Who is a child with a disability?

The Language of Special Education

Who Participates in the IEP Team

The referral process

Permission

Evaluations

The IEP Team Meeting

What is an IEP

A child with a disability is a child who needs special education and related services. The child must be at least 3 years old, but not yet 21, and not yet graduated from high school. The term includes a person who becomes 21 during the school term for the remainder of the school term (the last day pupils attend in a school year, other than summer classes.) The child has any of the following disabilities:

• Autism
• Blind/Visual Impairment
• Deaf/blind
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Developmental Delay
• Emotional Disturbance
• Mental Retardation
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Other Health Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury

The law has criteria for each disability to help the IEP teams decide if a child has a disability.

Special education has a language of its own. School staff sometimes uses letters instead of longer terms. This can sometimes be confusing. Here are a few terms used in special education. Look in the glossary for more help with special education language.

IEP team- Individual Education Plan Team is a group of school staff, parents, and others that either the school staff or parents choose to include.
LEA- Local Education Agency or the school district.
LRE- Least Restrictive Environment
IDEA- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It is the federal special education law.
FAPE- Free Appropriate Public Education, LEAs are required to provide FAPE for all children enrolled in special education in that district..

Agencies to help parents:

County Assistance Office Indiana 724-357-2900

Clearfield 814-765-7591

County Children and Youth Indiana 724-465-3859

Clearfield 814-765-1541

County MH/MR Office Indiana 724-465-5576

Clearfield 814-765-5337

Driver’s License Center Indiana 724-357-5962

Clearfield 814-765-0670

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation 814-3717340

Local Career Link 814-940-6200

WIC Program 814-375-9060

Voter Registration 814-765-2641

Web sites to help parents and students.

www.harmonyowls.com grade logic

www.pattan.net

www.mental-health-matters.com

www.autism.org

www.ldonline.org

If your child has a disability, special education can help your child learn.

You will work as part of a team along with others from the school. The team will decide if your child qualifies for special education. If your child qualifies, the team will make a written plan for your child. The plan is called an Individualized Education Program or IEP. The team is called the IEP team.

The IEP is developed by the IEP tem at a meeting. An IEP is good for one year. But it can be changed if it is not working.

The IEP team has a very important job. You will want to go to all the IEP team meetings and be part of the decisions made about your child.

· Parents- Parents are equal partners with the school staff on the IEP team.

· The child -when the team has transition planning at the age of 16 or earlier if appropriate.

· An LEA (school districts representative).

· The child’s regular education teacher

· The child’s special education teacher

· For transition age children, someone form agencies that will provide services to prepare the child for life after high school.

· Anyone offering related services to the child.

· Other people invited by you or the school.

Anyone can ask the school to decide if a child needs special education. You, a teacher, a nurse, or a doctor can ask. A referral must be written. You can send a referral letter to the principal or special education director.

A referral letter should include:

• The date
• Statement saying, “This is a referral for special education.”
• The child’s name, date of birth, and school.
• Tell why you think the child might need special education.

The school will have 90 calendar days from the date they get a referral to:

· Evaluate your child

· Write an IEP

· Decide where you child will go to school and tell you in writing.

Steps in the IEP Team Process:

1. Referring your child for special education.

2. Evaluating your child.

3. Deciding what services are needed and writing the IEP. The school must have a team meeting to write the IEP within 30 days of deciding your child is eligible for special education.

4. Deciding where your child will receive services and sending the parents a placement notice.

5. Reviewing the IEP placement at least once each year.

6. Reevaluating your child at least once every three years if he/she has a learning disability or every two years if he/she is mentally retarded.

Your permission is important. The school must get your permission at key times.

· Before the IEP teams gives your child special test.

· Before the school first gives your child special education.

Make sure you know what you are signing. If you don’t understand the paperwork, ask someone from the school to explain it to you. It is important that you understand, so you can help make the best possible decisions for your child.

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An IEP team will begin by looking for information about your child that the school already has. They will also ask for your input. Sometimes more information is needed. Then the team decides how to get more information. The teachers or school psychologist might test your child. The may observe your child in class. This will give them a complete picture of your child. You will be told in writing about the test. You must give your permission before testing can begin.

The school can administer tests. When the testing is finished, you will be invited to an IEP team meeting.

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THE IEP TEAM MEETING

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You, as a parent are an equal partner on the IEP team along with your child’s teachers.

At the meeting each teacher who gave a test or gathered information will give a written report. After discussing the information, the team will decide if your child is in need of special education. You will be given an evaluation report. The team will then write an IEP. You may have up to ten days to look over the evaluation report, or you may waive this time and go right into the IEP meeting.

The IEP is a plan for your child that tells his or her special needs. It will include:

• Your child’s present level of school performance
• Annual goals and short term objectives
• Special education and related services
• The starting date, amount, frequency, location, and duration for IEP services
• Services your child needs to succeed in regular education
• The extend your child will be in regular classes and learn the general curriculum
• For students 16 and older, planning for life after high school
• How the school will measure progress on the IEP goals
• How the school will report to you about your child’s progress on the IEP goals.

The IEP team must meet at least once a year. You can ask the IEP team to meet and make changes if you think they are necessary.

The IEP team will then decide where your child will go to school. This decision is based on the IEP. As much as possible, a child with a disability should go to the same school with children without disabilities. Sometimes this is not possible though as the child’s IEP cannot be carried out. Then the child should go as close as possible to home. You will sign a paper called Notice of Recommended Assignment (NORAP) which states where your child will attend school.

You will receive a copy of the IEP and your child’s special education services will begin!

I hope you find this page helpful. If you have any questions, contact any member of our special education team.

Designed by: Mrs. Terri Butterworth

September 2006