R 2417  STUDENT INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL SERVICES

A.	Establishment of Intervention and Referral Services

1.	The Superintendent of Schools will establish and implement in each school building in which general education students are served, a coordinated system for planning and delivering intervention and referral services designed to assist students who are experiencing learning, behavior, or health difficulties, and to assist staff who have difficulties in addressing students’ learning, behavior, or health needs in accordance with the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:16-8.1 and 6A:16-8.2.

B.	Functions of Intervention and Referral Services

1.	The Principal in each school building in which general education students are served will establish an Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) Team.  The I&RS Team will be comprised of the following:

a.	The Principal or a member of the teaching staff other than a special education teaching staff member, who is appointed by the Principal to act on his/her behalf and with his/her authority, shall act as chairperson;

b.	A member of the Child Study Team (CST) or an educational services staff member;

c.	The staff member who referred the student in need of assistance or identified a school issue for discussion; and

d.	Such other school staff members as may effectively aid in the development and implementation of the assistance plan for a particular student.

2.	The district will provide support, guidance, and professional development to school staff members who participate in each school’s system for planning and providing intervention and referral services.

C.	Student Referral

1.	A student not known to have a disability who is experiencing learning, behavior, or health difficulties shall be referred to the I&RS Team.  This referral may be made by any school staff member or by the student’s parent.  The student’s parent shall be informed of any such referral.

a.	The district will provide support, guidance, and professional development to school staff members on identifying student learning, behavior, and health difficulties.

2.	When it appears that a referred student may have a disability, the I&RS Team shall refer the student to the CST for evaluation pursuant to Policy 2460 for a determination of the student’s eligibility for special education and/or related services.

3.	The I&RS Team shall consult with the student’s teacher(s), parent, and any school staff member as appropriate to identify and collect information on the learning, behavior, and health difficulties of the student.

4.	The school nurse may be requested to review the student’s health records and inform the Principal of any health condition relevant to the student’s difficulties.  Any information regarding any infection with HIV virus or AIDS may be released only with the written permission of the adult student or the student’s parent.

5.	As appropriate, the may consult with community-based social and health agencies that provide services to the student or the student’s family.

6.	The I&RS Team shall determine if the student’s learning, behavior, and/or health difficulties may be helped with a written action plan.

D.	Intervention and Referral Services Action Plans

1.	The I&RS Team shall develop and implement a written action plan for referred students that provide for appropriate school or community interventions or referrals to school and community resources, based on collected data and desired outcomes for the identified learning, behavior, or health difficulties.

2.	The intervention and referral services action plan shall:

a.	Detail any modifications in the student’s educational program which will include, but not be limited to, support and guidance to the student’s teacher(s);

b.	List the persons who will implement the action plan;

c.	Include any recommendations for assessment and referral to specified school or community-based social and/or health provider agencies;

d.	Document parental notification of the student’s referral and any change in educational placement or the withholding of parental notification because child abuse was suspected or Federal rules mandated confidentiality in an alcohol or drug related matter;

e.	Involve the student’s parent in the development and implementation of any intervention and referral services action plans by being offered an opportunity to provide input in the development and implementation of the action plan; 

f.	Identify the I&RS Team member(s) who will coordinate the access to and delivery of school resources and services for achieving outcomes identified in the intervention and referral services action plan; and

g.	Identify the I&RS Team member(s) who will coordinate the services of community-based social and health provider agencies and other community resources for achieving outcomes identified in the intervention and referral services action plan.  

3.	The implementation and effectiveness of each  intervention and referral services action plan shall be reviewed by the I&RS Team within eight calendar weeks from the beginning of its implementation.  The I&RS Team shall consult the referring school staff member and any other school staff members to assess the effectiveness of the plan.  

a.	If the action plan is not achieving the identified outcomes, the plan shall be modified to achieve the outcomes, as appropriate.  If the review indicates the student may have a disability, the student shall be referred to the CST.

4.	The I&RS Team may review any intervention and referral services action plan throughout the school year.  However, at a minimum, the I&RS Team shall annually review all intervention and referral services action plans and the actions taken as a result of the school building’s system of intervention and referral services, and make recommendations to the Principal for improving school programs and services, as appropriate.   

E.	Annual Reports

1.	At the end of the school year, the Principal shall, in consultation with the I&RS Team, develop a report on the concerns and issues identified by the I&RS Team and the effectiveness of the services provided in achieving the outcomes identified in the intervention and referral services action plans.  The report shall also include:

a.	A description of the needs and issues identified through referrals to the I&RS Team;

b.	An identification and analysis of significant needs and issues that could facilitate school planning for the subsequent year,;

c.	A description of activities planned in response to the needs and issues significant in school planning,; and

d.	Any other information the Principal or the I&RS Team determine would be beneficial to improving the school’s system for planning and delivering intervention and referral services designed to assist students. 

2.	The Principal’s report shall be provided to the Superintendent of Schools.

Date Adopted:  	August 18, 2008
Date Revised:	August 19, 2014