ILCD is a continuous process that is similar in nature to the school improvement process (sip) that all school districts in Nebraska must go through to remain accredited. The ILCD process must be linked to the SIP process. There are four steps to the process, including: 1) Planning, 2) Self-Assessment, 3) Development of Improvement Plans, and 4) Documentation of Outcomes. These four steps must be completed once every five years and no two steps can be completed during the same year.
The planning phase includes establishing a district wide ILCD team which is comprised of regular education teacher(s), special education teacher(s), regular education administrator(s), special education administrator(s), parent(s), student(s) with disabilities, part c (ages 0-3) representatives, ILCD facilitator(s), and other agency representatives. Once the team is established, a meeting should be held to discuss self-assessment strategies.
The self-assessment phase includes data collection analyses from parent, staff, planning region team, and service provider surveys. From the results of those surveys, along with other forms of data collection, the team rates the district's on its performance related to each of the eight ILCD inquiries for part c and part b. The four ratings include strength, meets requirements, needs assistance, and needs improvement. The eight ILCD inquiries include Parent Involvement and Family-Centered Services; FAPE/ Public Awareness, Child Find, and Identification; FAPE/ Provision of Appropriate Services; FAPE/ Behavior; FAPE/ Assessment and Early Childhood Outcomes; FAPE/ Natural and Least Restrictive Environments; Secondary Transition and Part C to Part B Transition; and General Supervision.
The development of improvement plan phase includes staff development in the area(s) that the ILCD team identified as either needs assistance or needs improvement.
The final phase is the documentation of outcomes phase. This includes progress monitoring to see if the staff development that was provided has been implemented with fidelity and it's working or not working.
- John Hanson, ESU 15 - ILCD Facilitator