SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
For students who face special mental or physical challenges that affect their ability to access regular education programs, the District offers special education programs. Special education programs are available to students through graduation, or age 21, if an evaluation indicates the student has one or more educational disabilities. Evaluations are provided without cost to children who are thought to be eligible and who are referred by the parent, the instructional support team assigned to the student’s regular school, or a teacher or other school staff member. Screenings for evaluations shall include assessment of group-based data such as report cards and achievement test results, district-wide vision and hearing examinations, speech and language testing, teacher observation, and monitoring of student performance by the instructional support team assigned to the student’s regular school.
Depending on the individual needs of the child, services for children eligible for special education range from support in the regular classroom to placement in private schools, All personally identifiable information concerning a child’s re-evaluation for, or placement in special education is maintained in strict confidence in accordance with state and federal law.
Detailed information about screening, referral, evaluation, individual education plans and placement for special education is available from the Director of Pupil Services (610-469-5115) or from your building principal.
Nondiscrimination- Qualified Students with Disabilities
The Board declares it to be the policy of this district to ensure that all district programs and practices are free from discrimination against all qualified students with disabilities. The Board recognizes its responsibility to provide academic and nonacademic services and programs equally to students with and without disabilities.
The district shall provide to each qualified student with a disability enrolled in the district, without cost to the student or parent/guardian, a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). This includes provision of education and aids, services, or accommodations which are needed to afford each qualified student with a disability equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits from educational programs and extracurricular activities without discrimination, to the same extent as each student without a disability, consistent with federal and state laws and regulations.
The Board encourages students and parents/guardians who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment to promptly report such incidents to designated employees.
The Board directs that complaints of discrimination or harassment shall be investigated promptly, and corrective or preventative action be taken for substantiated allegations.
For more information, Policy 103.1, click here.
Protected Handicapped Students
Protected handicapped are students who have a physical or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits their participation in or access to an aspect of the school program, but are not eligible for special education services. Aides, services, and accommodations are designed and provided to ensure that the students have equal opportunity to participate in the school program and extra-curricular activities. For further information about evaluations and services for protected handicapped students contact the District.
Mentally Gifted (Academically Talented Program – ATP)
A school district screening/identification procedure of students emphasizes using multiple criteria to determine eligibility for placement in the gifted program. Consequently, the screening process seeks input from multiple sources: teacher recommendation, group ability, achievement test scores, screening for creative talent, and parent/guardian recommendation. Students are referred for psychological examination after meeting specific screening criteria.