Intervention and Referral Services
“Our task today is to provide an education for the kinds of kids we have, not the kind of kids we used to have, or want to have, or the kids that exist in our dreams.”
-K.P.Gerlack
Introduction
Intervention & Referral Services (I&RS)provides individualized, general education support services. Students referred to the I&RS team have demonstrated, through multiple measures, a need for a more formalized, intensive learning experience. This process ensures every learner receives what they need to grow. Potential recommendations include: Academic Support Instruction in Reading, Writing, and/or Math, Beyond the Benchmark Instruction, Counseling, Behavioral Interventions, and Screening for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Speech Therapy.
The Intervention Packet and Plan
An I&RS packet is generally completed following a meeting with members of the I&RS team when the referral process has been determined to be the next step of support. The classroom teachers have provided evidence to the team including, but not limited to targeted classroom interventions, parent communication, multiple measures of data collection. Assistance from one or more of the services listed above can be implemented through the I&RS process.
The I&RS Packet compiles relevant data pertaining to the child's referral. Staff members who interact with the child provide feedback through the Information Summary Form, which covers the domains of Classroom Performance, Social and Emotional Characteristics, Behavioral Characteristics, and Physical Development (gross and fine motor control). An Attendance and Health Inventory are also completed. A key piece of the packet is the Family Questionnaire, which is expanded on at the initial parent meeting. A student self-assessment may also be completed.
At the initial parent meeting, present levels of performance are reviewed and school recommendations are presented. Along with parent input, the plan is created and sent home for review. The I&RS plan is short-term and remains active for a maximum of one school year. It consists of classroom recommendations, potential push-in and/or pull-out intervention with one of the service providers, and home recommendations. Progress monitoring is an active component of the plan along with parent communication. Plans generally operate in 5 to 10 week cycles and are adapted to the needs of the child.
Student Profiles Addressed
Classroom teachers, specialists, and support staff members utilize their expertise when identifying a child in need of a more customized approach. They are equipped with the education, experience, and resources to recognize a diverse range of student profiles. Below are a few examples of a profile that may be addressed through the I&RS process.
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present level of performance well below grade-level benchmarks in one or more academic areas
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present level of performance a minimum of one grade level beyond the benchmark(s) in an academic area
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behaviors that impede learning, the following of classroom routines, and/or impact the class setting
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behaviors that impact socialization and the cooperative learning process
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language and/or articulation issues under the Speech/Language domain
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fine motor and/or visual, spatial, and sensory issues under the Occupational Therapy domain
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gross motor and body awareness issues under the Physical Therapy domain
Continued Intervention
An I&RS Plan operates under general education, which means the student does not require specialized instruction with individual goals and objectives carried out by a special education teacher.
A Section 504 Plan is also a general education plan and is provided for students that have a physical or mental impairment that interferes with the educational process, such as learning, or access to learning and/or the school environment. A medical diagnosis will be considered, but does not guarantee a Section 504 Plan. The child’s profile is reviewed by the I&RS Team.
A Section 504 Plan differs from an I&RS plan as it provides more long-term support and transitions with the child across grade levels and beyond EFS, if the need exists. It also provides standardized testing accommodations and more intensive accommodations.
An I&RS plan and the general education protocols are exhausted prior to a referral for special services through the Child Study Team (CST). A recommendation for a Child Study Team evaluation may be warranted if ongoing interventions have not yielded satisfactory progress. Further information can be obtained through a CST evaluation. A child may be eligible for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which falls within special education. This plan modifies student learning goals under Special Education law, while the general education plans accommodate for how the child learns.