What is the Multidisciplinary Team in Arizona?

What is the multidisciplinary team regarding special education here in Arizona? 

The multidisciplinary team is composed of individuals to help evaluate and construct the IEP and put it in force, progress monitoring, goals—that kind of thing. 

Multidisciplinary Team Members

But the multidisciplinary team, you should know, is individualized for each student because each student has individual needs. So, that’s the purpose of this. It’s unique for every student. However, a parent or guardian will always be on the multidisciplinary team. 

The biggest misconception is that parents don’t have a say and are just bystanders in this special education or IEP process. And that’s just simply not true.

Parental Rights as a Member of a Multidisciplinary Team

Maybe a parent feels that way; the school or the other multidisciplinary team members are making them feel that way, but that’s not true. The parents have tons of rights and avenues to go down, and they have a say in the IEP or the services or therapy their child is getting through the public school or charter school setting. 

First and foremost, the parent or guardian is part of that team. Second, it’s usually the general education teacher, just because they have a good observation of the child’s behavior within that environment.

Special Education Teachers and Other Variety of Experts

Special education teachers and usually some members of staff or administration who handle special education are also in that multidisciplinary team. 

However, there are a vast amount of other people who could be part of the team. That could be a psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, and I don’t just mean mental or emotional therapist, but also occupational therapist, physical therapy—all those different types of individuals who may be providing services or evaluating the student for an IEP. 

Again, the multidisciplinary team is the team that gets together and decides if the student needs an evaluation or maybe they already qualify for an IEP. Sometimes they already have enough data. The team will determine that.

Evaluation for IEP or Special Services Qualification 

So, if you have observations from your healthcare provider, parent, or general education teacher, they may already know that the student qualifies for an IEP or special services. 

If not, the team would decide what type of evaluations need to happen. Again, I had talked about parents having a say here. Suppose the parents don’t agree with the evaluators or think that someone should evaluate their child in a specific area, and the other team members disagree—in that case, the parent has a legal right to ask for an independent education evaluation.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Creation | Special Services Provision

It is at the cost of the school, so it’s not something the parent or guardian would have to pay. At that point, the multidisciplinary team would then create the IEP. So—what type of services, special education, and what will the day-to-day look like for that student?

They’re going to set goals and progress monitoring. This team, as I said, is unique for each student. It aims to meet the student’s needs and create a well-tailored IEP for each student.

Who Determines Placement of LRE Students in Arizona?

The first thing parents need to understand is that determining where to place their child for learning is a collaborative effort between the school team and themselves. 

The IEP or Individualized Education Program team, comprised of the student’s teachers, therapists, parents, and administrators, makes this decision.

Therefore, as a parent, you must ensure that you actively participate in all the meetings convened by this team. Your active participation is critical because you are the only person who knows your child best. You understand their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses better than anyone else, and thus your input is essential in making the right decision.

What are the 2 Components of LRE in Arizona?

The LRE approach comprises two main components, which are:

The General Education Setting

Most people think of the general education setting when they hear the phrase ‘Least Restrictive Environment.’

It refers to the typical classroom setting where students with special needs learn alongside their general education counterparts. It helps such students interact with their peers regularly, learn how to socialize, and develop their communication skills.

Supportive Services

The supportive services, on the other hand, are the extra services and accommodations that these students require to be successful in the general education setting.

These may include having a smaller class size, having a paraprofessional in the classroom, or receiving occupational or physical therapy. You must ensure that your child’s IEP team puts these services in place before placing them in the general education setting.

What is the Child Finding Process in Arizona?

The Child Find process is a continuous effort by the public school system to locate, identify, and evaluate children who may have disabilities and need special education services. This process applies to all children aged 3-21 who reside in Arizona.

The evaluation team responsible for carrying out this process is known as the Multidisciplinary Team or MDT.

If you believe your child may have a disability and requires special education services, you should contact your school district’s Special Education Department. The school district will evaluate your child’s eligibility for special education services. Make sure to ask for a copy of the evaluation report to keep it for your records.

What is a 504 Plan in Arizona? 

So, starting with the 504 plan. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act codifies the 504 Plan, which grants civil rights to people who may have a disability. Some disabilities impair them in the classroom so they may need accommodations. Now, a 504 plan does not define what is considered a disability to grant a 504 plan—an IEP does.

What is an IEP in Arizona?

Now, with an IEP, this is when you’re going to get that specialized education. So, the school will pull you out regarding your child for special education. Although in an IEP, you might also get those same accommodations.

Let’s talk about an IEP. An IEP is codified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It grants people with a specified disability, and there’s a list of 13 categories your student must qualify under. And they will have an actual plan, a legally binding document.

Difference Between IEP and 504 Plan Requirements

A 504 plan has a different time frame than an IEP. You can check out my blog on how to get an IEP for your child.

But once the parent initiates the process for an IEP, the clock starts ticking, and the school has a specific time window they must adhere to for your student to receive the IEP. A 504 plan does not have that.

So, sometimes parents should keep reaching out, advocating for their students, and pushing for that. Once you give written notice that you would like to have your child evaluated for a 504 plan, the school must do some evaluation.

Student Evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to collect data to assess the student. Suppose the school already has enough data, teachers’ and parents’ observations; they’re already going to different types of therapy or medical health providers, and they’re all providing data—in that case, an additional evaluation may not be needed.

The process would be that the 504 team would decide if an additional evaluation would need to happen. Once that evaluation has taken place where they feel like there’s already enough data, they’ll determine whether the student is eligible for a 504 plan.

Again, a 504 plan is different from an IEP. In an IEP, you need a specific category of disabilities to qualify. For a 504 plan, that’s not the case.

Who Can Qualify?

The standard is that the student must be physically or mentally impaired, substantially that it limits major life activities. So, if that’s the standard they’re looking at, it can be physical and mental, but it must substantially impair them. If the school finds it, then they will write the 504 plan. And it will address accommodation for the students.

Is a Medical Diagnosis Required for an Arizona 504 Plan?

Is a medical diagnosis required for a child to receive a 504 plan in Arizona?

The answer is no, not necessarily.

A 504 plan can be initiated mainly by a parent or guardian, or teacher if they feel like this student may have a disability that affects their ability to learn. The 504 plan will give them accommodations within the general education setting. You can check out my other blogs, where I discuss what exactly is a 504 plan, the parts of it, and all that information.

But again, we’re talking about: do you need a medical diagnosis for a student to receive a 504 plan? And the answer is no, not necessarily. However, an evaluation is a requirement.

Evaluation Section

Now, a teacher or a different type of therapist inside the school setting can do the evaluation. They can look at the student’s grades and teachers’ and parents’ observations—those can give a clear picture of the student’s ability and assess their eligibility. Sometimes a medical diagnosis is vital to understand the student’s needs clearly, but it’s not necessary.

504 plans are easier and faster to receive for a student than an IEP. And again, because a 504 plan is just addressing accommodation for the student, a medical diagnosis is unnecessary.

Something that also comes up is who would pay for those evaluations. And the answer is the school district will provide that for you.

Independent Education Evaluation

If you disagree with those, you may ask for an independent education evaluation, where a party not employed by the school district may come in and do an assessment of their own. Again, all of this is an evaluation-based standard. Hence, medical diagnosis is not mandatory.

Also, with a 504 plan, you can have any medical condition or disability just if it impairs the student’s ability to learn, so they need accommodations. An IEP, however, is different. It does require an actual diagnosis within a particular category of disability for the students. Again, to reiterate, a medical diagnosis is not mandatory for students to receive a 504 plan.

Contact Special Education Lawyers

The attorneys with Chelle Law can assist with all Special Education needs in Arizona.