State and Federal Law ensures "all individuals with exceptional needs have available to them a free, appropriate public education and related services to meet their unique needs." 

 

The Plumas Lake Elementary School District is committed to providing a full continuum of special education services responsive to the needs of our students and community.  Evaluation of students for eligibility and need for special education services is provided at each of the school sites. 

 

For additional information regarding evaluation for Special Education please contact your school site administrator or, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Special Education, Toni Vernier at tvernier@plusd.org.

Federal education codes require community participation in the development of local plans and budgets for Special Education.  The Community Advisory Committees (CAC) is a means for parents/guardians to fully participate in the Special Education programs and services within a local area.  The CAC is hosted and facilitated by the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA).  

 

The CAC is also a forum in which parents may learn about Special Education in general and network with local educators and other parents of students with special needs.  

 

The Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), in cooperation with the school districts, supports the implementation and compliance of special education. The SELPA continues to ensure that eligible children, birth through age twenty-two, with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in programs and receive appropriate special education services. The SELPA also supports districts with various issues of compliance as determined by state and federal mandates.  

 

Evaluation for eligibility and need for Special Education is completed by a multidisciplinary team.  This team is comprised of an education specialist, a school psychologist, a school nurse, often a speech/language therapist, and at times, speciality staff such as an Occupational Therapist, Vision specialist, or a teacher for students with hearing impairments.  The parent is a key member of this team and provides a great deal of information regarding health, development, behavior, and skills in the home and community.  

 

The evaluation process is best begun as an outcome of the Student Study Team (SST) process.  The district procedures for the Student Study Team process can be found in the Student Services section of the website.  This format of study around a student's learning and progress is the ideal conversation in which to gather information regarding intervention and response to intervention and ultimately to determine if an evaluation for special education is warranted.  Oftentimes, interventions may be designed for a student to occur during the evaluation process.

 

Referrals for Special Education evaluation may come from various sources, including teachers, parents, doctors, social workers, administrators, and other school personnel.  Only a parent/legal guardian may provide consent for the evaluation to begin.  A school district may also deny the provision of an evaluation if there is adequate evidence the student displays typical academic achievement and appropriate development in all areas, including the ability to attend school and function socially and emotionally.

 

The assessment process will only begin after written parent consent is received.  A parent should expect to obtain a final written multidisciplinary evaluation report within 50 calendar days of the district receiving written consent on an assessment plan.  The IEP team should then meet within the next 10 calendar days to review and discuss results, as well as make a plan and possibly design an IEP.  

 

 

 

 

Procedural safeguards are presented at each IEP meeting, and upon request, Parents are encouraged to fully participate in the IEP process and to ask questions regarding procedural safeguards at any time.