NEW HAMPSHIRE APH STATE COUNT

2016AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE

BLIND, INC.

FEDERAL QUOTA CENSUS PROCESS2016

To promote the independence of blind and visually impaired persons by

providing special media, tools, and materials needed for education and life

APH MISSION

US Federal Quota Results 2015

Set up a system to provide free text books and educational aids for infants, toddlers, students, and adults who were blind and visually impaired

Named APH as the national central source for these materials http://www.aph.org

Created a permanent annual appropriation for APH to provide the materials

THE ACT TO PROMOTE THE EDUCATION OF THE BLIND -

1879

System through which these materials are provided free of charge to eligible students

Annual census is conducted by APH

Congress appropriates funds to APH for the Federal Quota Program based on the census

THE FEDERAL QUOTA PROGRAM

Phase 1 – Update, mark for deletion, and add new individuals – Ends Friday March 12th this year (This is the time when agencies, organizations and schools submit registration for ongoing or new individuals).

Phase 2 – Corrections and/or clarification of duplicates found by the SRS system. Completed by NHAPH Ex-Officio staff

Phase 3 – Possible duplicates are handled –corrections and/or clarification of duplicates found by manual review of all registrants Completed by NHAPH Ex-Officio and APH staff

Phase 4 – Finalize census: save final reports and spreadsheet, EOT submission of the Certificate of Attendance Completed by NH APH Ex-Officio and APH Staff

FEDERAL QUOTA CENSUS

The APH Count is conducted annually beginning the first Monday in January.

The APH Count includes infants, toddlers, students, and adults who meet the definition of blindness.

The APH Count requires a process that validates whether a student qualifies based on APH requirements.

The APH Count provides resources based on the number of infants, toddlers, students, and adults who qualify and the allocated dollar by Congress.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Individuals must meet the following requirements:

Meet the definition of blindness, 20/200, as diagnosed by a qualified professional. (i.e.: Optometrist, Neurologist, or Eye Care Specialist).

Be enrolled in private, public, or nonprofit educational programs, family centered supports, area agencies ,as well as home schooled.

Qualify under other disabilities such as Brain Injury, cortical vision impairment (CVI), or multiple disabilities when their visual function meets the definition of blindness .

WHO QUALIFIES?

Registrants must meet the functionality requirement:

* Meets the Definition of Blind (MDB) – a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with best correction (using the Snellen Chart) or a peripheral filed visual field no greater than 20

or* Functions at the Definition of Blind (FDB) – when

visual function meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye care specialist (ophthalmologist of optometrist) or other medical doctor such as a neurologist

* Less than college level work - federal law limits registration to persons working at less than college level

No age limitation – must be enrolled in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of less than college level

Infants, toddlers, school-aged students, and adults must be enrolled with their registering agency on the first Monday in January. Please work with Kerry Willey at Family Centered Supports and Services

Adult students must have been registered for 12 weeks in the previous calendar year with a minimum of 20 hours per week of documented intervention

Adult Students - Social and leisure programs do not qualify as instruction

Infants and toddlers must be in a formally organized program and have a IFSP plan

Home-schooled students must meet guidelines and/or procedures in effect within each individual state and have a written education plan

Students of Armed Services Personnel and those on Reservations who receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)-can only participate in one federal program

Resources and instructional materials provided for eligible individuals .

Congress appropriates APH Quota Funds to purchase these resources and instructional materials.

The APH Quota Funds for each state are determined by the number of students registered on the count.

More Infants , Toddlers, Students, and Adults Registered=More Resources

WHY IS THE APH COUNT IMPORTANT?

APH RESOURCES

APH RESOURCES

Development Emergent Literacy Games-Puzzles-Toys Transition to School

APH Resources AvailableEarly Childhood

Continuing students on the APH count:

Update and submit information on the 2015 APH Count Registration Form of all registrants from last year who remain on your list this year . This form is mailed to you from NHDOE .

Complete and submit 2016 APH Count Assurance Form

Keep on file eye reports and permission forms at local level

HOW DO I REGISTER MY CONTINUING INFANTS ,

TODDLERS, SCHOOL- AGE STUDENTS AND ADULTS ?

NHDOE is sending last year’s 2015 APH registration paperwork/information to prepare 2016 count

Please update and return 2016 APH registration paper work

Please remember eye reports permission forms are not required every year

Please call for any questions …all are important!

New students on the APH Count:Complete the 2016 APH Count Registration of a Legally Blind Form

Complete APH Count Assurance Form Keep on file eye reports and permission forms at local level

HOW DO I REGISTER NEW INFANTS, TODDLERS,

STUDENTS AND ADULTS?

Registration Form for New Individuals

IP Infants: Children of preschool age served by infant programs

PS Preschool Students: Children of preschool age served by

preschool programs

KG Kindergarten Students: Children enrolled in kindergarten

classes

01-12 Students of School Age: Determined by state law, in

regular academic grades 1 through 12. Please indicate grade placement by using numerals 01 through 12

GRADE CODES

FC Functional Curriculum Students: Students in Grades 01-12 working toward a

graduation certificate or non-traditional diploma (replaced vocational)

TR Transition Students: Students of school age, as determined by state law, in secondary

instructional programs designed to supplement the traditional curriculum (replaced post-graduate)

AN Academic Non-graded: Students of school age, as determined by state law, who are

working to acquire skills necessary for placement in a regular grade.

OR Other Registrants: Students of school age, as determined by state law, who do not fall

into any of the above placements (e.g., students enrolled in classes for nonacademic students)

NOTE: Federal Government requires that all students above your state’s age/grade limitation for high school be registered as adults or AD!

GRADE CODES

VISION MEASUREMENT

CHART

Reporting Code Visual Measurement

MDB

Meets the Definition of Blindness:Central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with best correction; or a peripheral field so contracted that the widest diameter of such field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees

Example: 20/200 20/400

Right and Left Eye Acuities Distance Vision: Measurement on an eye chart:20/200 or less with maximum correction

VF and degree of restriction (e.g., VF 20; VF 6)

Visual Field: Restricted field of 20 degrees or less

CF

Counts Fingers:Should be used only when an eye specialist finds it is not possible to obtain an acuity by using an eye chart

HM

Hand Movements:Should be used only when an eye specialist finds it is not possible to obtain an acuity by using an eye chart

OP Object PerceptionLP Light PerceptionNIL Totally Blind

FDB

Functions at the Definition of Blindness:Visual performance reduced by a brain injury or dysfunction that meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye specialist or neurologist

Registration Form Continued

Primary language used for instruction in the classroom

Ex Officio Trustees are requested to gather the primary instructional language of learner and report this data in the Student Registration System (SRS)

EN – EnglishSP – SpanishOT – Other

PRIMARY LANGUAGE DEFINITION

A = Auditory

B = Braille

N = Non-reader

PRE = Pre-reader (replaces the P codes used in the past)

V = Visual (large print readers)

PRIMARY (PRM) READING MEDIA CODES

Secondary Reading Medium (SRM) A = Auditory B = Braille NA = Not Applicable V = Visual (large print readers)

Other Reading Medium (ORM) Not a required field Same codes as SRM Defaults to NA

SECONDARY & OTHER READING MEDIUM CODES

Assurance Form

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO BE KEPT

ON FILE

Measurements of visual acuity must be current (as defined by your agency, state, or governing authority). Exceptions include students who are totally blind or whose eyes have been enucleated or who have proven non-changing eye conditions.The actual eye report form is not to be submitted to APH, but must be on file at the local school or center where the student is enrolled in the event that an audit requires evidence of the student’s visual measurement. APH requires that eye reports, or copies, not be kept on file with Ex Officio Trustees.

NOT REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

The following documents are not to be submitted to APH, but must be on file with the agency or school students are attending in the event that an audit requires evidence of the student's educational program or visual acuity:

Written education plan /IFSP - for each individual registered. This verification that the student is in a formally organized educational program may be an IEP, a 504, or any other written action plan.

Measurements of visual acuity performed by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist must be indicated for each student. (Exceptions follow)

Measurements of visual acuity must be current (as defined by your agency, state, or governing authority). Exceptions include infants , toddlers, students, or adults who are totally blind or whose eyes have been enucleated or who have proven non-changing eye conditions.

The actual eye report form is not to be submitted to APH, but must be on file at the local school or center where the student is enrolled in the event that an audit requires evidence of the individual’s visual measurement. APH does not require or suggest that eye reports, or copies, be kept on file with Ex Officio Trustees.

Phase I of the 2015 APH Count is conducted from: Monday, January 4, 2016 to Friday, February 13, 2016

No individual can be registered beyond Friday, February 12, 2016.

Phase II allows time to complete information originally submitted to the APH Count

Phase III validates and finalizes the APH Count for that year

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Dr. Maynard Wheeler, Concord Eye Care:

Volunteers his time to work on the 2016 APH Count

He will confirm or decide if a student is eligible should you have questions .

Please work with Mary Lane to send Dr. Wheeler current documentation and consent forms .

Contact Mary at 271-3740 or Mary.Lane@doe.nh.gov

DR. MAYNARD WHEELER

You will receive your 2016 APH Count Registration Packets November ,2015

Please contact either Mary Lane at Mary.Lane@doe.nh.gov or by phone at 271-3740 or Barbara Raymond at Barbara.Raymond@doe.nh.gov or by phone 271-0818 with any questions and concerns about the 2016 APH Count

or Kerry Wiley at Kerry.Wiley@dhhs.state.nh.us or by phone 271-7224 for any questions and concerns about the 2016 APH Count for Infants and Toddlers.

Our goal is to register every infant , toddler, student, and adult eligible for the 2016 APH Count.

APH COUNT REGISTRATION PACKETS AND QUESTIONS

APH Count qualifies individuals to receive instructional materials

APH Count is part of New Hampshire Accessible Educational Materials (NHAEM) http://education.nh.gov/instruction/special_ed/index.htm

APH Count infants , toddlers, students, and adults can benefit from technical assistance and training to Schools , FCESS, agencies, districts, vocational centers

NEW HAMPSHIRE ACCESSIBLE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

(NHAEM)

Bureau of Special Education FY’16 Memo #15

http://education.nh.gov/instruction/special_ed/documents/fy16_memo_15_2016_federal_quota_census.pdf

New Hampshire Forms and Process

You are a very valuable part of the Federal Quota Program!

You make a difference in many lives by participating in the American Printing House for the Blind Count

THANK YOU!