FOIA Bank - Special Education Action

Fairfax County Public Schools Special Education Department Chair Meeting

This post features videos, video chats, and slide shows related to Fairfax County Public Schools special education instruction.

It includes information about IEP development, too, such as Lourrie Duddridge correcting the use of the PLOP page for present levels instead of a place used to document meeting minutes.

At about the 1:54:56 time mark, Lourrie Duddridge states: “We’ve been looking at a lot of present level of performance pages (PLOPS) and we need to just remind everybody that those documents are really for documenting the student’s present level of performance. How are they doing in their educational environment and what we propose as a team, and that those statements are written in objective measurable terms, and that we’re using appropriate data on those pages. What the page is not for is summaries of what happened–minutes of the meeting. And we’re seeing a lot of that on our present level of performance pages and what it does is clutter the IEP, and then we get present level of performance pages that are 20 pages long, because we have documented so much stuff that really isn’t relevant to the proposal itself.”

Return to School Virtual IEP Guidance Document

Whether you live in Fairfax County, Virginia, or in a different county or state, view this video.

It’s an opportunity to 1) learn what another school division is doing; 2) identify behind-the-scenes practices that are a) problematic and/or b) not occurring according to the training; and 3) to compare against your own division’s practices to a) bring ideas to them and/or b) ask about problem areas behind-the-scenes in your school division.

This presentation was developed by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

There are a few stand-out comments to considerâ€”and to contact FCPS (or your school division) about if these items weren’t discussed with you.

Here’s one for now, and then the video and transcript follow:

“The first thing the case manager needs to do is to review the IEP and determine whether or not the goals, accommodations, and services can be delivered in a virtual format.”

If yes, did the case manager actually take an action outside of “review” and “determine”?

FOIA Release: Scott Brabrand to James Lane, Trying to Figure How to Open Schools for 2020-21

You know the saying about throwing spaghetti at wall to see if it sticks?

That’s what came to mind after reading this email exchange between Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) Superintendent Scott Brabrand and Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane.

FOIA Release: FCPS’ Jane Strong and VDOE’s Samantha Hollins; E-Mails, May 5 and May 13, 2020

These May 5 and May 13, 2020 e-mails were obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

They are between Jane Strong, director of Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) Office of Special Education Procedural Support, and Samantha Hollins, assistant superintendent of the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) Department of Special Education and Student Services.

Jane explores using waivers to graduate students who weren’t expected to graduate.

Crisis Management Messaging: Gov. Cuomo’s, Gov. Northam’s, VDOE’s, and FCPS’ Staff on “Distance Learning”

“Sorry this got to you and James”.
â€”Scott Brabrand, FCPS Superintendent.

4.21.20, Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) Superintendent Scott Brabrand emailed this apology to Donald R. Fairheart, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Staff, Division of School Quality, Instruction, and Performance, VDOE. James is James Lane, Superintendent of the Virginia Department of Education.

His “sorry” followed an email from Alexander Cochran, Special Counsel to the Governor for Federal Affairs, Office of Governor Cuomo, to Stacey Brayboy, Director of the Virginia Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, warning about FCPS’ failures to launch.

FOIA Release: FCPS “TLP Procedural and Instructional Guidance Training” (4.13.20)

4.13.20: Video Slideshow accompanying “TLP Procedural and Instructional Guidance Training” presented by Dawn Schaefer, coordinator for due process and eligibility; Andrew Guillen, manager due process and special education services; Kellie Cochran, coordinator for special ed related services.

Obtained via FOIA request.

Transcript provided by Special Education Action.

“Big 8” Letter Requests Special Education Waivers; Children Put Behind 8 Ball

FCPS provided a document saved as “Lane Special Ed Letter”, in response to a FOIA request. The letter itself lists one waiver after another related to special education, as divisions “try to navigate the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Instead of requesting more supports to ensure provision of FAPE for students and to help teachers, the letter states, “Our goal is to reduce the administrative burden on special education staff . . . ”

“Hot Topics”

I received this internal “Hot Topics” Region 4 document in response to a FERPA request. I didn’t ask for it.

When I opened the file, I noticed tracked changes on the document. I clicked them and everything Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) incorrectly redacted popped up, to include names of students, their lawyers, monies paid, and so on.

The document including concerning information, to include FCPS acknowledging some of the very issues that I and other parents have complained about for year, such as failure to identify special education students, failure to implement programs related to Dyslexia with fidelity, and privacy violations.

Category: FOIA Bank (page 5)