Institutional Mainstreaming Committee – according to the special education law
9.1 School Mainstreaming Committee
A. Each school shall have a mainstreaming committee whose role shall be to determine the entitlement of students with special needs to be included in the mainstreaming program and to receive pedagogical-therapeutic services in accordance with the mainstreaming program.
The composition of the Mainstreaming Committee:
1. Principal of the school – chair.
2. The student’s class teacher.
3. A special education employee, coordinating with the Special Education Inspector, such as the mainstreaming teacher, an instructor from the local/regional support center (“Matia”), or the manager of the local/regional support center.
4. A psychologist from the local pedagogical-psychological service, or an educational counselor.
5. Another professional appointed by the principal where relevant, such as a para-medical therapist, artistic expression therapist, a subject teacher from the school staff, an teacher or instructor with expertise in the area of the disability.
B. In schools that have a psychologist and a counselor, the psychologist shall be a member of the committee.
C. In schools that have a psychologist or a counselor, he/she shall be a member of the committee.
D. In schools with no psychologist and no counselor, the school’s principal shall request a representative from the local pedagogical-psychological service or from a senior counselor in the region.
9.2 Mainstreaming Committee for Kindergarten Students
A. The local mainstreaming committee for kindergartens shall act as a mainstreaming committee for each kindergarten, determining the entitlement of kindergarten students in the locality to receive pedagogical-therapeutic services from the mainstreaming program. In larger settlements, more than one mainstreaming committee for kindergartens may be appointed.
B. Composition of the mainstreaming committee:
1. The general Inspector of kindergartens in the region (appointed by the regional manager) – chair.
2. The student’s kindergarten teacher.
3. Pre-school education employee, coordinated with the special education inspector, such as a mainstreaming kindergarten teacher, an instructor, or the manager of the local/regional support center.
4. A psychologist from the local pedagogical-psychological service who works with kindergartens.
5. A representative of the local authority, from the kindergarten department.
6. Another professional appointed by the chair, where relevant, such as a para-medical therapist, artistic expression therapist, a kindergarten teacher or an instructor in the area of the disability.
9.3 Procedures for applying to the institutional mainstreaming committee to determine entitlement to be included in the mainstreaming program
A. All the options for pedagogical interventions within the educational setting must be exhausted before applying to the mainstreaming committee, including consulting other professionals connected to the educational institution, such as the counselor, the psychologist, professional instructors, and interventions using other existing pedagogical programs.
The student’s class teacher or kindergarten teacher shall inform the student’s parents of their child’s educational difficulties and behavioral problems within the educational institution, and shall try to find appropriate ways to help. The parents shall be continually involved throughout the school year.
B. General referral procedures:
The mainstreaming committee shall discuss a student in a regular educational setting upon receiving a request from one of the following: a parent*, an educational employee of the regular educational institution, a local educational authority, and the local mainstreaming committee.
C. Procedures for referral in kindergarten
1. After all the options for intervention in the kindergarten have been exhausted, the kindergarten teacher shall fill in a questionnaire regarding a kindergarten student who will attend compulsory kindergarten in the following year.
2. Students who have significant, complex and general problems in various areas of functioning, and/or students who endanger the safety of students and staff in the kindergarten and whose problems require general multi-disciplinary treatment in various areas of functioning for most of the kindergarten hours – shall be referred by the kindergarten teacher to the placement committee according to the procedures in the updated permanent instructions circular dealing with placement and appeal committees.
3. The questionnaire (attached as appendix 2) shall be brought to the attention of the kindergarten’s inspector to sign, and shall then be given to the parents to sign.
4. The kindergarten teacher shall refer the signed questionnaires to the local/regional support center by March 1st each year.
5. For students who are to be discussed in the mainstreaming committee, documents should be prepared characterizing the disability and the level of functioning. For this purpose, the parents may be asked for documents in their possession, or a process of diagnosis or assessment may be conducted with the parents’ consent (according to the procedures of our Ministry regarding diagnosis). In any case where there is reasonable suspicion of the existence of a disability and there are no acceptable documents, it is possible to make a decision regarding the student in the mainstreaming committee and to refer him/her to diagnosis within a reasonable period.
6. For blind or visually impaired children, and for deaf children and those with impaired hearing, additional information must be obtained from the professional inspector of these areas.
7. In very exceptional cases, it is possible to refer students with special needs to the mainstreaming committee at the beginning of the school year at compulsory kindergarten, at the age of 5. The referral shall be made each year no later than the end of October, with the approval of the Special Education Inspector.
8. The chair shall receive requests from kindergarten students’ parents to discuss their children in the mainstreaming committee, and the documents described above.
9. The chair shall invite the parents to state their case before the committee (see the form of the invitation in appendix 14 below).
10. The chair shall send the committee’s decisions in writing to the kindergarten student’s parents on a form (see appendix 7 below), and shall report this to the kindergarten teacher.
11. The manager of the local/regional ( Matia ) support center shall:
· Collect the signed questionnaires, and coordinate with the chair of the mainstreaming committee for kindergarten students to fix dates for the committee’s meetings.
· Invite the committee’s members to these meetings.
· Help the chair in conducting the committee’s work.
D. Procedure for referral to the school’s mainstreaming committee
1. After exhausting all the options for intervention within the school, the class teacher shall refer the questionnaire, including a description of the student’s level of functioning in the academic, social and behavioral-emotional areas (see appendix 3), to the school’s principal up to March 1st of each academic year.
2. Students who have significant, complex and general problems in various areas of functioning, and/or who endanger the safety of students and teachers in the class, and whose problems require general multi-disciplinary treatment in various areas of functioning throughout most of the hours of study, shall be referred by the school’s principal to be discussed in the placement committee according to the directives of the updated permanent instructions circular regarding placement and appeals committees.
3. Regarding blind students and those with impaired vision, and deaf students and those with impaired hearing, further information should be obtained from the professional inspector of these areas.
4. Parents whose children shall be discussed in the mainstreaming committee shall be given the questionnaire signed by the principal, for their information and signature. The parents shall be invited to the discussion in the mainstreaming committee (see the phrasing of the invitation in appendix 14 below).
5. For students who are to be discussed in the mainstreaming committee, documents describing the disability should be prepared. For this purpose, the parents can be asked to provide documents in their possession, or else a process of diagnosis or assessment can be conducted in the educational setting with the parents’ consent (in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry regarding diagnosis). In any case where there is reasonable suspicion of the existence of the disability, and there are no valid documents, it is possible to make a decision regarding the student in the mainstreaming committee and to refer him/her to diagnosis within a reasonable period.
6. The documents regarding the student’s level of functioning should refer to at least the six months preceding the discussion (except in the case of new students, for whom there is no long-term documentation), and should include the student’s grades and a description of his/her level of functioning in the academic, social and behavioral-emotional areas. Additional relevant documents may also be included.
7. New immigrant students should not be referred to the mainstreaming committee during the first two years after immigration, unless the parents request this and have up to date, valid documents from the student’s country of origin, or can prove that the student has a disability significantly affecting his/her acclimatizing behavior ability.
8. Parents who wish to have their child discussed should apply in writing to the school’s principal. They should attach to their request documents describing the disability and the level of functioning. These documents should be signed by professionals according to the following table.
9. The local placement committee, after discussing a student, may refer him/her to be discussed in the school’s mainstreaming committee, along with their decision form (see the up to date permanent instructions circular regarding placement and appeal committees).
* Wherever the word “parent” appears, this refers also to guardians. Click to listen highlighted text! Institutional Mainstreaming Committee – according to the special education law 9.1 School Mainstreaming Committee A. Each school shall have a mainstreaming committee whose role shall be to determine the entitlement of students with special needs to be included in the mainstreaming program and to receive pedagogical-therapeutic services in accordance with the mainstreaming program. The composition of the Mainstreaming Committee: 1. Principal of the school – chair. 2. The student’s class teacher. 3. A special education employee, coordinating with the Special Education Inspector, such as the mainstreaming teacher, an instructor from the local/regional support center (“Matia”), or the manager of the local/regional support center. 4. A psychologist from the local pedagogical-psychological service, or an educational counselor. 5. Another professional appointed by the principal where relevant, such as a para-medical therapist, artistic expression therapist, a subject teacher from the school staff, an teacher or instructor with expertise in the area of the disability. B. In schools that have a psychologist and a counselor, the psychologist shall be a member of the committee. C. In schools that have a psychologist or a counselor, he/she shall be a member of the committee. D. In schools with no psychologist and no counselor, the school’s principal shall request a representative from the local pedagogical-psychological service or from a senior counselor in the region. 9.2 Mainstreaming Committee for Kindergarten Students A. The local mainstreaming committee for kindergartens shall act as a mainstreaming committee for each kindergarten, determining the entitlement of kindergarten students in the locality to receive pedagogical-therapeutic services from the mainstreaming program. In larger settlements, more than one mainstreaming committee for kindergartens may be appointed. B. Composition of the mainstreaming committee: 1. The general Inspector of kindergartens in the region (appointed by the regional manager) – chair. 2. The student’s kindergarten teacher. 3. Pre-school education employee, coordinated with the special education inspector, such as a mainstreaming kindergarten teacher, an instructor, or the manager of the local/regional support center. 4. A psychologist from the local pedagogical-psychological service who works with kindergartens. 5. A representative of the local authority, from the kindergarten department. 6. Another professional appointed by the chair, where relevant, such as a para-medical therapist, artistic expression therapist, a kindergarten teacher or an instructor in the area of the disability. 9.3 Procedures for applying to the institutional mainstreaming committee to determine entitlement to be included in the mainstreaming program A. All the options for pedagogical interventions within the educational setting must be exhausted before applying to the mainstreaming committee, including consulting other professionals connected to the educational institution, such as the counselor, the psychologist, professional instructors, and interventions using other existing pedagogical programs. The student’s class teacher or kindergarten teacher shall inform the student’s parents of their child’s educational difficulties and behavioral problems within the educational institution, and shall try to find appropriate ways to help. The parents shall be continually involved throughout the school year. B. General referral procedures: The mainstreaming committee shall discuss a student in a regular educational setting upon receiving a request from one of the following: a parent*, an educational employee of the regular educational institution, a local educational authority, and the local mainstreaming committee. C. Procedures for referral in kindergarten 1. After all the options for intervention in the kindergarten have been exhausted, the kindergarten teacher shall fill in a questionnaire regarding a kindergarten student who will attend compulsory kindergarten in the following year. 2. Students who have significant, complex and general problems in various areas of functioning, and/or students who endanger the safety of students and staff in the kindergarten and whose problems require general multi-disciplinary treatment in various areas of functioning for most of the kindergarten hours – shall be referred by the kindergarten teacher to the placement committee according to the procedures in the updated permanent instructions circular dealing with placement and appeal committees. 3. The questionnaire (attached as appendix 2) shall be brought to the attention of the kindergarten’s inspector to sign, and shall then be given to the parents to sign. 4. The kindergarten teacher shall refer the signed questionnaires to the local/regional support center by March 1st each year. 5. For students who are to be discussed in the mainstreaming committee, documents should be prepared characterizing the disability and the level of functioning. For this purpose, the parents may be asked for documents in their possession, or a process of diagnosis or assessment may be conducted with the parents’ consent (according to the procedures of our Ministry regarding diagnosis). In any case where there is reasonable suspicion of the existence of a disability and there are no acceptable documents, it is possible to make a decision regarding the student in the mainstreaming committee and to refer him/her to diagnosis within a reasonable period. 6. For blind or visually impaired children, and for deaf children and those with impaired hearing, additional information must be obtained from the professional inspector of these areas. 7. In very exceptional cases, it is possible to refer students with special needs to the mainstreaming committee at the beginning of the school year at compulsory kindergarten, at the age of 5. The referral shall be made each year no later than the end of October, with the approval of the Special Education Inspector. 8. The chair shall receive requests from kindergarten students’ parents to discuss their children in the mainstreaming committee, and the documents described above. 9. The chair shall invite the parents to state their case before the committee (see the form of the invitation in appendix 14 below). 10. The chair shall send the committee’s decisions in writing to the kindergarten student’s parents on a form (see appendix 7 below), and shall report this to the kindergarten teacher. 11. The manager of the local/regional ( Matia ) support center shall: · Collect the signed questionnaires, and coordinate with the chair of the mainstreaming committee for kindergarten students to fix dates for the committee’s meetings. · Invite the committee’s members to these meetings. · Help the chair in conducting the committee’s work. D. Procedure for referral to the school’s mainstreaming committee 1. After exhausting all the options for intervention within the school, the class teacher shall refer the questionnaire, including a description of the student’s level of functioning in the academic, social and behavioral-emotional areas (see appendix 3), to the school’s principal up to March 1st of each academic year. 2. Students who have significant, complex and general problems in various areas of functioning, and/or who endanger the safety of students and teachers in the class, and whose problems require general multi-disciplinary treatment in various areas of functioning throughout most of the hours of study, shall be referred by the school’s principal to be discussed in the placement committee according to the directives of the updated permanent instructions circular regarding placement and appeals committees. 3. Regarding blind students and those with impaired vision, and deaf students and those with impaired hearing, further information should be obtained from the professional inspector of these areas. 4. Parents whose children shall be discussed in the mainstreaming committee shall be given the questionnaire signed by the principal, for their information and signature. The parents shall be invited to the discussion in the mainstreaming committee (see the phrasing of the invitation in appendix 14 below). 5. For students who are to be discussed in the mainstreaming committee, documents describing the disability should be prepared. For this purpose, the parents can be asked to provide documents in their possession, or else a process of diagnosis or assessment can be conducted in the educational setting with the parents’ consent (in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry regarding diagnosis). In any case where there is reasonable suspicion of the existence of the disability, and there are no valid documents, it is possible to make a decision regarding the student in the mainstreaming committee and to refer him/her to diagnosis within a reasonable period. 6. The documents regarding the student’s level of functioning should refer to at least the six months preceding the discussion (except in the case of new students, for whom there is no long-term documentation), and should include the student’s grades and a description of his/her level of functioning in the academic, social and behavioral-emotional areas. Additional relevant documents may also be included. 7. New immigrant students should not be referred to the mainstreaming committee during the first two years after immigration, unless the parents request this and have up to date, valid documents from the student’s country of origin, or can prove that the student has a disability significantly affecting his/her acclimatizing behavior ability. 8. Parents who wish to have their child discussed should apply in writing to the school’s principal. They should attach to their request documents describing the disability and the level of functioning. These documents should be signed by professionals according to the following table. 9. The local placement committee, after discussing a student, may refer him/her to be discussed in the school’s mainstreaming committee, along with their decision form (see the up to date permanent instructions circular regarding placement and appeal committees). * Wherever the word “parent” appears, this refers also to guardians. Powered By GSpeech