Training & Consultation Services (TaC)

Our educational specialists are available to provide technical assistance and professional development in the presentation, interpretation, and implementation of all phases of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We accomplish this directive by designing professional development and providing technical support to improve educational results for all children to ensure the effectiveness of special education programs and services. We receive funding for these services from IDEA Component II Funds.

Transition Guides

What will your child’s life be like once he or she has left high school? Thinking about any child’s future is often difficult, especially if the child has special needs.

• Cameron and Elk County Transition Resource Guide
• McKean County Transition Resource Guide
• Potter County Transition Resource Guide

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology (AT) helps teachers respond to diverse student needs and access, participate, and/or respond to instruction within the general education classroom. As defined by IDEA 2004, assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. Devices range in complexity from no- or low-tech tools to high-tech tools.

To request a consultation for a student’s need for assistive technology, please complete the AT Referral form.

Assistive technology includes

• any tool or device that the student uses to do a task they could not do without it, or any tool that a student uses to do a task more easily, faster, or in a better way (Reed & Lahm 2005); and
• the services the student (or team) needs to acquire the device or to acquire the skills to use it.

Legal Definition
“Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.” 34 CFR 300.6

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a group of complex neurological developmental disabilities characterized by problems with communication, social interaction, and patterns of interest and behavior. All individuals with ASD are important members of the school community. People with ASD contribute to the school community and also benefit from meaningful participation within a community of learners. Autism support services provided in the public school system address needs primarily in the areas of communication, social skills, and/or behaviors consistent with those of autism spectrum disorder.

To request ongoing consultation for a student identified with ASD, complete the Autism Team Referral Form and obtain parental consent.

Inclusive Practices / Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Our commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for each student is to ensure that Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general education setting (with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services) before considering a more restrictive environment.

Intensive Interagency Coordination

The Interagency Coordinator provides links between area schools, child-serving systems, and families to facilitate collaboration in meeting the needs of students. The Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) coordinates and facilitates agency services for children and adolescents. The Interagency Coordinator facilitates the Local Transition Council (LTC) within Cameron/Elk, Potter, and McKean Counties.

Local Transition Council (LTC)

The Local Transition Council promotes effective transition for eligible youth from school to adult life. Its mission is to ensure local coordination with schools, businesses, service providers, and families to achieve successful outcomes for individuals within the community.

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) – Behavior

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) provides a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional, and behavior support. The broad purpose of PBIS is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of schools and other agencies. PBIS improves social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups.

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Defined:

“PBS is an applied science that uses educational methods to expand an individual’s behavior repertoire and systems change methods to redesign an individual’s living environment to first enhance the individual’s quality of life and second to minimize his or her problem behavior” (Carr, et.al. 2002)

Sources and Philosophy of Positive Behavior Support:

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
• Inclusion/Normalization Movement
• Person-Centered Values

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) – Literacy

The literacy consultant provides academic support to improve literacy outcomes through the provision of evidence-based practices, resources, training, and technical assistance.

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) – Mathematics

Within an MTSS model for mathematics, cross-disciplinary teams use a problem-solving process to facilitate shared ownership for enhancing mathematics outcomes. Teams expand their continuum of evidence-based practices and reliable and valid data sources. The development of the infrastructure and implementation efforts occur within the context of culturally responsive practices, positive behavioral supports, and family engagement.

Secondary Transition

Secondary transition is the process of preparing students for life after they leave high school, including participation in post-secondary education or training, employment, and community living. We often refer to these three areas as “post-secondary outcomes,” which are the driving force behind Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) written for students in high school.

BrainSTEPS

BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents and Students) is a brain injury school re-entry consulting program. Service options include the following:

• Educational strategies
• Organizational strategies
• Behavioral strategies
• Environmental modification strategies
• Training for new school staff or school team

Refer a student to BrainSTEPS.

Contact your local BrainSTEPS team via email.

De-escalation Training for Transportation Providers

De-escalation training for transportation contractors, drivers, and van aides teaches techniques and strategies for defusing challenging behavior while on school vehicles.

Education Benefit Review (EBR)

The purpose of the EBR is to determine whether a student’s current IEP is reasonably calculated for the student to receive educational benefit. The EBR process involves comparing the student’s current IEP with the prior two IEPs and guides school teams through the examination of specific components of the IEP.

An EBR training workshop is available for administrator and staff development.

Family Engagement

Recognizing and investing in family engagement policies and practices is key to closing the achievement gap and supporting the success of all students (Harvard Family Research Project, 2010). Successfully engaging families as partners requires local education agencies to

• focus on building trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members;
• recognize, respect, and address families’ needs as well as their differences; and
• embrace a philosophy of partnership where power and responsibility are shared (Henderson et al., 2007).