Eligibility

What happens when a child is found eligible for special education services?
What is an IEPT?
What is included in the IEPT?
What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?
What is a "Free Appropriate Public Education" (FAPE)?
How does a parent participate in the decision-making process?

What happens when a child is found eligible for special education services?

An IEPT (Individual Educational Program Team) meeting is created which involves the parents, school professionals, and the student when appropriate. The team develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for the child. The child begins to receive special education and related support services designed to meet the child"s educational needs.

What is an IEPT?

An "Individual Educational Program" means a written plan for a child with a disability that spells out the special education and related services to be received.  The team that develops the IEP is comprised of the parents, school professionals, and the student when appropriate.  This is done at a meeting that is scheduled at a mutually agreeable time.  The written document is a record of the IEP meeting.  The IEP is reviewed annually.

What is included in the IEPT?

• A statement of the child"s present levels of educational performance
• A statement of measurable annual goals and objectives
• A statement of special education services and supplementary aids to be provided to the child and any program modifications or supports for the school personnel
• An explanation of when the child will not participate with non-disabled children in the regular class and other activities.
• A statement of any modifications the student would need to take the state or district wide assessment tests.
• The projected date for initiation of services, duration, anticipated frequency, and location 
• A statement of transition services that focus on the student"s course of study beginning at age 14 and other aspects of adult life at age 16
• A statement of how the child"s progress toward the annual goals will be measured and how the parents will be regularly informed of that progress.

What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?

LRE looks at the setting in which the child receives an education.  The law presumes that children with disabilities are most appropriately educated with their non-disabled peers.  Attending special classes or separate school, or removing children with disabilities from the regular classroom, occurs only when the nature of severity of the disability prevents the student from achieving satisfactorily even when supplementary aids and services are used.

What is a "Free Appropriate Public Education" (FAPE)?

It means that education and related services are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge.  The services provided must meet the standards of the Department of Education for all students and follow the IEP.

How does a parent participate in the decision-making process?

• Parents have the opportunity to participate and provide information at meetings to discuss identification, evaluation, educational placement, reevaluation, and the appropriate education of the child.
• Parents give consent for initial evaluations and reevaluations.
• Parents will receive regular reports on their child"s progress
• Parents must notify the school district if they intend to remove their child from the public school or their intent to file a complaint.