- Welcome to ...
- Advisory Panel
- CSPD
- Early Assistance Program (EAP) and Dispute Resolution
- Federal and State Laws and Rules
- Forms/Guides
- FAQs
- Hearing Conservation Program
- Medicaid
- Professional Development Resources
- Resources/Links
- Secondary Transition
- Special Education Cooperative Boundaries
- Special Education Decisions
Correspondence: Directors of Special Education
Allocation Reports
View Allocation Reports
View Allocation/ARRA Reports
ARRA Distribution Spreadsheet
Maintenance of Effort
View MOE Reports
Calculation of Maintenance of Effort
MOE Exceptions Documentation Form
State Performance Plan
Annual Performance ReportRevised SPP Indicator 7
Revised State Performance Plan
Monitoring
The compliance monitoring process has been revised beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, These revisions will result in significant changes to the monitoring process and districts responsibilities in correction of identified non-compliance in individual student records. A more complete monitoring guide will be available in October. If you have questions contact the Division of Special Education at 406.444.5661
New Compliance Monitoring Description
Compliance Monitoring Cycle, Revised July 2009
Tips from the OPI Monitors
Students With Unique Concerns (SWUC) form
2009 Record Review
District Record Review
SWUC Timelines for Correction
Timelines for Correction
Parent Resources
Montana Recreation Handbook for People with Special Needs
Occupational Therapy Fact Sheet
OT/PT Parent Handbook
Opening Doors: Technology and Communication Options for Children with Hearing Loss
Physical Therapy Fact Sheet
Procedural Safeguards in Special Education
Procedural Safeguards - Spanish Version
Procedural Safeguards - Russian Version
PLUK Contact Information
Private/NonPublic Schools
Private School Child Count
Children Enrolled by their Parents in Private Schools
OSEP Guidance on Private Schools
Private Schools Memo
Advisory Panel
Annual Reports
2007-08 Advisory Panel Annual Report
2005-2006 Advisory Panel Annual Report
2003-2004 Advisory Panel Annual Report
2002-2003 Advisory Panel Annual Report
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Meeting Minutes
Members
Private School Representative Regular Classroom Teacher State Agency Parent of Child With Disabilities Higher Education That Prepares Special Education and Related Services Personnel Teacher Of Children With Disabilities Special Education Program Administrator State/Local Administrator |
Vocational, Community, or Business
Concerned With the Provision of Transition Services to Children with Disabilities Representative From Juvenile & Adult Corrections Part C/IDEA Representative Representatives of Other State Agencies Involved in the Financing or Delivery of Related Services to Children with Disabilities State Child Welfare Agency Responsible for Foster Care Legislator Representative of Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Student |
Upcoming Meetings
The State Special Education Advisory Panel will meet in Helena at the Office of Public Instruction, 1300 11th Avenue Conference Room, on Thursday, October 8, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and on Friday, October 9, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. – Noon.
Tentative Agenda Items Include: Panel Orientation; Assessment; CSPD Report; Personnel; OSEP Verification Visit. The meetings are open to the public. Any individual who plans on attending the meeting and is in need of accommodations for a disability should notify Marlene Wallis at the Office of Public Instruction (406)444-2504.
Early Assistance Program (EAP)
For Assistance: Mary Gallagher, Early Assistance Program 406.444.5664
The Legal Services and Special Education Divisions of the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) have instituted the Early Assistance Program (EAP). This program is designed to provide technical assistance to parents, school districts, and advocacy organizations in regard to the delivery of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities (10.16.3660, ARM). Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents can file complaints if they feel a district is not following administrative rules. The intent of the EAP program is to intervene prior to or at the time of filing a complaint with OPI (10.16.3662)(4)(c). At this intervention point, required by 10.16.3660(4), the EAP will gather information pertinent to the situation from parents, schools, and others who are involved with the issue and attempt to resolve the problem within 15 school days. With permission from the parents, EAP may exceed 15 days.
Our philosophy is to resolve issues amicably and thereby prevent costly legal entanglements wherever possible. We feel that, given the opportunity to discuss the issues at hand in a less formidable and confrontational venue, both parents and schools can reach agreement without undermining the relationships necessary to ensure the smooth delivery of special education services to children and youth with disabilities.
Federal and State Laws and Rules
Federal
OSEP Topical Sheets: IDEA, As Amended in 2004
Changes in Initial Evaluations and Reevaluations
Comments to Proposed Regulations
Discipline
Disproportionality and Overidentification
Early Intervening Services
Individualized Education Program
Individualized Education Program (IEP)Meetings and Changes to
the IEP
Local Funding
Procedural Safeguards Regarding Surrogates, Notice and Consent
Procedural Safeguards Regarding Mediation
and Resolution Sessions
Procedural Safegards Regarding Due Process Hearings
Statewide and Districtwide Assessments
IDEA 2004 Final Regulations
State Application for Part B
State
Montana's State Plan contains the federal regulations and state statues, regulations and policies that direct special education services for students with disabilities in Montana.
The Administrative Rules of Montana
The Administrative Rules of Montana, as they pertain to Special Education, are located in Title 10, Chapter 16, of the Administrative Rules.
Special Education Forms/Guides
Enterable PDF Forms
Amendment to IEP
Consent to Invite Outside Agency for Postsecondary Transition Services
Evaluation (formerly CST) Report
Evaluation Plan
Evaluation (CST) Report - Spanish version
Graduation Form
Individualized Education Plan
Individualized Education Plan - Spanish Version
IEP Team Member Excusal
Manifestation Determination
Meeting Notice for Evaluation Team (formerly CST) and IEP
Meeting Notice for CST and IEP - Spanish Version
Meeting Notice for CST and IEP - Russian Version
Private School Offer of FAPE
Private School Services Plan
Referral for Comprehensive Educational Evaluation
Revocation of Consent for Services -New September 2009
Revocation of Consent for Services - Written Notice - New September 2009
RTI Summary Report for LD Criteria Checklist
Summary of Performance
Transfer of Rights - Parent Notice
Transfer of Rights - Student Notice
Transfer Student Documentation
Non-enterable Forms
Access Log
CRT Eligibility Criteria Worksheet
Eligibility Criteria Checklists
Progress Report
Record Review - Guided
Supplemental Aids and Services
Transfer of Records
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Guides
Assistive Technology
Aversive Treatment Procedures
Child Find and Evaluation
Disciplinary Removals
Evaluation Report Guide (Formerly known as the Child Study Team)
Extended School Year
Focused Intervention Process
Grades, Graduation and Diplomas
Guidelines for Participation of Students with Disabilities in the Criterion-Referenced Test
Individualized Education Programs
Monitoring Procedures Guide
Montana's Driver's Manual
Montana's State Plan
Montana Statutes and Rules
OT/PT Guidelines
Paraprofessional Guide
Procedural Safeguards in Special Education (formerly Parental Rights in Special Education)
Procedural Safeguards in Special Education (Spanish Version)
Procedural Safeguards in Special Education (Russian Version)
Section 504 Guidelines
Serving Students with Health Care Needs Technical Assistance Manual
Surrogate Parents Guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
The following documents contain Frequently Asked Questions about changes to the IDEA resulting from the 2004 reauthorization:
Discipline
Early Intervening Services
Evaluation and Reevaluation
Manifestation Determination
OSEP Guidance on Private Schools
Reading First
Response to Intervention Rtl
Specific Learning Disability
Surrogate Parents
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Hearing Conservation Program
The Office of Public Instruction Hearing Conservation Program (OPI-HCP) serves children 0 to 21 years of age. There are 9 audiologists manning 13 regionally based centers. Each center serves approximately 4 or 5 counties around the center.
The HCP involves screening, rescreening, in-school assessments, comprehensive hearing evaluations, and follow-up parent counseling and networking with other agencies. While the screening, and in some cases rescreening, is provided by the schools or special education cooperatives, the training of the screeners and overseeing of the screening program is one of the duties of the audiologists under contract with the HCP. Other duties include, but are not limited to, attending CST/IEP meetings, fitting and overseeing trials with FM systems for the hearing impaired, hearing aid maintenance, installing and maintaining amplified classrooms, child find participation, screening in Headstart and preschools, interagency networking, inservice training, report writing and communication with medical providers.
Medicaid
Certification of Match Spreadsheet
Provider Notice
Medicaid Billing Permission Form
CSCT PowerPoint presentation
11/20/03
CSCT
Policy Letter 10/23/03
CSCT Program
Audit Checklist
FERPA
Policy on Medicaid
OSEP Letter - Parental Consent
Questions and Answers
Reimbursement
for Aides Providing Related
Services
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Professional Development Resources
Special Projects
Differentiated Instruction
Webinars
Introduction to Differentiated Instruction - Originally recorded on September 30, 2009
Setting the Stage: Creating the Climate - Originally recorded on October 28, 2009
Putting Differentiated Instruction in Science – Originally recorded on December 1, 2009
Setting the Stage: Developing a Differentiated Lesson Plan – Originally recorded on January 12, 2010 Differentiated instruction in the High School English Class – Originally recorded on January 21, 2010
Endorsement Project
Acceptance into the OPI Special Education Endorsement Project will be given to those applicants who will be employed by a rural district unable to recruit a fully certified special education teacher and who will be in possession of a teaching contract in that district. Applicant requirements include:
- Current Class 1 or Class 2 Montana Teaching Certificate. Class 5 Alternative Licenses are NOT eligible for project participation.
- Commitment to complete the special education endorsement within three (3) years as mandated by NCLB and IDEA regulations.
- Commitment to teach special education in Montana for a minimum of two (2) years following completion of the program.
Recipients may be eligible to receive up to $2,500 per year to pursue higher education resulting in an endorsement to teach special education. Stipend amounts are based on the student's credit load and housing needs, and WILL NOT COVER ALL TUITION EXPENSES. School expenses will need to be paid up front by the applicant as stipends are not released until AFTER each semester course(s) are completed and a final grade has been recorded on the student's transcript. Stipend reimbursements must be paid out during the academic year the courses were completed. Reimbursements requested beyond one year after completion will not be paid.
Project Stride: State Personnel Development Grant
2009 Grant Performance Report
Project STRIDE Grant Budget
Project STRIDE Grant Project
2008 Grant Performance Report
2008 Grant Performance Report Addendum
2007 Grant Performance Report
2006 Grant Performance Report
We Teach All Brochure
State Personnel Development Grant Current Activities Data Entry
Special Education Links and Resources
Secondary Transition
Examples
Examples of Postsecondary Goals
Hints from the Monitors on Secondary Transition
Results of Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment
Transition Assessment Samples
Transition Service Area Examples
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Forms
Consent to Invite Outside Agency for Postsecondary Transition Services
Graduation Form
Summary of Performance
Transfer of Rights - Parent Notice
Transfer of Rights - Student Notice
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Informational Flyers
Do you Know Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities as an 18 Year Old?
Graduation Flyer
Montana Colleges and Disabilities Services
Student Rights Flyer
Transfer of Rights Flyer
Transition Beliefs
Work-based Learning - Legal and Labor Issues
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Training
Webinars
Secondary Transition 17 years old and beyond – April 28, 2009
Secondary Transition Services – April 9, 2009 Webinar
Measurable Post Secondary Goals - February 24, 2009 Webinar
Secondary Transition Assessments – February 5, 2009 Webinar
Secondary Transition Assessment Webinar – PowerPoint
Training Materials and Information
Transition Services Powerpoint
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Special Education Cooperative Boundaries
