C. STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAM INTERVENTION (SAT)
 
The Student Assistance Team is a general education function. Students are referred for team review once the classroom teacher has exhausted the strategies or techniques he/she knows.  The classroom teacher is the one who most frequently refers students to the SAT.  Student may, however, be referred by parents, other school staff, or even by the students themselves.
 
The team is typically comprised of:
·         School administrator or designee
·         Teachers
·         Other school staff
·         Parents
·         School counselor
·         Nurse
·         Person(s) knowledgeable about interventions for suspected areas of need.  These are not permanent members of the team, but those invited depending on the students to be reviewed.
 
The teacher of the gifted is a good resource for interventions.
 
The SAT:
1.        Collects data on the student: vision/hearing; screening results; test information; classroom information, etc
2.        Identifies appropriate strategies for the classroom teacher and other school staff to use to meet the student’s needs.
3.        Requires documentation from the staff person who is responsible to implement the strategies on their success in meeting the student’s needs.
4.        Ensure that the needs of the student are met and that access to gifted programming  is not restricted.
5.        Determines if a need for further service is indicated.  If yes, a referral should be made to special education.
 
Private Evaluations:  If a parent presents the school with a private evaluation report, the report is given to the SAT chairperson and, if the SAT process has not already started, it is then initiated.  Steps 1-5 are then carried out with the private evaluation being turned in with the referral information.  If a referral to special education is made, the evaluation specialist forward a copy of the private evaluation to the Private Evaluation Review Committee, or asks to be on the committee’s next agenda.
 
If the private evaluation only raises questions of placement, then the Private Evaluation Review Committee need not review the testing.  The IEP committee should review the information and make appropriate decisions.
 
Special Note: APS employees should not recommend outside testing.  If a parent requests names of outside evaluators, the employee should refer the parents to the Yellow Pages under “Educational Consultants”.
 
Parent Referrals: If a parent requests testing, the SAT process is initiated.  Having the parent part of the SAT process should assist in providing the right interventions and planning any necessary actions.
 
 

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