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
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.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
THE IEP TEAM
MEETING
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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 14 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.
- If Extended School Year is needed
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 the special education office at 814-845-2300 Ext.
128 or email: tbutter@harmonyowls.com