Introduction to Problem Solving and Flexible Delivery
Problem Solving Model
Facts and Fallacies

Problems with the Traditional Special Education Service Delivery System

• The Philosophy - "the problem resides within the student" - could not the problem be the environment, home issues, or the curriculum?

• Due to the lack of documentation by the classroom teacher - past interventions were disregarded or retried.

• The process allowed little room for professional judgement, opinions, or ideas.

• Little collaboration existed between professionals.

• Often unneeded and unrelated testing was performed.

• Special educators were not effective with their time - often spent time doing unrelated and in-depth norm referenced testing.

• The student did not receive any direct intervention until the 60 day evaluation process was completed. No timely intervention.

• Often students were good testers and their test results did not show enough discrepancy - or they were simply not bad enough. These students slip through the cracks of the system.

• The student has a social stigma of being "labeled."

• There was little flexibility in program options.

• Program options were determined by the deficits as determined by testing without regard to the student's strengths.

• Indirect and infrequent progress monitoring was performed once special education services were initiated.

• The Traditional Service Delivery system created parallel systems and the general education and special education teachers worked individually inhibiting effective service delivery.

SPECIAL EDUCATION ENTITLEMENT IN A FLEXIBLE SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM

 1. The size of the discrepancy of the student's performance from the performance of typical peers is significant.

AND   
    
 2. The resolution to the identified problem has been resistant to intervention.

OR

 3. The intervention has been successful in resolving the identified problem, but the resources necessary to maintain the intervention exceed the capacity of the general education program to maintain the resolution without the assistance of special education.   

Click here to go to the Facts and Fallacies section