Process for Enrolling New Special Education Students Colorado Charter School Institute

District of Residence Notice: NOTICE of Enrollment Form (ECEA Rules)

Written Notice PER ECEA: Provided to the district of residence: At time of application to enroll School has offered space and parents accept Or is already enrolled and the administrator realizes that he/she is a child with a disability

Written Notice shall be: Signed by the charter school administrator Sent to the superintendent of the district of residence/administrative unit Sent to the directors of special education for both the district of residence and attendance

Written Notice must: Maintain the confidentiality of the child’s personal information in accordance with the policy of the administrative unit of attendance

Timeline Sent within 15 calendar days after: The child has applied to enroll or is enrolled in the charter school AND The charter administrator knows that the child is identified with a disability

TRANSFER IEP: Standard Process Types (see next slide)

Types of Transfers During the School Year Summer Transfers Transfer students from within state with a current IEP Transfer students from out of state with a current IEP Requires (ALPINE) Transfer IEP paperwork Summer Transfers New students who enroll in your school from another school between academic school years. Might not require (ALPINE) Transfer IEP paperwork

Transfer IEP Meeting (During the School year) Student Transfer in to your school after the 1st day: A transfer student is a student with an IEP enrolling into a Charter School Institute School from another school district either within State or out of state. Review IEP and determine if Adopt/Not Adopt* Complete Transfer IEP paperwork in SIS (ALPINE) *Note: The school that is enrolling the student must provide FAPE and Special Education and Related Services until a new IEP has been developed.

Important Notes: Upon Admission, the screening team will review the student’s most recent IEP and their most recent eligibility IEP. When a student is accepted you need to obtain the Prior Written Notice of Provision of Special Education Services. If you cannot access the Notice of Provision of Special Education Services, you must have the parent sign a new form.

Collecting records on New Transfer Student Develop a Comprehensive Consent to Release form check with School nurse on HIPPA requirements for medical info. SPED Records department Cumulative Records Collect all Student Records including: Initial/Triennial IEP Current IEP All relevant data Signed Consent for Initial Placement CHECK for Behavioral Issues- i.e. Expulsion!

Student Records You do not need parent permission to obtain student records (FERPA) Upon student interest in attending your school- You must immediately try to obtain records which includes the IEP The previous school must take reasonable steps to promptly respond to your request for records

Previous District Does Not Respond to Request Continue to request Maintain detailed records of your efforts If you cannot obtain the previous IEP you are not obligated to provide comparable services (i.e. you don’t know what is on the last IEP). Place child in regular education and start the MTSS and in most cases you will start conducting a new evaluation for eligibility and services.

Parents cannot Refuse Permission for the Old District to Send Records FERPA – a district may send student records without parental consent to a district which the student seeks to enroll or intends to enroll or is already enrolled, subject to parental notice requirements.

Transfer IEP Meeting During School Year Immediately provide the student with a FAPE Request and review records from previous school Within 10 days (customary) of enrollment the school will conduct a transfer meeting and either: Adopt the previous IEP, or Not adopt the IEP and obtain permission to evaluate the student to develop a more appropriate IEP

School Does Not Adopt the IEP Within 10 days of enrollment the school must: In consultation with the parents, ensure that the student is provided comparable services, and Obtain permission to evaluate Create a new student record in your School Information System (SIS). Complete the In State Transfer form at the meeting.

During School Year Transfers Provide the student with a FAPE IN CONSULTATION with the parents provide services comparable to those in the previous IEP Until school either: Adopts the previous IEP, or Evaluates, develops, adopts, and implements a new IEP.

If Team Determines that a New IEP is Needed Create a new IEP in Alpine, IC, etc Upload the current IEP and documents Request Parent Permission to Evaluate Conduct assessment and complete evaluation report (formal, informal and/or review of records) Hold an IEP meeting within 30 days.

Students Moving into Your School Over the Summer (between academic school years). For students who transfer between school districts (over the summer), an active IEP must be in effect on the first day of school. You are not required* to provide comparable services....Instead you must develop an IEP and offer FAPE or You may simply implement previous IEP *In a nutshell you can provide comparable services until you either develop an IEP or implement the previous IEP FAPE must be provided the first day of school.

If the Current IEP is not Adopted Provide parents with the Safeguards. Request parent permission to evaluate. Evaluate and write evaluation report (evaluations may be formal, informal, and/or review of records) Send home Notice of Meeting Conduct meeting and develop a new IEP within 30 days.

Comparable Services “To the extent implementation of the old IEP is impossible, the new district must provide services that approximate, as closely as possible the old IEP.” Try to implements the previous IEP If the previous IEP cannot be implemented in the new district, replicate the previous services as closely as possible.

Comparable Services Student was in a home independent study charter school program New district had nothing like that program Parents said that full mainstreaming was comparable. District offered the student a special day class Found that the district offer was more comparable than mainstreaming.

Comparable Services Online charter school developed new IEP that called for general education placement. Student had been in home study Moved to new district prior to IEP implementation Comparable services placement was home study not gen. ed.

What Does This Mean? Student must be provided comparable services upon enrollment This means the first day of school So Comparable Services, Adopt the previous IEP, or Evaluate and have a new IEP in place the first day the student attends

Student Comes to your School and Current IEP is Inappropriate Provide comparable services or adopt the current IEP Obtain permission to assess Conduct an assessment to get current information regarding student’s needs and abilities Develop and IEP to offer a new placement and services following all procedures for an IEP meeting. BE SURE to do this with parental consultation!!!!!

If Parent does not Cooperate with Consultation Give multiple opportunities to consult Be flexible with scheduling and ways to participate (possible phone conference) Keep records of efforts If the parent continues to not engage after all above efforts, unilaterally offer the interim placement

Homeless Students All special education rights, including right to comparable services. Right to enroll immediately, even if they do not have documents.