All children with disabilities aged birth (0) through twenty-one (21) years within the District's jurisdiction are to be identified, located, and evaluated including children attending religious or private schools who are in need of special education and related services.

A free appropriate public education (FAPE) shall be available to all children with disabilities aged three (3) through twenty-one (21) years within the District's jurisdiction, including children advancing from grade to grade, those who have been suspended or expelled from school in accordance with the applicable IDEA rules and regulations, and any child with a disability the District has placed in or referred to a private school or facility. The District may refer to and contract with approved public or private agencies as necessary to ensure the provision of FAPE for children with disabilities. FAPE for an eligible student with a disability shall extend through conclusion of the instructional year during which the student attains the age of twenty-two (22).

A full individual evaluation encompassing existing and additional data shall be conducted for each child to determine if the child is a child with a disability and the educational needs of the child before the initial provision of special education and related services. A reevaluation of each child shall be conducted at least every third year.

An individualized education program (IEP) shall be developed and implemented for each eligible child served by the District and for each eligible child the District places in or refers to a private school or facility. An IEP or an individualized family service plan (IFSP) will be in place for each child with a disability prior to the provision of FAPE.

To the maximum extent appropriate, opportunities for the least restrictive setting, inclusion in educational exercises with regular program students, and for interaction with the total school environment will be provided to exceptional students, the exception to be only when the student's condition, with supplementary aids and services, make such regular class education unsatisfactory.

All required procedural safeguards must be guaranteed to the exceptional students and their parents. The parents will be provided with notices of procedural safeguards in each specified instance and all due process conditions will be satisfied with respect to the provision of a free appropriate public education.

The District shall follow the established state and federal standards to protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at the collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction stages.

To the extent essential to provide FAPE to children with disabilities aged three (3) through twenty-one (21), extended school year (ESY) services shall be made available and implemented as necessary.

Criteria for the graduation of exceptional students, including accomplishment in reading, writing, and mathematics, shall be as specified in the District policy on graduation requirements. Such standards shall be equivalent to or greater than those established by the State Board of Education.

Not later than March 1 of each year conduct a review of the reasonable and acceptable ratio of students per teacher for each disability category. The applicable ratios shall be specified in a regulation accompanying the District policy on class size.

IIB: Class Size

IIB-R: Class Size (Special Education)

The discipline of exceptional students, and unevaluated students suspected of having a qualifying disability, is to be conducted in such a manner as to comply with FAPE and requirements of the IDEA.

For the purpose of this policy as it relates to a child with a disability, home school district means the school district in which the person resides who has legal custody of the child as provided in A.R.S. 15-824. If the child is a ward of the state and a specific person does not have legal custody of the child or is a ward of this state and the child is enrolled in an accommodation school pursuant to A.R.S. 15-913, the home school district is the district the child last attended or, if the child has not previously attended a public school in this state, the school district within which the child currently resides.

Fort Thomas Unified School District #7 is the home school district to students:

1. Who reside with person who has legal custody living within FTUSD boundaries.

2. Who reside with specific person living within FTUSD due to being a ward of the state (i.e foster parent).

3. Who is a ward of the state and attends an accommodation school (i.e juvenile detention) within FTUSD boundaries.

4. Who have not enrolled in another school district upon withdrawal from FTUSD.

5. Who has not previously attended public school in Arizona and currently resides within the FTUSD boundaries.

The Superintendent is authorized and directed to establish procedures for the development and administration of the necessary programs, and to document District compliance with the law and this policy. Such procedures will be made available to staff members and to parents as necessary to enhance compliance.

Superintendent may designate the Special Education Director or designee, to document FTUSD compliance with the law, policy, and procedures.

Special Education Director or designee, will make FTUSD policy and procedures available to staff members and parents as necessary.