1215 W. Lewis Street
2161 - Special Education and Related Services for Eligible Students Policy
INSTRUCTION
Special Education and Related Services for Eligible Students
The district recognizes that students whose disabilities adversely impact educational performance and who require specially designed instruction can improve their educational performance when they receive special education and related services designed to fit their needs.
Each eligible special education student in the district will be afforded a full educational opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education. Special education programs for
eligible students shall be an integral part of the general education program of the district.
Not all students with disabilities are eligible for special education services. The needs of each student will be addressed individually, and students will be provided appropriate
accommodations or modifications required under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Washington laws against discrimination, in accordance with district policy and procedure.
The district shall comply with state and federal requirements for education. The superintendent shall develop procedures consistent with state and federal laws and rules to implement the
following:
- The provision of a free appropriate public education;
- Confidentiality of personally-identifiable information;
- Child find: Identification, evaluation, eligibility, and re-evaluation of students ages birth to twenty-one, residing in the district, including those attending public and private agencies, institutions, and schools;
- Development of individualized education program (IEP) and placement;
- The provision of services in the least restrictive environment (LRE), including the availability of a continuum of services and access to activities;
- Procedural safeguards;
- Transition from Part C to Part B services for preschool children;
- Participation of students enrolled in private school programs;
- Personnel preparation, including qualifications and professional development;
- Program administration and evaluation; and
- Any other related procedures necessary to comply with state and federal requirements.
A. Mediation or Resolution Agreements
The board authorizes the superintendent or a designee to bind the district to a mediation or resolution agreement reached in accordance with state and/or federal dispute resolution
procedures for special education.
B. Participation in Graduation Ceremonies
Any student receiving special education or related services under an individualized education program pursuant to state and federal law, and who is eligible to continue to receive such
services between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one will be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony and activities after four years of high school attendance with his or her age-appropriate peers and receive a certificate of attendance.
Participation in the graduation ceremony is voluntary for the student. Receipt of a certificate of attendance pursuant to this policy shall not preclude a student from continuing to receive special education and related services for which the student qualifies under an individualized education program beyond the date of the graduation ceremony.
A student’s participation in the graduation ceremony and receipt of a certificate of attendance under this section shall not be construed as the student’s receipt of either a high school diploma or a certificate of individual achievement. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to confer further eligibility for special education or related services onto students whose eligibility for such services has ended.
Cross References:
Board Policy 2162 Education of Students with Disabilities Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Board Policy 3300 Corrective Actions or Punishment
Board Policy 3323 Long-Term Suspensions
Board Policy 3600 Student Records
Legal References:
RCW 28A.155 Special Education
RCW 49.60 Law Against Discrimination 20 USC 1400 et seq. Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004
42 U.S.C. 1213-12133 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
29 U.S.C. 794 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974, Pub. L. 93-516
28 CFR Part 35 Nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government
services
34 CFR Part 99 Family Education Rights and Privacy
34 CFR Part 104 Nondiscrimination on the basis of Handicap in programs and Activities receiving
or Benefiting from federal Financial assistance
34 CFR Part 300 Assistance to Education of Children With Disabilities Program, Part B
34 CFR Part 303 Early intervention for infants and Toddlers
with disabilities, Part C
WAC 392-172A Special Education Programs
Adoption Date: February 26, 2008