Understanding ED in Special Education: A Comprehensive Guide

The world of special education is filled with acronyms, often creating confusion for parents and even professionals. This article aims to clarify one such acronym: ED, which stands for Emotional Disturbance. Understanding the definition, criteria, and implications of ED is crucial for ensuring students receive appropriate support and services.

The Meaning of ED: Emotional Disturbance Defined

In special education, ED stands for Emotional Disturbance. It is a specific category under which students may qualify for special education services. However, the term encompasses a range of conditions and is defined by specific criteria outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

IDEA Definition of Emotional Disturbance

IDEA defines Emotional Disturbance as a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.
Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

It is important to note that IDEA's definition also includes schizophrenia but excludes students who are socially maladjusted, unless they also meet the criteria for emotional disturbance.

Characteristics and Manifestations of ED

Students classified with an Emotional Disturbance may exhibit a variety of behaviors and emotional difficulties. These can include:

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Aggression: Physical and/or verbal aggression towards themselves or others.
Mood Disorders: Conditions such as depression or bipolar disorder.
Anxiety Disorders: Excessive worry, fear, or nervousness.
Social Withdrawal: Difficulty interacting with peers and forming relationships.
Academic Difficulties: Challenges in learning and achieving academic success.

These behaviors and emotional challenges significantly impair the student's ability to access their education successfully in traditional settings.

Qualifying for Special Education Under ED

To qualify for special education services under the category of Emotional Disturbance, a student must undergo a comprehensive evaluation. This evaluation typically involves:

Psychological Assessments: Administered by a licensed school psychologist to assess emotional and behavioral functioning.
Educational Assessments: To evaluate academic performance and identify any learning difficulties.
Observations: Observing the student's behavior in various settings, such as the classroom and playground.
Parent and Teacher Input: Gathering information from parents and teachers about the student's behavior and emotional well-being.

The results of these evaluations are then reviewed by a team, including parents, teachers, and other professionals, to determine if the student meets the criteria for ED and requires special education services.

Educational Placement and Support for Students with ED

Students with ED may receive special education services in a variety of settings, depending on their individual needs. These settings can include:

General Education Classroom: With accommodations and supports, such as modifications to assignments, assistive technology, and counseling services.
Resource Room: A specialized classroom where students receive individualized instruction and support for specific academic or behavioral needs.
Special Day Class (SDC): A self-contained classroom for students with more significant emotional and behavioral needs. SOAR is a special education setting that is designed to support students whose disabilities significantly impact their emotional regulation, social skills, and behaviors.
Non-Public School (NPS): Districts contract with non-public schools when an appropriate placement cannot be found within the scope of the district’s public education setting. Non-public school placement is sought only after efforts to find appropriate placement in public schools have been exhausted.
Residential Treatment Center: A more restrictive setting for students who require intensive therapeutic intervention.

In addition to specialized instruction, students with ED may also receive related services, such as:

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Counseling: Individual, group, parent, or family counseling to address emotional and behavioral issues. Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) are specific mental health services provided to students who qualify for special education services. They’re usually targeted for students with social-emotional needs that haven’t responded to lower levels of intervention and that impact their ability to learn or benefit from their special education program. ERMHS are tailored to specific student needs and individualized education program goals.
Social Work Services: Collaboration, case management, or Wraparound services to connect students and families with community resources.
Speech Therapy: To address communication difficulties that may be related to emotional or behavioral issues.
Occupational Therapy: To address sensory processing or motor skills challenges that may be impacting the student's ability to function in the classroom.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) for Students with ED

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding document that outlines a student's special education and related services. For students with ED, the IEP should include:

Present Levels of Performance: A statement on the IEP that describes what the child knows and can do at this time.
Goals and Objectives: Measurable goals for addressing the student's academic, behavioral, and emotional needs. Specialized academic instruction (SAI) is determined by the IEP team and is derived from assessment information, data collected, and goals/objectives developed in the student's area(s) of need.
Specially Designed Instruction: Modifications and accommodations to the curriculum and instruction to meet the student's individual needs. Modifications are changes in the delivery, content, or instructional level of a subject or test. When a student who is in one grade is assessed using a level of a test developed for students in another grade.
Related Services: Specific services, such as counseling or social work, that the student needs to benefit from their education. Sometimes called related services; specialized instructional, and/or support services identified through an assessment and written on an IEP as necessary for a child to benefit from special education.
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): A plan to address problematic behavior that includes preventative and responsive behavioral interventions, as well as strategies and supports for the school team to follow to reduce the behaviors and replace them with appropriate strategies. Also known as Behavior Support plan (BSP) or Positive Intervention Plan (PIP).
Placement: The educational setting where the student will receive special education services.

The IEP is developed by a team that includes the student's parents, teachers, and other relevant professionals. The team meets regularly to review the student's progress and make adjustments to the IEP as needed.

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

A Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) is an assessment that determines the function/purpose of certain behaviors. It is conducted by a licensed school psychologist, who provides potential solutions and creates a formal report to discuss in an IEP meeting. An assessment of a student’s behavior. The FBA is a critical component in developing effective interventions for students with ED. The FBA process involves:

Identifying the Problem Behavior: Clearly defining the specific behavior that is interfering with the student's learning or social interactions.
Gathering Data: Collecting information about the behavior, including when, where, and why it occurs.
Identifying Antecedents: Determining the events or situations that trigger the behavior.
Identifying Consequences: Determining the outcomes or reinforcers that maintain the behavior.
Developing a Hypothesis: Formulating a hypothesis about the function of the behavior, i.e., what the student is trying to achieve by engaging in the behavior.

The information gathered from the FBA is used to develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) that addresses the underlying function of the behavior and teaches the student more appropriate ways to meet their needs.

Importance of Family Involvement

Family involvement is crucial for the success of students with ED. Parents can:

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Provide valuable information about their child's behavior and emotional well-being.
Participate actively in the IEP process.
Implement strategies at home to support their child's learning and behavior.
Communicate regularly with teachers and other school staff.

A hallmark of the Wraparound process is to use the family’s language whenever possible to build rapport, create the plan of care, and draft the safety plan. My personal favorite is the use of the family’s language in the mission and/or vision statements, without editing and with full inclusivity of all members of the family. Another way to support the use of the family’s language and family-friendly language is to ensure the family understands any jargon being used in meetings they attend, such as the Child and Family Team Meeting (CFTM), Special Education Meetings (SPED), Individualized Education Plan Meetings (IEPs), and Wraparound Family Team Meetings (FTMs). Being familiar with commonly used acronyms is yet another way to support Wrap families as we build bridges between the family and “others” (i.e., stakeholders, child welfare workers, the education system, mental health and the juvenile justice systems). While acronyms are a staple of short-hand communication at work amongst providers and professionals, the use of acronyms can sometimes leave the family feeling alienated and left out of the conversation.

Other Important Acronyms in Special Education

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education): FAPE refers to the disabilities rights law that states special education and related services are provided without charge to the parents and should meet the student’s unique needs in the least restrictive setting. IDEA entitles all public school students to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Public school districts that have elementary schools are obligated by both federal and state legislature to become FAPE responsible for students continuing their IEP and special education services after exiting County (CDEB) services. Any school that offers kindergarten (KG or K4) as a low grade by default must also offer PK.
SLD (Specific Learning Disability): SLD is a special education qualification category that a student may qualify for if one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language is impaired. This can mean the student has an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical equations. The term can often include students who have been medically diagnosed with conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia.
SLI (Speech and Language Impairments): SLI is a special education qualification category that includes communication disorders like stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment or voice impairment.
OHI (Other Health Impaired): OHI is a special education qualification category used to describe a student experiencing limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in a limited ability to be successful in a traditional educational environment. Impairment could be a result of chronic health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, heart condition, hemophilia, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever and sickle cell anemia.
SST (Student Study Team): SST is a group that evaluates a child’s school performance while considering a known barrier to the student’s ability to access their education in a similar manner to their peers. A regular education process designed to make preliminary modifications within the regular education program of a student not succeeding in class.
AYP: AYP is a term used in the No Child Left Behind Act.
ESY: A provision for special education students to receive instruction during ordinary school “vacation” periods, or at any time when school is not typically in session. ESY services or programming may focus on all, or only some, of a child’s needs that are addressed during the regular school year, depending on the needs of the child.
IEE: Testing done by someone who doesn’t work for the school system. Parents may either pay for such an evaluation themselves or ask the school district to pay. The school district can either agree or dispute the need for the I.E.E.
NCRRC: Department of Health and Family Services. Now known as the NCRRC.
PK: Pre-kindergarten. PK is an Educational Service; PK is not a grade, as defined by Wis. Stat. §115.01(2). PK is a code, signifying students who: have not reached the age for first grade (aged 3, 4 or 5), and are not enrolled in K4 or KG, have an IEP, and receive primary educational services from the LEA/Agency. All elementary and combined schools located in a public school district are required to provide PK services. Unified high schools, high schools and middle schools should not offer PK services.
SEP: The SEP was a district's written plan for the provision of special education and related services, available for the public to read. See Wisconsin Statutes, section 115.77 (4).
SIP: The SIP was a statewide plan to improve educational outcomes of children with disabilities by focusing on collaborative partnerships, supports for learning, and quality staff. See Section 653 of the IDEA.
ADA: The ADA is a federal civil rights law that provides legal protections for individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, telecommunications, and transportation. Title II of the ADA requires schools to make educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, and facilities open and accessible to all students.
ADHD: ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood.
RSP: Students who can participate in regular education may also receive special education instruction in the RSP.
SB-117: SB-117 is emergency legislation signed by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020.
UDL: UDL is a way to optimize teaching to effectively instruct a diverse group of learners. The approach is based on insights from the science of how people learn. It emphasizes accessibility in how students access material, engage with it, and show what they have learned. Accessibility is the “ability to access” the functionality and benefit of some system or entity.

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