Students with disabilities will receive special education services both in-person at school and online. Students participating in the hybrid model will be scheduled to attend school certain days each week with their general education peers. When students are at school with their general education cohort, they will receive special education service in person. On days their general education cohort is scheduled for distance learning, students receiving special education services will receive special education services and general education coursework remotely from home.

Special education staff will collaborate with families to determine what services are needed during both in person and distance learning. In addition, special education staff will collaborate regularly with general education teachers in order for students to access the general education curriculum with the modifications and accommodations in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). The formats, frequency and duration of special education and related services through in person and distance learning will be determined by your child’s IEP team. 

It is important that families share their student’s needs and expectations with their child's case manager. Share with case managers what did and did not work well for your student when they did distance learning last spring so those issues can be addressed through the IEP team process.

Some students on IEPs may need additional support and services above and beyond the two days of in person instruction. Based on progress towards IEP goals and student needs, IEP teams may discuss the need for one additional day of in person school services. These decisions will be made on a case by case basis as part of the IEP team.

Face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer does not know they are infected. Students are required to wear a face cover while riding the bus and while at school. These can be paper or disposable, cloth, scarf, bandana or a religious face covering. Clear plastic shields are also allowed under certain conditions. Temporary removal of coverings to eat, participate in activities or just take a short break are also acceptable. 

Students have increased flexibility to wear

• A face shield (a clear plastic barrier that covers the face) allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements for speech perception and may be used as an alternative to a face covering in the following situations:
  • Among students in Kindergarten through grade 8, when wearing a face covering is problematic.
  • For staff, students, or visitors who cannot tolerate a face covering due to a developmental, medical, or behavioral health condition.
     

If your child’s disability impedes the wearing of a face covering, Anoka-Hennepin School District will support by exploring what protection will be best to meet your child’s needs.

Students with disabilities will continue to virtually receive special education services as outlined in their IEPs.    During distance learning, our special education staff (which includes but is not limited to: special education teachers, special education paraeducators, speech and language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists) will provide special education services using a variety of different strategies and online tools based on an individual student’s needs. Distance learning will include tools such as instructional videos, online access to educational programs, virtual live sessions, parent consultation, telehealth sessions, and additional resources. Special education staff will collaborate with families to determine what services are needed during distance learning. In addition, special education staff will collaborate regularly with general education teachers in order for students to access the general education curriculum with the modifications and accommodations in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). The formats, frequency and duration of special education and related services through distance learning will be determined by your child’s IEP team. 

It is important that families share their student’s needs and expectations with their child's case manager. Share with case managers what did and did not work well for your student when they did distance learning last spring so those issues can be addressed through the IEP team process.

If accommodations or modifications need to be adapted in the IEP, the IEP team will discuss those changes through an IEP team meeting.

Distance learning will include tools such as instructional videos, online access to educational programs, virtual live sessions, parent consultation, telehealth sessions, and additional resources. Additional resources may include (but is not limited to): activity kits, paper and pencil activities, and other work activities that fit your student’s developmental level.

Choice boards have been improved and are now called Distance Learning Lesson Plans. Your child will receive a Distance Learning Lesson Plan from your child’s special education case manager weekly. The distance learning lesson plans will be created from your special education case managers, in collaboration with other service providers, as outlined on your student’s IEP. These lesson plans will include live instruction, pre-recorded instruction and independent work opportunities to support progress of skills in each area(s) of need.

• To make it easier for families, we are working to provide one coordinated Google Classroom set up for your child's lessons so families don't have to learn different Google Classroom layouts for distance learning 
  • SeeSaw will also be utilized at the elementary level
• Variety of methodologies to access materials and show learning (see question above)
• Focused approach to data collection for IEP goals and objectives
• Grading- please see handbook for details.
• Learning will happen both synchronously and asynchronously

"Regular" distance learning for a student is learning for the length of a typical school day which is usually about six hours in Anoka-Hennepin Schools. On the other hand, homebound instruction is usually one hour a day or as determined by the Special Education IEP team and provided one-to-one by a tutor who is a licensed teacher. While the curriculum may be the same as that used by the student's usual class, it is adapted and individualized to meet the student's progress needs so they can keep pace despite the much shorter instruction time. Homebound instruction is an IEP team decision.

Yes. If a student is unable to participate with their class in distance learning activities because of medical or other issues, the student's IEP team will still write a homebound (Federal Setting 8) IEP. There are many reasons why a student may be unable to participate in regular distance learning activities such as a physical or mental illness; not enough stamina to engage in learning activities for the length of a regular school day; or may be unable to keep up with their regular school activity. Note: An outside service provider will need to document their recommendation that the student receive homebound services.

All students in Anoka-Hennepin are provided 2 days a week of in person instruction in the hybrid model. Based on progress towards IEP goals and student needs, IEP teams may discuss the need for additional in person time and support. The purpose of the additional time and support is to focus on progress toward IEP goals & objectives.

No, a student cannot be enrolled in two districts at one time. Your student will receive their special education services in the district in which the school you are enrolled in.

Yes. Services will be provided through the learning model that Anoka-Hennepin school district is following at a given point in time.

Work with your child’s IEP team to discuss barriers and possible solutions.

Service delivery will be individualized to meet IEP/IFSP goals and align with the learning model that Anoka-Hennepin School District is in at any given time.

Case management assignments are determined by each school. There are multiple factors that impact the case manager assignments. If your student is changing schools, the special education case manager will be assigned from your child’s current school of attendance.

As we transition into the school year, your student’s case manager will be contacting you to discuss your student’s IEP. One of the topics to be discussed will be progress from the previous two trimesters of the 19-20 school year and Extended School Year skill maintenance (if applicable). Case managers will use data collected from progress monitoring to measure growth, maintenance or regression of skills or behaviors. IEP team determinations will be made for service and goal adjustments based on the data collected from the school.

When students are distance learning (whether hybrid or 5 days a week), our special education staff (which includes but is not limited to: special education teachers, special education paraeducators, speech and language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists) will provide special education services using a variety of different strategies and online tools based on an individual student’s needs. These services will be in alignment with IEP goals, objectives, and service minutes. Staff will support students remotely during this time.

Anoka-Hennepin schools will review the delivery of special education and related services, as well as general education curriculum to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to the general education curriculum when students are learning remotely at home. This includes communication between the IEP manager, the general education teachers, the parent/guardian, and related service providers to ensure students with disabilities can be appropriately involved and make progress toward the general education standards and IEP goals.

Your student’s least restrictive environment (LRE) will be followed as indicated in their IEP. All students will follow their schedule. If a student is scheduled to access mainstream for a portion of their day, they would participate with their peers in the mainstream classroom.

School social workers, counselors and psychologists will also be available to students and families through a variety of means. Parents/guardians are encouraged to speak with their student’s case manager. If your student has IEP goal(s)/objectives or services in the area of social-emotional learning, your child’s special education service provider(s) will provide instruction and support to your child.

IEPs will continue to be implemented. Anoka-Hennepin will continue to provide a continuum of special education and related services to students with an individualized education program (IEP). Regardless of the learning model, students will be provided with instruction and services related to individualized goals and objectives. As we move into the 20-21 school year and prepare for each of the learning models (hybrid/FlexEd, in person, distance learning), student’s IEPs will need to be amended to reflect special education services, least restrictive environment and accommodations/modifications for each of the potential scenarios throughout the school year. 

IEP case managers will contact each family at the start of school to discuss plans for individual students. IEP managers will communicate (via phone or virtually) with parents and guardians regarding their child’s special education service, which may include discussion regarding amending Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to address how best to meet the student’s needs in each of the learning models. This includes direct specialized instruction, related services least restrictive environment, and accommodations.

Regardless of learning models, IEP services, accommodations, and modifications will be provided and followed as outlined in the IEP.

Anoka-Hennepin School District will continue to complete special education re-evaluations regardless of the learning model unless the district is in distance learning only which may be implemented if local, regional, or statewide COVID-19 metrics worsen significantly enough to require suspension of in person learning. The district will contact you to discuss or amend an evaluation plan and scheduling of testing sessions.

If you have concerns about your child’s educational performance and would like to consider a special education evaluation, contact the Assistant Principal or Counselor at your child’s school. Anoka-Hennepin School District will conduct special education assessments in the Fall of 2020.

Anoka-Hennepin Schools will address translation and interpreter needs for students and families when developing and providing due process materials.

Anoka-Hennepin Schools will hold virtual IEP meetings or phone conferences to hold IEP, evaluation, and re-evaluation meetings in accordance with regular due process dates. Please contact your student’s case manager with questions.

Data will be collected in a variety of formats, as outlined in your student’s IEP goals and objectives. Case managers will use data collected from progress monitoring to measure growth, maintenance or regression of skills or behaviors. IEP team determinations will be made for service and goal adjustments based on the data collected from the school.

Services will be delivered to families/students utilizing technology and focusing on the coaching model via Google Meet, See Saw, email, and phone calls.  Individual IFSP teams may decide to have limited in person visits at a district designated school site for specific reasons such as a motor need, equipment trial, technology training, or other issue that cannot be resolved via technology but can be resolved via a limited number of in person visits at a school site. The school site, in person visits should be no more than 1 in 4 sessions.  

At this time no visits can take place in homes.

Early Intervention Program students (3, 4, and 5 year olds) in center daycares that adhere to all safety guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health including social distancing, may have 1 in 4 visits occur at the center daycare site provided the daycare center allows for outside adult entrance.  The remaining visits will be done remotely. See Saw and Google Meet as well as email will be used for lesson sharing and communication with families.

The Early Intervention Social Worker and Early Intervention staff will work with families to overcome barriers.

All in-person sessions will be following the safety guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Please contact Marsha Polys, Program Supervisor at 763-506-2401 or marsha.polys@ahschools.us with questions regarding Early Intervention Services.

Early Childhood Special Education Preschool Services will be offered in 2 models: hybrid or distance learning.

• Hybrid Model: all ECSE students will be coming to school for face to face instruction for at least 50% of their scheduled class sessions and engage in online learning for 50% of their scheduled class time.  The number of children in the classroom will be reduced to allow for social distancing guidelines as outlined by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control.
  • Classroom capacity includes the number of students + adults in the classrooms at any one time.  Early Childhood Programming in Anoka-Hennepin will reduce numbers in classrooms to a level of 50% of the classroom capacity.
  • All classrooms will be staffed with a Licensed Teacher, Special Education Para Educator and related service providers (Occupational Therapist ,Physical Therapist, and Speech Language Pathologist). Staffing will increase based on student needs and room capacity.
• Distance Learning Model: all ECSE students will be receiving their preschool instruction and IEP services through online platforms.  See Saw and Google Meet will be used for lesson sharing and communication with families.
  • Early Childhood Special Education social workers will work with staff and families to overcome barriers and provide families with other needed resources.

Special education services will be provided to students as identified in their Individualized Education Plan.

Please contact Amy Homicke, Program Supervisor at 763-506-6101 or amy.homicke@ahschools.us with questions related to Early Childhood Special Education Preschool Programs.

Within our transition programs at Bridges and Pathways we are dedicated to keeping our students engaged in employment, post-secondary and independent-living activities. Our focus is to continue to increase student skills in these areas during distance learning. 

Students enrolled in the transition program at Bridges or Pathways will follow the same model as other secondary students within the Anoka-Hennepin School and the hybrid/flex ed model. Special education teachers are creating flexible learning activities to meet the needs of the students and their families/caregivers during the hybrid/flex ed model.

Direct instruction will occur through:

• Online platform using Google Classroom and Google Meet
• Phone calls, emails, and/or Google Chat
• Use of presentation (Google slides and paper copies)
• Links to recorded videos and sites
• Checklists and worksheets
• Activities through choice boards, some activities can be completed with caregivers and others are for the students to complete

Teachers will be collecting data through forms/surveys, parent and student input through interactive communication, work samples and/or other submitted work products

Teachers will monitor and record attendance through student engagement and interaction based on when students log on, join meetings, and/or when they have completed the tasks provided to them.