IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Fall 2016 | Page 81

These services and protections for “protected handicapped students” are distinct from those applicable to all eligible or exceptional students enrolled in special education programs. For further information on the evaluation procedures and provisions of services to protected handicapped students, contact your child’s school principal. SERVICES FOR PRESCHOOL AGE CHILDREN The Early Intervention System Act (Act 212) entitles all preschool age children with disabilities to appropriate early intervention services. Children experiencing developmental delay in the areas of cognitive, communicative, physical, and social/emotional along with self-help development may be eligible for intervention services. If you have questions regarding difficulties your child may be experiencing please contact one of the following agencies. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is responsible for providing services to infants and toddlers, defined as children from birth through two years of age. For additional information contact Alliance for Infants and Toddlers, 2801 Custer Avenue, Second Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15227 (telephone [phone]). The Pennsylvania Department of Education is responsible for providing services to preschool age children from age three to school age. For additional information contact the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Dart Program, 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, Pennsylvania 15120 (telephone [phone]). The different categories of information maintained by the school district are as follows: educational and health records, personally identifiable information, and directory information. With the exception of school officials, receiving school districts, Federal, state or local officials or authorities to whom information is specifically required to be reported or disclosed pursuant to Federal or state statute of regulations, educational and health records and personally identifiable information cannot be disclosed or released without parental consent or adult student (a student who is 18 or older, married, or attending an institution of post secondary education) consent. Directory information means information, which would be considered not harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory information could include information such as the student's name, address, e-mail address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended, photograph, grade level (such as 11th grade or junior year), and enrollment status (full-time or part-time). The district may charge a standard fee for copies of records (based on Right to Know fees established by the District) that are made for parents/guardians so long as the fee does not effectively prevent parents/guardians from exercising their right to inspect and review those records. The district shall not charge a fee to search for or to retrieve information in response to a parental request. Complaints asserting FERPA violations are filed with and reviewed and investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202. For additional information contact Vanessa M. Strassner, Director of Special Education, telephone [phone], extension 2216 or e-mail [email protected] BBSD Special Services Revised 07.12.2016 CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS The law guarantees that the student's school records are kept confidential. Only those who have an educational interest in the student will be permitted to see the student records. Someone has an educational interest if that person teaches the student or otherwise is responsible for some aspect of the student’s education. The district maintains a record of individuals who access a student’s educational records. Records cannot be given to anyone outside the school system without parent permission unless there is a legal reason for doing so. The privacy rights of parents and students are mandated by federal legislation known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall | Fall 2016 | icmags.com 79 SC HOOL DI STRI C T N E WS In compliance with state and federal law, the Brentwood School District provides to each protected handicapped student without discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student the child must be of school age with a physical or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. Act (FERPA – 20 U.S.C. 1232g, 34 C.F.R. Part 99), state regulations (Chapter 14-Special Education Services and Programs, Chapter 12-Student Rights and Responsibilities), and district policy. Brentwood Borough be provided by the Brentwood Borough School District without cost to the student or family. The required accommodations are those, which are needed to afford the student equal opportunity to participate in and attain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities without discrimination. The rules (Chapter 15) are different from those for students needing special education who qualify by meeting the two-part criteria listed above.