If you have a question you would like to see answered here, you may e-mail ORPTI at: orpti@oregonvos.net, or leave a voice mail message at: 1-888-505-2673, ext. 211.

Q - Is there a minimum number of days of service under IDEA

Q -What is an Independent Eval, and how do I get one?

Q -What can I expect from OrPTI

Q - One of my son's regular education teachers refuses to provide the accommodations listed in the IEP. Does the teacher decide which accommodations he will, or won't use?

Q- What does a parent's signature on an IEP indicate? I have been told that my signature only shows that I participated in the meeting, not that I agree with the IEP and/or placement. Is there any reason to refuse to sign an IEP?

Q - What trainings does Oregon PTI provide, and how do I get one for parents in my area?

Q – My son has a learning disability and is going to be a senior in high school next year. We are starting to explore colleges for him to attend, and were wondering how he will receive the accommodations he will need at the college level.

Q – My child is turning five in June, he has autism and has been receiving ECSE services. His IFSP includes summer services. There has been confusion over who will be providing those services. Who is responsible?

Q- My daughter is 9, and in third grade. She reads at a first grade fourth month level. The district says that she doesn't qualify for an IEP because she is performing at her potential. Her IQ tests in the low normal range, she has been diagnosed as ADD, and is now on medication. Is there anyway I can access services for her?

Q: What is the difference between Extended School Year (ESY) and Summer School

Q: Who should be at my IEP meeting?

Q—With all the budget cuts, there is a lot of talk about shortening the school year. Isn’t that reduction in service a change in my child’s IEP, or Placement? Does IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) state a minimum number of days that a child on an IEP has to be provided services?  Top of Page

A– The length of the school year is determined by the local school district taking into account the OAR’s regarding length of school year. There is no guidance in IDEA regarding the number of days of service, or length of school year.

Changing the length of school year is not a change in placement, or a change in the IEP unless the change would effect the frequency, duration or initiation dates on the IEP. In that case the IEP team would need to reconvene to decide how to meet the child’s needs in the shortened school year.

For children in the ECSE programs, the agency running the program decides what time frame constitutes the school year, so children in these programs would not necessarily be affected by a school district shortening the school year. However, the "year" can be modified if the agency holds its program in a school and that school will not be available and no other suitable building can be found in a timely or feasible manner.

There may be some transportation issues for both children in ECSE programs and children placed by the resident school district in another district, regional program, charter, private or state school. If the resident district closes earlier than the agency, regional program or the other school district and transportation is part of the IFSP or IEP, then the resident district still has the obligation to provide transportation, at no cost to the parents.

A longer summer break may also effect a student’s regression and recoupment of skills, therefore the team may want to reconsider Extended School Year services. Remember that ESY is for the maintenance of skills, rather than for learning new skills.

If your child is in a transition year (either in High School or going into Kindergarten), you may want to check the annual review dates on the IEP or IFSP. If it is normally in late spring you may want to call the school to have the meeting scheduled in late winter/early spring to ensure an adequate amount of time to focus on transition issues.

Q—What is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), and how do I get one?  Top of Page

A– An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is an evaluation done by a qualified person who is not an employee of the school district. It is usually requested when the parent disagrees with the evaluation provided by the school. Parents have the right to request an IEE if they feel the districts evaluation is inaccurate or incomplete. If the evaluation is incomplete the parent should allow the district the opportunity to provide whatever tests are missing. If the district refuses, the parent should then request the IEE. The request should be in writing, and should ask for the district’s list of qualified evaluators or the qualifications that the evaluators need to meet. The district has two options once a request for an IEE is made: to provide the IEE at district expense, or to take the parent to hearing to prove that their evaluation is adequate.

Once the IEE is completed the IEP team is required to consider it in their decision making process. The word consider is the important one here. The team does not have to follow all of the recommendations, nor does the IEE override any other information the team has. The only requirement is that the team look at and consider the IEE information in any team decisions that the evaluation may be pertinent to.

Q - What Can I Expect from Oregon PTI?  Top of Page

The Mission of the Oregon Parent Training and Information Center is to promote parent/professional partnerships in special education. To do this most effectively, Oregon PTI staff focus on providing workshops and trainings around the state. We believe that the best opportunities are available when parents come together to gather information, share ideas and resources and hear questions asked that you never even thought to ask before!

Oregon Parent Training and Information Center operates on a regional model. We have four Regional Trainers around the state that work from home offices. Trainers serve regions that are comprised of counties. When establishing the regions our Board of Directors tried to balance population and geography making sure that the entire state would be served.

Our main office is in Salem at 2295 NE Liberty Street in Salem.

Oregon Parent Training and Information Center staff are all parents of children with disabilities, or, people who have worked with families in the disability field for many years. 

When you contact the Oregon Parent Training and Information Center, here is what you can expect. If you call our in-state toll free line that goes to the Salem office, our office staff will answer your call during the hours of 9 to 4. If you have a question about resource materials, upcoming workshops and events or just need some general information, the office staff can assist you. If you are calling the Salem office and need to speak with your Regional Trainer, the office staff will transfer your call to the Regional Trainer's voicemail. All Trainers check their Salem voice mail twice each day (Their message will indicate if they are traveling or otherwise unavailable). The main office can also provide you with a list of the regional Trainers and their home office numbers.  If you have a question regarding special education, our Help Line is available to assist you at 888-891-6784.

The Help Line can answer specific questions, or will work with you to identify what outcome you would like to achieve. Sometimes it is easy to sort out the needs and set a goal; other times, it is a monumental undertaking. We make every effort to bring the issues out and help identify next steps for you, while at the same time, making certain that you have the information you need to work knowledgeably with your child's school. Our goal is to empower parents to be able to advocate effectively for their child through the training and technical assistance that we offer.

We recognize that oftentimes parents need more from their Regional Trainer. The Oregon Parent Training and Information Center recognizes parents need to have support at IEP meetings. We have established the IEP Partner program in response to that need. These partners go through an intensive two-day training, and receive ongoing support from the Oregon Parent Training and Information Center staff. Once trained the partners are available to be assigned to attend IEP meetings in their area on behalf of Oregon PTI. Stipends are provided to the partners to assist with childcare and transportation costs. If you are interested in becoming an IEP partner please contact the Help Line.

What Trainers DO:

Conduct workshops and trainings for their regions. Workshops and trainings are both those set up by Oregon PTI and those requested by parent groups, schools and agencies.

Serve as members of local and state committees.

Participate in Oregon PTI's annual Wagonwheel conference.

Contribute to the bi-monthly Oregon PTI Newsletter.

Q - One of my son's regular education teachers refuses to provide the accommodations listed in the IEP. Does the teacher decide which accommodations he will, or won't use?  Top of Page

A - The IEP Team determines which modifications and accommodations the student needs. If the team has agreed that the service will be provided, it must be provided. I would suggest that you talk to the teacher and make sure he understands what is listed in the IEP. If that has been done, try to discover why that teacher is refusing to make the accommodation. Perhaps the teacher needs some support to be able to provide what is necessary for your child. If that is the case, the IEP Team needs to address that teacher's need for support.

Q- What does a parent's signature on an IEP indicate? I have been told that my signature only shows that I participated in the meeting, not that I agree with the IEP and/or placement. Is there any reason to refuse to sign an IEP?  Top of Page

A- An IEP Team member's signature on the IEP signifies participation in the creation of that IEP. Unfortunately, the answer cannot be that simple! If a team member disagrees with parts of the IEP or placement, and may want to challenge them, that team member should document what they disagree with. That documentation can be made directly on the IEP, or a note made by the signature to see an attached explanation. If the dispute does go to a due process hearing, the hearing officer could determine that signing the IEP implied agreement. Documentation of the problem may help the team find some resolution before the complaint is taken to a higher level.

Q - What trainings does Oregon PTI provide, and how do I get one for parents in my area?  Top of Page

A - The Trainers at Oregon PTI provide a variety of trainings. We will be working closely with the Oregon Department of Education this next school year providing trainings on, Schoolwide systems: RTI and PBS. Look for more information from your school, on our workshop page on this website, or in our newsletters.

We will also provide training on other topics including, Parent / Professional partnerships, Disability Awareness, Communication Skills, Advocacy, IEP's, Early Intervention, Transition to Kindergarten, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety and Related Disorders and occasionally other special requests.

The best way to make sure there will be a training in your area is to help organize one. Call your Oregon PTI Trainer. Let her know there is interest in a certain topic and help her make arrangements to provide that training in your area. We appreciate hearing from interested parents, and can use assistance in securing a site, and getting the word out to other interested folks.

Q – My son has a learning disability and is going to be a senior in high school next year. We are starting to explore colleges for him to attend, and were wondering how he will receive the accommodations he will need at the college level.  Top of Page

A – I'm glad you are starting this process while your son is still in high school. There are a couple of things you need to be aware of and be planning for. Regardless of which college your son attends, in order to get accommodations he will need a current evaluation. Most colleges say a current evaluation is no more than three years old. With the LD label you also need to make sure that he has an adult IQ test. One way to make sure that you have current testing done is to write it in his IEP as a transition goal. You could also write in the exploration of Student Services at the colleges or universities that he is interested in or housing options at post secondary education. You may also want to explore scholarships, there are some specifically for students with disabilities. Transition is about a student’s life after high school. It needs to address where he is going next, and what he needs to get there.

Q – My child is turning five in June, he has autism and has been receiving ECSE services. His IFSP includes summer services. There has been confusion over who will be providing those services. Who is responsible?  Top of Page

A – The ECSE provider would be responsible until the beginning of the school year. You should be having a transition meeting with all the parties involved before the end of the school year.

Q- My daughter is 9, and in third grade. She reads at a first grade fourth month level. The district says that she doesn't qualify for an IEP because she is performing at her potential. Her IQ tests in the low normal range, she has been diagnosed as ADD, and is now on medication. Is there anyway I can access services for her?  Top of Page

A- There are a couple of different directions you could try. My first suggestion is that you request that your child be considered for eligibility for an IEP under the Other Health Impaired (OHI) label. In the recently released regulations for IDEA 97 Attention Deficit Disorder was listed as one example of the types of disabilities that could qualify under OHI. Remember, if your child does not need special instruction, or special education because of the disability she would not qualify for an IEP. You are a part of the team that makes the eligibility decision. Be prepared for that meeting. Know what areas your child is having difficulty in, and how the disability (ADD) affects her learning. If your daughter is found not to qualify, you will receive written notice of the team’s reasons for that decision. You would then want to consider placing your child on a 504 plan. The 504 plan is a written plan of accommodation that can be accessed for any child who has a disability and needs accommodations to access public education.

Q: What is the difference between Extended School Year (ESY) and Summer School  Top of Page

A - Summer school is an option that is offered by some school districts to help students catch up. It is not specially designed instruction, it is based on the general curriculum. Extended School Year is a service that helps special education students who qualify for it to maintain their level of functioning. For students who qualify, extended school year would be a part of their Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). In order to qualify, a student must show that they lose more skills than the "normal" student during breaks from school and it takes them longer to gain those skills back. This is sometimes called the regression recoupment rate. This regression recoupment rate can be documented over short breaks from school like Christmas vacation or Spring Break. The need for ESY should be discussed at your IEP meeting.

Q: Who should be at my IEP meeting?  Top of Page

A: Let's start with who is required to be at an IEP meeting. You, the parent(s) should be there, a special education teacher, the district representative (sometimes that's the principal, or superintendent), if the child is in or may be in a regular education classroom, the regular education teacher, and if appropriate, the child.

Most of the IEP meetings I have attended have included more than 5 people. So who are the others who should or may be invited? You, or the school, may want to invite any other personnel who will be providing service to you child, i.e.: the vision specialist, speech and language pathologist, physical therapist, counselor ... etc. If you would like to keep the meeting small, you can request input be given in writing.  Any member of the IEP team may be excused from the meeting if the school and parent agree to the excusal.

I would strongly suggest that you prepare for the meeting by writing an agenda of issues and concerns you would like addressed. It is also a good idea to bring someone who will support you through the meeting, and take notes for you, or remind you to ask those questions you need answered. IEP meetings can be difficult for parents because of the emotional drain of dealing with our own child's deficits. Emotional support can help keep the process a positive one.

updated 7-26-07