Advocating for Support
Attending SST meetings and acting as an interpreter at IEP meetings, made me aware that I had to take an active role in special education, inspiring me to include special education as part of my master’s program.
Overview:
As a member of the Student Support Team—a team dedicated to identifying and supporting students who exhibit academic or behavioral challenges by providing early systemic assistance to connect them to appropriate interventions—I make certain our work does indeed support students and meet their needs. I have interpreted and translated on a regular basis for the school, during parent conferences and at IEP meetings. When a general education student is not making the appropriate progress, he/she is referred to SST. The SST meeting is a forum for planning intervention for this student. At the meeting, the members will review the student’s strengths and weaknesses, school/developmental history, previous interventions, etc. The SST will make suggestions for other interventions, even those which are conducted outside of the school. An action plan will be developed for the child and results will be monitored closely. Evaluation of interventions will be conducted by the team at a later time within the school year.
Importance:
Since Section 56303 of the Education Code states that special education shall not act upon a referral without documented program modifications, this is an important team. It directly impacts a child’s educational future. If interventions do not succeed, the child is referred to more formalized individual testing and then the child is designated and an IEP is created if needed and more specific services or placements are provided.
Skills Gained:
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Communication
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Networking
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System thinker
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Researching appropriate interventions for students who are having educational difficulties
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Researching appropriate interventions and strategies for students who are having behavioral issues
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Problem solving
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Responsibility
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Professionalism
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Understanding grade level expectations and reviewing data
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Advocate of student rights so that they have appropriate services and are not mislabeled
Impact:
Many of the interventions put into place successfully kept students from being placed in programs which would be inappropriate, but for the few that “fell through the cracks” of the system, their education had a major detour. I want to continue to work to prevent that from happening. Working with the SST awakened in me the desire to work more closely in the field of special education. I believe teachers are sometimes too quick to label a child and too slow to make appropriate changes in their teaching style. Interventions and placements must be correct and changes are necessary if the student is going to reach success in school and have the necessary skills to achieve a successful future.
Evidence:
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs.
Myth or Reality? Minority Overrepresentation in Special Education