Parents and Students:
New Foundations Charter School is committed to providing a continuum of services that offers students with disabilities the opportunity to access the general curriculum of the School in the least restrictive environment. Services are designed in alignment with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 04) and state law (Chapter 14) to meet the needs of New Foundations Charter School students with disabilities. These services are provided at no cost to students who qualify.
The Special Education Department is committed to supporting the delivery of specially designed instructional strategies and related services as prescribed on an identified students Individualized Education Plan (IEP) with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for students with disabilities to learn and grow with non-disabled peers.
A student must be evaluated and identified as having a disability and in need of specially designed instructional strategies by a Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (MDE) to be eligible for special education programs and related services. Disability categories are as follows:
Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder
Emotional Disturbance
Hearing Impairment including Deafness
Intellectual Disability
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairments
Other Health Impairments
Specific Learning Disability
Speech and Language Impairments
Traumatic Brain Injury
Vision Impairment including Blindness
Examples of Related Services include:
Assistive Technology
Audiology
Counseling
Occupational Therapy
Orientation and Mobility
Physical Therapy
Psychological
Speech and Language
Transportation
It is our hope that you find this resource Guide helpful. You can also find valuable information and resources from our Director of Special Education, Mr. Christian Laurence.
Sincerely,
Dr. Faye Schilling
Chief Academic Officer
New Foundations Charter School
ELIGIBILITY
IS YOUR CHILD ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES?
The Pennsylvania Parent Guide To Special Education for School Age Children from the Pennsylvania Department of Education outlines how a child’s need for special education is determined, how a child’s educational program is developed, the responsibilities and protections guaranteed to parents and children, and the resources available to parents of a child with disabilities. This guide has been updated to reflect the new July 2008 Chapter 14 regulations. Please refer to pages 1-5 for information regarding how a child can be found eligible for special education services.
PARENT & STUDENT RIGHTS
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.htmlFERPA
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
PPRA
Protection of Pupil’s Rights Amendment
Child Find
Process for identifying students in need of special education services
Procedural Safeguards Notice
Outline of parent and student rights in special education
RESOURCES
Acting without Boundaries
A unique acting program for young people with physical disabilities.
ADHD Aware
Support for, and by, people with ADHD.
Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA)
Creating a World of Broader Acceptance For All.
CHADD
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Council for Exceptional Children
The national organization for special education advocacy.
Department of Mental Health/Developmental Programs – Bucks County
Responsible for the administration of services to Bucks County residents with a mental illness or developmental program services, and their families. The purpose of the services is to support individuals to live in the community and to assist them in actively participating in community life.
Education Law Center
A non-profit legal advocacy and educational organization dedicated to ensuring that all of Pennsylvania’s children have access to a quality public education.
Lenape Valley Foundation
A non-profit organization providing professional mental health and intellectual or developmental disability services to the community.
Moving On Directory
Resource options available to families and individuals with disabilities. The user of this directory should thoroughly investigate any service provider prior to contracting and/or registering for services.
National Alliance on Mental Health
NAMI Basics Education Program is the new signature education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses.
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
Provides vocational rehabilitation services to help persons with disabilities prepare for, obtain, or maintain employment. Statewide there are 21 District Offices staffed with trained, professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors which serve Pennsylvania in all 67 counties.
* Early Reach Initiative: Building a Better Future – Transitioning from school to work to independence
* Parent Presentation: OVR PowerPoint slides from parent presentation on January 22, 2016
* Employment Services: Services brochure for persons with disabilities
Parent Involved Network of Pennsylvania
Parents Involved Network of Pennsylvania (PIN) is a statewide organization that assists parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders.
PaTTan
The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
The mission of the department is to academically prepare children and adults to succeed as productive citizens. The department seeks to ensure that the technical support, resources and opportunities are in place for all students, whether children or adults, to receive a high quality education.
Parent Education Network (PEN)
A coalition of parents collaborating with educators, students and the community to empower and bring academic success to students with learning and attention differences.
Components of an IEP
* http://cbsd.org/cms/lib010/PA01916442/Centricity/Domain/422/Components of an IEP.pdf: A general breakdown of the different components of an IEP.