55 Miller Street Enola, PA 17025-1640 Tel 717.732.8400 Fax 717.732.8414 info@caiu.org www.caiu.org

Let’s Warm up… Using the post it note, write a list of what should be included in a letter to the IU requesting an evaluation.

Special Education in public schools http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DktV772njY

Non Public School accolades http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb1T5fnjVBY

Introductions Review ‘warm up’ Check your post it note Date Address Phone number Child’s name Child’s birth date Specific concerns from the academic setting Specific observable behaviors Sign and print name/Send to IU/Meg Makuch

The mandates IDEA-Individuals with Disabilities Education Act United States Code 1412-FAPE Free and appropriate public education Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 34 §§300.130-300.144 Equitable Participation for children placed in non-public schools by their parents

What is Equitable Participation? Certain services are available to students identified as eligible for special education who are unilaterally placed by their parents in private schools through a federal requirement called Equitable Participation. In Pennsylvania the Intermediate Units are the agencies responsible for the implementation of the federal requirement for Equitable Participation. The Intermediate Units are not required to offer the same services that would be offered as a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the public school.

So who receives services? Children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private elementary schools and private secondary schools. The school must meet the definition of an elementary school. A private school that contains only kindergarten is not an elementary school. Students must Have one of the 13 disabilities Must need specially designed instruction

The 13 disabilities Autism Deafness Deaf/Blindness Hearing Impairment Emotional Disturbance Intellectual Disability

13 Disabilities continued: Multiple Disability Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Specific Learning Disability Speech or Language Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairment including Blindness

What is the INTERMEDIATE Unit’s yearly timeline? August Continuation of service letters are sent to parents

Continuation of Services Letter to parents-sent in the summer

Time line continued- August Child count letters are sent out to non public school principals

Continuation of Services Existing students in child count

The principal will send this sheet with the proper papers attached. For new student The principal will send this sheet with the proper papers attached.

Time line continued- September Equitable Participation coordinator collects all the letters from school and starts to prepare a spreadsheet

The timeline continued: November 1st- Child Count forms are due

Let’s dig deeper…

What is Child Count? Federal and state special education regulations require that school districts provide information regarding the numbers and types of special education students. School districts state their placement options within the district’s continuum of alternative placements. Student’s disability category, ethnicity, gender, and English Language Learner (ELL) status is what is collected

What are the documents needed for Child Count? An Evaluation Report that is less than 3 years old- REQUIRED An IEP cannot be over 1 year old. if available The document must have signatures on the PARTICIPATION page and if SLD. It CANNOT be a DRAFT copy Evaluation Team Participation Agreement and Disagreement required ONLY when evaluating students for specific learning disability Evaluation Team Participants* Title Agree Disagree**  Jane Doe  School Psychologist x  Jill Brown  mother  Jack Blue  Regular Education  Justin Blake  Reading teacher  

Please remember The number of children in child count determine the money budgeted for the following school year Referrals are continually taken throughout the year Money is not spent on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis When the money is exhausted all services end-it does not matter when they began The IU has the final determination on how all monies are spent for Equitable Participation.

December 1st: All child count information is entered into the system and sent to the state. These are IMPORTANT numbers. They determine funds available to children serviced under Equitable Participation for the next school year.

Finally: April-May Consultation meetings with: Principals (May 8th) Parents (May 8th 6-7PM in Laurel Room)

Moving on…..

What happens when a child needs Special Education services but attends a Non-public school?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps52qEFiLbg

The referral process. Parents write a letter requesting testing with specific concerns. letter is sent to: CAIU Attn: EP Coordinator Meg Makuch 55 Miller Street, Enola PA 17025 These are the steps to follow to get a student referred for services under Equitable Participation:

Referral Process-home district Parents request that their home district does the evaluation. The district will gather data Issue a permission to evaluate Present the ER after 60 calendar days Write an IEP Only a district can write an IEP The parents can now see what options are available to them through FAPE in the home district

The Referral Process-IU Once the letter is received, it is given to the school psychologist and he will collect data on the student for 30 days. The school psychologist will meet with the educational team and the parents as part of the determination At the end of 30 days the psychologist will issue a Permission to Evaluate if he deems evaluation necessary.

Once the Permission is signed the school psychologist has 60 calendar days to complete the evaluation. IF the evaluation reveals one of the 13 disabilities AND specially designed instruction is needed THEN the school can request services under Equitable Participation.

Scheduling the ER/RR meeting: A meeting should be scheduled for several reasons: So the team can understand the diagnosis So the team can understand how the diagnosis effects the student in the academic setting So the team can obtain signatures on the ER or RR The NOREP

Signatures are needed for: Any student identified as a child with a ‘specific learning disability’ Any student identified as ‘non handicapped’ Any student who has a disability category that changes. For example- was SLD and now is OHI

FYI There is no requirement that states how quickly services begin. We try to get the paperwork done and services assigned within 2 weeks of the evaluation date. If a provider is not available the IU will contact the parents and the school to inform them. Services will start when a provider is available.

What services are offered? Autism Consultation Blind/Visually Impaired Consultation Occupational Therapy Student Intervention/treatment Observation/Consultation Positive Behavior Support Consultation Reading Services Student Intervention/Treatment (Gr 3-6) Observation/Consultation (Gr K-12) Speech/Language Support Student Intervention/Treatment AND Direct Instructional Support for staff

Once a child is Identified… If the child is evaluated and has a disability and the school requests services http://www.caiu.org/Libraries/Curriculum%20Services%20Equitable%20Participation/EP%20Referral%20Request%20Form%202013-14.sflb?download=true THEN The service provider will create a service plan for any direct services It is important to remember that FAPE and EP are different. Parents have given up their right to FAPE by enrolling their child in the non-public school. There is no individual entitlement. The service provider will follow the service plan and document growth. Mid year and end-of-year progress reports are issued

Things to remember…. http://www.caiu.org/Libraries/New%20SSOM%20-%20EP%20Docs/EP%20Service%20Plan.sflb?download=true Services provided under Equitable Participation are not to exceed services under FAPE The IU has the right to review referral requests and determine if services will be provided The IU is not bound to the level of service OR the goals/objectives within an IEP

IU website/EP resources Caiu.org Resources For schools EP At the very bottom of the page Child count form Current menu of services Definitions These are updated every year.

Where can I access this powerpoint? This PowerPoint can be accessed on David’s ANPS wiki/moodle

Finally… Ticket out the door-One thing you learned you didn’t know before this morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGWz88rRkIE Help us to help you. Partnership.