Locations:					
Jeffery	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	12 to 14	12	0.26	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #60
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	14 to 19	14	0.42	
Justification: When grouped for instruction students arre within three year age range.	
Locations:					
Shaler Area High School	A Senior High School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Speech and Language Support	12 to 14	19	0.58	
Locations:					
Shaler Area Middle School	A Middle School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Program Position #61
Operator: School District
PROGRAM DETAILS
Type: 
Implementation Date: 
PROGRAM SEGMENTS
Type of Support	Level of Support	Age Range	Caseload	FTE	
Itinerant	Learning Support	6 to 9	9	1	
Locations:					
Rogers	An Elementary School Building	A building in which General Education programs are operated			

Special Education Support Services
Support Service	Location	Teacher FTE	
Director of Student Services	All Buildings	1	
School Psychologists	All Buildings	3	
School Social Workers	All Buildings	4	
Paraprofessionals	All Buildings	64	
Certified School Nurses	All Buildings	5	
Registered Nurses	All Buildings	5	
School Counselors	All Buildings	12	
Student Services Administrative Assistants	Central Office	2.5	

Special Education Contracted Services
Special Education Contracted Services	Operator	Amt of Time per Week	
Grade Point Resources - Autism and Behavior Consultation	Outside Contractor	2 Days	
Grade Point Resources - Behavioral Therapists 	Outside Contractor	5 Days	
Probation Officer -Allegheny County Probation	Outside Contractor	5 Days	
Maxim Nursing Services	Outside Contractor	5 Days	

District Level Plan
Special Education Personnel Development

Autism
Description	Current and New Special Education teachers, Paraprofessionals, Administrators and Parents will participate in training to learn effective educational practices for students with Autism.
Topics will include: Social Skills training, Communication Skills, Applied Behavioral Analysis and Verbal Analysis
Evidence that action step has been implemented will include; training dates and agendas, participant sign in sheets and session feedback forms submitted.	
Person Responsible	Kathleen R. Graczyk, Director of Student Services	
Start Date	7/1/2018	
End Date	6/30/2021	
Program Area(s)	Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services, Gifted Education	
Professional Development Details
Hours Per Session	2.0	
# of Sessions	3	
# of Participants Per Session	300	
Provider	Shaler Area School Dstrict	
Provider Type	PaTTAN	
PDE Approved	Yes	
Knowledge Gain	Administrators and staff who work with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders will have a better understanding of how to implement successful programs for the children using appropriate supplementary aids and services as well as identifying specially designed instruction to support their students. The administrators and staff will have a better understanding of the social difficulties that are sometimes a result of this disability in order to create successful social experiences for the children. 

 
	
Research & Best Practices Base	The implementation of a research-based social skills curriculum will be implemented to address social skill deficits. The district will seek assistance from Grade Point Resources and Allegheny Intermediate staff who specialize in working with children on the spectrum in order to assure research-based best practice methods are being implemented. 
Resources used to teach the curriculum will continue to be researched based and appropriate for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Director of Student Services works closely with the Assistant Superintendent, department chairs, and special education teachers when deciding which materials and resources to implement. 
	
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists	•	Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
•	Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
•	Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
•	Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
	
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles	•	Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
•	Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making.
•	Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
•	Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
	
Training Format	•	LEA Whole Group Presentation
•	Series of Workshops
•	School  Whole Group Presentation
•	Department Focused Presentation
•	Professional Learning Communities
•	Offsite Conferences
	
Participant Roles	•	Classroom teachers
•	Principals / Asst. Principals
•	Supt / Ast Supts / CEO / Ex Dir
•	School counselors
•	Paraprofessional
•	New Staff
•	Other educational specialists
•	Related Service Personnel
•	Parents
	
Grade Levels	•	Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1)
•	Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5)
•	Middle (grades 6-8)
•	High (grades 9-12)
	
Follow-up Activities	•	Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
•	Analysis of student work, with administrator and/or peers
•	Creating lessons to meet varied student learning styles
•	Lesson modeling with mentoring
•	Journaling and reflecting
	
Evaluation Methods	•	Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.
•	Student PSSA data
•	Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA
•	Classroom student assessment data
•	Participant survey

Behavior Support
Description	The district's policy on behavior support services focuses on the use of positive measures to improve behaviors, as well as, the teaching of appropriate alternate behaviors. During the past three years, the district has provided some on-going training regarding 34 positive behavioral supports. Special Education and Student Services' staff who work with students with positive behavior support plans, have received more extensive training regarding the development of functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and individualized behavior support plans.
Special education teachers and paraprofessionals will be trained in teaching "soft skills" to behaviorally challenged and other special needs students.  These "soft skills" include; effective communication, handling emotions, organization and planning, problem solving and conflict resolution skills, teamwork, refection and ethical judgment.  Teachers will learn how to develop measurable soft skill goals and effective instructional activities to allow their students to reach the goals.  Implementation of the action step will be evidenced by the inclusion of soft skill goals in students' IEP's and the corresponding progress monitoring.	
Person Responsible	Kathleen R. Graczyk, Director of Student Services	
Start Date	7/1/2018	
End Date	6/30/2021	
Program Area(s)	Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services	
Professional Development Details
Hours Per Session	6.0	
# of Sessions	3	
# of Participants Per Session	100	
Provider	Shaler Area School District	
Provider Type	Non-profit Organization	
PDE Approved	Yes	
Knowledge Gain	Shaler Area building teams have already begun training through the AIU on how to write and implement Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) through the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce model, and professional development will continue on how to write appropriate behavior goals and progress monitor those goals.
	
Research & Best Practices Base	Being that a guiding factor in a student's success is that a their social-emotional and behavioral needs need to be met in order for students to fully access their educational programming, extensive training will continue on how to support students with mental health and behavioral concerns through a district-wide task force that operates through a community of practice (CoP)
	
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists	•	Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
•	Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
•	Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
	
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles	•	Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
	
Training Format	•	Department Focused Presentation
•	Professional Learning Communities
	
Participant Roles	•	Classroom teachers
•	Paraprofessional
•	Parents
	
Grade Levels	•	Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1)
•	Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5)
•	Middle (grades 6-8)
•	High (grades 9-12)
	
Follow-up Activities	•	Analysis of student work, with administrator and/or peers
•	Individual Education Plan reviews
	
Evaluation Methods	•	Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.
•	Review of participant lesson plans
•	Individual Education Plan reviews

Paraprofessional
Description	District paraprofessionals are required to have 20 hours of additional training each year.
Paraprofessionals are provided with the opportunity to attend the same trainings as are provided for classroom teachers.  In addition, they select from the PATTAN on-line course offerings.  Topics include: achieving independence, supporting students with complex needs, behavioral interventions, confidentiality and the paraprofessional credential of competency.
Implementation will be evidenced by each paraprofessional's record of training for each year.	
Person Responsible	Kathleen R. Graczyk, Director of Student Services	
Start Date	7/1/2018	
End Date	6/30/2021	
Program Area(s)	Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services	
Professional Development Details
Hours Per Session	6.0	
# of Sessions	5	
# of Participants Per Session	65	
Provider	Shaler Area School District/AIU/Pattan	
Provider Type	School Entity	
PDE Approved	Yes	
Knowledge Gain	Paraprofessionals will continue to gain knowledge and skills in relationship to students' academic and behavioral needs as well as self-identified areas of interest/need.
	
Research & Best Practices Base	All training and resources utilized are researched based and model best practices. The district often utilizes resources recommended by the AIU consultants and will frequently implement programs in which the AIU has provided training on throughout the school year. 

For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists	•	Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
•	Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
	
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles	•	Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
•	Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
	
Training Format	•	School  Whole Group Presentation
•	Online-Synchronous
•	Professional Learning Communities
	
Participant Roles	•	Paraprofessional
	
Grade Levels	•	Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1)
•	Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5)
•	Middle (grades 6-8)
•	High (grades 9-12)
	
Follow-up Activities	•	Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
	
Evaluation Methods	•	Participant survey

Reading NCLB #1
Description	The District is focused on building a strong Reading foundation in grades K-3 and building upon that core knowledge to develop more complex reading comprehension skills and strategies. Grades K-3 utilize the balanced literacy approach and supplement with Guided Reading Program. In the 2017-18 school year, the District implemented Fundations which is a Wilson Reading intervention for all students in Grades K-2 to promote a multi-sensory approach to Reading.  Emphasis is placed on utilizing formative and summative assessments with appropriate supplementary aids and services to support inclusionary practices. Since the Common Core Standards were implemented, work has begun and continues to be ongoing in the area of curriculum interventions while aligning IEP goals.
Additional review of program needs will continue at all levels and within all special education programs in the area of literacy.  Supplemental supports and interventions will be reviewed at all levels over the duration of the plan in order to have more targeted and individualized instruction while ensuring that students are offered the opportunities to be educated in their least restrictive environment.
Training focused on providing teachers in each grade level the opportunity to evaluate what they have taught, the effectiveness of their instruction and to develop common ELA assessments   The structure of this process began with work groups (K-3, 4-6, 7-8 and 9-12) that met monthly to assess the effectiveness of the Common Core ELA implementation.  These work groups were then charged with communicating any changes and acquiring feedback from their building/grade level or department teachers.  	
Person Responsible	Dr. Bryan O'Black, Assistant Superintendent	
Start Date	8/20/2014	
End Date	6/30/2017	
Program Area(s)	Professional Education, Teacher Induction, Special Education, Student Services	
Professional Development Details
Hours Per Session	3.0	
# of Sessions	9	
# of Participants Per Session	75	
Provider	Shaler Area School District	
Provider Type	School Entity	
PDE Approved	Yes	
Knowledge Gain	Both general and special education staff will gain knowledge in research-based best practices for reading instruction and knowledge of differentiated reading interventions for struggling students all levels.  
	
Research & Best Practices Base	Professional development content is based on research-based practices for effective Reading instruction utilizing current literature in the field of Reading and Language Arts for students with special needs. In addition, ongoing progress monitoring and classroom observations will determine what additional professional development is needed.
	
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists	•	Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
•	Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
•	Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
•	Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
	
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles	•	Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
•	Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
	
Training Format	•	LEA Whole Group Presentation
•	Department Focused Presentation
•	Professional Learning Communities
	
Participant Roles	•	Classroom teachers
•	Principals / Asst. Principals
•	New Staff
	
Grade Levels	•	Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1)
•	Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5)
•	Middle (grades 6-8)
•	High (grades 9-12)
	
Follow-up Activities	•	Team development and sharing of content-area lesson implementation outcomes, with involvement of administrator and/or peers
•	Analysis of student work, with administrator and/or peers
•	Creating lessons to meet varied student learning styles
•	Peer-to-peer lesson discussion
•	Lesson modeling with mentoring
	
Evaluation Methods	•	Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and professionalism.
•	Student PSSA data
•	Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA
•	Classroom student assessment data
•	Review of participant lesson plans

Transition
Description	Successful transition to the workplace and/or post-secondary education for all students is an on-going goal for the Shaler Area Schoo District.  All students participate in career awareness and exploration beginning in their primary years and beginning at age 14, all students are involved with transition planning through their IEP team.  The SASD is continuing Transition Training with the AIU and collaborates with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR).  The District actively uses a multi-faceted approach to transitioning for our special needs young adults, including having students participate in in-district prevocational training using the PAES Lab career curriculum as well as partnering with Goodwill and OVR for Early Reach and Pre-employment transition services (PETS).  All special education teachers will be trained on writing and maintaining transition goals.
 	
Person Responsible	Kathleen R. Graczyk, Director of Student Services	
Start Date	7/1/2018	
End Date	6/30/2021	
Program Area(s)	Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services	
Professional Development Details
Hours Per Session	2.0	
# of Sessions	3	
# of Participants Per Session	70	
Provider	Allegheny Intermediate Unit	
Provider Type	IU	
PDE Approved	Yes	
Knowledge Gain	The IEP teams responsible for transition planning will gain knowledge about developing Present Levels of Functional Performance, collecting data from students, their teachers and their families, developing goals, providing services and activities, and involving agencies in the transition process.  
	
Research & Best Practices Base	The Shaler Area School District will adhere to federal and state guidelines and standards on secondary transition practices.
	
For classroom teachers, school counselors and education specialists	•	Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
•	Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
	
For school or LEA administrators, and other educators seeking leadership roles	•	Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
•	Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making.
•	Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
	
Training Format	•	Online-Asynchronous
	
Participant Roles	•	Classroom teachers
•	Principals / Asst. Principals
•	Paraprofessional
•	Parents
	
Grade Levels	•	Middle (grades 6-8)
•	High (grades 9-12)
	
Follow-up Activities	•	IEP and Transition Portfolio reviews
	
Evaluation Methods	•	Review of IEP and Transition Portfolios

Special Education Affirmations
We also affirm our understanding that any requests for any deviations from the Chapter 14 regulations, standards, policies, and procedures must be made in writing to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The school district understands that the Special Education Component of the District Level Plan will be approved by PDE in accordance with the following criteria as set forth in 22 Pa. School Code § 14.104 and as part of the District Level Plan:
1.	There are a full range of services, programs and alternative placements available to the school district for placement and implementation of the special education programs in the school district.
2.	The school district has adopted a child find system to locate, identify and evaluate young children and children who are thought to be a child with a disability eligible for special education residing within the school district's jurisdiction. Child find data is collected, maintained, and used in decision-making. Child find process and procedures are evaluated for its effectiveness. The school district implements mechanisms to disseminate child find information to the public, organizations, agencies, and individuals on at least an annual basis.
3.	The school district has adopted policies and procedures that assure that students with disabilities are included in general education programs and extracurricular and non-academic programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with an Individualized Education Program.
4.	The school district will comply with the PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education's revision notice process.
5.	The school district follows the state and federal guidelines for participation of students with disabilities in state and district-wide assessments including the determination of participation, the need for accommodations, and the methods of assessing students for whom regular assessment is not appropriate.
6.	The school district affirms the Pennsylvania Department of Education that funds received through participation in the medical assistance reimbursement program, ACCESS, will be used to enhance or expand the current level of services and programs provided to students with disabilities in this local education agency.
We affirm that the school district has completed a 28 day public inspection and comment period as required under 22 PA Code § 4.13 (d) prior to the school entity's governing board approval and submission to the Department of Education (Bureau of Special Education).
Affirmed by April Kwiatkowski on 4/30/2018
Board President
Affirmed by Sean Aiken on 4/30/2018
Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer