Special Education lum Borough
PLUM BOROUGH SCHOOL NEWS
32 Plum
Services for Preschool Children with Disabilities
The Early Intervention Services Act-Act 212-entitles all preschool children with disabilities to appropriate early intervention services. 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. At-risk children are eligible for screening and monitoring through The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers, Inc., 412.885.6000.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is responsible for providing services to preschool children( ages 3-5). If your child is less than age of beginners and at least 3 years of age, they are considered to have a developmental delay when difficulties exist in the areas of cognitive, communicative, physical, social / emotional and self-help development.
For more information, contact: Project DART Allegheny Intermediate Unit 475 E. Waterfront Drive Homestead, PA 15120 412.394.5816
Special Education Services for School-Age Exceptional Students
Plum Borough School District provides a free, appropriate, public education( FAPE) to exceptional students consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act( IDEA) of 2004( P. L. 108- 446). To qualify as an exceptional student, the child must be of school-age, in need of specially-designed instruction, and meet eligibility criteria for one or more of the following physical or mental disabilities: autism, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment including deafness, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment including blindness, and in the case of a child that is of preschool age, developmental delay.
Identification procedures ensure eligible students receive an appropriate program consisting of individualized special education and related services. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law and planned to ensure meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities may include: hearing, vision, physical and speech / language screening; a review of group-based data( cumulative academic records, ability and achievement test scores, enrollment records, report cards, and health records); and a review by the building-level team. When screening results suggest that a student may need special education services, PBSD will, with parental consent, conduct an evaluation.
Parents who suspect their child may need special education services may also submit a written request for an evaluation to the school principal. Services designed to meet the needs of exceptional students include: a timely evaluation and the annual development of an Individualized Education Program( IEP). Parents are an integral part of the IEP process and should be present at IEP meetings. Plum Borough School District will make every effort to ensure parent participation. The extent of special education services and the location for the delivery of those services are determined by the IEP team and based on student’ s identified needs and abilities. Consideration also is given to the student’ s chronological age and level of intensity of the specified intervention. The district provides supplementary aids and services, such as transportation, physical therapy and occupational therapy, as necessary for the student to benefit from the special education program. Parents may obtain additional information about special education services and programs and parental due process rights by contacting the child’ s school principal or the Special Education Office at 412.798.6352.
PA Department of Education http:// www. education. state. pa. us PA Training and Technical Assistance Network http:// pattan. net Learning Disabilities OnLine http:// www. ldonline. org / parents Autism Society of America http:// www. autism-society. org / site / PageServer Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder http:// chadd. org Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities http:// www. thearcpa. org
Exceptional Students in Non-Public Schools
Plum Borough School District’ s special education programs and services are accessible to resident students attending nonpublic schools. Special education programs are made accessible to non-public school students through dualenrollment following evaluation and development of an Individualized Education Program( IEP). Parents of nonpublic school students who suspect that their child has a disability and is in need of special education may request a multidisciplinary team evaluation of their child through a written request the district’ s Special Education Office at 412.798.6352.
Chapter 15: Services for Protected Handicapped Students
In compliance with state and federal law, the Plum Borough School District provides services or accommodations to protected handicapped students. These services ensure 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. They are provided without discrimination or cost to the student or family. To qualify for services as a“ Protected Handicapped Student,” the child must be of school age and have a physical or mental disability which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. Additional information on evaluation procedures and services for protected handicapped