In order for administrators to ensure that the needs of their special education students are being met, they must enlist the assistance of many qualified educators. Special Education students can have many different needs, so administrators need to know which people are best suited to help. Decriptions of special education personnel that administrators should be comfortable with follow.
General Classroom Teachers: Often times special needs students are included in the general education classroom, so general education classroom teachers need to be able to support those students. General education teachers must be able to meet the needs of their special education students by collaborating, differentiating instruction, implementing RtI, and utilizing a variety of instructional and behavioral strategies. Special education teachers will support the general education teachers, but typically the majority of instruction is provided to special needs students from the general classroom teacher. General classroom teachers, in order to be highly qualified, have at least a bachelor's degree, are certified by the state, and demonstrate competence in the content areas in which they teach (Smith, 2016).
Special Education Teachers: In order to be a highly qualified special education teacher, according to the U.S. Department of Education, one must obtain full state certification as a special education teacher or pass the state special education teacher licensing examination, and obtain a license to teach special education in their state. Many special education teachers now work in the classroom alongside general education classroom teachers to better support their special needs students. However, some special education teachers work one on one with students in a resource room and some have a self-contained classroom with only special needs students. Special Education teachers are responsible for assessing students to determine their needs, developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), implementing, updating, and reviewing the student's IEP, and for including parents, teachers, and administrators in the process of educating special needs students (Smith, 2016).
Paraprofessionals: Paraprofessionals are teaching assistants that work closely with the teachers to help provide the best educational opportunity for students. The duties of paraprofessionals range from doing clerical work to providing instruction directly to students. These individuals should be utilized appropriately to be of most benefit to the students and to the teachers. They should receive ongoing professional development in order to help them provide the best support (Smith, 2016).
Speech-Language Pathologists: If special needs students have any oral language difficulties, they should receive therapy from a Speech-Language Pathologist. These individuals are responsible for evaluating students oral language needs, determining an appropriate treatment plan for the student, communicating the plan to parents, teachers, and administrators, and implementing, updating, and reviewing the plan. Typically these therapists provide therapy in a speech therapy room, but some provide therapy in the general education classroom setting (Smith, 2016).
Physical Therapists: Students with physical and/or motor problems should receive therapy from physical therapists. These therapists will review medical records and observe the student to determine what the students physical and/or motor needs are. They will also create a plan to address these needs through exercises, hands on therapy, etc. They are also responsible for implementing and evaluating this individual plan, as well as communicating these plans to the parents, teachers, and administrators (Smith, 2016).
Occupational Therapists: Occupational therapists are related to physical therapists. They assist special needs students with a variety of physical needs through the use of everyday activities. Occupational therapists are often used to assist with fine motor difficulties like writing and using a keyboard. They are responsible for assessing the students needs, developing a plan to address the students needs, implementing and evaluating the plan, and communicating the plan to parents, teachers, and administrators (Smith, 2016).
School Psychologists: When students are evaluated for special education, a school psychologist often administers a majority of the assessments special needs students require for initial as well as annual and tri-annual evaluations. These professionals also often provide interventions to assist special needs students with behavior problems (Smith, 2016).
School Social Workers: Many students with special needs also need services that are provided outside of the school. Schools frequently employ social workers to provide a support for families to be able to find the additional support services that they may need for their students to be successful (Smith, 2016).
Mental Health Services: Students with special needs may require services related to mental health. California Assembly Bill 114 made mental health services the responsibility of the school district of residence. Some districts hire their own personnel to address the mental health needs of their students, however, most contract with their county to receive the necessary services (Kemerer, 2009).
General Classroom Teachers: Often times special needs students are included in the general education classroom, so general education classroom teachers need to be able to support those students. General education teachers must be able to meet the needs of their special education students by collaborating, differentiating instruction, implementing RtI, and utilizing a variety of instructional and behavioral strategies. Special education teachers will support the general education teachers, but typically the majority of instruction is provided to special needs students from the general classroom teacher. General classroom teachers, in order to be highly qualified, have at least a bachelor's degree, are certified by the state, and demonstrate competence in the content areas in which they teach (Smith, 2016).
Special Education Teachers: In order to be a highly qualified special education teacher, according to the U.S. Department of Education, one must obtain full state certification as a special education teacher or pass the state special education teacher licensing examination, and obtain a license to teach special education in their state. Many special education teachers now work in the classroom alongside general education classroom teachers to better support their special needs students. However, some special education teachers work one on one with students in a resource room and some have a self-contained classroom with only special needs students. Special Education teachers are responsible for assessing students to determine their needs, developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), implementing, updating, and reviewing the student's IEP, and for including parents, teachers, and administrators in the process of educating special needs students (Smith, 2016).
Paraprofessionals: Paraprofessionals are teaching assistants that work closely with the teachers to help provide the best educational opportunity for students. The duties of paraprofessionals range from doing clerical work to providing instruction directly to students. These individuals should be utilized appropriately to be of most benefit to the students and to the teachers. They should receive ongoing professional development in order to help them provide the best support (Smith, 2016).
Speech-Language Pathologists: If special needs students have any oral language difficulties, they should receive therapy from a Speech-Language Pathologist. These individuals are responsible for evaluating students oral language needs, determining an appropriate treatment plan for the student, communicating the plan to parents, teachers, and administrators, and implementing, updating, and reviewing the plan. Typically these therapists provide therapy in a speech therapy room, but some provide therapy in the general education classroom setting (Smith, 2016).
Physical Therapists: Students with physical and/or motor problems should receive therapy from physical therapists. These therapists will review medical records and observe the student to determine what the students physical and/or motor needs are. They will also create a plan to address these needs through exercises, hands on therapy, etc. They are also responsible for implementing and evaluating this individual plan, as well as communicating these plans to the parents, teachers, and administrators (Smith, 2016).
Occupational Therapists: Occupational therapists are related to physical therapists. They assist special needs students with a variety of physical needs through the use of everyday activities. Occupational therapists are often used to assist with fine motor difficulties like writing and using a keyboard. They are responsible for assessing the students needs, developing a plan to address the students needs, implementing and evaluating the plan, and communicating the plan to parents, teachers, and administrators (Smith, 2016).
School Psychologists: When students are evaluated for special education, a school psychologist often administers a majority of the assessments special needs students require for initial as well as annual and tri-annual evaluations. These professionals also often provide interventions to assist special needs students with behavior problems (Smith, 2016).
School Social Workers: Many students with special needs also need services that are provided outside of the school. Schools frequently employ social workers to provide a support for families to be able to find the additional support services that they may need for their students to be successful (Smith, 2016).
Mental Health Services: Students with special needs may require services related to mental health. California Assembly Bill 114 made mental health services the responsibility of the school district of residence. Some districts hire their own personnel to address the mental health needs of their students, however, most contract with their county to receive the necessary services (Kemerer, 2009).