Field Experience C Practical Implications of Idea

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Field Experience C: Practical Implications of IDEA
Jorge Romero II
College of Education, Grand Canyon University
EAD-505: Education Law
Cherri Barker
May 12, 2021

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Field Experience C: Practical Implications of IDEA
The responsibilities of the special education teacher outside of instruction include
reading, understanding, and upholding each student’s individualized Education Program. The
special education teacher also keeps in touch with the student’s guardians, general education
teachers, and related service providers to assure that the goals and services are implemented as
written. Another key aspect is scheduling and facilitating student IEP meetings with guardians,
general education teachers, a district representative, and related service providers that work with
the student. This teacher also attends and participates in related meetings that are scheduled and
facilitated by the school Psychologist including Initial IEPs, RED (Review of Existing Data) and
MET (Multidisciplinary 3-year Reevaluation) meetings. She also focuses on advocating for
students to be placed in the Least Restrictive Environment available. If a student is making
progress in a special education classroom, the IEP team and the general classroom teacher will
gather to discuss a transition while creating goals, accommodations, and interventions for the
student to be successful.
The principal’s responsibilities in special education include him or the assistant principal
being district representatives in special education meetings including IEPs, teacher-parent
conferences, or urgent meetings. Also, they are expected to share information about the student
that relates to his/her progress academically, attendance, behavior, and observations. The
principal is also sharing information about lunch schedule, related arts, campus events to the
special education teacher to help maintain special education kids as active members of the school
community. Another key factor that principals are in charge of is making sure that IEP meetings
include all individuals that work with the student. Some members include related arts teachers,
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related service providers, and guardians. Another responsibility that principals take care of is
prioritizing resources for students to be successful. As a school leader, it is important to give
special education teachers effective grade level curriculum, remediation materials, technology
for enrichment, and facility access for ease of instruction delivery.
The principal’s involvement with special education students is focused on building a
positive rapport with them as he does with students in general education. This includes taking
time to do walkthroughs in class, having discussions with them to learn about them individually
and make them comfortable with him. Also, doing observations helps him understand what
students might need for additional support academically, in self-efficacy, and environment. The
principal also encourages special education students to participate in extra-curricular activities
that include sports, art, music choir, and fall or spring festivals. The principal also shows
commitment to special education by attending and collaborating with IEP teams and parents for
effective education and well-being of students. This includes discussing ideas with the special
education teachers to make learning effective or improving the environment they are learning in.
Teachers are encouraged to make requests that include books, technology, materials, and training
for improvement of teaching. Lastly, the principal connects with parents using virtual coffee
mornings or phone calls to receive feedback on how the school could improve the experience of
the student or possible concerns in regard to the child’s behavior.
There are important functions for the principal to meet IDEA guidelines and support the
special education community in school. First, it is important to support teachers by offering
training or PLC meetings that focus on classroom management and instruction strategies to work
with students. Another function is being an active learner by becoming familiar with special
education laws considering that some are modified or changed annually. Also, a principal has to
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verify that every student in special education is receiving an appropriate education that addresses
their needs and includes modifications to best serve him/her. Furthermore, principals need to
provide special education teachers with support through teacher aids, modified schedules, and
available resources that align with each student’s IEP. Lastly, principals need to build a
constructive IEP team that will strive to support each student by addressing their needs and
collaborating to find strategies to instruction to support them academically. It is also important to
assure that IEP meetings are productive and making student growth and achievement as the focus
of the meeting.
Two community resources that support special education teams include Special
Olympics. This organization provides students with exceptionalities an opportunity to participate
in sports and lifetime activities. This is an effective resource for special education teams to
provide physical support along with academic and emotional resources. Another resource is Best
Buddies. This is an organization that focuses on supporting students with exceptionalities to
collaborate with others, learn independent skills, and improve their social and emotional well-
beings. Many schools have a Best Buddies club to help special education teachers integrate
students in special education and general education for after-school programs or school events.
As a future athletic director, I will use my experience observing my principal to be a
productive member of my administration team. One observation task that I observed was my
principal creating an urgent plan to take care of our campus health. In this situation, the
administration team had to inform parents about a health case from an individual in school. Their
first step was to find out who was in contact with the individual for tracing and send calls to
parents to inform them of the situation. As stated in Standard 5a of the Professional standards for
Educational Leaders (2015), “Effective leaders build and maintain a safe, caring, and healthy
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school environment that meets that the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each
student.” (p. 13). Based on the immediate response from the administration and success of
keeping everyone safe, I will consider using this plan outline in my future role to provide safety
and care for the well-being of my students. Another task that I observed my principal leading
was student sorting for next school year. They encouraged teachers to collaborate and gather up
data to search for gifted students and those that need additional support in the classroom. This is
an illustration of Standard 7g where effective leaders “Provide opportunities for collaborative
examination of practice, collegial feedback, and collective learning” (p. 15). I understood the
importance of teachers collaborating and this is a task I plan on suggesting as a future member of
administration to support students with diverse learning levels. Lastly, a task that my principal
performed was creating a multicultural meeting for spirit week with teachers to connect with our
school families that are diverse in ethnicities. This function aligns with Standard 8f where
effective leaders “Understand, value, and employ the community’s cultural, social, intellectual,
and political resources to promote student learning and school improvement.” (p. 16). This
practice will be an effective way to promote and encourage my school community to embrace
diversity through cultural events.

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References
National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional Standards for
Educational Leaders. https://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-
Standards-for-Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf

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What are the responsibilities of a special education teacher outside of instruction?

What are the responsibilities of a special education teacher outside of instruction?

What are some of the responsibilities of a principal in relation to special education?

What are some of the responsibilities of a principal in relation to special education?

1

Field Experience C: Practical Implications of IDEA

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD-505: Education Law

May 12, 2021

Field Experience C: Practical Implications of IDEA

The responsibilities of the special education teacher outside of instruction include

students to be placed in the Least Restrictive Environment available. If a student is making

being district representatives in special education meetings including IEPs, teacher-parent

prioritizing resources for students to be successful. As a school leader, it is important to give

for enrichment, and facility access for ease of instruction delivery.

The principal’s involvement with special education students is focused on building a

principal also encourages special education students to participate in extra-curricular activities

the student or possible concerns in regard to the child’s behavior.

special education community in school. First, it is important to support teachers by offering

collaborating to find strategies to instruction to support them academically. It is also important to

Olympics. This organization provides students with exceptionalities an opportunity to participate

Buddies. This is an organization that focuses on supporting students with exceptionalities to

As a future athletic director, I will use my experience observing my principal to be a

an illustration of Standard 7g where effective leaders “Provide opportunities for collaborative

diversity through cultural events.

Educational Leaders. https://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-

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