The Assessment Team - is responsible for assessing and evaluating potential IEP students from ECE to high school. It is required to have eligibility report turned in within thirty days from parent's consent. The evaluation process used by the assessment team is called the Curriculum Based Measurement. This evaluation consists of assessing reading fluency in both Samoan and English through oral reading exercises. Math assessment includes individually testing students in all computations from the basic number recognition through addition, subtraction, multiplication division and measurement skills. Additional assessments include interviews and observations in the home and classroom environment. If the child experiences behavior, hearing or vision problems, they are referred to the Speech and Language Program and/or the Counseling Program within the Special Education Division. The students with vision problems are referred to the eye clinic at the hospital, and children with other health related problem are referred to the local hospital. (see appendix)

Data Research - The data management system stores information on the numbers of children with disabilities that have been identified, evaluated and placed in specially designed programs. The data system will also include teacher's profiles, IEPs, attendance, drop out rate, monitors reports, assessment & evaluation results, teacher- parent workshop and in-services and grievances that may result in correction action. Through the data research division communication and intervention for improving disability services for children, parents and the community are the target results.

Early Childhood Education - The Special Education Early Childhood Program Specialist works closely with the Early Childhood Education Program. Special education offers service via itinerant teachers providing support services to IEP students while team teaching with the regular ECE teachers in all the villages including Aunu'u and Manu'a Islands. Special Education Early Childhood Program follows the same guideline and procedures as proclaimed in IDEA and Head Start Regulation.

Child Find, Part C & Intervention -- Part C Transition Program, prior to transitioning each child's parent(s) and /or other family members are invited to visit their local neighborhood ECE center or classroom. The Department has the responsibility for ensuring the implementation of child find procedures for all children in the Territory, from birth through 21. The Division's Special Education maintains communication and address child find and Part C to Part B transition initiatives. (see appendix)

Private Schools - Special education are presently serving these private schools Pacific Horizon, Manumalo Baptist, South Pacific Academy, Seven Days Adventists, Kanana Fou and South Pacific International Christian Center. The Department has continued good relationship between SPED and the private schools. Student's progress has been consistent and documented. The increased awareness of available services and knowledge of parental and student rights have increased the success and demand for services in private schools.

Social Worker Program (Family Services) - The Division has had a Social Services Program since its inception. Their work encompasses many different ethnic cultures in American Samoa. The social worker communicate with the families on issues relating to special education. The social workers are well versed in the Samoan language, Samoan protocol and religious mannerism that help families understand many of the policies and procedures in special education. Many times the social worker is the moderator to complicated issue that parents have with the Division or individual programs or staff members. They are the Division's link to the community that deals with parent's and children's issues and rights; further more, they are well verse in communicating in the indigenous vernacular may it be the common language or the language of the matai. (see appendix for job discription)

Counseling Program
The Counseling Service Program is a newly establish program in the SPED Division. Counselors are out in the schools and the correctional facility in Tafuna. They provide guidance and assistance to student with behavior and emotional problems out in the schools. They assist in planning career development, employment preparation, achieving independence and integration in the workplace and community.
(see appendix for job description)

Nurse

Nutritionist

Physical Therapist
The Physical Therapist is fairly new in the SPED program.v

Speech & Language--The Speech and Language program is in all the schools in American Samoa. Services are provided daily and intermittently based on what is written in the student's IEP for speech and language services. The program has two generalized goals for all students enrolled in the program; 1) increase receptive language skills in both Samoan and English and, 2) increase expressive language skills in both Samoan and English for daily conversation. Since language encompasses reading, writing, talking, listening, social interaction and technical discourse, the speech and language program focuses on assisting the student in becoming an effective communicator who says what he means and means what he says.

Elementary and High School

The three Program Directors (PD) supervises all the Resource Specialist out in the elementary & high schools. The continuum of services being implement out in the schools are resource classroom for the deaf, speech & language and vision inclusion classroom, full inclusion instruction in elementary, middle & high school, and self contain classroom instruction for primary, intermediate & high school.

The schools are supervised and divided between three PDs , The division of schools and clusters consist of Matafao, Manulele, Manulele Jr.Hi., Lupelele, Midkiff, (Pavaiai, & Siliaga,) (Alataua Lua & Taputapu,) Leone, Tafuna & Voc Tech high schools. The second division is (Matatula, Lutali, & Olomoana), (Alofau & Masefau), (Laulii, & Aua) (Afono & Mauga O Alava), Colmen & Leatele, Fagaitua & Samoana high school and the third division consist of the Transition Program in the high schools and Manua high schools. Because of Manua's location it is imperative that the PD's visit to Manua is done on continued routine schedule. Program Directors are responsible for assignment of personnel in the area they recognize as needing change or replacement. The Special Education Assistant Director will have final approval of all assignments.