what is supposed to happen?

I'm curious about something that I do not know how to find out the real answer on my own. I want to know how and where to look it up and find it in writing so I can refer to it if I need to.

If the resource or RSP teacher who is using the push-in OR pull-out model is absent, are they required by law to make up the minutes missed or at least send in a substitute teacher?

There are conflicting stories all over the place, and I'm confused and would really like some help. In a neighboring county I know that if an RSP teacher is absent, he/she must call a substitute, this also goes for resource aides as well. If no substitute is found, the resource teacher must find a way to make up the minutes lost.

Do you know anything about this? Is this federal? Is this according to state? If an IEP says a student is supposed to receive support for an hour a day, for example, and an entire month goes by without support, what does this mean for being in compliance?

Thanks.

[Lottalove]

they are out of compliance--a Federal violation--in each of the situations you described. Technically, they are supposed to make those minutes up. Terms of service should align to the same school days as the regular ed school year as far as start dates and end dates. Never, ever should a whole month go by with nothing. That is so wrong.

At my school, we do get a sub when we are absent with every few exceptions--like extreme emergencies and no sub can be located.

The only times we are allowed to dismiss services/minutes without making them up are times like when the whole gen ed population is missing as well--like a holiday or a snow day, etc OR when we are missing very occasionally for another SpEd thing like the occasional IEP meeting or 1:1 assessment, observation, etc. Even then with IEP meetings, we try to change up the time of day/day of the week so that we don't miss the same students every time.

I also know that the Speech implementers are allowed to miss services without penalty at times like when they are helping at the the Pre-K and K screening times and the school wide health fair--again, occasional absences.

[teabreak]

A sub should be there to implement the minutes. If there is no sub then the minutes should be made up for the week. This is what is expected in our district anyway.

[dee]

However, no Dept of Ed will penalize a school for the occassional absence. The DOE won't even step in unless there is a hearing request filed by the parent.

This is a district by district thing as far as I can tell. In our district, if I am absent, I have to make up the time. If the kid is absent, I don't. If there is a school-wide day off or an assembly, I don't. When my son had surgery and I was out for 5 days, I had sub plans and a sub. When I was out a day for a conference, I did not have a sub, and I had to make up the time.


Good schools follow good practices. Our director has told us that (unpublished) research done by her colleagues show that in our geographical area of eastern Massachusetts, compliance ranges from 28% to 95%. And yes, that really is 28%!!!!!!! We were shocked. Good directors and good schools make sure that the most fragile and needy students get the services that they are entitled so that they can succeed. (We were 92%)