Intervention & Referral Process (I&RS):

The Nutley Public School District has Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) Teams at all district schools.  The I&RS Team is available to assess students brought to their attention for social, emotional or educational needs.  The I&RS Team receives referrals from building principals, counselors, Child Study Team members, and teachers. The Intervention and Referral Services Team is consulted as a pre-referral intervention to the special education evaluation process.

A student may be referred to the Child Study Team for evaluation by teachers, parents/guardians, counselors, and/or building administrators.  Parents/guardians may request consideration for evaluation of their child by contacting the building principal or by writing a request to the Director of Special Services.

Intervention & Referral Process (I&RS) PROCESS:

The I&RS process for Nutley Public Schools is in accordance with N.J.A.C 16-8, which reads:

District boards of education shall establish and implement in each school building in which general education students are served a coordinated system for planning and delivering intervention and referral services designed to assist students who are experiencing learning, behavior, or health difficulties, and to assist staff who have difficulties in addressing students’ learning, behavior, or health needs.

District boards of education shall choose the appropriate multidisciplinary team approach for planning and delivering the services required under this subchapter.

1. The intervention and referral services shall be provided to aid students in the general education program; and
2. The intervention and referral services may be provided for students who have been determined to need special education programs and services.
3. Child study team members and, to the extent appropriate, specialists in the area of disability may participate on intervention and referral services teams, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.1(d)6

Functions of I&RS:

The functions of the system of intervention and referral services in each school building shall be to:

1. Identify learning, behavior and health difficulties of students;
2. Collect information on the identified learning, behavior, and health difficulties;
3. Develop and implement action plans that provide for appropriate school or community interventions or referrals to school and community resources, based on the collected data and desired outcomes for the identified learning, behavior, and health difficulties;
4. Provide support, guidance and professional development to school staff who identify learning, behavior and health difficulties;
5. Provide support, guidance and professional development to school staff who participate in each building’s system for planning and providing intervention and referral services;
6. Actively involve parents or guardians in the development and implementation of intervention and referral services action plans;
7. Coordinate the access to and delivery of school resources and services for achieving the outcomes identified in intervention and referral services action plans;
8. Coordinate the services of community-based social and health provider agencies and other community resources for achieving the outcomes identified in intervention and referral services action plans;
9. Maintain records of all requests for assistance and all intervention and referral services action plans and all related student information,
10. Review and assess the effectiveness of each intervention and referral services action plan in achieving the identified outcomes, and modify each action plan to achieve the outcomes, as appropriate; and
11. At a minimum, annually review intervention and referral services action plans and the actions taken as a result of the building’s system of intervention and referral services, and make recommendations to the principal for improving school programs and services, as appropriate.

Contacting the I&RS Team at your school:

Each school in the Nutley school district has its own I&RS committee. The multidisciplinary I&RS team seeks to implement interventions within the context of the general education setting. If you have concerns about your child that negatively impact his or her educational success, please contact your child's attending school. The main office will be able to provide contact information for your school's I&RS Coordinator.