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ANNUAL PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, SERVICES FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, AND SERVICES FOR PROTECTED HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
Notice to Parents
According to state and federal special education regulations, annual public notice to parents of children who reside within a school district is required regarding child find responsibilities. School districts and intermediate units are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For additional information related to Section 504/Chapter 15 services, the parent may refer to Section 504, Chapter 15, and the Basic Education Circular entitled Implementation of Chapter 15. Also, school districts are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for gifted services via 22 PA Code Chapter 16. For additional information regarding gifted services, the parent may refer to 22 PA Code Chapter 16. If a student is both gifted and eligible for Special Education, the procedures in IDEA and Chapter 14 shall take precedence.
This notice shall inform parents throughout the school district and intermediate unit of the child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities or eligible young children. In addition to this public notice, each school district and intermediate unit shall publish written information in the handbook and on the website. Children ages three through twenty-one can be eligible for special education programs and services. If parents believe that the child may be eligible for special education, the parent should contact their district of residence. Contact information is listed at the end of this public notice.
Children age three through the age of admission to first grade are also eligible if they have developmental delays and, as a result, need Special Education and related services. Developmental delay is defined as a child who is less than the age of beginners and at least three years of age and is considered to have a developmental delay when one of the following exists: (i) The child’s score, on a developmental assessment device, on an assessment instrument which yields a score in months, indicates that the child is delayed by 25% of the child’s chronological age in one or more developmental areas, or (ii) The child is delayed in one or more of the developmental areas, as documented by test performance of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on standardized tests.
Developmental areas include cognitive, communicative, physical, social/emotional and self-help. For additional information contact the intermediate unit. Contact information is listed at the end of this public notice.
Evaluation Process
Each school district and intermediate unit has a procedure in place by which parents can request an evaluation. For information about procedures applicable to your child, contact the school which your child attends. Parents of preschool age children, age three through five, may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to the Early Intervention Program Director, Central Intermediate Unit 10, 345 Link Road, West Decatur, PA 16878.
Consent
School entities cannot proceed with an evaluation or with the initial provision of special education and related services without the written consent of the parents. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, www.pattan.net. Once written parental consent is obtained, the district will proceed with the evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation, the parent can request an independent educational evaluation at public expense.
Program Development
Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professionals and the parents determine whether the child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the individualized education program (IEP) team meets, develops the program, and determines the educational placement. Once the IEP team develops the program and determines the educational placement, school district staff or intermediate unit staff will issue a notice of recommended educational placement/prior written notice. Your written consent is required before initial services can be provided. The parent has the right to revoke consent after initial placement.
Confidentiality of Information
The school districts and to some extent the intermediate unit maintain records concerning children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities. All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality. Your consent, or consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21. Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction states. One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information. Each participating 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.
In accordance with 34 CFR § 300.624, please be advised of the following retention/destruction schedule for the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA), Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), and Keystone Exam related materials:
- PSSA, Keystone Exam, and PASA test booklets will be destroyed one year after student reports are delivered for the administration associated with the test booklets.
- PSSA and Keystone Exam answer booklets and PASA media recordings will be destroyed three years after completion of the assessment.
For additional information related to student records, the parent can refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This notice is only a summary of the Special Education services, evaluation and screening activities, and rights and protections pertaining to children with disabilities, children thought to be disabled, and their parents. For more information or to request evaluation or screening of a public or private school child, contact the responsible entity listed below. For preschool age children, information, screenings and evaluations requested, may be obtained by contacting the intermediate unit.
INTERMEDIATE UNIT OFFICE
Central Intermediate Unit 10
345 Link Road
West Decatur, PA 16878
Dr. Michele Hammersla-Quick, Contact Person
814-342-0884 or 800-982-3375 (PA Only)
SCHOOL DISTRICT and CHARTER SCHOOL OFFICES
Bald Eagle Area School District 751 S. Eagle Valley Road Wingate, PA 16823 Mrs. Melissa Butterworth, Contact Person 814-355-5731 melissa.butterworth@beasd.net |
Bellefonte Area School District 318 N. Allegheny Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 Mrs. Jennifer Butterworth, Contact Person 814-355-4814 |
Clearfield Area School District 2831 Washington Avenue Clearfield, PA 16830 Mr. Mark Bender, Contact Person 814-765-5511 |
Curwensville Area School District 650 Beech Street Curwensville, PA 16833 Ms. Shana Bailor, Contact Person 814-236-2390 sbailor@curwensville.org |
Glendale Area School District 1466 Beaver Valley Road Flinton, PA 16640 Mr. Rick Magulick, Contact Person 814-687-3402 |
Harmony Area School District 5239 Ridge Road Westover, PA 16692 Mr. Jason Boring, Contact Person 814-845-2300 jboring@harmonyowls.com |
Keystone Central School District 86 Administration Dr. Lock Haven, PA 17745 Dr. Elizabeth Barnhart, Contact Person 570-893-4900 ebarnhart@kcsd.k12.pa.us |
Penns Valley Area School District 4528 Penns Valley Road Spring Mills, PA 16875 Mr. Kurt Nyquist, Contact Person 814-422-2000 knyquist@pennsvalley.org |
Moshannon Valley School District 4934 Green Acre Road Houtzdale, PA 16651 Ms. Wendy Payne, Contact Person 814-378-7683 wpayne@movalley.org |
Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District 200 Short Street Philipsburg, PA 16866 Mrs. Elaine Selfridge, Contact Person 814-342-5985 eselfridge@pomounties.org |
State College Area School District 240 Villa Crest Dr. State College, PA 16801 Mrs. Heather Pringle, Contact Person 814-231-4172 |
West Branch Area School District 516 Allport Cutoff Morrisdale, PA 16858 Ms. Anegla Lucas, Contact Person 814-345-5627 alucas@westbranch.org |
Centre Learning Community Charter School 2643 West College Avenue State College, PA 16801 Mr. Brian Rowan, Contact Person 814-861-7980 brian@clccharter.org |
Nittany Valley Charter School 1612 Norma Street State College, PA 16801 Ms. Kara Martin, Contact Person 814-867-3842 |
Sugar Valley Rural Charter School 236 East Main Street Loganton, PA 17747 Ms. Carrie Nixon, Contact Person 570-725-7822 |
Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School 1530 Westerly Parkway State College, PA 16801 Mrs. Katie Bish, Contact Person 814-237-9727 |
Clinton County Jail 58 Pine Mountain Road McElhatten, PA 17748 Dr. Elizabeth Barnhart, Contact Person 570-893-4900 ebarnhart@kcsd.k12.pa.us |
Clearfield County Jail 115 Twenty First Street Clearfield, PA 16830 Mr. Mark Bender, Contact Person 814-765-5511 |
Centre County Correctional Facility 700 Rishel Hill Road Bellefonte, PA 16823 Mrs. Jennifer Butterworth, Contact Person 814-355-4814 jbutterworth@basd.net |
Central Counties Youth Detention Center 148 Paradise Road Bellefonte, PA 16823 Contact Mrs. Jennifer Butterworth 814-355-4814 jbutterworth@basd.net |
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Central PA Institute of Science and Technology 540 N. Harrison Road Pleasant Gap, PA 16823 Ms. MaryAnn Volders, Contact Person 814-359-2793
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Clearfield County Career and Technology Center 1620 River Road Clearfield, PA 16830 Mr. Fred Redden, Contact Person 814-765-5308
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The school district or intermediate unit will not discriminate in employment, educational programs, or activities based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, creed, marital status or because a person is a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era. No preschool, elementary or secondary school pupil enrolled in a school district or intermediate unit shall be denied equal opportunity to participate in age and program appropriate instruction or activities due to race, color, handicap, creed, national origin, marital status or financial hardship.