Special Education Services

Child Find Notice

Special education services for children with disabilities are provided in accordance with the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Amendments of 2004 and Alabama Act 106. Child Find is an attempt to locate and provide appropriate educational and related services to all children with disabilities between the ages of birth to 21. 

If you are the parent of a child with disabilities who is not receiving services, or if you would like more information, please contact Amy Terry at Leeds City Schools, Special Education Department, 205-699-5437.

Referral

Building-Based Student Support Team (BBSST)

Before a child is referred for special education evaluation or concurrently during the evaluation process, intervention strategies must be implemented in the general education program and monitored by the Building Based Student Support Team (BBSST) for an appropriate period of time (a minimum of eight weeks), and be determined unsuccessful. Any child referred December 1, 2000, and after must have documentation of intervention strategies and a functional assessment of the classroom environment completed for every referral. This rule may be waived for a child who has severe problems that require immediate attention, for three- and four-year olds, for five-year olds who have not been in kindergarten, for children with articulation, voice, or fluency problems only, for children with a medical diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, and for a child who has been referred by his or her parents.

Who Can Make A Referral?

Any person who has knowledge of or interest in the student may refer him or her.

What Information Must Be On The Referral Form?

a. Date of referral

b. Student's name and demographic data

c. Information about the student's areas of concern

d. Documentation of pre-referral interventions and their effectiveness

e. Completion of environmental, economic, cultural concerns checklist

f. IEP Team members' signatures

How Long Does It Take To Complete The Referral To Placement Process?

A referral begins with the date that the school receives the Consent for Evaluation. The process from referral to completion of evaluations must be completed in sixty (60) calendar days regardless of any scheduled interruptions in the scholastic year or the scheduled summer vacation. The LEA has thirty (30) days from the completion of the evaluations to the eligibility determination.  If the student is determined eligible, the LEA has thirty (30) days to develop an IEP.

a. Eligibility must be determined no later than sixty (60) calendar days from the receipt of the date of the Consent for Evaluation.

b. An IEP must be held and placement made within thirty (30) days calendar days after the student is determined eligible.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

What Is An IEP Team?

The IEP Team is a team of people who meet to make decisions about evaluation, eligibility, and programming for students. 

Who Is Involved In The IEP Team?

a. At least one regular education teacher of the student (if the student is or may be
participating in the regular education environment);
b. At least one special education teacher or special education provider of the student;

c. The parent, guardian, or surrogate parent of the student;

d. A Local Education Agency (LEA) representative who is qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction, is knowledgeable about general education curriculum, and knowledgeable of available resources;

e. Someone who can interpret evaluation results:

f. Other persons knowledgeable about the student, including related services personnel; and

g. Whenever appropriate, the student.

What Are Functions Of The IEP Team?

Initial Referral/ Evaluation/ Reevaluation

a. Reviews the initial referral;

b. Reviews existing data and determines the need for evaluation;

c. If the student is to be evaluated, determines what areas and what evaluations will be conducted;

d. Obtains parental written informed consent for evaluations to be conducted;

e. If the student is not to be evaluated, provides written notice to the parent of the intent not to evaluate.

f. Reviews the existing data and determines what, if any, additional data is needed for reevaluations.

Eligibility Determination

a. Reviews data and determines whether the student is a student with a disability and determines the educational needs of the student;

b. Provides a copy of the evaluation report and the documentation of determination of eligibility to parent.

IEP Development/Decisions

a. Develops a narrative statement of the student's present levels of educational performance, including how the student's disability affects the student's involvement in the general curriculum;

b. Develops measurable annual goals and benchmarks related to meeting needs to enable the student to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum;

c. Determines the amount of time the student will receive special education services within the regular classroom and outside of the regular classroom;

d. Determines accommodations/ modifications the student needs to make progress in his/ her goals and objectives;

e. Determines related services that are needed for students to make progress toward his/her goals and benchmarks;

f. Determines whether Extended School Year services are needed to prevent the from regressing beyond a reasonable recoupment;

g. Determines whether the student will participate in State and district-wide assessments and determines accommodations needed to fully participate;

h. Determines transition services needed;

i. Develops a behavior plan if the student's behavior interferes with his/ her educational performance;

j. Determines whether the student's misbehavior is a direct result of his/ her disability (manifestation determination) within ten (10) days of the behavior;

k. Determines an Alternate Education Setting that will be in place for a student if he/she is recommended for expulsion or for suspension for more than ten (10) days.

Additional Programs

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 is an Act which prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability in any program receiving Federal financial assistance.  The Act defines a person with a disability as anyone who: 

• has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (major life activities include activities such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working);
• has a record of such an impairment; or
• is regarded as having such an impairment.

In order to fulfill its obligation under Section 504, the Leeds City Schools recognize a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and students.  No discrimination against any person solely due to his/her disability will knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices in the school system. 
The school district has specific responsibilities under the Act, which include the responsibility to identify, evaluate, and if the child is determined to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate educational services. 
If the parent or guardian disagrees with the determination made by the professional staff of the school district, he/she has a right to a hearing with an impartial hearing officer. 

Job Coach Program

The Job Coach Program is a collaborative effort between Leeds City Schools and the Alabama Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.  A full time job coach at Leeds High School works with students to develop employability skills and successful employment.  The job coach works with businesses to develop employment opportunities for eligible students in their exiting year from school.   For more information, contact Amy Terry, Director of Student Services, at (205) 699-5437 or Veronica Curtis, Job Coach, at (205) 699-4510.

General Educational Development (GED) Courses

Leeds City Schools, in cooperation with Jefferson State Community College, offers an adult education/GED preparation program at Leeds High School.  The GED test offers people who did not finish high school the opportunity to earn high school credentials.  The GED is considered equivalent to a high school diploma.  For additional information, contact Amy Terry, Director of Student Services, at (205) 699-5437. 

GIFTED SERVICES

Gifted Education

According to the Alabama Administrative Code 290-8-9.12(1), gifted is defined as

"Intellectually gifted children and youth are those who perform or who have demonstrated the potential to perform at high levels in academic or creative fields when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment.  These children and youth require services not ordinarily provided by the regular school program.  Children and youth possessing these abilities can be found in all populations, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor."

Anyone with knowledge of the child can make a referral.  Information in aptitude, characteristics, and performance is collected and used to determine eligibility.

For more information call Amy Terry, Director of Student Services, at (205) 699-5437.

Confidentiality

The Leeds City School System ensures that the educational records of all children referred for evaluation and/or identified as disabled will be stored, retrieved, and utilized in a manner that will ensure confidentiality and privacy rights.

a. Education agencies must appoint one person to assume the overall responsibility for ensuring that personally identifiable information will be safeguarded and confidential.

b. The educational records of all children referred for evaluation and/or identified as disabled will be maintained in a limited access location that will ensure confidentiality.

c. Parents may inspect and review all educational records relating to identification, evaluation, and educational placement of their child.

d. Parents must be given the opportunity to review their child's records without unnecessary delay (within forty-five days) and before any meeting regarding an IEP or before a due process hearing is conducted.

e. Parents must be provided copies of their child's records, when failure to do so would effectively prevent the parents from exercising their right to access.

f. Parents must be given explanations and interpretations regarding their child's records.

g. Parents may have a representative review their child's records under the same access rights afforded to them.

h. The educational agency may presume that the parents have the authority to review

the records unless the agency has been advised that authority has been removed under laws governing guardianship, separation, and divorce.

i. When a record contains information on more that one child, the parents may review only the data regarding their child.

j. The parents must be provided with a list of the types and locations of educational records collected, maintained, or used by the agency pertaining to their child.

k. The educational agency may charge the parents a reasonable fee for copies of the educational records, but not in an amount that would prevent them from exercising their right to access the record.

l. The educational agency must maintain for public inspection a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.

m. Parental consent must be obtained before personally identifiable information is disclosed to anyone other than officials of federal, state, or local educational agencies collecting or using information in conjunction with the child's special education program.

n. Parental consent is not required as a condition of disclosure of records to:

Educational employees who have a legitimate interest. 

Educational employees of other schools, school systems, or other state agencies to which the child has enrolled.

Authorized state or federal officials in conjunction with monitoring.

Authorities in response to a judicial order or pursuant to a legal subpoena.

Appropriate parties in connection with an emergency.

Law enforcement and judicial authorities when the child has committed a crime. 

o. Upon request from the parent, an educational agency must transfer a copy of all special education records no later than thirty calendar days from receipt of request. 

 p. Parental consent is not required as a condition for a transfer of special education records from one educational agency to another, however, the parents must be given prior notice of the transfer, receive a copy of the records (if requested), and have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the records.

q. Except when the transfer of records has been initiated by the parents, the educational agency must make a reasonable attempt to notify the parents prior to transfer, i.e. written notice to the last known address or by other notice procedures normally utilized by the education agency.

r. A parent who believes that the special education records are inaccurate or misleading or violate the privacy or other rights of the child may request that the educational agency amend the records. (Within 15 days of receipt of request)

s. If the education agency decides to amend the records in accordance with the request, the parent must be notified in writing of the decision.

t. If the education agency decides not to amend the records, written notice must be provided to the parent. The notice must advise the parent of their right to a local hearing before the educational agency within fifteen calendar days from receipt of request.

u. If as a result of the hearing, the educational agency decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the child, it must amend the information accordingly and inform the parent in writing.

v. If, as a result of the hearing, the education agency decides that the information should

not be amended, the education agency must inform the parent of the right to place in the records a statement commenting on the information or setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the decision.

w. If the records on the contested portion are disclosed by the education agency to any party, then the explanation must also be disclosed.

x. The hearing must be conducted according to the procedures in the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act. (34 CFR 99.22)

y. The education agency must retain a copy of the education records containing personally identifiable information for a period of 5 years after the termination of the special education program for which they were used.

z. A permanent education record that contains the child's name, address, telephone number, his/her grades, record of attendance, for special education services, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed may be maintained without a time limitation. At the end of the five-year retention period, the education agency must provide written notice to parents that inform them that the special education records are no longer needed. The educational agency is not prohibited from retaining special education records indefinitely as long as confidentiality is ensured. Confidentiality of the information to be destroyed must be maintained.