Resources - Staffing Considerations
Staffing considerations for students with disabilities can vary based on individualized need. The current Texas rule leaves the determination for caseload for these services to the local education agency (LEA). The Special Education Staffing Analysis Tool and Worksheet for Weighted Caseload can be used to conduct a needs assessment to determine staffing considerations.
Instructional Staff
These resources are designed to aid in analysis of instructional staff (special education teachers and paraprofessionals) needed as a minimum starting point for providing a full continuum of services and meeting the needs identified in students' IEPs. These tools are designed to be used by each campus and then aggregated to determine needs of the entire LEA. Smaller campuses/districts should exercise caution in the use of these tools, as individual analysis will be needed due to small sizes.
Before making final staffing decisions, additional considerations to continually consider include:
Before making final staffing decisions, additional considerations to continually consider include:
- severity of student needs and types of support services needed;
- implementation of a full continuum of service delivery models; and
- compliance with special education legal requirements.
The Special Education Staffing Analysis Directions contains the directions for analyzing the minimum amount of staff needed to provide a full continuum of special education instructional settings on a campus.
The Weighted Caseload Worksheet populates the minimum instructional staffing amount for each instructional setting on the campus.
The Special Education Staff Scheduling Analysis Directions is designed to assist the campus in analyzing the efficiency of the current scheduling of special education instructional staff (including teachers and paraprofessionals).
Speech Staff
The Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Caseload Considerations is intended to assist in analyzing the minimum amount of staffing needed to provide IEP-required speech services.
OT, PT, and SLP Staff
The OT, PT, and SLP Caseload Considerations is an additional tool intended to assist in analyzing the minimum amount of staffing needed to provide IEP-required Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), and speech services.
Joint Statement on Workload Analysis (The American Occupational Therapy Association, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association)
This paper, titled "Workload Approach: A Paradigm Shift for Positive Impact on Student Outcomes," is a joint statement of the AOTA, APTA, and ASHA outlining their recommendations for analysis of OT, PT, and SLP staff workload versus analysis of staff caseload.
(Posted with permission of AOTA, APTA, and ASHA)
Original document located at: http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/ASHA/Practice_Portal/Professional_Issues/Caseload_and_Workload/APTA-ASHA-AOTA-Joint-Doc-Workload-Approach-Schools.pdf
(Posted with permission of AOTA, APTA, and ASHA)
Original document located at: http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/ASHA/Practice_Portal/Professional_Issues/Caseload_and_Workload/APTA-ASHA-AOTA-Joint-Doc-Workload-Approach-Schools.pdf
Contracted Services & Independent Contractors: Should They Really Be Employees?
Click here for the PDF of the training handout of a presentation from May 15, 2017, by Elvin Houston with Walsh Gallegos Trevino Russo & Kyle P.C., on distinguishing between independent contractors and employees.