Consultation with Non-Public School and Home Study Representatives Concerning Special Education Services

Agenda

• The Child Find Process
• Determination of Proportionate Share
• Consultation Process
• Provision of Special Ed and Related Services
• Disagreement Process
• Services Plan Template

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The Child Find Process

• The Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union (OSSU) follows the expectations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to locate, identify and evaluate children and students who have disabilities. OSSU does this in a number of ways including making referrals for evaluation through completing screenings, completing data analysis activities, and considering student performance across all schools. We also accept referrals from a number of different community health partners, preschools, pediatricians, mental health providers, family members, and other individuals who may believe they are aware of a child with a disability who has yet to be identified.
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• Children Birth-3 Years Old: OSSU locates, identifies and evaluates young children through our partnership with Children’s Integrated Services.
• �Prekindergarten: OSSU provides free screenings and evaluations for children through our early childhood special educators where a referral is received and evaluation is determined to be needed. We seek and receive referrals from a number of referral sources including families, pediatricians, private pre-kindergarten providers, our own prekindergarten classroom teachers, and others who come into contact with prekindergarten children. OSSU also reviews data submitted by PreK providers under Act 166 as we consider children in need of evaluation.
• �Kindergarten-Age 22: All grade-level team, as well as, EST teams in our schools review data and consider the needs of students for purposes of referral for both 504 and Special Education evaluations. There is a clear process in place across our schools to consider referrals from parents and other outside sources to ensure each concern is appropriately considered using data.
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Proportionate Share Calculation & Allocation

Each LEA must spend the following amounts on providing special education and related services (including direct services) to parentally placed private school and home study children with disabilities:

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(1) For children aged 3 through 21, an amount that is the same proportion of the LEA's total subgrant of the IDEA as the number of private school children with disabilities aged three through 21 who are enrolled by their parents in private schools or enrolled in home study and located in the school district served by the LEA is to the total number of children with disabilities in its jurisdiction aged three through 21. (The total amount of money / total number of students = amount per student) The number of students may vary throughout the year. So, the amount per student may fluctuate.

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(2) For children aged 3 through 5 (PreK), an amount that is the same proportion of the LEA's total subgrant under section 619(g) of the IDEA as the number of parentally placed private school or home study children with disabilities aged three through five who are enrolled by their parents in private elementary schools or home study and located in the school district served by the LEA is to the total number of children with disabilities in its jurisdiction aged three through five. (same as above)

Consultation Process

The following steps will occur to ensure meaningful consultation:

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1. Annual Meeting with Non-Public School and Home Study Representatives
2. A Mailing to all Home Study Families with current IEPs and Parental Rights included
3. School official will be available to consult by appointment upon request.

Types of Service and Decision Making Process

The amount of funding available will influence the type of service and the decision making process.

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Decisions about which services and the amounts of services children with disabilities enrolled by their parents in private schools or in home study will receive are made during the consultation process and are based on the needs of the children designated to receive services. These children have no individual entitlement to receive some or all of the special education and related services they would receive if enrolled in a public school.

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Allowed Expenditures (based upon individual student need)

• Service Plan Meeting
• Services to students and related consultation
• Supplies and Materials necessary to provide services to students or if related to professional development listed on services plan
• Travel and mileage costs to services
• Professional Development

Service Determination & Use of Funds

Funds will be equitably divided based upon the number of students with disabilities parentally placed or homeschooled who are known prior to August 1 of the current year. The use of these funds will continue to be at the discretion of the supervisory union.

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If a services plan is not requested prior to November 30th of the current year then it is implied that those funds are relinquished. Any unused funds will then be equitably distributed among students who are currently on a services plan after December 1 of the current year.

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Please remember that it is the LEA who determines which services, if any, are provided for individual students as there is no guarantee of FAPE for parentally placed students enrolled in a non-profit, non-public school.

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When services are provided, the LEA is responsible for maintaining all documentation and provide it to the AOE when requested.

Process for Disagreement

If the LEA representatives disagree with the views of the private school officials or home study representatives on the provision of services or the types of services whether provided directly or through a contract, the LEA must provide to the private school or home study representatives a written explanation of the reasons why the LEA chose not to adopt the recommendations of the private school officials or home study representatives.

Services Plan Template