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Forms - Sped 5
FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)

Last updated:  04/19/2006 10:36:35 AM

1. Question:
   How do I calculate the general education time for a student who has 150 minutes per week special education in the general education classroom and 300 minutes per week delivered in the resource room?
   
   Answer:
   a.)    Determine the number of instructional minutes per week for all students according to the published school day for the site.  This usually runs about 1800 minutes per week not including lunch.
   
   b.)    Determine the number of minutes per week the student is OUT of the general education setting for special education services (if special education instruction is given in the general education environment then these minutes are not counted as OUT of the general education classroom—these minutes will be counted as IN the general education classroom).
   
   c.)     Subtract the two numbers to get the number of minutes per week that the student is IN the general education setting.
   
   d.)    Figure the percentage of time IN general education by dividing the TOTAL SCHOOL WEEK minutes for that site by the number of minutes the student is IN the general education setting.
   
   Example: Sandy Student receives special education for 150 minutes per week in the general education classroom and 300 minutes per week in the resource room.  The school she attends provides instruction 1800 minutes per week to all students.
   
   1800  –   300  =  1500 minutes spent in the general education classroom.
   
   (1800÷  1500)   x   100 = 83.3% 
   
   This corresponds to Code A (80%-99% of the day in general education)
    

2. Question:
   Will we receive training on the SPED 5?
   
   Answer:
   Look for procedural updates on the website by the end of September. Please refer to your program specialist or psychologist for further training on the SPED 5.
    

3. Question:
   If you are co teaching or doing inclusion are those minutes/that class period counted as special education minutes?   
   
   Answer:
   The minutes are documented on the IEP but not calculated into the formula as specified as per the SPED 5 as they are considered as minutes in the General Ed classroom.
    

4. Question:
   How does Sped 5 allow for documentation of special education service time for self-contained students who are progressively included in the general education classroom with adult support?
   
   Answer:
   The requirement is to report the percent of time a student spends in the general education classroom.  The codes on Sped 5 show the possible ranges that can be used to report the time.  All services and supports must be documented within the IEP, but amount of special education service no longer drives the least restrictive environment code determinations.
    

5. Question:
   IHow do you indicate the amount of time and location of services on the SPED 5?
   
   Answer:
   Currently the location of services is designated in the second column of the SPED 4 (Goals and Objectives).  Sped 5 allows for the frequency of service in minutes per week.  IEP teams can use two lines: one line to write the number of minutes per week special education is delivered IN the general education classroom and below that write the number of minutes OUT of the general education classroom.
   
   Example: Sandy Student receives special education for 150 minutes per week in the general education classroom and 300 minutes per week in the resource room. 
   
   FREQUENCY OF PRIMARY SERVICE 450 MINUTES PER WEEK: 150 MINUTES IN, 300  MINUTES OUT
    

6. Question:
   How does an IEP team reflect unplanned changes in service delivery due to school schedule fluctuations? (i.e. counseling that is typically provided in a group setting, changing one or two times to individual counseling because the student was being mainstreamed).
   
   Answer:
   The IEP document must reflect the service delivery mode that will be used the majority of time.  If services change significantly and frequently, then the IEP must be amended to reflect the current services.  It is important to communicate with parents especially if an altered pattern of services becomes a new practice. 
    

7. Question:
   I need clarification on time for “out of classroom” and “inclusion.”  Please define inclusion, general education, pull out and consult. 
   
   Answer:
   Currently, the state reporting structure only requires the amount of time showing WHERE a student is while receiving instruction.  The determination of least restrictive placement does not involve looking at the type of support or type of curriculum being delivered.  Certainly, these are important to discuss and codify within the IEP document (ex. present levels of performance; goals and objectives, Services to be delivered, and/or Accommodations/Modifications).   The four terms above can mean different things to different people.  Terms used within IEP discussions should be clarified for the purposes of that meeting to ensure all members understand the plan of services being agreed upon. 

    For purposes of the SPED 5 form,

   ·          Inclusion: A student is physically in the general education environment receiving instruction with supports.  The supports can range from accommodations and or modifications to the current curriculum to the provision of an alternate curriculum.

   ·          General Education:  The general education classroom or environment where the general education curriculum is being delivered.

   ·          Pull Out: Refers to special education instruction that is delivered outside the general education environment (resource room or self-contained).

   ·          Consult: Refers to communication between teachers and/or service providers resulting in the reinforcement of instruction according to the IEP goals and objectives. 
    

8. Question:
   For students needing support and access to the general education curriculum creating work packets is essential.  Does making work packets at the students instructional level qualify as direct services?
   
   Answer:
   Developing and creating specialized work packets for students is time consuming but essential to enhance student participation in the general education classroom and for appropriate skill development.  This time is not considered “direct” service but the time during which the student is supported while working on the specialized packet is “direct” service. 
    

9. Question:
   Would you deliver the new SPED forms to the sites rather than teachers having to order them?
   
   Answer:
   The new SPED forms are available on the website for staff to print out at their sites.  The print order that has been submitted will ensure that the new forms can be ordered from the warehouse in the same way all of the other forms are ordered from your site.
    

10. Question:
    If you are co-teaching or doing inclusion, are those minutes (class period) counted as special education minutes?
    
    Answer:
    The minutes are documented on the IEP but not calculated into the formula to determine the LRE code.
    
     

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