A Student Support Team (SST) is an interdisciplinary team that uses a systematic process to address learning and/or behavior problems of students, PK-12, in a school. The team will work together to identify the student’s educational strengths and instructional needs in order to develop strategies for the child’s teacher(s) to implement in the regular classroom. The process is mandated to be in all public schools in Georgia in state rule 160-4-2-.32.

Yes. The state board rule specifically states that “parents/guardians shall be invited to participate in all meetings of their child’s SST and in the development of interventions for their child.”

1. Gathering of Information
2. Assessment (screening tests), if necessary, and Evaluation of Data
3. Development of Educational Plan
4. Implementation of Educational Plan
5. Evaluation of Progress
6. Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation

Membership varies according to the needs of the student. Three is the minimum number of participants required by the state board rule. These may include an administrator, counselor, regular education teacher, special education teacher, school social worker, ESOL teacher, school psychologist, central office personnel, school nurse, and others as appropriate to address the needs of the student.

The expertise of the SST is for the benefit of the entire school. Any unresolved problem that impedes learning may merit a request to SST by a teacher, administrator, parent, or student.

Vision and hearing screenings are recommended for all students in the SST process since difficulties in these areas can have a profound impact on a student’s learning. Other screenings may include academic screenings by the counselor, behavior rating scales completed by the teachers, speech/language assessment by the Speech/Language Pathologist, or classroom observations. All screenings are conducted at the school free of charge.

Yes. Consent is required for any screening or evaluation in which a student is singled out from his or her peers, including hearing and vision screenings.

Yes, but only after the following important decision criteria are met:

1. that reasonable classroom interventions of sufficient duration have been carefully attempted, without success
2. that the cause of the problem is suspected to be a disability that cannot be resolved without special education services

 It's also important to note that parents have the right to request an evaluation of their child at any time.