Before the Special Education Referral

Matthew Jennings is currently the superintendent of schools for the Alexandria Township Public School System. Prior to serving in this position, Jennings served as an assistant superintendent of schools, a director of student services, a supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and a classroom teacher. In addition to presenting at numerous state and national conferences, Jennings has served as an organizational behavior consultant to school districts throughout New Jersey. He works as an adjunct professor for Rutgers University, where he teaches courses on curriculum development, school administration, and the supervision of instruction. His work has been published in Kappan, Preventing School Failure, the New Jersey English Journal, Channels, and The Writing Teacher. His most recent publication, Leading Meetings, Teams and Work Groups in Schools and Districts, was released by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in June of 2007. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate in educational administration from Rutgers University.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author1. An Introduction to Prereferral Intervention TeamsVariations on a ThemeEducational Leader′s RoleConclusion2. The Analysis and Decision-Making PhaseCosts and BenefitsEstablishing and Analyzing the TaskEstablishing AuthorityConclusion3. The Planning and Preparation PhaseDetermining Group CompositionDesigning and Communicating the TaskSchool and District SupportsThe Team CharterConclusion4. The Start-Up PhaseTeam BoundariesTask RedefinitionNorms and RolesThe Start-Up MeetingThe Importance of the Start-Up MeetingInitial Prereferral Intervention Team TrainingStaff AwarenessStaff TrainingConclusion5. The Assistance PhaseEliminating BarriersTechnologyReflection ActivitiesAssistance With Group ProcessesConclusion6. Evaluating Prereferral Intervention TeamsEvaluation ToolsData Analysis and Action PlanningConclusion7. Connecting Prereferral Intervention Teams and Response to InterventionThe ConnectionImplementation DecisionsUniversal Screening DecisionsIntervention Tier DecisionsIntervention Management Team Training and Staff AwarenessThe Combined ProcessIdentifying the At-Risk PoolTier PlacementConclusionFinal ThoughtsResource A: Putting It All Together: The Implementation PlanResource B: Implementation ToolsReferencesIndex

"Clearly and concisely outlines ′good practice procedures′ for prereferral teams. The author has put together a very thorough, thoughtful outline from start to finish concerning how to implement these procedures in a true-to-life setting."