SEIT - Special Education Itinerent Teacher
Does that explain anything?
No.
A SEIT teacher is a NYS certified teacher with a special education license or students with a disability license birth through grades two license.
This professional works 1:1 with a preschooler between the ages of 3-5 who has cognitive or social emotional delays. Usually children receive between 5-10 hours per week in a school or home setting. 1-2 hours per day of 1:1 special education.
The hours of service range based on the child's level of delay and impairment or quite honestly the parents sophistication. The savage inequalities are found in every level if education. But I digress.
This preschooler is first evaluated by a company contracted by the department of education. The parents and district administrator and representative from the contracted agency have a meeting a decide first whether there is a delay. Five areas of developmental domains are screened.
1. Cognitive (thinking, learning, reasoning, problem solving)
2. Social Emotional (relation to adults and peers; following directions and transitioning)
3. Motor Development
*Fine Motor - grasping, hand eye coordination, mainly things you do with your fingers.
*Gross Motor - running, throwing, jumping, muscle tone, strength, balance and coordination
4. Speech and Language Development
Expressive Language (how they express themselves, how they retell a story)
Receptive Language (how they answer basic question, label familiar objects and actions)
5. Daily Living Skills - Bathing, feeding, dressing up, etc
If a preschooler has a quantifying delay of 33% in one area or 25% in two or more areas, they qualify for extra help and services through the department of education.
A legal document called an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) is created that details what services the child with receive and what goals the child will work on.
All services at this point are optional. Parents can always decline services or have a reconvene if they feel more or less services are needed.
The record of the evaluation and services remain in the students record.
At this age children do not get a diagnosis. All children who receive services are labeled Preschoolers with a Disability even if the child has Down's syndrome, blindness, autism, etc.
All the services are given through CPSE, the committee on preschool education.
Services offered.
1. Special class in a center-based program.
These classes are designed for children with cognitive and social emotional delays. All the children in these classes have an IEP. Class ratios typically range from:
6:1:1 - 6 teachers, 1 NYS certified special education teacher, 1 certified teaching assistant
8:1:1 - 8 teachers, 1 NYS certified special education teacher, 1 certified teaching assistant
12:1:1 - 12 teachers, 1 NYS certified special education teacher, 1 certified teaching assistant
*Some classes may have 1-2 more certified teaching assistants.
*Some school over enroll by 1-2 children so the number of kids may increase after the child is enrolled.
2. SEIT - Special Education Itinerent Teacher
Many administrators request that the child be in school so that the professional can work on both cognitive and social goals.
3. Related Services.
Based on need the child can get one or more of the following services.
a. Speech Therapy - a certified speech therapist works 1:1 with the child to work on speech, language and communication goals.
b. Occupational Therapy - a certified occupational therapist works 1:1 with the child to work on fine motor goals. Grasping, hand eye coordination, sensory integration, etc.
c. Physical Therapy - a certified physical therapist works 1:1 with the child to work on gross motor goals. Running, jumping, climbing skills, muscle and core strength, etc.
The therapist can give the services in the home, preschool, center-based school or at a clinic.
The typically mandates are:
2X30- twice per week for thirty minutes
2X45- twice per week for forty five minutes
*Some children receive it three times per week.
My job is to visit the SEITS at the site or home that they are giving services and see how things are going. Give pointers as needed. Resolve issues if they arise. Support families and children. I also attend the initial meetings and explain the evaluations to the family and discussing what services are needed.
I also review paperwork. Quarterly and annual reports updating the child's response to treatment and growth since receiving services.
I have several NYS teaching certification but my NYS School Building Teacher certification allows me to supervise. I'm a traveling "principal".
My two cents.
1. I have seen great improvement with the majority of children that I've supervised.
2. There is no uniformaty in how services are given out.
A child getting 10 hours of SEIT in East NY does not resemble the child getting 10 hours of SEIT in the upper east side. And that is seen with every service.
3. A parents sophistication is a great contributing factor in what services the child gets.
4. Cultural differences. More affluent parents want all of the services that will give their child an advantage. They don't fear the stigma of "special education". They are even willing to push back entering kindergarten for a year so that their child can "catch up"
Some less affluent families fear special education. There are children with obvious delays in all areas of development and the parents say things like "He just needs speech."
Tip 1 - some services can be provided through your health insurance.
Tip 2 - Get the services if your child needs them. Ask questions. Research the companies that you get the services from. Don't rush to make decision.
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