S-team

In March, I was asked to be a teacher representative on S-team (the referral team for special education evaluations and interventions). Since my PDP focuses on growing professionally this year, I felt it would be a good experience and would teach me more about the special education evaluation process. We met almost every Thursday morning discussing students, the interventions teachers had done throughout the year, and what steps should be taken next.

Having sent a student through the evaluation process this year, I can say it is a very frustrating experience. Very rarely does the student receive they help they need during the same school year they are brought up to S-team. This means that the teacher doing all of the work (interventions, documentations, filling out forms, going to meetings) rarely sees any benefits (assistance for the student). Since the process takes such a long time (I started the process on a student in late September and he is having a hold-over evaluation that will take place next fall.) it's sort of a "pay-it-forward" situation where I can only hope this particular student receives services he needs to be successful next year.

Does anyone have any ideas to improve the S-team process? At my school we're meeting for a half day to go over ideas and suggestions to make it more successful but it would be great to bring up ideas from other schools as well. Thank you in advance!