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SPECIAL EDUCATION SCREENING & REFERRAL PROCEDURES
Any person aware of a child between the ages of birth through 21 who may be experiencing physical, mental, emotional or learning problems may contact their Director of Special Education to initiate screening services that will determine if a referral for special education is appropriate. In addition to the director, any teacher or administrator would be able to assist in making a referral.
Referral Procedure
The school district shall solicit and receive referrals of student with suspected special education needs from all persons who have reasonable cause to believe that such needs exist. Specific federal/state criteria will be adhered to in determining the existence of a disability and eligibility for special education services. Referrals of suspected special education needs children shall be forwarded to the Director of Special Education.
IEP Team Evaluation
Whenever a child is referred who is suspected of having a special education need, the school district shall establish an Individualized Education Program team of evaluators (IEP Team). The appointment of this team shall be the responsibility of the Director of Special Education. The composition of the team will be dictated by the suspected areas of educational need. The Director of Special Education shall review the evaluation process and may request additional information.
Signed parental consent shall be obtained when a child is evaluated for the first time within the district. The consent form shall include statements documenting that the parents understand the action proposed by the district and that the consent is voluntary and can be revoked at any time during the evaluation.
Procedural safeguards for evaluation include the following: The Notice of Receipt of Referral or Notice of Re-Evaluation and the Notice and Consent Regarding Need to Conduct Additional Tests or Notice that no Additional Tests Needed for Evaluation shall be sent to the parents and will include a full explanation of the due process/procedural safeguards, a description of the evaluation proposed and explanation of why the evaluation is proposed, any options that were considered and the reasons why those options were rejected, a description of each evaluation procedure to be used, the qualifications of the professionals conducting the evaluation, and a description of any other relevant factors.
The Horicon School District provides programming for students who demonstrate any of the following educational disabilities: cognitively disabled (formerly mentally retarded), learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, speech/language disabled, orthopedic impaired, visually impaired, deaf/hard of hearing, other health impaired, traumatic brain injured, autism, and significant developmental delay.
Complaint Procedures
Any complaint regarding the interpretation or application of the district’s student nondiscrimination policy shall be processed in accordance with the following grievance procedures:
1. Any student, parent, or resident of the district complaining of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability in school programs or activities shall report the complaint in writing to the District Administrator.
2. The District Administrator, upon receiving such a written complaint, shall immediately undertake an investigation of the suspected infraction. The District Administrator will review with the building principal or other appropriate persons the facts comprising the alleged discrimination. Within 15 days after receiving the complaint, the District Administrator shall decide the merits of the case, determine the action to be taken, if any, and report in writing the findings and the resolution of the case to the grievant.
3. If the grievant is dissatisfied with the decision of the District Administrator, he/she may appeal the decision in writing to the Board. The Board shall hear the appeal at its next regular meeting called for the purpose of hearing the appeal. The Board shall make its decision in writing within 15 days after the hearing. Copies of the written decision shall be mailed or delivered to the grievant and the District Administrator.
4. If the grievant is dissatisfied with the Board’s decision, he/she may, within 30 days, appeal the decision, in writing, to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
5. Discrimination complaints relating to the identification, evaluation, educational placement of a child with exceptional educational needs or to the provision of free appropriate public education to a child with exceptional educational needs shall be processed in accordance with established appeal procedures outline in the district’s Special Education Handbook.
6. Discrimination complaints relating to programs specifically governed by federal law or regulation shall be referred directly to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Copies of these complaint procedures shall be included in staff and student handbooks. LEGAL REF: Wisconsin Statutes, Section 118.13 Wisconsin Administrative Code, P19 Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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