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Intermediate School District 917

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Altered School Day

Altered School Day

IEP teams must recognize that shortening a student’s school day is a significant decision with potential long-term impacts. It can greatly reduce a student’s access to essential instruction needed to prepare for college, career, and independent living. Before making this decision, the IEP team must explore and document whether other supports or accommodations could meet the student’s needs. 

  • Individualized, Data-Based Decision-Making

    • A shortened school day must be an individualized decision, based on the student’s unique disability-related needs.

    • This decision must occur at an IEP team meeting and include input from the parent/guardian.

    • The IEP team should review relevant data, such as behavior reports, attendance records, health documentation, and academic progress.

  • All students have the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), which includes access to a full school day equivalent to that of their non-disabled peers.

    A shortened day should only be implemented when data clearly support that it is necessary to meet the students’ needs, and no lesser intervention would suffice.

    The MTSS tier 2 model for internal team meeting (CORE, Student Problem Solving) is needed to discuss with the licensed staff serving the student (Specialists, BCBA, Admin, Leads. 

    Teams need to document the less restrictive interventions and supports implemented. If these interventions and supports that are documented do not result in sufficient progress, the team may consider a modified or altered day as an intervention.

  • If a shortened school day is determined appropriate by the IEP team, the IEP must clearly reflect this decision, including:

    • Updates to the Service Grid indicating the duration and type of services provided. Add new services and end dates for previous services.

    • Revisions to the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) section to reflect the student’s participation, schedule, and location of services. 

      • Each update should be added and dated for amendments; at annual IEPs, the progress can be mentioned in the PLAAFP, and the previous progress should be removed from the LRE statement.

    • An explanation of the decision in the Prior Written Notice (PWN).

    • Altered Day statement

    • Transportation Statement and Plan

    • Extended School Year (ESY) altered day considerations

    Caution should be exercised to ensure that the student continues to receive the services required to make progress on IEP goals and to access the general education curriculum (e.g., if the student has language/speech goals, reducing this service comparably to the altered day likely does not meet the student's communication needs).

    The PWN and IEP (LRE Statement) must include: 

    1. An explanation of why the student’s disability-related needs require a shortened day (in box 2)

    2. A clear explanation of the unique need or skill gap that prohibits the student from attending a full school day.

    3. A clear connection to the growth and progress expected to be achieved by shortening the stu­dent’s school day; and

      • When there is an altered day based upon behavioral intervention needs, the connection should be made to the particular goal being worked on and monitored for growth, and discussed when the team meets regarding the altered day.

    4. A plan for the student’s return to school for a full day, or a plan to meet more frequently to review student data and determine whether the student can return to school full-time.

      • The team must outline the observable indicators and data that will be reviewed to inform decisions about increasing the students' school day. The team will meet frequently to review the programming and determine whether the student is ready to return to a full school day.

    • The IEP team must monitor the student’s progress on all IEP goals during the shortened day and document service provision.

    • A plan must be developed to return the student to a full school day as soon as possible.

    • In most cases, a shortened day should be a temporary intervention.

    • The IEP team must reconvene at a minimum of quarterly to:

      • Review the student’s progress. We should have progress monitoring based on the needs that are identified within the students' goals. What goal are we working on?

      • Re-evaluate the necessity of the shortened day.

      • Plan for and implement the transition back to a full day.

      • Any other information relevant to the student’s needs.

    • Review related service minutes and discuss changes (change in schedule, burst of service needs, indirect vs. direct)

    • Review credits with the member district for secondary students (change in grad plan).

    *IEP teams can meet more often if the student's needs dictate quicker movement (e.g., new intakes coming for home-based, data that supports accelerated success). 

  • If disagreements arise, families have the right to access dispute resolution options, such as conciliation, mediation, or a due process hearing.

  • Due to issues related to transportation

    Based solely on a parent's request

    For administrative convenience (e.g., staffing shortages)

    To accommodate regularly scheduled medical or therapeutic appointments. Refer to attendance and excusal policies to determine which absences are excused. 

    As a way to manage student behavior or as a form of discipline.

Altered School Day PWN Template

  • Following the IEP team discussion on (DATE), the district is proposing to continue with STUDENT’s current altered school day schedule of (TIME), Monday through Friday at SCHOOL. No IEP amendments are being proposed at this time. 

    OR

    Following the IEP discussion on (DATE), the district is proposing to amend STUDENT’s current altered school day hours of (TIME) Monday through Friday. The team determined that STUDENT’s in-person services will increase to (TIME) Monday through Friday at SCHOOL. Their special education minutes will be amended on the IEP service grid to reflect the change in their day. The transportation statement and plan will also be updated to reflect the change in school hours STUDENT will attend each day. 

    STUDENT will receive the following services:

    (LIST SERVICE MINUTES)

    Be sure to address any changes to the direct specialist or related service times that change.

  • At the meeting on (DATE), the IEP team determined that the current altered school day continues to best meet STUDENT’s needs based on (e.g., behavior data, high levels of dysregulation, and physical aggression). STUDENT will continue to attend SCHOOL from  (TIME) Monday through Friday. 

    STUDENT’s IEP team will continue to meet to discuss their progress and the altered school day schedule. ISD 917 SCHOOL stands ready to provide services for a full day of school (7:45 am-2:10 pm Monday through Friday) when determined to be appropriate by the IEP team. 

    OR

    At the meeting on (DATE), the IEP team determined that, based on behavior data and STUDENT’s progress while attending SCHOOL, their time will be increased to (TIMES) Monday through Friday due to (....)

    (ADD IF NOT MOVING TO FULL TIME) - 

    STUDENT’s IEP team will continue to meet during the school year to discuss their progress and the altered school day schedule. ISD 917 SCHOOL stands ready to provide services for a full day of school (7:45-2:10 M-F) when determined to be appropriate by the IEP team. 

    **Be sure to address why any changes to the direct specialist or related service times are necessary.

  • The district considered the results of STUDENT’s most recent evaluation report (DATE) and IEP (DATE) to determine the areas of need and appropriate services. The district also considered STUDENT’s progress reports and current performance data, home district input, parent input, and service provider input. 

  • The IEP team considered increasing STUDENT’s altered school day but rejected this due to STUDENT’s (e.g., continued high level of dysregulation, physical aggression, and unsafe behaviors). 

    OR

    The IEP team considered keeping the STUDENT’s current school hours, but rejected this due to behavior data and STUDENT’s level of progress. 

  • The IEP team will continue to meet quarterly, or as needed, to discuss STUDENT’s altered school day. 

    No other factors were considered at this time.