Intervention and Referral Services

Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS), is an interdisciplinary team of professionals within the school environment who come together throughout the school year to formulate coordinated services and team delivery systems to address the full range of student learning, behavior, social, and health problems in the general education program as well as for students determined in need of special education programs and services. The goal of the committee is to see student improvement in targeted areas.

I&RS Brochure

Erin Kirkby, I&RS Coordinator

201-599-7224

Email Erin Kirkby

I&RS Team as a Creative Resource

School staff often request assistance either after they have exhausted their repertoire of correctional strategies or when they have encountered complex or intense problems that defy simple or conventional solutions. The I&RS team serves as a resource that can either identify a variety of new strategies, ideas and perspectives for the resolution of the problem, or act as a vehicle for the creation of new and innovative strategies that are specifically designed to address the particulars of each case.

Since the ultimate goal of every I&RS action plan is to maximize the chances for short-term success, a well as long term change of the individuals' involved, the team continues the I&RS process for each case, as necessary, to achieve the desired outcomes. A plan that does not achieve the intended results is not a failure, but provides additional information for team consideration, and it indicates that additional work must be done; this is the nature of the I&RS process.

You've heard about the I&RS Plan and the 504 Accommodation Plan as well, but what are these documents? How are they different? When are they relevant to your child? And most importantly, how do you get one if you need one?

Let's begin with the plan that is least involved and I'll get into the plan that is the most involved.

To clarify things a little better, an I&RS plan is what you can seek when your child needs formal accommodations, but does not have a documented disability (learning, behavioral or emotional). Request a 504 Accommodation Plan when your child has a diagnosed disability and requires classroom and statewide testing accommodations. Request a Child Study Team evaluation for a potential IEP when your child has a disability (learning, emotional, medical or behavioral) that requires the modification of curriculum and other special education programs, related services, and classroom and statewide testing accommodations. I hope this has taken the mystery out of which plan is right for your child!