The Indiana Area School District puts forth maximum effort to provide appropriate services through a wide variety of programs to meet the needs of all students.

Various screening activities are conducted on an on-going basis to identify students who may be eligible for these special education programs and services.  These include:  review of individual and group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, physical, and speech/language screening; and review by the building level Instructional Support Team, when appropriate, to assist students in benefiting from regular educational programs to the fullest extent possible.  In the event that a student’s degree of need is such that specially designed instruction is required on an on-going basis, referral procedures exist to insure that students with special educational needs and strengths may be served appropriately.

Parents are also an important part of the process of identifying disabled students.  Parents are asked to be involved at all steps in developing a program to meet the needs of individual students.  If you think that your child has a disability and needs specially designed instruction, you may contact the building principal or guidance counselor for further information or to discuss your child’s needs.

The following information can serve as a guide to help you understand the screening and identification process for special education.  Referrals for preschool children thought to be exceptional may be made to the ARIN IU28 by calling 724-463-5300.  

Child Find

The Indiana Area School District is engaged in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet their identified needs. At no cost to parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. A Child Find initiative strives to identify all children at risk and makes referrals to appropriate agencies for preschool children.

Parents residing in the Indiana Area School district, who suspect their child (between the ages of 3-21) is disabled and in need of Special Education Services, may request that the district conduct a Multidisciplinary Evaluation (MDE) at any time.

Parents are asked to submit their written request for an evaluation to their child’s school counselor, principal or directly to the Coordinator of Special Programs. Forms for this purpose are available in the school counselor’s office or by calling the Special Education Office at 724-463-8713.

Instructional Support Team (I.S.T.)

Every effort should be made to adapt the regular classroom program to meet a child’s needs as soon as learning difficulties or strengths are noted.  Classroom adjustments may include curricular adaptation, modifications in assignments, and/or changes in the instructional or behavior management approach being used.  RtI (Response to Interventions) is also utilized when the academic team feels that the student is not showing progress.  This involves changing to more intensive instruction and curricular interventions specific to areas of weakness.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation process is designed to assist in determining the continuing needs of children following instructional support or RtI activities.  An evaluation may be initiated if an instructional support team (I.S.T.) determines a need such as.:  insufficient progress during the I.S.T. or RtI intervention period; an obvious severe disability exists; an instructional assessment suggests that a child may be disabled; a hearing officer or court makes the request; and/or if you, as a parent, make a referral.  The Multidisciplinary Team (M.D.T.) is comprised of a person knowledgeable in each area of a suspected disability, a certified school psychologist, a person familiar with or who understands the potential effects of the child’s cultural background on the results of the evaluation, the child’s regular classroom teacher, and you as the parent(s).

In order for an evaluation to occur, written parental consent must be obtained.  An evaluation will include information from parents and direct classroom observations; it may also include measurement of academic functioning, adaptive behavior, social behavior, learning strengths and needs, and/or assessment of the child’s life skills.

There is no requirement for the M.D.T. to meet in a formal meeting.  The findings of the evaluation are presented in a typewritten Evaluation Report (E.R.), a copy of which is given to all team members within sixty (60) school days of the parent’s written consent for the evaluation.  The evaluation process is designed to determine a child’s needs and to make recommendations to an Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) team if applicable.

Individualized Education Program

Notice Of Recommended Educational Placement

I.E.P./N.O.R.E.P.

I.E.P. (Individualized Educational Plan):  If a student has been found eligible for special education services, an I.E.P. team meeting will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time.  At the conference, the I.E.P. team decides if specially designed instruction is required and what that instruction will look like.  The I.E.P. is developed from information regarding the child’s needs and strengths presented at the I.E.P. conference.  Special education, related services, and any regular education programs or activities in which a child participates are described in the I.E.P.  To ensure that your child’s I.E.P. is appropriate for continued growth, the plan is reviewed when major changes must be made, but at least once a year.

N.O.R.E.P.:  A Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (N.O.R.E.P.) may be given to you during the I.E.P. conference, or mailed to you later, to reflect the program that has been determined appropriate for your child.  This legal document notes the type of program in which your child is to be enrolled (i.e. regular education, special education, or a combination).  If it has been determined at the I.E.P. conference that your child requires some type of special education, your child’s N.O.R.E.P. will be reviewed whenever there are major changes in the type of program your child receives or in the amount of time that your child is in the program.  Keep the N.O.R.E.P. with your child’s I.E.P. in a safe place.

Due Process

Guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment, due process is a series of steps to assure children a free, appropriate public education.  At each step in determining your child’s needs for a special education program, you have the right to disagree with the decisions.  These decisions may be reviewed in a due process hearing with members of the education team.  In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Education offers the services of a third party mediator to resolve differences between parents and educators.

Pupil Records

The school district respects the privacy and confidentiality of pupil records.  Local school districts keep records of special education pupils.  Teacher records include samples of student work, results of informal testing, and other information of short-term importance.  Supplementary records may include consent forms, E.R.’s, reports from outside agencies, verified teacher reports, I.E.P.’s, and requests for release of information or file review.  As your child is reevaluated, information is continually added to his/her file.  You can review your child’s file and challenge, in writing, the validity of any record or report and/or the maintenance of any information in the file.

Only school personnel and authorized education officials are permitted to see your child’s file.  Any other persons must have your written approval or authorization via court order before they are allowed to see the file or to receive copies of information in the file.  If you have any questions or concerns about pupil records, contact the district (724-463-8713).

Pupil Rights and Parent Responsibilities

Parents often feel that the responsibility for the education of their child rests entirely with the public school system and consider school personnel to be experts and therefore to know what is best for their child.  You, too, are an expert when it comes to the needs of your child.  As you participate in the process of obtaining a public education for your disabled child, you will find it necessary to work with many different school personnel.  Here are a few suggestions:  make all requests in writing; keep copies of all correspondence you send and receive; keep track of names and dates of conversations; request copies of reports on your child for your files.

It is important to remember that all disabled children will be provided with support services and/or accommodations to allow them to participate in the same nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities as their nondisabled peers.  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) includes many pupil rights.  For more information, contact Indiana Area School District or the Bureau of Special Education (717-783-6913) or visit PDE’s website at www.pde.state.pa.us.

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