Policies

Smyth County Policies

• Local Policies and Procedures of Special Education- drive.google.com/file/d/1eL7cVaBdDGDGKdTLxDgtytsK9RIQvvcY/view 

• 504 Guidelines and Procedures- docs.google.com/document/d/18bVSpNzgK6_bAbK2UOeUWag2bre_uhNf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101814328779410687018&rtpof=true&sd=true 

The Smyth County School Board provides a free, appropriate public education for all children and youth with disabilities, ages 2 through 21, inclusive, who are residents of Smyth County or who are not residents of Smyth County but have been approved as out of district students or are residents of Virginia and who are enrolled in a full-time virtual school program provided by the School Board. To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled.

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed and implemented for each child with a disability served by the Smyth County School Board. The program is developed in a meeting of the child’s IEP team, which includes the child’s teacher, parent, the student (when appropriate), a school division representative qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education services, an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results and other individuals at the discretion of the parent or school division in accordance with State and federal law and regulations. This IEP is reviewed at least annually.

Parents of students with disabilities are provided guidance from the Virginia Department of Education regarding the availability of credit accommodations to earn a standard diploma and the limitations of the Applied Studies Diploma and its limitations at a student’s annual IEP program meeting corresponding to grades three through 12 when curriculum or statewide assessment decisions are being made that impact the type of diploma for which the student can qualify. . The child’s IEP team considers credit accommodations, including locally awarded verified credits, to enable the child to earn a standard diploma. 

The IEP includes areas specified by state and federal statutes and regulations.

Special Education Parent/Family Liaison

Beginning in the 2024-2025 School Year, the School Board designates a faculty member to serve as a special education parent/family liaison, who serves as a resource
to parents and families to understand and engage in

1. the referral, evaluation, reevaluation, and eligibility process if they suspect that their child has a disability and
2. the IEP process and works in collaboration with the special education family support centers established by the Parent Training and Information Center of the
Commonwealth pursuant to Virginia Code 22.1-214.5.

The School Board posts the name of the designated special education parent/family liaison publicly on its website. 

Explanation of Procedural Safeguards

A copy of the procedural safeguards available to the parent of a child with a disability is given to the parent. The procedural safeguards notice includes a full explanation of all the procedural safeguards available.

Child Find

The Smyth County School Board maintains an active and continuing child find program designed to identify, locate and evaluate those children residing in the school division who are birth to 21 inclusive who are in need of special education and related services.

The School Board provides all applicable procedural safeguards including written notice to the parents of the scheduled screening and, if the child fails the screening, the results of the screening, confidentiality and maintenance of the student’s scholastic record.

Adopted: October 12, 2009

Revised: July 31, 2014

Revised: May 9, 2022

Revised: September 9, 2024

Legal References

1. 1. • 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.

      • 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.

      • 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.

      • Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-213, 22.1-214, 22.1-215, 22.1-253.13:4, 22.1-214.5, 22.1-253.13:2.

      • 8 VAC 20-80-50.

      • 8 VAC 20-81-80.

      • 8 VAC 20-81-100.

      • 8 VAC 20-81-110.

      • 8 VAC 20-81-130.

      • 8 VAC 20-81-170.

Cross References:

• IAA: Notification of Learning Objectives

• IKF: The Virginia Assessment Program and Graduation Requirements

• JO: Student Records