Handbooks: Elementary
Article 6 - Support Services
November 29, 2007
Special Education Identification And Placement Procedures:
What Does Special Education Mean?
Special education means educational experiences, curriculum and services, including transportation, through the use of staff, facilities, equipment and classrooms which have been adapted to provide special instruction for students with disabilities. In addition, special education provides the support services necessary for evaluation, placement and instruction for students with disabilities. These services are free to parents, unless they elect to place their child in a program other than one approved by the school district.
How are Students With Disabilities Identified?
The first step is for parents to provide written permission to have their child evaluated. The request for permission will include a description of the action to be taken and a description of each evaluation procedure. Written statements showing the results of the evaluation and the reasons for placement in a special education program must be kept on file. Within 30 days after a
student has been verified as having a disability, a conference will be held with parents. Advance notice will be given. At the conference, an Individual Education Program (IEP) will be developed.
Students Who May Benefit
A student verified as having autism, behavior disorder, hearing impairment, mental handicap, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual handicap, or are identified by a qualified person as being developmentally delayed may be placed in regular education with support services or may benefit from a special education classroom or service.
Independent Evaluation
If a parent disagrees with an evaluation completed by the school district, the parent has a right to request an independent educational evaluation at public expense. Parents should direct inquiries to school officials to determine if the school district will arrange for further evaluation at public expense. If school district officials feel the original evaluation was appropriate and the parents disagree, a due process hearing may be initiated. If it is determined that the original evaluation was appropriate, parents still have the right to an independent educational evaluation at their own expense.
Reevaluation
Students identified for special education will be reevaluated at least every three years by the IEP team. The IEP team will review existing evaluation data on the student and will identify what additional data, if any, are needed. The school district shall obtain parental consent prior to conducting any reevaluation of a student with a disability.
Individual Education Program (IEP)
Each student with a disability must have a written IEP prepared by the staff in cooperation with parents specifying programs and services which will be provided by the schools. If necessary, the district will arrange for interpreters or other assistants to help parents in preparing and understanding the IEP. Once in place, the program is reviewed on a regular basis with the parent.
An IEP is developed in a conference setting. Parents will be notified of the persons who will be in attendance. The IEP conference shall include at least the following:
1. A representative of the school district;
2. An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results;
3. One or both parents;
4. The child (when appropriate);
5. At least one regular education teacher if the child is, or may be participating in the regular education environment;
6. At least one special education teacher;
7. A representative of the nonpublic school if the child is attending a nonpublic school;
8. A representative of a service agency if the child is receiving services from an approved service agency; and
9. Other individuals, at the discretion of the parent or school district.
It is permissible for parents to bring other persons to the IEP meeting, but it is a good idea to inform the school before the scheduled meeting. The school district will provide parents with a copy of the IEP.
Special Education Placement
The student’s placement in a special education program is dependent on the student’s educational needs as outlined in the Individual Education Program (IEP). The school district must assure that students with disabilities are educated with students who do not have disabilities, to the maximum extent possible. Students are entitled to have supplementary aids and services to help them in a regular educational setting. Students with disabilities may be placed in special classes, separate schools or other situations outside the regular educational environment when the nature of the child’s needs require specialized educational techniques which are not available in current settings. Determination of a student’s educational placement will be made by a team of persons who knows the student and who understands the tests and procedures that assess the student’s learning abilities. Team members know the available programs and services which might help the student. Parents are asked for written consent to determine whether or not they approve the educational placement recommended for their child. If the parent does not speak English or is hearing impaired, an interpreter may be requested. Written notice shall be given to parents a reasonable time before the school district: 1. Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, verification or educational placement of a child or the provision of a free appropriate public education; or 2. Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child.
Alternative Programs
Parents have a right to know about available private and public programs, other than those offered by the schools. The school district staff will provide information about those programs on request. If parents place the student in one of those programs, however, the school district is not required to pay for the student’s education.
Transportation of Students Receiving Special Education
The district special education staff will make arrangements for transportation for eligible students to the extent such is required by the student’s IEP. Students assigned to special education programs requiring attendance at schools outside their regular attendance area will be transported. Special conditions may warrant that special education students receive transportation to their assigned schools. If parents are dissatisfied with a transportation decision, they may contact the Superintendent for a review.
Access to Student Records
Parents have the right to inspect and review any education records relating to their child which are collected, maintained or used by the school district in providing educational services.
Nonpublic School Students
Students in state-approved nonpublic schools may participate in special education programs in the same manner as public school students.
Parental Review of Programs
Parents who want to review their child’s placement for any reason should request an IEP team meeting. If parents are not satisfied with the results of the conference, they may appeal to the Nebraska Department of Education for a formal hearing to be conducted by a state hearing
officer. Parents dissatisfied by the findings and decisions made in a state level hearing have the right to bring civil action.
Plans and Budget
With the exception of personally identifiable student records, district special education plans and budgets are available for public inspection.
This is a summary of the Sutton Public Schools district plan for special education students. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of the complete district policy or a copy of the Nebraska Department of Education Rule 51 (complaint procedures) or Rule 55 (appeal procedures) may contact the Superintendent.
Guidance Services:
The Sutton Public Schools employs guidance counselor(s) for the purpose of assisting with the District’s testing program and to assist with scheduling and for students to discuss problems and resolve conflicts. If you wish to see a counselor, stop by a counselor’s office and make arrangements for an appointment.
Health Services:
School Nurse
Sutton Public Schools employs a part-time nurse. All students who become ill during the school day must visit the nurse’s office or see the Principal or designee which in this case will be the elementary secretary.
Student Illnesses
School health personnel will notify parents when a student needs to be sent home from school due to illness. Conditions REQUIRING a student be sent home include: Temperature greater than 100°F., vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained rashes, live head lice, or on determination by the school nurse that the child’s condition prevents meaningful participation in the educational program, presents a health risk to the child or others, or that medical consultation is warranted unless the condition resolves. Please include emergency daytime phone numbers on your child’s enrollment card so that you can be reached if your child becomes ill or injured while at school. Please also inform your school health office staff of health related information you feel is important for your student’s success in the classroom and/or safety at school.
Guidelines for Administering Medication
Whenever possible your child should be provided medications by you outside of school hours. In the event it is necessary that the child take or have medication available at school, the parents/guardians must provide a signed written consent for the child to be given medication at school. A consent form is available at the school health office.
All medications must be provided to the school by the parent/guardian in their original containers. If it is a prescription medication it requires a physician’s authorization and must be in the latest pharmacy-labeled bottle. We recommend sending no more than a 30 day supply at a time. Over the counter medications require a parent signature and must also be in their original containers. Repackaged medications will not be accepted. Sutton Public Schools provides acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cough drops, anti-itch cream, wound cleaning products (Bactine and hydrogen peroxide) and triple antibiotic cream. If a child requires a different medication, the parent will need to provide it to the school with the students name, time requested medication is to be given and a parent signature.
If a request is made for a student to carry medication at school the following steps must be in place:
1. Written authorization from a legal prescribing practitioner stating the student’s name, medication, dosage, time to be taken, and number of days/months to be taken. Written authorization from a legal prescribing practitioner stating the student is to carry and self-administer the medication.
2. Written permission from the parent requesting the student to carry and self-administer the medication. Parents will accept full responsibility for any misuse of the medication by the student.
3. Medication is to be properly identified and in its original pharmacy labeled container. Only a one-day supply of medicine is to be carried by the student. An asthma inhaler is an exception to this requirement.
4. If the student abuses or misuses this privilege to carry and self-administer the medication, the privilege may be withdrawn by the school nurse and principal.
STUDENTS WITH ASTHMA OR SEVERE ALLERGIES
If your child has asthma or a severe allergy you will contact the Sutton Public School nurse to obtain additional information. If you do not notify the school nurse of this information, the school protocol will be followed in the event your child has a severe allergic reaction or an asthma attack.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
As of April 14, 2003, the HIPAA law went into effect. HIPAA is a federal law which, among other things, provides the first national privacy law for individual health information. Due to this law, Sutton Public Schools will be asking that parents sign the release form for the school to exchange information with the child’s treating physician and the release to have the nurse be able to exchange that information on a need to know basis with other Sutton Public School staff. We will be having volunteers helping with health screenings and therefore they will know some of the screening information on your son/daughter. They are also informed of the importance of confidentiality. This law does not really change the way Sutton Public Schools will handle confidential information as we have already been practicing many of the stipulations set forth by this law. After signing these releases, please understand that you have the right to revoke the signature at anytime in writing. These signatures will be valid for a period of 1 year from the date of your signature. For questions or concerns regarding this issue please contact the school nurse or superintendent.
School Health Screenings
Children in Preschool and Kindergarten through third grade, as well as children in 5th and 9th grade are screened for vision and hearing. Kindergarten through grade 12 is screened at least yearly for height and weight. Children in kindergarten, 2nd, 4th, and 6th are voluntarily screened for dental defects. The screening program also incorporates scoliosis and blood pressure at the 6th and 8th grades. Students entering Sutton Public Schools at any grade level and those about whom health concerns are identified to the school nurse may also be screened. Parents are notified of any health concerns as they are identified. Parents who do not wish their child to participate in the school screening program must communicate this in writing to the school health office at the start of the school year.
Sutton Public Schools does use volunteers to assist with the screening process. These volunteers include but are not limited to parents, community members and occasionally college students. Proper care will be taken to ensure confidentiality regarding any health concerns noted.
Physical Examinations
Evidence of a physical examination by a qualified physician is required within six months prior to the entrance of the child into kindergarten, seventh grade, or in the case of transfer from out of state to any other grade. All incoming kindergarteners and out of state transfers will require a vision evaluation performed by an optometrist, ophthalmologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or medical doctor. A parent or guardian who objects may submit a written statement of refusal for his or her child. Waiver forms are available in the school health office.
Visual Examinations
Evidence of a visual evaluation by a physician, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse, or an optometrist, within six months prior to the entrance of the child into the beginner grade or, in the case of a transfer from out of state, to any other grade, unless the parent or legal guardian submits a written statement objecting to a visual evaluation. The visual evaluation is to consist of testing for amblyopia, strabismus, and internal and external eye health, with testing sufficient to determine visual acuity.
Immunizations
Immunizations against the following diseases are required for every child:
* mumps, measles and rubella *hepatitis B *varicella
* poliomyelitis *diphtheria *pertussis *tetanus
All students in all grades will be required to present evidence of
• 3 doses DTaP, DTP, DT, or Td vaccine, one given on or after the 4th birthday
• 3 doses of polio
• 2 doses of MMR vaccine given on or after 12 months of age and separated by one month or more.
• 3 doses of pediatric Hepatitis B vaccine or 2 doses of adolescent vaccine if student is 11-15 years of age.
Students entering school for the first time (K or 1st Grade), Students entering 7th grade or transfer students from outside the State of Nebraska, regardless of grade (includes any foreign students) will be required to have:
• 3 Doses DTaP, DTP, DT or Td vaccine, one given on or after the 4th birthday,
• 3 doses of polio vaccine
• 2 doses of MMR vaccine, given on or after 12 months of age and separated by at least one month,
• 3 doses of pediatric Hepatitis B vaccine or 2 doses of adolescent vaccine if student is 11-15 years of age
• 1 dose varicella (chickenpox) if given on or after 12 months of age and prior to 13 years of age. If given at or over 13 years of age, 2 doses of varicella, separated by at least one month. Written documentation (including year) of varicella disease from parent, guardian, or health carte provider will be accepted. (For the 2006-2007 school year this includes students in grades kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, and 9th, plus all out of state transfers).
Any 2-5 year old enrolled in a school based program not licensed as a child care provider requires:
• 4 doses of DTaP, DTP, or DT vaccine,
• 3 doses of Polio vaccine,
• 1 dose of MMR given on or after 12 months of age
• 3 doses of Hib vaccine or 1 dose of Hib given at or after 15 months of age
• 3 doses of pediatric Hepatitis B vaccine,
• 1 dose of varicella (chickenpox) given on or after 12 months of age. Written documentation (including year) of varicella disease from parent, guardian, or health care provider will be accepted.
Students must show proof of immunizations upon enrollment in Sutton Public Schools. Any student who does not comply with the immunization requirements will not be permitted to continue in school. Students with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs which do not allow immunizations may complete a waiver statement which is available in the school health office.
Students with a signed waiver statement may be excluded from school in the event of a disease outbreak.
Birth Certificate Requirements
State law requires that a certified copy of a student’s birth certificate be used when enrolling a new student in school. If your child is registering with Sutton Public Schools for the first time, you may obtain this document from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state in which your child was born. Assistance in obtaining birth certificates may be obtained from Health Records Management, P.O. Box 95065, Lincoln, NE 68509-5065. There is a fee per certificate.
Please note: The document parents receive from the hospital looks like a birth certificate, but it is not a certified copy. A certified copy has the raised seal of the state of Nebraska on it and is signed by the director of vital statistics.
If a birth certificate is unavailable, other reliable proof of a student's identity may be used. These documents could include naturalization or immigration documents showing date of birth or official hospital birth records, a passport, or a translation of a birth certificate from another country. The documents must be accompanied by an affidavit explaining the inability to produce a copy of the birth certificate.
Guidelines for Head Lice
The following guidelines are in place to: better control a nuisance condition; reduce absenteeism due to head lice; and involve parents as partners with the school in control efforts:
1. Children will be sent home from school for live head lice. In the event the child has TWO cases of live lice in a semester, he or she will be sent home until free of both live lice and nits (eggs).
2. Health office staff will provide written treatment information and instructions, including how to check and identify head lice*.
3. A child who is sent home from school for head lice should miss no more than two school days.
4. A child who has been sent from school due to head lice must come to the health office for inspection before returning to class.
5. A child who returns to class with nits (eggs) will be checked again in 7-10 days.
6. Families are encouraged to report head lice to the school health office.
7. Individual buildings will perform classroom-wide or school-wide head checks as needed in order to control the condition at school.
*Nit removal will be emphasized for effective management of the condition. For more information call the nurse at your child’s school.
Student Injuries All accidents (whether resulting in injury or not) should be reported to the school office. In the event of an accident AND first aid being administered, parents/guardians will be notified. It is essential that a current listing of emergency contact information be provided to the school. If parents/guardians cannot be contacted, a person listed on the emergency contact information will be called. This contact person should have a local telephone number and be willing to pick up the injured child or locate you.
