Special Education certified teachers and paraprofessionals will support students through differentiated instruction and support in the general education classroom and direct support in small group settings as defined by the student’s IEP. Students will engage with their General Education teachers and peers through the regular courses. Anticipated changes in IEP content and implementation based on individualized student need may be addressed through the ARD or IEP amendment process. Additional guidance for Special Education operating procedures can be found on the SISD specialized support services website linked here. District procedures and policies can also be accessed via The Legal Framework.

If a parent makes a request for an initial evaluation for special education services to the director of special education services or to a district administrative employee of the school district, the district must respond no later than 15 school days after receiving the request. At that time, the district must give the parent prior written notice of whether it agrees or refuses to evaluate the student, along with a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. If the district agrees to evaluate the student, it must also give the parent the opportunity to give written consent for the evaluation. A request for a special education evaluation may be made verbally; it does not need to be made in writing. Districts must still comply with all federal prior-written notices and procedural safeguard requirements as well as the requirements for identifying, locating, and evaluating children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education. If the district decides to evaluate the student, it must complete the student’s initial evaluation and evaluation report no later than 45 school days from the day it receives a parent’s written consent. However, if the student is absent from school during the evaluation period for three or more school days, the evaluation period will be extended by the number of school days equal to the number of school days that the student is absent. There is an exception to the 45-school-day timeline. If the district receives a parent’s consent for the initial evaluation at least 35 but less than 45 school days before the last instructional day of the school year, it must complete the written report and provide a copy of the report to the parent by June 30 of that year. However, if the student is absent from school for three or more days during the evaluation period, the June 30 due date no longer applies. Instead, the general timeline of 45 school days plus extensions for absences of three or more days will apply. Upon completing the evaluation, the district must give the parent a copy of the evaluation report at no cost. The designated contact person regarding options for a student experiencing learning difficulties or regarding a referral for evaluation for special education services is: Mindi Jeter, Director of Special Education and 504.

Supplemental SPED Student Application Process and Criteria

If a student is receiving special education services at a campus outside his or her attendance zone, state law permits the parent or guardian to request that other students residing in the household be transferred to the same campus—if the grade level for the transferring student is offered on that campus. The student receiving special education services would be entitled to transportation; however, the district is not required to provide transportation to other children in the household. The parent or guardian should contact the school principal regarding transportation needs prior to requesting a transfer for other children in the home.

Visit these websites for information regarding students with disabilities and the family:

The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.

Phone: 1-855-773-3839

Email: inquire@spedtex.org

Live Chat: www.spedtex.org