1. An Overview of Special Education Regulations and Services in City of Salem Schools

2. Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center www.peatc.org
This presentation was adapted from Welcome to the “Special Education Tour”
An overview of the special education process for parents and professionals assisting children with disabilities developed by PEATC
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center

3. What is Special Education
What is Special Education? Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Specifically designed instruction
At no cost to parents
To meet the unique needs of a child with disabilities

4. The Legal Foundations for Special Education in Virginia
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004
The Virginia Special Education
Regulations (2009)

5. IDEA Guarantee: A free, appropriate education for all children (FAPE)
Placement in the least restrictive environment
Protection for the rights of children and their parents
Parent participation in educational planning

6. The Special Education Cycle
From the beginning, there are steps to getting a program for a
child with disabilities.

7. Referral
The Referral is a formal (oral or written) notification to the local school system that a child is experiencing learning or developmental difficulties and may require a full evaluation for early intervention or special education and related services.
A referral may be made by a family, teacher or other individual.
A written request documents the referral and starts a timeline.

8. Referral Decision
In Virginia, a school-based team will meet within 10 business days following the receipt of the referral.
If the referral information suggests that the child should be evaluated for special education and related services, the team must refer the child to the special education administrator within 3 business days.

9. Evaluation
An Evaluation is the process of collecting information about a referred student’s learning needs through a series of individual tests, observations, and talks with the student, the family and others.
This information is used to determine whether the child has a disability as well as the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs.
The evaluation is conducted at no cost to parents.
Parents are members of the team reviewing the evaluation data and deciding whether more information is needed.

10. Eligibility
Based on the results of the evaluation, a team decides if a child is Eligible to receive early intervention or special education and related services.
Parents are members of the eligibility team and receive documentation of the determination of eligibility at no cost.

11. Who is Eligible? Children with: Autism Deafness Deaf-blindness
Development delay
Emotional disability
Hearing impairment, including deafness
Intellectual disability
Multiple disability
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairment, including ADHD
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairment, including blindness

12. Eligibility Timeframe
Eligibility for special education and related services must be determined within 65 business days after the special education administrator receives the referral for evaluation.
The parent and the eligibility group may agree in writing to extend the 65 day timeline to obtain additional data.

13. Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Every child in special education must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

14. Individualized Educational Program (IEP)
The IEP is a written statement describing the specially designed program developed to meet the needs of the individual child.
Parents are to be members of
the IEP team and participate
with school personnel in the
development of the IEP.
The child should also participate in the IEP decision making process as early as possible.

15. IEP Timelines
IEP is in effect before special education and related services are provided to an eligible child;
Is developed within 30 calendar days of the date of the initial determination that the child needs special education and related services;

16. IEP Timelines, continued
Is developed within 30 calendar days of the date the eligibility group determines that the child remains eligible for special education and related services following reevaluation, if the IEP team determines that changes are needed to the child’s IEP, or if the parent requests it;

17. IEP Timelines, continued
Each local education agency shall ensure that the IEP team reviews the child’s IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals are being achieved and to revise its provisions, as appropriate.

18. What is on the IEP?
Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance
Measurable annual goals
Plans for measuring progress
Participation in state and division-wide assessments
Special education, modifications and related services to be provided including dates and locations
Participation with children without disabilities
Secondary transition services including rights at age of majority

19. Related Services partial list of developmental, corrective, or supportive services required for the child to benefit from special education, including:
Occupational therapy
Physical therapy
Transportation
Counseling
Speech and language therapy
Audiology services
Interpreting services
Early identification
Diagnostic services
School health/nurse services
Social work services
Crisis Intervention
Assistive technology
Non-academic services
Extra curricular activities
Orientation/mobility training
Rehabilitation counseling
Psychological services
Parent counseling and training

20. Decisions About Related Services
Which services are needed and why?
How often are they needed?
What length of time?
Who will provide the
services?

21. Instruction and Monitoring
After the IEP is written and a child is placed in a school setting, learning activities begin in the classroom.

22. Instruction and Monitoring
Parents and school personnel must work together to make the IEP and placement work for the child.
Parents are to be kept regularly informed of their child’s progress as defined in the IEP.

23. Annual Review
The Annual Review is a meeting held at least once a year to look at, talk about, and study a student’s IEP.

24. Annual Review
The purpose of the Annual Review is to make decisions about changes in the IEP, review the placement, and develop a new IEP for the year ahead.

25. Transition Planning
Transition planning is careful preparation by the student, parents, educators, and other service providers, for the time when the student leaves high school.
Required by age 14 in Virginia – or younger if appropriate

26. Transition Services The IEP Transition goals should relate to:
- Education
- Training
- Employment
- Independent living skills (if appropriate)
The transition services must take into account a student’s strengths, preferences and interests.
By age 16, the IEP must include a statement of interagency responsibilities and linkages.

27. Triennial and Reevaluation
Re-evaluation occurs
at least every three years, (unless the parent and school personnel agree that it is not necessary).

28. Special Education Advisory Committee
Serves as an advisory function to the City of Salem School Board through Dr. Alan Seibert, Superintendent, on matters related to the education and training of school-aged children with disabilities
Membership consists of parents of children with disabilities, agency personnel responsible for service delivery to children with disabilities, and Salem School Division personnel.

29. Special Education Advisory Committee
Meetings are open to the public. Remaining meeting dates for this school year are February 17, April 21, and May 19, and are held at 3:30 pm at the School Board Office.
Current Members
Ms. Lisa Cain Ms. Patty Maynard
Ms. Paige Callahan Ms. Chris Moses
Ms. Bonnie Carpenter Ms. Sharon Paisley, Chairperson
Ms. Maxine Casey Ms. Tristan Robertson
Dr. Darryl Helems Ms. Kristyn Shepherd
Ms. Artice Ledbetter Ms. Laurel Soderberg
Ms. Terri Lewis Ms. Terry Thomas
Ms. Pat Macdonald Mr. Tom Willett

30. Contact information
Dr. Darryl Helems, Director of Student Services, ,
Ms. Pat Macdonald, Parent Resource Center Coordinator, ,