Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty

[Pages:263]05-071 Chapter 101

Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty

Effective Date: August 25, 2017

05-071 Chapter 101:

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MAINE UNIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION REGULATION

SUMMARY: This rule governs the administration of the child find system for children age birth to twenty, the provision of early intervention services to eligible children birth to under age 3 (B-2) with disabilities and their families, and the provision of special education and related services to eligible children age three to twenty with disabilities and their families, implementing 20-A MRSA Chapters 301, and 303 and amendments thereto.

Italicized text signifies State requirements. Non-italicized Times Roman text signifies federal statutory or regulatory requirements.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

1. POLICY AND PURPOSE ............................................................................................1

1. Introduction and Commitment...........................................................................1 2. Non-Discrimination ...........................................................................................2 3. Approval of Early Intervention and Special Education Programs.....................2

II. DEFINITIONS...............................................................................................................3

1. Abbreviated Day ................................................................................................3 2. Accommodations ...............................................................................................3 3. Adverse effect/Adversely affects .......................................................................3 4. Assessment.........................................................................................................3 5. Composite Score ................................................................................................3 6. Consent ..............................................................................................................4 7. Day; Business Day; School Day ........................................................................4 8. Diagnostic Impression .......................................................................................4 9. Early Intervention Services................................................................................4 10. Educational Performance ...................................................................................5 11. Evaluation ..........................................................................................................5 12. Formative Assessment .......................................................................................5 13. Free Appropriate Public Education....................................................................5 14. Functional Behavioral Assessment ....................................................................6 15. Functional Performance .....................................................................................6 16. General Education Intervention .........................................................................6 17. Homeless child.................................................................................................. 6 18. Independent Educational Evaluation .................................................................7 19. Individualized Educational Program (IEP) Service Coordinator.......................7 20. Informed Clinical Opinion.................................................................................7 21. Intermediate Educational Unit (IEU).................................................................7 22. Modifications .....................................................................................................7 23. Multidisciplinary ........................................................................7 24. Native language .................................................................................................8 25. Parent .................................................................................................................8 26. Parentally Placed Private School Child .............................................................8 27. Positive Reinforcement Strategies and Interventions ........................................9 28. Post-Secondary Goal..........................................................................................9 29. Probes.................................................................................................................9 30. Public Agency....................................................................................................9 31. Qualified personnel ...........................................................................................9 32. Regional Special Education Program ................................................................9 33. Scientifically-Based Interventions. ....................................................................9 34. School Year; Program Year .............................................................................10 35. Screening..........................................................................................................10

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36. Service Coordinator .........................................................................................10 37. Special Education.............................................................................................11 38. Special Instruction ...........................................................................................11 39. Special Purpose Service ...................................................................................11 40. State Agency Client .........................................................................................11 41. State Ward........................................................................................................12 42. B-2 (Birth to Under Age Three).......................................................................12 43. 3-5 (Three to Under Age Six ...........................................................................12

III. GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS .........................................................13

1. General ............................................................................................................13 2. Procedure .........................................................................................................13 3. Procedural Guidelines .....................................................................................14

IV. RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILDFIND, EARLY INTERVENTION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES ..........................................................................................15

1. Child Find for Children Birth-2 .......................................................................15 2. Child Find for Children Three to Twenty ........................................................21 3. Responsibility for Early Intervention Services ................................................25 4. Responsibility for Special Education Services for Children Age 3-20............25

V. EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS FOR CHILDREN 3-20 .......................40

1. Evaluations, Parent Consent, and Reevaluations .............................................40 2. Evaluation Procedures .....................................................................................45 3. Additional Requirements for Evaluations and Reevaluations .........................48 4. Standardized Reports of Evaluations ...............................................................50 5. Vocational Evaluations ....................................................................................52 6. Independent Educational Evaluations..............................................................52

VI. INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN TEAM MEMBERSHIP ..................................................55

1. Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Team for Children With Disabilities B-2 .......................................................................................55

2. Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Team or Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team for Children Three to Twenty ......................56

VII. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA DEFINED AND PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINATION ....................................................................................................72

1. Eligibility Criteria for Children B-2 ................................................................72 2. Eligibility Criteria for Children Three to Twenty............................................75 3. Procedure for Determination of Adverse Effect on

Educational Performance .................................................................................90

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VIII. ELIGIBILITY FOR FAPE FOR FIVE-YEAR-OLDS BY IEP TEAM DETERMINATION ....................................................................................................91

IX. INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS .......................................................................................92

1. Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) for Children B-2.......................92 2. IFSPs for Children 3-5 .....................................................................................94 3. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for Children Three to Twenty .....95

X. EARLY INTERVENTION / SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SETTINGS .......................................................................................................107

1. Early Intervention Services, including Special Instruction in Natural Environments Birth-2.....................................................................................107

2. Special Education in the Least Restrictive Environment for Children Three to Twenty ..............................................................................111

XI. EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN B-2 AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN THREE TO TWENTY................126

XII. PROGRAM APPROVAL..........................................................................................141

1. Programs for Children with Disabilities B- 5 ................................................141 2. Programs for Children with Disabilities 5-20 ................................................143

XIII. GENERAL SUPERVISION SYSTEM ....................................................................149

1. Department Approval.....................................................................................149 2. General Supervision System Priorities ..........................................................149 3. General Supervision System Activities .........................................................150 4. Approval/Enforcement Activities ..................................................................150 5. Communities without Schools .......................................................................151 6. Public Access .................................................................................................151

XIV. EDUCATION RECORDS.........................................................................................152

1. General Principles: Confidentiality Requirements ........................................152 2. Definitions......................................................................................................152 3. Access Rights.................................................................................................152 4. Record of Access ...........................................................................................153 5. Records on More Than One Student..............................................................153 6. List of Types and Locations of Information ..................................................153 7. Fees ................................................................................................................153 8. Amendment of Records at Parental Request .................................................153

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9. Opportunity for a Hearing..............................................................................154 10. Result of Hearing ...........................................................................................154 11. Consent ..........................................................................................................154 12. Safeguards......................................................................................................155 13. Destruction of Information ............................................................................155 14. Electronic Distribution of Records.................................................156

XV. PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS..............................................................................157

XVI. DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES: (MEDIATIONS, COMPLAINTS, AND HEARINGS) ....................................................................................................158

1. Right to Dispute Resolution, Generally .........................................................158 2. Stand-alone Mediation ...................................................................................159 3. Mediation, Associated With a Request for a Due Process Hearing...............160 4. Complaints .....................................................................................................162 5. Filing a Due Process Hearing Request...........................................................165 6. Due Process Hearing Request ........................................................................166 7. Subpoenas ......................................................................................................168 8. Prehearing Motions ........................................................................................169 9. Hearing Procedures ........................................................................................169 10. Model Forms ..................................................................................................171 11. Resolution Process .........................................................................................172 12. Settlement Offer.............................................................................................174 13. Impartial Due Process Hearing ......................................................................175 14. Hearing Rights ...............................................................................................176 15. Hearing Decisions ..........................................................................................177 16. Finality of Decisions; Appeals; Impartial Review.........................................178 17. Timeliness and Convenience of Hearings......................................................179 18. Attorney Fees .................................................................................................179 19. Civil Action....................................................................................................182 20. Child's Status during Proceedings .................................................................183 21. Appeal ............................................................................................................184 22. Final Decision Notice ....................................................................................185 23. Hearing Record ..............................................................................................186

XVII. DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ............................................187

1. Authority of School Personnel.......................................................................187 2. Determination of Setting................................................................................191 3. Appeal ............................................................................................................191 4. Placement during Appeals .............................................................................192 5. Protections for Children Not Determined Eligible for Special Education.....193 6. Referral To and Action by Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities ........194 7. Change of Placement Because of Disciplinary Removals .............................195 8. State Enforcement Mechanisms.....................................................................195

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XVIII. SPECIAL EDUCATION FINANCE.........................................................................197

1. Special Education Finance: State Subsidy and Direct Payments...................197 2. Special Education Finance: Public School Tuition Computations ................209 3. Special Education Finance: Private School Tuition Computations,

Approval Procedures......................................................................................210

XIX. WAIVERS .................................................................................................................214

1. Commissioner Waiver of Certain Regulations ..............................................214 2. Agreement between Parent and School .........................................................214

APPENDIX 1.........................................................................................................................217

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I. POLICY AND PURPOSE

The purpose of this rule is to establish and maintain a statewide network that ensures the provisions of child find as set forth in federal law, for Maine families and children age birth to twenty. Additionally, this rule sets forth provisions governing the delivery of early intervention services to eligible children age birth to under age three (hereinafter, B-2) and their families. and of a free, appropriate public education to eligible children age three to twenty with disabilities.

The Department of Education is designated as the State Educational Agency responsible for carrying out the State's obligations under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 United States Code, Section 1400 et seq., as amended. The Department and every school administrative unit, intermediate educational unit, public school, or other public agency that receives federal or State funds to provide early intervention or free appropriate public education services to children age birth to twenty with disabilities must comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended, and all federal regulations adopted thereunder. [ 20-A MRSA ?7006]

Throughout this regulation the Department has reflected the federal statute and regulatory requirements in non-italicized text. The federal IDEA statute has been in effect since December, 2004 and the federal regulations implementing it have been in effect since October 13, 2006. State requirements are in italicized text and reflect additional procedures or timeframes to enhance the federal provisions.

If a term is completely defined in the text of the rule, it is not duplicated in Section II. of this rule.

Every school administrative unit, intermediate educational unit, public school, or other public agency that receives federal or State funds to provide early intervention or free appropriate public education services to children age birth to twenty with disabilities must utilize the Department's required forms. An administrative letter will be sent on a yearly basis which will include links to the required forms.

For purposes of this rule, all references to school administrative units (SAUs) include the State intermediate educational unit (IEU), where appropriate. In the same manner, references to SAU personnel include CDS personnel. Also, all references to the local educational agency (LEA) in any federal language included in this rule have been replaced by references to the school administrative unit (SAU) for ease of understanding and consistency with the term used in State law.

1. Introduction and Commitment

This rule is intended to implement the State's obligations under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 USC. ??1400 et seq. as amended, and its implementing federal regulations, 34 CFR Parts 300 and 303, and Maine law, 20-A MRSA Chapters 301, and 303, and amendments thereto.

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