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Group events in special education can be a valuable tool for helping students develop essential skills, build relationships, and achieve academic success. With staffing shortages, the idea of one-on-one services for every service type for every student isn’t always feasible.
Of course, universal screenings can also fit into the group event category. When you conduct universal screenings, you can ensure that each student’s unique needs are acknowledged. Then you can begin the important work of offering services, tracking progress, and reporting for state and federal compliance.
And then there are the events themselves – the psychological services, physical therapy, and even health education – that your district conducts and may be able to claim under the Free Care Act. In order to plan, conduct, and claim for these services, you need a standardized, compliant (and ideally, fast) way to make it happen.
Today we’re talking about group events: why they matter, what can make them more challenging, which strategies you can employ in your district to make them easier (and more effective), and best practices you can take back to your team.
Before we dive into why group events matter and how you can improve your processes for them, let’s go over what they are with a few examples, ranging from relatively standard to new-to-K-12.
Social skills groups are designed to teach students how to interact effectively with their peers. These groups can focus on various skills, such as making eye contact, taking turns, and understanding nonverbal cues. The groups may involve role-playing, discussion, and games.
Sensory integration groups are designed to help students who struggle with sensory processing issues. These groups provide opportunities for students to engage in sensory experiences that can help them regulate their sensory systems. Activities may include playing with different textures, exploring sensory bins, and engaging in movement activities.
Reading groups are designed to help students improve their literacy skills. These groups can be tailored to student’s individual needs and can focus on topics such as phonics, fluency, and comprehension. The groups may involve reading aloud, group discussions, and writing activities.
Art therapy groups are designed to help students express themselves through art. These groups may be led by a licensed art therapist and may involve a range of art materials and techniques. The groups can help students manage their emotions, develop self-awareness, and build self-esteem.
Social-emotional learning groups are designed to help students develop skills such as empathy, self-awareness, and responsible decision-making. The groups may involve discussions, role-playing, and problem-solving activities.
Life skills groups are designed to teach students practical skills they can use in their daily lives, such as cooking, cleaning, and budgeting. The groups can help students develop independence and self-sufficiency.
Depending on your state, you may also find it helpful to know which types of group events you could claim under the Free Care Act. In order to qualify, the services must be medically necessary, and students must be Medicaid-eligible.
Speech and language therapy can be provided in a group setting, where students work on specific communication goals, such as articulation, language development, and social communication.
Occupational therapy can be provided in a group setting, where students work on fine motor skills, sensory processing, and activities of daily living.
Physical therapy can be provided in a group setting, where students work on gross motor skills, coordination, and balance.
Psychological services can be provided in a group setting, where students work on social skills, emotional regulation, and behavior management.
Schools may offer vision and hearing screenings in a group setting, where multiple students can be assessed at once.
Health education can be provided in a group setting, where students learn about topics such as nutrition, hygiene, and sexual health.
With so many different types of group events, you might already have thoughts on why tracking group events for special services is so important.
You might notice that standardization and compliance go hand in hand. One key factor here is that without specialized software designed with K-12 service tracking in mind, it is extremely hard to get this right. Without a product that has required fields for providers, there's no cure-all for getting providers to record all of the information you'll need later on for state reporting. Their top concern should be their students, not trying to remember all of the information they'll need to re-enter into a spreadsheet later.
Then:
Without a central repository to house all service provider records, service providers were left to maintain their own disparate systems and records to document their services. This left Chesterfield in a situation where it was difficult, if not impossible, to access the data and records to demonstrate the services students were receiving as well as the impact of those services.
Now:
“We can stand on a firm foundation of data. I think it’s helped build trust with our IEP teams that we’re not just willy-nilly dismissing or changing services or changing goals. We have the data, we can show you, we can prove it to you.”
– Amy Barnett, Medicaid Coordinator
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Working in education has never been without its challenges, and right now is no different. So if you’ve ever silently thought it can’t just be us… you’re right. Here are some of the challenges that nearly every district has faced or is facing right now for service tracking:
These five steps could be considered your action plan, or a bit of check list.
Frontline’s service tracking tool can be invaluable for special education providers, particularly when used in conjunction with best practices for group events. It takes all the guesswork out of compliance. It also standardizes documentation, enhancing equity for all students. And it removes the need to re-enter data, saving time.
Frontline’s software was purpose-built to:
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