Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Special Education

1. My child has been referred for an evaluation, what does this mean?

If your child is referred for an evaluation either by the school or by you, this usually means that the child is not making effective progress or you have concerns that your child is having difficulty in school.

2. I have received a Consent for Evaluation form and other forms regarding an evaluation for my child, what are these forms?

When a child is referred to the Special Services Department by either the school or the parent, the Student Services Coordinator reviews the referral and makes a recommendation for evaluations based on the information provided in the referral. You should receive the following forms:

a) Consent for Evaluation Form - this form needs to be signed and returned so that testing can begin. Testing cannot begin without the parent signature. Parents are given the option to reject the evaluation either in full or partially. Parents can also request additional testing not listed on the consent form.

b) Parent's Notice of Procedural Safeguards - this notice is required by law to provide parents important information regarding Special Education.

c) ED-1 Eligibility Determination Form - this form will be used during the Team meeting to determine if your child has a disability. A copy is sent home to allow the parents to review the form prior to the meeting for informational purposes only.

d) Disability Definitions - explains each type disability in the Massachusetts State Special Education Regulations.

e) Health Assessment Form - this form is sent home only if a Health Assessment is included on the Consent for Evaluation form. This form should be forwarded to the child's Primary Care Physician to be completed and returned to the Special Services Department. This form will be included as part of the evaluation.

3. I have signed and returned the Consent for Evaluation form, now what happens?

Once the signed form is received in the Special Services Office, evaluation staff is assigned. A tentative date is set for the Team Meeting approximately 30 days from the date the form is received. Staff members that will be evaluating your child will receive a copy of the Consent for Evaluation and will schedule your child to be tested. Parents should receive a copy of written reports at least two days prior to the date of the Team Meeting so the reports can be reviewed. You will also receive a meeting invitation letter and attendance sheet. If you cannot make the scheduled meeting, you should call the listed contact person as soon as possible to reschedule the meeting.

4. Will my child qualify for Special Education services?

At the Team meeting Parents/Guardians, a Special Education Teacher, a Regular Education Teacher, District Representative (Principal, Assistant Principal or Student Services Coordinator), Staff Evaluators and the student (if over 14 years of age) will review and discuss evaluations. Based on the Team discussion and evaluation information the Team will determine if your child is eligible for special education services. If your child is eligible, the Team will then use the evaluation results to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for your child. If your child is found not eligible, your child still may receive help, although not special education services. If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to appeal the finding of no eligibility.

5. My child does qualify for Special Education services, what happens now?

If your child is eligible for services the Team has to write an IEP and determine placement. (This means your child will receive services in either the general education classroom, in another setting or both). The IEP represents a formal agreement about the services the school will provide for your child's special education needs. The IEP is a contract between you and the school. As with any contract you should make sure you fully understand the terms to which you are agreeing and make certain that everything that was agreed to verbally is written in the contract. Some key parts to the IEP are:

a) Parents/Student Concerns

b) Student Strengths & Key Evaluation Results Summary

c) Vision Statement

d) Participation in the General Curriculum

e) Other Educational Needs

f) Annual Goals

g) Services to be provided

Within 30 days of receiving the IEP from the school, you must sign (accept or reject) and return it to the Special Services Office. The signature of the parent or adult student must appear on the IEP before services can begin. Once the signed IEP is received in the Special Services Office, staff is notified and services are implemented immediately. The district will share the IEP will all school staff that have responsibility for working with your child. You will receive a progress report as often as all children in your school district receive report cards of other school-wide progress reports.

6. How often will the IEP be reviewed?

The Team must meet at least once a year to review your child's IEP, to determine if changes need to be made, and to develop new annual goals. This meeting is referred to as the "Annual Review". Every three years your child will be reevaluated to determine if they are still eligible for Special Education services. This meeting is also considered an Annual Review. However, a parent can request a Team meeting at any time. The school must set a meeting date and time within 10 school days of the request. You should notify the contact person listed on your child's IEP to ask for a meeting if needed prior to the scheduled Annual Review meeting.

7. If I have a question, who should I contact?

The following is a list of school personnel and what areas they could initially be contacted about. If you are still unsure of where to get information, please contact the Special Services Office directly and we can help you!

• Liaison (specific IEP/classroom/related services)

• Regular Education Teacher (classroom/events/services – not related to IEPs)

• Process Coordinator or Special Services Office (Team meeting/Evaluation)

• Principal [transportation (not special education vans), building related questions, general education information (including bullying)]

• Special Services Office (out of district placements, special education transportation/vans)

• Director of Special Services (all other areas, including IEP compliance – if liaison and other personnel have already been contacted)

This form has been created to help parents become familiar with Special Education procedures. If you have any other questions, please contact the Special Services Department at (978) 582-4100 and we will assist you in answering any other questions or concerns you may have. For more detailed information go to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website at www.doe.mass.edu/sped/parents.html. In the Search box enter "A Parent's Guide to Special Education". This document has very important information regarding special education for parents.