Accessing Special Education Services for Your Child Terry W. Fletcher Georgia Department of Education Division for Exceptional Students

Student Support Team (SST) A regular education, problem-solving process in every Georgia school To provide support to both students and teachers with the outcome being improved student performance Marshall vs. Georgia (Georgia Board Rule 160-4-2-.32)

Section 504 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Any student who is regarded as having an impairment or has a record of an impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities Reasonable accommodations: modifications/adjustments of educational programs to afford students with disabilities equal opportunity to access the programs

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997) Free appropriate education Appropriate evaluation Individualized education program Least restrictive environment Parent and student participation in decision making Procedural due process

Free Appropriate Education (FAPE) Free – at no cost to parents Appropriate – suited to the individual needs of the child Public – provided by, or paid for by, the public school system Education – what this law is all about

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) To the maximum extent appropriate children with disabilities are educated with children who are nondisabled Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

Determining LRE If the student can be educated satisfactorily in the general education classroom, with aids and services, then that’s the student’s LRE If not, consider alternative placements: - instruction in regular classes - special classes - special schools - home instruction - instruction in hospitals and institutions

Plans 504 Plans SST Plans IEP

The SST Process Gathering Information Assessment and Evaluation of Data Development of Educational Plan Implementation of Educational Plan Evaluation of Progress Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation

The Special Education Process Referral Evaluation Identification Eligibility Placement Reevaluation

Service Delivery Models Team/collaborative Model Consultative Model Departmental Model Related Vocational Instruction (RVI) Support Services

Service Delivery Programs Resource Program Self-Contained Program

Service Delivery Location Community-Based Program Home-Based Program Hospital/Homebound Instruction Local School Facility Psychoeducational Program Residential Program Special Day-School Program State-Operated Schools

Parent Participation Evaluation Eligibility Reevaluation Meetings Records Student Progress