Service Animals

Service Animals PA Virtual Board Policy

**Request for service animal accommodation is at the bottom of this website**

Purpose

The Board adopts this policy to ensure that individuals with disabilities are permitted to participate in and benefit from PA Virtual programs, activities and services, and to ensure that PA Virtual does not discriminate on the basis of disability.

Authority

The Board shall permit individuals with disabilities to use service animals in PA Virtual buildings; on charter school property, charter school functions and events, in accordance with this policy and applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

Definition 

Service animal is defined as an animal trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

Current law allows for two types of animals to be considered service animals.  Dogs are one category of animals allowed to serve as a service animal. The other is a miniature horse.

Miniature horses may be utilized as service animals if:

1. The miniature horse is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

2. The facility can accommodate the type, size, and weight of the miniature horse.

3. The presence of the miniature horse does not compromise the safe operation of the facility.

Tasks to be Performed by Service Animal.

The work or task(s) performed by a service animal shall be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or task(s)s include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing nonviolent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.

The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purpose of this definition. 

Admission of Service Animals to Schools and School Events

Parents/Guardians of a student with disabilities must submit a request to the Director of Student Services before a service animal shall be allowed in a PA Virtual building, or on charter school property or at school functions. Any service animal accompanying a student with a disability to school or school activities shall be handled and cared for in a manner detailed in the student’s IEP or Section 504 Service Agreement. PA Virtual shall request the following documentation from the owner or handler of the animal:

1. Medical verification of the need for a service animal.

2. Description of the function(s) the service animal is trained to perform in relation to the individual’s disability. 

3. Proof of current vaccinations and immunizations of the service animal.

Click HERE to open the request form.