Waynesboro Area School District

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

Erica McDonald
Director of Special Education

Tammi Richards
Assistant Director of Special Education

Waynesboro Area School District
210 Clayton Avenue
Waynesboro, Pa 17268

This guide lists and explains the Special Education Services and Programs available in the District. The Learning Support, Emotional Support, Autistic Support and Gifted program are operated by the School District. Other special education services and programs are provided in conjunction with the Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12.

• Instructional Support: Every effort will be made to adapt a regular education program to your child's needs before he is evaluated for special education services. Classroom adjustments may include curricular adaptations, modifications in assignments, changes in instructional approaches, and/or changes in instructional or behavioral management approaches.

• Due Process: The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution ensures everyone "due process" and "equal protection" of the law. Due process is a series of steps to guarantee each pupil a free, appropriate public education. At each step in determining your child's need for specially designed instruction, parents are involved in the decision-making process. An explanation of your due process rights is available upon request in our schools.

• Confidentiality: The District ensures the confidentiality of student records in the following ways:

  • Limited access to authorized school personnel for the purpose of aiding the student.

  • Obtaining parental approval for release of information to all other sources.

• Autistic Support/PDD: Services and programs for exceptional pupils with a diagnosis of autism or pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).

• Emotional Support: Services and programs for pupils with inappropriate behavior and inability to develop interpersonal relationships that adversely affect educational performance over a long period of time.

• Hearing Impaired Support: Services and programs for pupils with hearing loss, ranging from mild to severe, interfering with communication.

• Learning Support: Services and programs for exceptional pupils whose primary identified need is academic support.

• Life Skills Support: Services and programs for exceptional pupils where instruction is focused primarily on functional academics and daily living.

• Multiple Disabilities Support: Services and programs for exceptional pupils who are identified as having a combination of physical and mental disabilities.

• Physical / Occupational Therapy: Services and programs for exceptional pupils with orthopedic and/or fine motor skill difficulties.

• Speech and Language Support: Services and programs for exceptional pupils whose language, voice, fluency or articulation impairments, affect communication.

• Visually Impaired Support: Services and programs for exceptional pupils with loss of vision, affecting educational performance.

• Gifted Support: Services and programs for gifted identified students who need curriculum enrichment and/or advancement.

THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CONSULT LINE
1-800-879-2301

HOW TO ACCESS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

Parents, guardians, teachers, counselors or others identify students who may have special needs. Forms requesting screenings can be obtained at the school anytime. Assessment data will then be collected and reviewed with the parent and building-level instructional support team (IST). Classroom interventions begin. Recommendations will be made for either continued classroom interventions or formal evaluations. Written parental permission is required for a formal evaluation. At any time during the process a parent has the right to request an evaluation through the school district. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) which includes the parents collects and analyzes data from the evaluation. A Comprehensive Evaluation report is developed by a certified school psychologist who determines the nature and degree of the impairment. An individual education program (IEP) team reviews the recommendations from the MDT and determines if the student needs specially-designed instruction. If the student is eligible for services, the team develops an IEP. IEP's are reviewed and updated annually.

ANNUAL PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, SERVICES FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, AND CHAPTER 15/SECTION 504 SERVICES

NOTICE TO PARENTS
According to state and federal special education regulations, annual public notice to parents of children who reside within a school district is required regarding child find responsibilities. School districts, charter schools, and intermediate units are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for special education services or services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Information related to special education services can be accessed via the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and via 22 PA Code Chapter 14. For additional information related to Section 504/Chapter 15 services, the parent may refer to Section 504, Chapter 15, and the Basic Education Circular entitled Implementation of Chapter 15. Also, school districts and charter schools are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for gifted services via 22 PA Code Chapter 16. For additional information regarding gifted services, the parent may refer to 22 PA Code Chapter 16. If a student is both gifted and eligible for Special Education, the procedures in IDEA and Chapter 14 shall take precedence.

This notice shall inform parents throughout the school district, charter school, and intermediate unit of the child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities of eligible young children. In addition to this public notice, each school district, charter school, and intermediate unit shall publish written information in the handbook and on the website. Children ages three through twenty-one can be eligible for special education programs and services. If parents believe that the child may be eligible for special education, the parent should contact the district of residence. Contact information is listed at the end of this public notice.

Children ages three through the age of admission to first grade are also eligible if they have developmental delays and, as a result, need Special Education and related services. Developmental delay is defined as a child who is less than the age of beginners and at least three years of age and is considered to have a developmental delay when one of the following exists: (i) The child’s score, on developmental assessment device, on an assessment instrument which yields a score in months, indicates that the child is delayed by 25% of the child’s chronological age in one or more developmental areas, or (ii) The child is delayed in one or more of the developmental areas, as documented by test performance of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on standardized tests. Developmental areas include cognitive, communicative, physical, social/emotional and self-help. For more information contact the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 Preschool Office at (717)624-6491..

EVALUATION PROCESS
Each school district, charter school, and intermediate unit has a procedure in place by which parents can request an evaluation. For information about procedures applicable to your child, contact the school which your child attends. Parents of preschool age children, age three through five, may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to the Preschool Program Supervisor, Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12, 65 Billerbeck Street, New Oxford, PA 17350.

CONSENT
School entities cannot proceed with an evaluation or with the initial provision of special education and related services without the written consent of the parents. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, www.pattan.net. Once written parental consent is obtained, the district will proceed with the evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation, the parent can request an independent evaluation at public expense.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professionals and the parents determine whether the child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the individualized education program (IEP) team meets, develops the program, and determines the educational placement. Once the IEP team develops the program and determines the educational placement, school district staff, charter school staff, or intermediate unit staff will issue a notice of recommended educational placement/prior written notice. Your written consent is required before initial services can be provided. The parent has the right to revoke consent after initial placement.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

The school districts, charter schools, and to some extent the intermediate unit maintain records concerning children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities. All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality. Your consent, or consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State Law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21. Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction states. One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information. Each agency must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.

For additional information related to student records, the parent can refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

This notice is only a summary of the Special Education services, evaluation and screening activities, and rights and protections pertaining to children with disabilities, children thought to be disabled, and their parents. For more information or to request evaluation or screening of a public or private school child, contact the responsible entity listed below. For preschool age children, information, screenings and evaluations requested may be obtained by contacting the intermediate unit.

The school district or intermediate unit will not discriminate in employment, educational programs, or activities based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, creed, veteran status or marital status. No preschool, elementary or secondary school pupil enrolled in a school district or intermediate unit shall be denied equal opportunity to participate in age and program appropriate instruction or activities due to race, color, handicap, creed, national origin, marital status or financial hardship.

ANNUAL PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, SERVICES FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, AND CHAPTER 15/SECTION 504 SERVICES (SPANISH)