Annual Public Notice

 

The Brownsville Area School District uses the following procedures for locating, identifying and evaluating specified needs of school-aged students requiring special programs or services. These procedures are required by law.

 

The Brownsville Area School District, as prescribed by Section 1402 of the School Code, routinely conducts screenings of a child's hearing acuity in Grades K,1,2,3,7,11; visual acuity annually, and speech and language skills referrals in Grade 1. Various other screenings are conducted on an ongoing basis. Specified needs from all of these sources are noted within the child's official file. These school records are always open and available to parents, and only to school officials who have a legitimate "need to know" about information concerning the child. Information from the records is released to other persons or agencies only with appropriate authorization which involves written signed permission by parents. Parents with concerns regarding their child may contact building principals to request a screening or evaluation. Communication with parents will be in English or the native language of the parents.

 

Screening information will be used by the child study team within the student's school to meet the his/her specific needs or to document the need for further evaluation.

 

If it is determined that a child needs additional services, the team will make adjustments relative to such things as he child's learning style, behavior, physical disabilities, and speech and language problems to be more in keeping with traditional classroom expectancies. If a student does not make progress, parents will be asked to give written permission for necessary individual professional evaluation.

 

After all of the evaluation are completed, an Evaluation Report will be compiled with parent involvement and include specific recommendations for the types of interventions necessary to deal with the child’s specific needs.

 

Parents will then be invited to participate in a meeting where results of the multidisciplinary evaluation will be discussed. An Individual Educational Program (IEP) will be developed for specialized services for the student.

 

Parents will then be presented a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) with which they may agree or disagree. If the disagree with the recommended program, the issue may be taken to mediation or a due process hearing.

 

Services of Students in Non-public Schools

 

The Brownsville Area School District makes public special education accessible to resident students attending non-public schools. These students are permitted to enroll on a part-time, dual enrollment basis in a program of special education operated in a public school. Special programs are made accessible to non -public students through dual enrollment following multidisciplinary team evaluation and development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

 

Parents of non-public school students who suspect their child is exceptional and in need of special education, may request a multidisciplinary evaluation through a written request to the Curriculum Coordinator/ Special Education office, 5 Falcon Drive, Brownsville, PA 15417.

 

Services for Pre-School Children

 

Act 212, the Early Intervention Services System Act, entitles all preschool children with disabilities to appropriate early intervention services. Young children experiencing developmental delays, physical or mental disabilities and their families are eligible for early intervention services. At risk children are eligible for screening and tracking.

 

Services for Handicapped Students

 

In compliance with state and federal law, the Brownsville Area school District will provide to protect the handicapped students, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. These related services or accommodations are provided without discrimination or cost to the student or family. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be school age with a physical or mental disability which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program.

 

Further information about these policies and procedures may be obtained by contacting Director of Special Education and Federal Programs, at 5 Falcon Drive, Brownsville PA 15417

724-785-2021 ext 3107