CASE MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

Department of Special Education/Sevier County Schools

Each special education student will have only one IEP folder. It will be the responsibility of the case manager to maintain that folder. This will require the cooperation of all persons involved with the student. The IEP team must determine the primary handicapping condition at the time eligibility is determined and in most cases, the case manager will be the person providing primary services for that condition. Vision and hearing specialists who are designated as case managers should maintain IEP records in the home school of the student so they are easily accessible. All persons serving the student may keep copies of IEP’s, evaluation reports, etc. in a separate manila folder....but these will not be sent to the SpEd office for monitoring, etc.

Example: Mary has an emotional disturbance. She is also visually impaired and has a slight articulation delay. The IEP team determines that the visual impairment is the primary handicapping condition. The vision specialist then becomes the case manager and maintains the IEP folder. The persons serving her for speech and counseling must make sure that all evaluation information is given to the vision specialist and keep him/her adequately informed of any changes that may occur. All members of the team will be responsible for reporting progress on goals/objectives....such information should be given to the case manager each 6-week reporting period.

Exception: Some related service personnel (such as OT/PT and counselors) cannot maintain IEP folders. In such cases, the case manager must be a SpEd certified person....even if the service provided by that person is just consultation.

Example: Larry is identified as emotionally disturbed.. He has no learning problems and only needs counseling services from a SpEd counselor in order to function in the regular program. In most cases, the resource teacher in that school would be the case manager and provide consultative services.

Duties of the Case Manager:

· Properly maintain all information in the IEP folder. Each folder should contain evaluation information and IEP’s, etc. for the past three years. Information from previous years should be sent to the SpEd office and be filed there.

· Keep all evaluation information in order, including reports from all related services.

· Be responsible for the original copy of the IEP....make copies as needed.

· Supply the general education teachers with copies of the SpEd students’ needs, strategies, goals and objectives, and any other educational information needed to ensure the students’ success.

· Report progress to parents by updating the original goals/objectives sheets each six weeks with input from appropriate specialists.

· Report any new students to the SpEd Office using the Information for SPED Census form.

· Report any changes in a student’s services using the Special Education Staffing Report form....which must be updated at least once each month.

· Report any suspensions of SpEd students by faxing a copy of the suspension report to the SpEd office.

· Send IEP folders to the SpEd office as soon as a student becomes inactive...whether due to moving away, mainstreaming, etc. This folder is needed when records are requested by another school.

· Send IEP folder to receiving school if student transfers within the system. Notify the SpEd office of the change on the monthly staffing report.

· Provide copies of SpEd records received from another system for Office of Special Education....these will be maintained in a psychological folder.

· Report all students receiving services to the Horizon coordinator in your school. Be sure that no student remains on the program as receiving services when he/she has been dismissed.....and that all who are actively receiving services are reported on that program.

· If in secondary school, inform the SpEd Office as soon as a determination is made that the student will graduate that year, noting whether a regular diploma or SpEd diploma will be earned. This information must be reported to the State Department of Education immediately following the close of school.

Duties of Secondary Service Providers:

· Provide case manager with all evaluation data.

· Track progress on goals/objectives sheets each 6 weeks.

· Participate in all IEP meetings.

· Inform case manager when any changes in hours of service, etc. are made.