TPE 12 Summary

In order to be successful as education specialist it is imperative to both know

and understand the California and federal laws and procedures pertaining to
students with IEPs, English Language Learners, Response to Intervention, and
eligibility and placement. You must also know and use the district guidelines
to report suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, or sexual harassment.
Further, it is extremely important to safeguard your students by knowing and
honoring obligations to protect the confidentiality, health, and safety of
students, families, and school personnel. Lastly, as an education specialist I
made sure I always modeled ethical behavior and honored laws relation to
professional misconduct. All of these things were covered during my 8-week
professional development training sessions at Orange Unified School District
Special Educator Boot Camp. These trainings helped prepare to know the
laws and procedures of Orange Unified School District as well as my
obligations to protect the confidentiality of students.

The OUSD Special Education Handbook outlines the California, federal, and
Orange USD laws and procedures pertaining to students with disabilities, and
response to intervention. Included in there is the Purpose of IDEA History of
the Disabilities Education Act, identifying students with specific disabilities,
initial evaluations, assessments of education evaluations, development of
the IEP and so much more. This handbook was very helpful in getting to
know the laws and procedures as well as my obligations to protect the
confidentiality of students.

I included the emergency behavior plans and RTI Plans to show that I
understand the laws and procedures involved with Response to Intervention.

Parent Rights are also extremely important for me to know in order to better
assist the parents on my caseload and make sure they understand their
rights and the laws governing special education. Knowing the difference
between accommodations and modifications is also important when
developing appropriate supports in the IEP for students on my caseload and
also being able to explain what is expectable for high school students.

The OUSD Procedures handbook was extremely helpful to me as it covers

everything I needed to know including the Orange Unified School District
SELPA statements and responsibilities, the Individual education program
processes, individual education programs, behavior interventions for
students with disabilities, discipline, suspension, and explosion, parental
rights and procedural safeguards, eligibility, records and the laws regarding
records, related services, referrals, educational evaluations, case manager
responsibilities and so much more. This procedure handbook really prepared
me for knowing the California and federal laws and procedures pertaining to
students with IEPs, English Language Learners, Response to Intervention, and
eligibility and placement, as well as safeguard your students by knowing and
honoring obligations to protect the confidentiality, health, and safety of
students, families, and school personnel, and enabled me to model ethical
behavior by following procedures.

Lastly I uploaded my certificate of completion for mandated reporter for child

abuse and neglect, which enabled me to know and use the district guidelines
to report suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, or sexual harassment.