SEAOCMarch 28, 2011

Adapted from a presentation by:Kent ISD

January 12, 2010

Additional Slides added from a presentation by:LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

In Michigan, the Auxiliary Services Act requires public schools to provide certain services to nonpublic schools located within their boundaries.

Auxiliary services includes evaluation and child find.

Key Concept: For nonpublic students the offer of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) through an IEP is the responsibility of the student’s resident district (District of Residence or DOR) wherever that may be. The public school district in which the nonpublic is located (District

of Location or DOL), if different than the public school district in which the student resides, offers services through a Service Plan.

Eligible students attending nonpublic schools (K-12) located within district, on equal basisHome school is a non-public if

registered with MDE Equal basis, for students with

disabilities, means all eligible students

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

At minimum, services include speech and language, school social work, school psychological and teacher consultant

Unclear what, if any, other services covered Occupational and physical therapy usually

provided Instructional services are not covered

Services must be of same quality and amount as student would receive in a public school.

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

District where private schools located (DOL) must serve eligible private school students

DOL must carry out child-find for private school students

No specific services are required. Any service (including auxiliary services) may be provided

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

DOL must spend proportionate share of Part B Funds in providing servicesProportionate share=ratio of private

school SWDs to total SWDs in districtObligation limited to services that can

be provided with proportionate share No individual entitlement to services

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

DOL determines which students will be served

Services must be of same quality but need not be in same amount as student would receive in public school

Services are provided under a services plan

District must spend federal funds to provide services

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

DOL must timely and meaningfully consult with private schools on: Child-find process How proportionate share is calculated How, where and by whom services will be

provided How students to be served will be selected How consultation will be carried out

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

All private school students eligible for auxiliary services must be served, without regard to cost

Federal funds may be used to provide auxiliary services

Providing auxiliary services meets IDEA requirement to provide services

Providing only auxiliary services satisfies IDEA requirement only if cost of services equals or exceeds proportionate share amount

LaPointe & Butler, P.C.

Evaluation and determination of special education eligibility of a nonpublic student is provided with the same procedural safeguards as for a public school evaluation: Referral Consent to evaluate Review of existing data as appropriate Evaluation Discuss results and likely outcomes with parents Present data, determine eligibility at meeting

A special education evaluation and determination of eligibility is not complete until presented to an IEP or Service Plan Team meeting, and the team decision is documented on an IEP or Nonpublic Service Plan.

District of Location vs. District of Residence Typically the referral for a SE evaluation

comes into the district that the Non-Public School is located in (DOL) as they have the child find obligation.

The district of residence (DOR) is responsible for offering FAPE through an IEP.

Therefore, the DOL needs to communicate to the DOR that an evaluation is occuring.

The public district of location cannot communicate any information regarding its evaluation of the student to the resident district without parental consent.

If the nonpublic parent does not, or refuses to, inform the resident district that their child is a student with a disability, then the resident public district has no obligation to offer a FAPE.

Historically, Michigan Department of Education (MDE) policy has used a “services-only IEP” for provision of special education services with no programming to local nonpublic students.

.

“Nonpublic Service Plans… ya ever hear of em?”

Key Change: In the IDEA, the provision of services to nonpublic students is to be written in a Nonpublic Service Plan, now accepted by MDE.

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_6569_35175---,00.html

When the evaluation indicates educational needs necessitating special education, the nonpublic parent may choose to: 1. Enroll the student in the resident public district to help

develop an IEP with special education programs (and possibly services)

2. Decline all special education

3. Decline all programs and accept a Nonpublic Service Plan from the public district of location

If student requires a special education program an IEP must be developed and a program provided in the resident district.

Students who are dually enrolled in resident public district (for non-core classes) and nonpublic school receive programs and/or services in the resident district.

Pre-K students are the responsibility of the resident district and receive programs and/or services through an IEP.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/5E-NonPubPtTimeHomeSchooled_41434_7.pdf

Resident nonpublic student - The initial eligibility determination, initial offer of a FAPE through special education, and the parent decision to decline all special education should be documented on the Initial Notice form.

Nonresident nonpublic student - The initial eligibility determination, initial offer of special education, and the parent decision to decline services offered on on a Nonpublic Notice form.

Resident and nonresident nonpublic students – The public district of location develops a Nonpublic Service Plan.

“Now when the nice lady from the public school comes, be nice …or we’ll have to talk about it…”

Key ComparisonsIEP in Resident

District Service Plan

Invitation to Meeting Yes Yes

Planning Team IEP Team Service Plan Team

Written Plan IEP Service Plan

Annual Reviews Yes Yes

Parent declines initial offer of special education – resident

Document on IEP Notice

Document on Service Plan Notice

Parent declines initial offer of special education – nonresident

----Document on

Service Plan Notice

3-year Reevaluation - student has IEP or Service Plan

Yes Yes

3-year Reevaluation - parent has declined all Plans

Offer to parent Offer to parent

Key Comparisons IEP in Resident District Service Plan

Present level - PLAAFP Yes Statement of Need

Programs Available as appropriate No

Services Available as appropriate limited

Goals and objectives Yes Same forms as IEP

Accommodations Available as appropriate No

Postsecondary transition Available as appropriate No

State/district assessment Available as appropriate No

Extended school year (ESY) Available as appropriate Rare but possible

Special transportation Available as appropriate Within public district to access services

An evaluation of a nonpublic student is still an initial evaluation if a prior evaluation was done:

By a private school or other private provider

By a public school and the student was found to be ineligible

By a public school and the student was found to be eligible, but the parent revoked consent for the provision of all special education programs/services

ADA/State Disability Act: The obligation of providing accommodations is that of the Non-Public School.

The Public LEA can choose to provide accommodations.

If you choose to provide accommodations for one student, you need to do it for all.

The decision of whether or not to provide accommodations cannot be based on eligibility or where the equipment comes from.

The public district of location must offer a redetermination of eligibility at least every 36 months to eligible nonpublic students, even if not currently receiving services.

.A Redetermination of Eligibility for a Nonpublic School Student form exists and can be found on Oakland ISDs website.

No participation regarding an IEP or Nonpublic Service Plan meeting following the evaluation:

Resident student - the district should document in a letter sent to the parent for signature: Its offer to conduct an IEP Team/Nonpublic Service Plan

meeting Acknowledgement that procedural safeguards have been

provided If parent still refuses to respond or sign, then convene the IEP

Team meeting on time and send the proposed IEP and Notice or Nonpublic Service Plan and Notice to the parent to document the process.

Nonresident student – as above, similarly document an offer of services in the nonpublic school.

When a nonpublic parent decides that the student will not receive special education, is it a revocation of consent:

When declining an initial offer of a Service Plan or IEP? …NO, as there is no initial consent to provide current service to revoke. Document the decision to decline as given previously.

When terminating PART of a Nonpublic Service Plan or IEP?

…NO, the proper procedure would be to rewrite or amend the Service Plan or IEP to reflect remaining programs or services.

When terminating ALL provisions of a Nonpublic Service Plan or IEP after services have started? …YES, use the Revocation of Consent forms.

Evaluation data should be identical.

For reporting purposes, local data systems should log Nonpublic Service Plans as IEPs to help track invitations, date of last plan, etc.

.Vendor issues might occur if a student management data program requires IEP elements not in a Service Plan.