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IEPplus
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Please click the above link to access the IEPplus software.
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Forms and Procedures
(Internal Use)
Procedural Safeguards
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Pennsylvania Training & Technical
Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
Pennsylvania Department of Education
(PDE)
BASD Homepage
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Parent Guide to Special Education
Is your child having difficulty in school?
Has your child been identified as needing
special education services?
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY
Your child may be eligible for special education if:
• your child has a physical, sensory, mental or emotional disability
and
• needs special education (specially designed instruction) as determined
by an evaluation team.
Your child must meet both qualifications in order to be eligible for special
education. In Pennsylvania, all children eligible for special education
have the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
THE EVALUATION
The evaluation process gathers the information that will be used to determine
if your child needs Special Education and, if so, the types of programs
and services needed. Your child may be evaluated by a school psychologist.
The evaluation must also include input from a therapist if certain related
services, such as physical or occupational therapy, may be needed. You
must give consent for an evaluation to occur. A “Permission to Evaluate”
form will be provided for you to review, describing what testing procedures
will occur, along with a ”Procedural Safeguards” Notice.
A child may be referred for an evaluation in several
ways:
• You may ask your school to evaluate your child for special education
at any time. This can be done by sending a letter to the principal of
your child’s school.
• The school may also contact you and must ask permission to have
your child evaluated.
WHAT THE EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE
All evaluations must include a review of the testing and assessments that
were conducted, information from the parents, classroom observations and
the observations and/or assessment data from teachers and/or related service
personnel.
An evaluation team reviews all materials and writes a report called an
Evaluation Report (ER) that tells if your child has a disability and
if your child needs special education. It may recommend the type of
programs and services your child needs. The ER may state that your child
is not eligible and does not need special education services. The entire
evaluation process must be completed within 60 calendar days from the
date of consent on the “Permission to Evaluate” form.
Students with disabilities who need special education
must receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that will review
all the evaluation material.
YOUR CHILD’S INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP)
An IEP team writes the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This plan
will be written at a meeting and will include a description of all of
the programs and services necessary to help your child be successful.
As a parent, you are an IEP team member. It is important that you attend
these meetings. The IEP meeting is to be scheduled at a time and place
that is mutually agreed upon by you and the school district.
The IEP must be completed within 30 calendar days
after the evaluation team issues its Evaluation Report. The IEP plan must
be put into action, if you agree, as soon as possible, but no later than
10 school days after the IEP is completed.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you are interested in finding out more about the special education
process, please speak with your child’s principal. For additional
information, feel free to contact the Office of Special Education
at the Bethlehem Area School District.
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By Telephone: (610) 868-8268
Bethlehem Area School District
Special Education Dept.
1516 Sycamore Street
Bethlehem PA 18017-6099
Map
Richard T. Agretto
Director of Special Education
Caroline Nelson
Secretary
Ravi Singh
SBAP Coordinator
Claire M. Hogan at Clearview Elementary School
Supervisor of Elem Special Ed
David E. Brown
Educational Support Teacher
Linda M. Oplinger
Secretary
Cynthia S. Leshinsky at Northeast Middle School
Supervisor of MS Special Ed
A.J. Kise, Jr.
Educational Support Teacher
Tammy L. Snow
Secretary
Peter G. Carfagno
Supervisor of HS Special Ed
Brenda Solitario
Educational Support Teacher
Joyce M. Rose
Secretary
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