As part of a series of memos sent to LEAs on September 9, 2019, Carole L. Clancy, Director of PDE’s Bureau of Special Education, released a PennLink communiqué titled 2019-2020 School Year Restraint Information System Collection Tracking and Training – First Quarter Reporting Window. That memo reminds LEAs that the 2019-2020 Restraint Information System Collection (RISC) is open for data entry.  The system has been enhanced and gives local education agencies (LEAs) greater opportunity to provide both more detail about restraints and to analyze trends in reducing the use of physical restraints.

The Bureau of Special Education (BSE) continues to require LEAs to report the restraints that occurred in each quarter. This reporting process permits LEAs to report restraints in a timely manner which, in turn, allows LEAs to monitor patterns of episodic behaviors and address them accordingly. The quarterly windows of reporting for the 2019-2020 school year are as follows:

Q	Begin	End	Last Rept Day	Window Opens	Window Closes
1	7/01/19	9/30/19	10/20/19	10/01/19	10/20/19
2	10/01/19	12/31/19	1/15/20	1/01/20	1/15/20
3	1/01/20	3/31/20	4/15/20	4/01/20	4/15/20
4	4/01/20	6/30/20	7/15/20	7/01/20	7/15/20

The RISC reporting design provides an “End Date” for LEAs to comply with their end of quarterly reporting. In addition, there is a two-week window date labeled “Last Day to Report” to allow LEAs to gather and report on those students that attend an out-of-district facility where they were placed in a restraint during that quarter. This two-week period is also a designated time for LEAs that had no restraints during the quarter to report zero in RISC. BSE will continue to send out reminder PENN*LINKS about this quarterly reporting requirement.

BSE will continue to monitor the restraint information reported by LEAs. RISC continues to require each LEA to report the event prior to the incident, the incident, the unsafe behavior, and the de-escalation techniques utilized. The LEA must notify the parent(s) of the use of a restraint and schedule an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting within ten (10) school days of the use of the restraint in the educational program, or after written notice, the parent agrees in writing to waive the IEP meeting. Additionally, restraints occurring during Extended School Year sessions should be reported within three weeks of the start of the school year.

In reviewing restraints submitted in RISC, the Special Education Advisers of BSE will continue to focus on LEA monitoring responsibilities as well as training of staff in de-escalation techniques; excessive time of restraint; excessive use of parent waivers; mechanical restraints; injuries; number of restraints; and 10-day window (school days) to convene an IEP after a restraint occurs.

A RISC reporting webinar is posted on the RISC site at https://apps.leaderservices.com/_risc/index.aspx. The RISC reporting webinar link is located below the login box of the Leader Services RISC sign-in page. This webinar explains the reporting process and how to use the RISC system. The webinar also shares how to update your LEA’s contact information. All parties involved with RISC are highly encouraged to view this webinar to learn how to report restraints, how to use the system, and to understand the regulatory responsibility of LEAs.

Additionally, BSE’s “Guidelines for De-escalation and the Use of/and Reporting of Restraints in Education Entities” is available for review on the RISC site.

Questions regarding RISC should be directed to either of the following Special Education Advisers: Keith Focht at 717.783.6921 or [email protected] / Pat Haglund at 814.662.2662 or [email protected].

PASA Updates and Training Announcement

On September 9, 2019, Carole L. Clancy, Director of PDE’s Bureau of Special Education, released a PennLink memo titled Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA): Updates and Training Announcement. The memo states that the PASA enrollment window opens September 30, 2019, and closes November 15, 2019.  The enrollment window will not be available after he deadline has passed.  Only students newly identified PASA eligible and/or new to the service provider may be enrolled through the PASA vendor after November 15, 2019.  All other requests to enroll students outside of the enrollment window will be directed to the Bureau of Special Education (BSE).

Also, the PASA test administration window is from February 24, 2020, through April 10, 2020, for all content areas.  The service provider may determine the schedule for test administration within this window, including the order in which the subject area assessments are administered.

A live webinar training entitled “2020 PASA Getting Ready Annual Updates” will be held on September 25, 2019, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  This training is sponsored directly by BSE and is separate from the PASA Test Administration training provided by the assessment vendor.  The 2020 PASA Getting Ready Annual Updates training is designed for special education administrators and/or the PASA Assessment Coordinator (AC).  Guidance from BSE is that the PASA AC continue to be an administrator with decision making authority on behalf of the local education agency (LEA) or service provider.  The training session will provide a high-level overview of important factors in the assessment cycle – enrollment, training, administration, accountability and reporting. 

BSE will also provide updated information regarding the Every Student Succeeds Act requirements pertaining to the 1.0 percent threshold of students who participate in the alternate assessment.  Pennsylvania received a letter from the U.S. Department of Education in June 2019 placing grant conditions on the state’s fiscal year 2019 Title 1, Part A award contingent on a plan to reduce the number of students in the state who participate in the alternate assessment.  In accordance with Pennsylvania’s 1.0 Percent Threshold Compliance Plan of Action, the justification process required of LEAs who anticipate exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold has been updated.  The new form and updated submission requirements will be reviewed during this webinar.

LEAs and service providers are strongly encouraged to ensure participation of the Special Education Administrator PASA AC in this training.  The PASA AC receives important assessment announcements through electronic mail from the PASA vendor and serves as the point of contact with the PASA vendor and BSE.  Please ensure that contact information in the PASA digital system is current.

PASA Assessment Coordinators and special education administrators responsible for the implementation of the PASA may register for the training session by clicking here.

The webinar will be presented through Zoom.  The training will be recorded and posted on both the PDE and Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network websites following the training for staff who are unable to attend the live webinar. 

Questions regarding this training opportunity may be directed to Lisa Hampe, Special Education Adviser, at [email protected] or 742.425.3000 or Lynda Lupp, Statewide Assessment Coordinator, at [email protected] or 800.441.3215, ext. 7233.

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PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold

Also, on September 9, 2019, Carole L. Clancy, PDE’s Director Bureau of Special Education, released a second PennLink titled Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification. That memo announced that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 1.0 percent participation threshold requirements for local education agencies (LEAs) administering the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) for students with significant cognitive disabilities continues to be in effect for the 2019-20 school year. ESSA requires Pennsylvania to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject, using the alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, does not exceed 1.0 percent of the total number of all students in the state assessed on the statewide assessments.  In accordance with 34 CFR 200.6(c)(3), a State must require an LEA that assesses more than 1.0 percent of its assessed students in any subject with an alternate assessment to submit information to the state justifying the need to exceed the 1.0 percent threshold.  States must provide appropriate oversight of each LEA that is required to submit such a justification and must make the justification publicly available, provided that it does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student.

The PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification process has been updated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education (BSE) in accordance with the regulatory requirement under ESSA. If the LEA anticipates exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold for the 2019-20 testing cycle, justification must be submitted to BSE by October 15, 2019.  Please note the due date for the 2019-20 justification submission is earlier than previous years.  Additionally, LEAs should be aware of the updates to the required submission process for the 2019-20 school year to include completion of the form and a survey submission:If the LEA anticipates that more than 1.0 percent of students will participate in the 2019-20 PASA testing cycle, the LEA must complete the PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification.  The updated document can be accessed on the PDE website. – Once the LEA has completed the 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification, the contents of the document must be submitted to BSE by October 15, 2019, via Survey Monkey. The survey is mandatory for all LEAs that anticipate exceeding the threshold and serves as LEA’s formal   submission of their justification to PDE.  – The LEA must retain a copy of their completed justification form with the necessary signatures of assurance.  The LEA must make their justification information publicly available, without disclosing any personally identifiable  information about a student.  – PDE will post a list of LEAs who anticipate exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold to the PDE website prior to the start of the testing window.  Public requests to view specific LEA justifications will be referred to the contact person on the LEA’s justification document.  

LEAs are reminded that the state cannot grant approval for an LEA to exceed the federally mandated 1.0 percent participation threshold. Any LEA that exceeds the threshold may be subject to further review by BSE.

Questions regarding this information should be directed to Lisa Hampe, BSE Special Education Adviser, at [email protected] or 724.425.3000 or Lynda Lupp, Statewide Special Education Assessment Coordinator, at [email protected] or 800.441.3215 ext. 7233.

On August 29, 2019, Carole L. Clancy, Director of the Bureau of Special Education, released a PennLink communique titled Reporting of Expenditures Relating to Exceptional Students.

Act 16 of 2000 (24 PS §13-1372(8)) requires the Reporting of Expenditures Relating to Exceptional Students.  School districts and charter schools must report the number of students with disabilities for which expenditures were between $1 and $25,884.67; between $25,884.68 and $51,769.36; between $51,769.37 and $77,654.04; and $77,654.05 and over for the prior school year.

This report will now be collected at the student level through PIMS using the Student Fact Template for Special Education Act 16 Funds.  The template will be collected during Collection #1 (October 1 through October 29, 2019).  Data is to be based on expenditures incurred during the 2018-19 school year.

Guidelines regarding the Act 16 reporting can be found at Act 16 Information.

The Student Fact Template for Special Education Act 16 Funds can be found in the PIMS manual.

Failure to complete the Student Fact Template for Special Education Act 16 Funds report may have an adverse effect on an LEA’s special education funding.

Questions regarding this reporting requirement may be emailed to [email protected].  A copy of this information is being provided to each intermediate unit so they may assist school districts and charter schools with report preparation, as needed. 

On August 27, 2019, Noe Ortega, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education, announced via PennLink that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has partnered with the American College Application Campaign (ACAC) to host the annual Pennsylvania College Application Campaign throughout the months of November and December of 2019. The aim of the campaign is to increase the number of first-generation and underrepresented students pursuing a postsecondary education by assisting high school seniors and adults navigate the college admissions process, ensuring each participating individual submits at least one college application.

The campaign will expand the partnerships among libraries, institutions of higher learning, community education, and secondary education to take a holistic approach to meet the attainment goal set by the State Board of Education in 2018 to have 60 percent of our adults ages 25-64 hold a postsecondary credential by 2025.

 The ACAC regularly hosts webinars for anyone interested in learning more about the college application campaign. Click here to view their upcoming and past webinars:

PDE will be hosting an in-person training on September 4, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. at the PA Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) office located at 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA.  ACAC staff will be available to provide a “train the trainer” program for individuals interested in leading a campaign at their school or library.  The training will also be livestreamed to two remote locations, which are: PATTAN-Pittsburgh and the Berks County Library System HQ. Email [email protected] to register. Contact State Coordinator Michael Dotts, Higher Education Associate at the Pennsylvania Department of Education, ([email protected]) with any questions.

On August 14, 2019, Jill Clodgo, PDH Chief of the Division of School Health, disseminated via PennLink, as a courtesy for the Division of Immunizations, a copy of a letter from PDH explaining the updated Tdap immunization guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April 2018. To view the letter, click here or visit the PAPSA website at www.papsa-web.org, click on the “Resources” drop-down and go to “Downloads”.

In her email, Clodgo informs schools not to direct questions to the Division of School Health. Instead, all questions must be directed to the school’s immunizations nurse consultant, the school’s local district office, or the Division of Immunizations.