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Annual 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 (SDs), intermediate units (IUs) and charter schools (CSs) 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, intermediate unit, and charter school 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, intermediate unit, and charter school shall publish written information in the handbook and on the web site. 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 the appropriate staff member identified 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 3 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. (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 you may contact Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Early Intervention Services, 2 West Lafayette Street, Norristown, PA 19401. The telephone number for the Early Intervention Program is (484) 685-1856.

Evaluation Process

Each school district, intermediate unit, and charter school 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. Telephone numbers and addresses can be found at the end of this notice. Parents of preschool age children, age three through five, may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to the intermediate unit staff at Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Early Intervention Services, 2 West Lafayette Street, Norristown, PA 19401. The telephone number for the Early Intervention Program is (484) 685-1856.

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 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 education evaluation at public expense.

Program Development

Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professional and parents determine whether the child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the individualized education program 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, intermediate unit staff, or charter school 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 SDs, IUs and CSs maintain records concerning all 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 stages. 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 school entity listed below. For preschool age children, information, screenings and evaluations requested, may be obtained by contacting the Intermediate Unit. The addresses of these schools are as follows:

Intermediate Unit

Montgomery County Intermediate Unit
Early Intervention Services
2 West Lafayette Street
Norristown, PA 19401
(484) 685-1856

Charter Schools

Agora Cyber
590 North Gulph Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406 (610) 230-0775

Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School
630 Park Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406 (610) 275-8501

Souderton Charter School Collaborative
110 East Broad Street, Souderton, PA 18964-1209 (215) 721-4560

School District Offices

Abington School District
Director of Special Education
970 Highland Ave. Abington, PA 19001
(215) 884-4700

Bryn Athyn School District
District Administrator
P.O. Box 121 Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
(215) 947-0531

Cheltenham School District
Director of Education
1000 Ashbourne Road Elkins Park, PA 19027
(215) 886-9500

Colonial School District
Director of Pupil Services
230 Flourtown Avenue Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
(610) 834-1670

Hatboro-Horsham School District
Director of Special Education
220 Meetinghouse Road
Horsham, PA 19044
(215) 672-5660

Jenkintown School District
Director of Special Education
West & Highland Avenues Jenkintown, PA 19046
(215) 885-3722

Lower Merion School District
Director of Student Services
301 E. Montgomery Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 645-1800

Lower Moreland School District
Director of Special Education
2551 Murray Avenue Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
(215) 938-0272

Methacton School District
Director of Pupil Services
1001 Kriebel Mill Road Norristown, PA 19403
(610) 489-5000

Norristown School District
Director of Special Services
401 N. Whitehall Road Norristown, PA 19403
(610) 630-5000

North Penn School District
Director of Special Education
401 E. Hancock Street
Lansdale, PA 19446
(215) 368-0400

Perkiomen Valley School District
Director of Special Education
3 Iron Bridge Drive Collegeville, PA 19426
(610) 489-8506

Pottsgrove School District
Director of Pupil Services
1301 Kauffman Road Pottstown, PA 19464
(610) 327-2277

Pottstown School District
Director of Special Education
940 Franklin Street Pottstown, PA 19464
(610) 323-8200

Souderton School District
Director of Pupil Serv.
760 Lower Road Souderton, PA 18964
(215) 723-6061

School District of Springfield Township
Director of Pupil Services
1901 East Paper Mill Road Oreland, PA 19075
(215) 233-6000

Spring-Ford School District
Supervisor of Special Education
857 S. Lewis Road Royersford, PA 19428
(610) 705-6000

Upper Dublin School District
Director of Special Education
1580 Fort Washington Ave. Maple Glen, PA 19002
(215) 643-8800

Upper Merion School District
Assist. Superintendent for Student Serv.
435 Crossfield Road King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 205-6400

Upper Moreland School District
Director of Spec. Ed. & Support.Serv.
2900 Terwood Road Willow Grove, PA 19090 
(215) 659-6800

Upper Perkiomen School District Director of Special Education
2229 E. Buck Road
Pennsburg, PA 18073
(215) 679-7961

Wissahickon School District
Director of Student Services
601 Knight Road Ambler, PA 19002
(215) 619-8000

Private Residential Rehabilitation Institutions

Carson Valley School
Director of Academic Operations
1419 Bethlehem Pike Flourtown, PA 19031
(215) 233-1960

The school entity or charter school 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, Intermediate Unit, or charter school program 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.