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Program for Students with ExceptionalitiesWhat Parents Need to Know1. How do I request an evaluation of my child for special education services? A parent, teacher, or other “appropriate” individual, may request an evaluation or re-evaluation at any time. If the request for an evaluation or re-evaluation is made verbally, a parent permission to request form will be provided to the parent within 10 calendar days of the verbal request, so that the request is in writing. If the request is made in written form at the time of the request or after the parent permission to request form is signed by the parent and received by the district, it will be determined whether a consent form to move forward with testing or a Notice of Recommended of Educational Placement will be provided to the parent if they change their mind and do not wish to pursue testing at that time.2.??? What should I do if my child’s teacher does not think my child needs to be evaluated for special education services? An individual teacher does not make the decision to evaluate/not evaluate a child to determine eligibility for special education services. In instances where States and school districts have implemented pre-referral systems, parents should be informed that, even while attempts are being made by school district staff to alleviate an educational problem in the regular classroom, the parents have the right to ask a school district to evaluate their child if the parents suspect that their child has a disability under IDEA. A school district can advise the parents as to why it believes that it would be appropriate to have the student participate in an intervention program before a formal evaluation is conducted. However, if the school district suspects that the student has a disability, it cannot refuse to conduct the evaluation or delay the evaluation until the interventions have been tried. If the school district disagrees with the parents and does not suspect that the student has a disability, it may refuse to conduct an evaluation. In that instance, the parents may request a due process hearing on the matter of the school district's refusal to initiate an evaluation. It is important that you communicate your concerns with your child’s Teacher and request a meeting with the “Response to Intervention Team” within your child’s school.3.??? Once I have requested an evaluation, what happens next? (Next steps and timeline) Once the written request is received, the school based team or IEP team, along with the parent will determine whether a Consent Form will be issued for testing to be completed or a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement will be issued for parent approval if they choose to rescind testing at that time. In both cases, Procedural Safeguards are issued to the parent as additional resources. When both parties are in agreement for testing, within 60 calendar days of the receipt of the parent’s written consent to conduct the evaluation or re-evaluation, the evaluation report team or the re-evaluation report team (IEP team) must conduct the evaluation or re-evaluation, prepare a completed Evaluation Report or Re-evaluation Report, and provide the Evaluation Report or Re-evaluation Report document to the parent. If in view of the Re-evaluation Report or Evaluation Report it is determined that initial provision of special education services or a modification of existing services is needed, an IEP meeting will be scheduled within 30 calendar days of receiving the Evaluation Report or Re-Evaluation Report to develop the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Upon completion of the IEP, a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement will be issued for parent approval. A Notice of Recommended Educational Placement is also offered to the parent for approval if the student is not eligible for special education services upon completion of an evaluation or after a re-evaluation when exiting a student from special education all together.4.??? What kinds of special education services are offered by the district?The School District of Pittsburgh offers a full continuum of services for eligible students with disabilities as mandated under IDEA and Chapter 14.?? Services offered by the district range from the least restrictive to the most restrictive environment and the level of supports offered range from Itinerant or Supplemental, to Full-Time as determined by members of the IEP team, which includes the parent/guardian.? Furthermore, services are offered for students eligible to receive the following support programs:? Hearing Support Program, Vision Support Program, Speech and Language Support Program, Emotional Support Program, Therapeutic Support Program, Learning Support Program, Autistic Support Program, Life Skills Support Program, Physical and/or Multiple Disabilities Support Program.? 5.??? In what locations do students receive special education services? The School District of Pittsburgh provides a full continuum of special education services. All of our comprehensive/magnet schools are capable of providing itinerant/supplemental levels of all types of support. Depending on students’ needs and IEP team decisions, more intensive levels of support can be provided in our regional classrooms and center schools. ?6.??? Can my child receive special education services in the regular classroom? Yes, eligible students can receive special education services in the regular education classroom. Each IEP team should consider the general education environment as the least restrictive environment first and foremost. The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) means that a student who has a disability should have the opportunity to be educated with non-disabled peers, to the greatest extent appropriate. They should have access to the general education curriculum with the supplementary aids and services necessary to achieve educational goals. Universal Design of Learning (UDL) removes the barriers by anticipating the needs of all students and providing the materials, resources and interventions needed to access the general curriculum for student success. The Central underlying concept of UDL is that flexibility is inherent in teaching, learning, and assessing to accommodate all learners. The District hired curriculum writers who are currently utilizing the concepts of UDL while writing the district’s new curriculum aligned to the common core standards. Currently, special education offers the following service delivery models to assist students with disabilities: Collaborative Consultation with Special Education Support, Collaborative Consultation with Direct Special Education Support Inside the General Education Classroom, Collaborative Consultation with Direct Special Education Support Outside of the General Education Classroom, Regional Support Services, Center School Based Services, and Services provided outside of the school district. The Individualized Education Plan team members determine the most appropriate educational placement for each student to ensure academic and/or behavioral success.7.??? Under what circumstances would a child be placed in an Approved Private School (APS)? A decision to place a child in an APS must be based on the need for a more restrictive environment. A referral for a more restrictive environment outside of the regular school setting is only appropriate when the IEP team determines that a student’s educational and behavioral needs can no longer be met in his/her current placement. Clear documentation of all strategies implemented with fidelity and the student’s response to these interventions must be documented. A referral to a more restrictive environment can only occur by the recommendation from the IEP team after a re-evaluation is conducted and a new IEP drafted and proposed. The re-evaluation must support a more restrictive placement and the IEP team must have concluded that the new IEP can only be implemented in a more restrictive setting. All recommendations for a more restrictive environment are subject to review by the Program Officer School Management and Compliance before a referral is sent out and a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement is offered to the parent for approval.8.??? How does a child become eligible for Extended School Year (ESY) Services? ? Extended School Year (ESY) is considered for each child with an IEP every year. The IEP team, in determining eligibility for ESY, reviews factors such as regression and recoupment data (whether a student can, after a break in programming, regain the skills he/she lost to the same level of mastery as before the break). The team also reviews other factors such as whether the student has mastered an important skill or behavior at the point when educational programming would be interrupted; whether a skill or behavior is particularly crucial to reaching the goal of independence from caretakers; whether successive interruptions in educational programming may result in a student’s withdrawal from the learning process; the students prior learning history; recent medical/behavioral concerns; formal or informal test results; observations and/or reports from parents, educators, medical or other agencies.9.??? Who do I?call in the school district if I have a problem concerning?the?services my child currently receives? If you are dissatisfied with the special education services that your child is currently receiving, it is suggested that you do the following:Contact your child’s Teacher and request a meeting to reopen your child’s IEPAt the meeting, share your concerns with the team which includes the Principal/LEA, related services personnel (if applicable), General Education Teachers (as appropriate), Special Education Teacher, and/or community agencies representatives, etc.The Individualized Education Plan can and should be revised so a student receives the most appropriate supports and services that the IEP team agrees to implement during the implementation of the students current Individualized Education Plan.10. Where can I find information about my child’s educational rights? A Procedural Safeguards Notice includes a full explanation of all of the rights available to parents of a child with a disability ages 3-21 when their child has been referred for or is receiving special education services. It also explains the IEP procedure, and how each step, from identification to IEP goals, plays out.Procedural Safeguards are offered to parents at every meeting pertaining to the IEP. It is required that parents sign a statement in the IEP that they have received the Procedural Safeguards. Parents may opt not to take the Procedural Safeguards if they already have multiple copies and prefer not to take another, but must sign on the IEP that they were offered a copy should they decline another copy of the Procedural Safeguards Notice. Parents can also obtain A Notice of procedural Safeguards at a later date by contacting their child’s school or on the PaTTAN website: . Is parent-to-parent support available concerning special education issues? Because the district must protect the confidentiality of student records from disclosure under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g,, the district does not actively provide parent-to-parent support services.??The?district?provides individual families with support contacts via the Procedural Safeguards Notice and disseminates information from the Local Task Force (LTF) on the Right to Education.12. What is the difference between a 504 plan and an IEP? A 504 plan, which is an entitlement for certain qualified students with disabilities under civil rights law (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), is an attempt to remove barriers and allow students with disabilities to participate fully in the educational program offered by the school district it seeks to level the playing field so that those students receive accommodations, modifications and services needed to enjoy the same opportunities as nondisabled students. An IEP, which falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is much more concerned with actually providing educational services. Students eligible for an IEP, or Individualized Education Plan, represent a small subset of all students with disabilities. They generally require more than a level playing field -- they require significant remediation and assistance, and are more likely to work on their own level at their own pace even in an inclusive classroom. Only certain classifications of a disability are eligible for an IEP, and students who do not meet those classifications but still require some assistance to be able to participate fully in school would be candidates for a 504 plan. 13. In what circumstances would the district provide a student with a personal care assistant (PCA), one-on-one aide or a nurse? A Personal Care Assistant (PCA) is assigned to a student based on the determination of the IEP team. This determination is made each school year based on collected data and the continued need of such support. A PCA can provide support to one or more individual students with disabilities under the direction of the classroom teacher as long as he/she is working with one student at a time.? A PCA is assigned to assist with the following supports:Assist the student to and from school on the school bus, and on and off the school busAccompany the student to and from classes, restroom, cafeteria, gym, playground, community activitiesAssist the student to use equipmentMonitor the incidence and prevalence of designated health problems or medical conditionsAssist the student with a variety of personal care activities such as: dressing/undressing, toileting, feeding, tooth brushing, face washing, and personal hygieneLifting and transferring the student to and from the wheelchair, changing table, toilet, positioning equipment, etc.Assist the student to participate in activities by: sitting in close proximity, directing attention to the assignment, physically assisting student, providing additional directions and corrective feedback, assist with assistive technology deviceAssist the student to ambulate, position and transferImplement behavior management techniques in accordance with the directions given by the classroom teacher, including reinforcing appropriate behavior, managing time out of other techniques as directed by the teacherOther related activities as directed by the teacherThe PCA strictly adheres to confidentiality requirements regarding all matters pertaining to students and parent communication. They maintain data collection on student progress for selected activities on student record forms. A PCA accepts directives/instructions from the classroom (general education and/or special education) teacher regarding their assigned student to ensure success.14. In what circumstances would it be appropriate for the child's TSS (outside agency wrap-around support) to assist at school? Therapeutic Staff Support Services are supports provided to medically identified students through the neighborhood Base Service Unit and are approved/monitored by medical insurance. This type of support can be provided to families in the home, community and in the school setting (if appropriate and determined by the interagency team). Families who work with their local Base Service Unit work directly with a Case Manager and Behavior Specialist Consultant to determine necessity and follow the state guidelines for the approval, location of supports, duration, and implementation of Therapeutic Staff Support Services. Quarterly review meetings and data collection are also required for students with an individual Therapeutic Staff Support person.15. My child receives special education services– how can I change school buildings? Within the School District of Pittsburgh, all students are assigned to schools based upon a feeder pattern system. If a parent would prefer a school outside of the feeder pattern the options include applying to a magnet school or completing a PS-6 Transfer for reasons of health or safety. A continuum of special education services is offered in all schools to best meet the needs of students receiving special education services. However, if a student receives special education services and those services cannot be provided within the home school, i.e. Full-Time Supports and Services, then the IEP Team would determine the need for a student to change school buildings in order to best meet the needs of the student as outlined in the IEP. 16. How often does the IEP (Individual Education Plan) team meet? IEP teams are required to meet at least once per year. The IEP team can, however, meet more than one time per year, and any IEP team member can request a meeting.17. Can a parent or guardian call an IEP meeting? Yes, a parent may request an IEP meeting at any time to discuss their child’s progress/regression, review strategies outlined in the Specially Designed Instruction, or to discuss any parent or teacher concerns regarding the student and/or their current implemented Individualized Education Plan (IEP).18. Can my child with disabilities participate in extracurricular activities? How will they be supported? What if they need special transportation? Yes. School districts must take steps to provide non-academic and extra-curricular services and activities, including athletics, in the manner necessary to afford children with disabilities an equal opportunity for participation in those activities. A wide range of support personnel including other students, general and special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service personnel are available to provide support, based upon the individual needs of the student.If a student requires special transportation such as door to door pick up/drop off or a lift van, etc. the activity coordinator at the school where the extra-curricular activity is taking place will arrange this, just as he/she would arrange any typical after-school transportation.19. Can my child attend field trips? Students with special needs are provided equal access to all extra-curricular activities and field trips.20. Does the school have to notify me if they want to change my child’s placement or supports? Yes. IDEA requires that the school “…ensure that the parents of each child with a disability are members of any group that makes a decision on the educational placement of their child.” A re-evaluation report must be completed if the IEP team (including the parent) is considering a change in educational placement. Whenever a change of educational placement or level of service is determined necessary by the IEP team, a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) must be completed and presented to the parent for signature and approval.In addition, the school may not change any part of the child’s IEP (including goals, related services, supplementary aids and services, etc) without holding an IEP team meeting. A parent may choose to allow the IEP team to make a revision to an IEP without convening a team meeting; however, the parent plays a necessary and crucial role in any decision involving revisions to their child’s IEP. 21. How can I get more information about what is happening with my child at school? The first point of contact should be your child's teachers.? This includes?both general education and/or special education teacher(s) who work with your child.?? If you need additional information or have additional concerns, you should contact your child's Principal or assigned Program Officer School Management and Compliance.22. My child is not progressing with his current IEP, can I call an IEP meeting before the due date? Yes, every member of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, including the parent/guardian, can request an IEP meeting.? Meetings can be requested at any time of the school year to address concerns and/or revise the student’s current Individualized Education Plan as deemed appropriate by the IEP team.23. Who is in charge of my child's IEP? An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed at a scheduled meeting with all of the required team participants. A team member may bring a draft IEP for the team to discuss and change, as appropriate.Who Is Required To Attend an IEP Meeting?One or both of the student’s parents; The student, at age 16 or earlier; A regular education teacher of such child; A special education teacher of the child; Others deemed appropriate by parents and/or school personnel; An individual who can interpret instructional implications of the Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (MDE) results; A representative of the district other than the student’s teacher who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education; is knowledgeable about the general curriculum requirements of the district; and understands the extent of the district’s resources.24. How do I know if my child is making progress on his/her goals? At the close of each nine week grading period, the special education teacher generates and prepares for the parent/guardian an IEP progress report that includes informational data showing the student’s progress on each specific goal as outlined in their Individualized Education Plan.25. What is SDI (Specially Designed Instruction) and Modifications? Can my child receive them? The purpose of Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is to adapt content, method or delivery of instruction in order to meet the child’s unique disability needs and to ensure access to general education curriculum. SDI is determined by the IEP team. When selecting appropriate Specially Designed Instruction, the IEP team should keep in mind: SDI should be delivered in many settings by some, or all educators and coordinated by the special education teacher, SDI should be specific to skill deficits identified from the assessment process written within Present Levels of Academic Achievement section in the IEP for the individual student, and SDI must come from effective instructional and learning practices (Setting, Presentation, Response, Timing). Modifications allow the student to demonstrate knowledge with fundamentally changing the target skill being taught or tested.Any child who is eligible for special education services and receives services may receive specially designed instruction as outlined in their Individualized Education Plan.26. What is the difference between a SDI and Modification? Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is determined on a case-by-case basis by the IEP team to meet the needs of the individual student in relation to access to the general education curriculum, meeting his or her measurable annual goal(s). The SDI provides the student with what he or she needs to work toward the grade level goal(s). SDI is specific to skill deficits whereas modifications are specific changes to the curriculum to ensure accessibility and accommodations allow the student to demonstrate knowledge without fundamentally changing the target skill being taught or tested.27. Can my child take the state assessment tests? ?Will the supports my child receives automatically apply to this testing? The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires that States and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) ensure that all children with disabilities are included in all general state and district-wide assessment programs. Students with the most severe cognitive disabilities, who are not able to participate in the general assessment with accommodations, may take the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA). The PASA is aligned with Pennsylvania's academic content standards and measures the attainment of knowledge and skills of children with significant cognitive disabilities through performance tasks.?IEP teams determine if accommodations are necessary for state testing. IEP teams may only permit the accommodations allowable for standardized testing, as outlined by the state. Some supports that a child receives during classroom instruction and classroom testing may not be permitted during state testing due to standardization requirements. 28. What special education services are available at each school? ?Where are the resource rooms located? Most special education services can be provided at all schools within the district including instructional support classrooms. For a comprehensive list of regional classrooms that provide emotional, autistic, life skills, or multiple disabilities support contact Felisa Preston at the Program for Students with Exceptionalities at 412-323-3951. 29. Which schools are handicapped accessible (meet ADA requirements)? The School District of Pittsburgh has an ADA Report compiled and reviewed by the Facilities Department. This report lists which school buildings are handicapped accessible, have elevators, platform lifts, chairlifts, and ADA toilets to support students with disabilities. Administrators may review this report by contacting the Facilities Department. 30. Can my child with a disability be suspended? ?School personnel have the authority to suspend a child with a disability for up to 10 consecutive days (10 days in a row) for any violation of the Code of Student Conduct as long as that it is the same disciplinary action (and amount) that is applied to children without disabilities.? However, school personnel must obtain the parent’s signed permission to suspend a child that has an Intellectual Disability. Exclusions from school that will exceed 10 consecutive days or 15 cumulative days in one school year may be permitted in some instances, but are subject to procedural safeguards such as the convening of a manifestation determination meeting to determine whether the child’s conduct was caused by, or had a direct and substantial relationship, to his or her disability.31. What is Assistive Technology, and how do I get it for my child who has a disability? Assistive Technology (AT) is defined by state/federal laws as, “Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” This covers a broad range of devices, software, and strategies that may be very simple or quite “high-tech” in nature. The critical feature is that AT extends function and provides a means to access the general education curriculum and meet individualized goals. Consideration of AT, in the context of IEP development, review, or revision, is intended to be a collaborative process in which team members determine whether AT devices or services are needed for the student to access the general education curriculum or meet IEP goals. Evaluations may be conducted and a variety of trials may occur to ensure that correct decisions are made. 32. At what point will my child's IEP team create a "transition plan" for services that will help him/her move from school to adult life? Transition planning is required for all students with disabilities, during the year in which the student turns 14 (or sooner if the IEP team determines it is appropriate). ?Areas addressed within a transition plan include Post-Secondary Education, Employment, and Independent Living.33. My child is falling through the cracks. Who can help me? If you have concerns about your child’s academic and/ or behavioral progress, you should contact the School Guidance Counselor/Developmental Advisor/Social Worker within your child’s assigned school building. When speaking with the Guidance Counselor/Developmental Advisor/Social worker, request a meeting to discuss your concerns, and develop an action plan. This can be for both general education students and students currently receiving special education services.34. Can my child with a disability be tested to attend the Gifted Center? Yes, students receiving special education services can be evaluated for and can receive gifted services. A student can be recommended for the gifted program in several ways: a parent can request that their child be tested, a teacher can recommend that a student be tested, and in the case of the pilot schools, students are recommended to be tested based on their PSSA scores and grades. Testing for gifted includes a psychological test conducted by a certified school psychologist, teacher checklists, parent checklists, etc. All of the information is compiled and sent to the Gifted Support Office, where a determination is made as to whether or not the student requires gifted educational services.? If a student requires special education and gifted services, gifted IEP paperwork will be included in the child’s current special education IEP. 35. Can the school use force to restrain my child? The district’s behavior support programs are based on positive rather than negative measures to ensure that students shall be free from demeaning treatment and unreasonable use of restraints or other aversive techniques. The use of restraints is considered a measure of last resort and may only be used after other less restrictive measures, including de-escalation techniques. The Pittsburgh Board of Education has approved annual therapeutic crisis intervention and restraint training to the staff in two schools, Pittsburgh Oliver City Wide Academy (formerly Pittsburgh McNaugher) and Pittsburgh Conroy.? These interventions are to be used only when absolutely necessary and for the sole purpose of supporting students that are a serious danger to themselves and others. ................
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