IDEIA & FAPE IN RELATION TO TELOS SPECIAL EDUCATION IDEIA & FAPE IN RELATION TO TELOS

IDEIA The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) is a federal law that provides partial funding to states to educate the nation's more than six million students receiving special education services. Or in my words: if you receive federal funds for schooling, you have to follow IDEIA laws for finding and helping educate children with disabilities. These are the laws governing IEP (Individualized Education Program) formation and implementation.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) An IEP is a written education plan designed to meet a student’s learning needs. It’s the legal documentation used to make sure IDEIA laws are followed.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) Under IDEIA every student with a disability is entitled to FAPE. FAPE includes special education and related services that: are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge; meet the standards of the State educational agency; include placement in the state involved (or in an approved placement) are provided in conformity with an IEP that meets all legal requirements *Basically the district has to do whatever it takes to help this child get their education

What does this have to do with Telos? Aren’t we in the private sector? Telos Academy is a non-profit private school. So we don’t have to go through the IDEIA legal hassles. (No IEP development for us.) However: A school district, through an IEP, may place a student with a disability in a private school or facility as a means of providing special education and related services. Those students retain all their rights under IDEIA, including the right to receive special education and related services under an IEP designed to provide FAPE. This means that the school district will continue to monitor progress of the student’s IEP, because they will be the ones paying for his placement. *So if this is the situation… we suddenly care a whole lot about IEP’s and everything that goes with them. If we don’t follow the IEP and provide FAPE, we don’t keep the student at Telos. We keep track of IEP goals and progress, and report back to the school district on a regular basis.

What if there is a student with an IEP, but it was the choice of the parent (not district) to place him at Telos? Scenario 1: When parents enroll their child in a private school because they believe the educational program proposed by the school district does not provide FAPE, the school district may be obligated to reimburse them for the costs of the placement. This looks like the school district failing to provide FAPE, so now the law will require them to take care of the costs of the placement that is best for the child. This becomes a legal battle the parents fight. If they can prove the school district should be paying for services, he’ll be back on the IEP and we’ll be monitoring progress to report to the district. But keep in mind, this equals more money for us. Scenario 2: On the other hand, when parents who do not dispute the appropriateness of the school district’s proposed program place their child in a private school program, they have no individual right to receive special education and related services. This looks like a family who knowingly rejects the districts offer of FAPE and decides to enroll at Telos. The IEP will no longer be monitored by their home district and the student is privately funded.

Adapt the information from the IEP into the Master Treatment Plan! What if there is a student with an IEP, but it was parent (not district) choice to place him at Telos? What do we do if Scenario 1 is playing out: If the parents are having a legal battle with the school district, we provide them with documentation they request from us, we honor the intent behind any IEP that was in place, and provide the best education for the student that we can. What do we do if Scenario 2 is playing out: We provide the best education for the student that we can, understanding that this student may need specialized instruction. We reference the IEP for information and academic planning purposes. Adapt the information from the IEP into the Master Treatment Plan!

Summary IDEIA is designed to make sure that every student is able to receive FAPE. It gives the school districts money to find children with disabilities and put them on IEP plans. If the student is (or will be) receiving publicly funded services while at Telos, then we have to follow their IEP plan and report to the school district on their progress. This report the special education coordinator’s job. If the student is privately placed, we get a whole lot of valuable information to use in the development of our MTP.

Blueprint Student with an IEP is admitted into Telos Admissions obtains copy of IEP (and if applicable, documentation of FAPE refusal) Special Education coordinator evaluates IEP status Active IEP - goals are shared with those working with the student Progress monitoring is collected quarterly Progress monitoring reported to parents and district IEP is annually reviewed. Therapist and SPED weigh in on appropriate goals IEP meeting held with district. Therapist, SPED and academic director attend Inactive IEP: SPED coordinator provides pertinent information to treatment team. Concerns implemented into MTP Testing for Present Levels is administered Treatment Team incorporates IEP concerns into MTP. Tracking sheet implemented Teachers provide accommodations from IEP Administration places student in appropriate classes Teachers report progress to SPED Student works on and meets goals Student is discharged from Telos, documentation of services and progress is provided