Special Education Services for Students with Disabilities

Enrolled by Their Parents in Private Schools located within

The Broward County Public Schools District

1. What special education services will be available to eligible private school students for the 2010-2011 school year?
• Speech and/or language therapy services for eligible students with a speech and/or language disability, up to one hour per week. Qualified employees from The School Board of Broward County (SBBC) will provide the therapy services. Therapy services will be provided at SBBC school facilities throughout the county after public school hours. Services will be provided in groups. Transportation will be offered, with some limitations.

• Consultation services to private school teachers and parents for up to one hour a month for eligible students with any disability including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Developmentally Delayed, Intellectual Disability, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, Language Impaired, Orthopedically Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injured, Other Health Impaired, Specific Learning Disability, and Visually Impaired. Qualified employees of the School District will provide services at the private school location. Services will be provided face-to-face with teachers and may be provided by other means for parents. Services may be provided during or after school hours.

• Academic instructional support for reading and/or mathematics for up to two hours a week to eligible students with any disability including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Developmentally Delayed, Intellectual Disabilities, Emotional Behavioral Disability, Language Impaired, Orthopedically Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injured, Other Health Impaired, Specific Learning Disability, and Visually Impaired. Services and hours will be based on impact of the disability and student need. Qualified employees of the school district and/or qualified instructors provided by a vendor contracted by the School District will provide the academic support at the private school location during private school hours. Academic support may be provided to students in groups of up to six students.

• Instructional support for learning strategies which could include but is not limited to organizational strategies and study skills for up to two hours per month to students with any disability including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Developmentally Delayed, Intellectual Disability, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, Language Impaired, Orthopedically Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injured, Other Health Impaired, Specific Learning Disability, and Visually Impaired. Qualified employees of the School District will provide the instructional support for learning strategies at the private school location during private school hours.

2. Will consultation include instruction in the classroom?
No. Consultation is the sharing of information in order to address the student’s needs. An SBBC employee will meet face-to-face with your child’s teacher to provide information that the teacher may use during instruction. Information could include modifications of teaching techniques, accommodations, and suggested materials or supplies. Your child’s teacher and private school would be responsible for making any changes based on the consultation.

3. How do I find out if my child is eligible to receive speech-language therapy services, consultation, or academic instructional support?
• If your child was evaluated by SBBC in the last three years and determined to be eligible for Speech-Language Impaired or other disability and had an Individual Education Plan (IEP), then your child may be eligible.

• If your child was evaluated by SBBC more than three years ago and determined to be eligible for any disability, then SBBC must complete a re-evaluation to determine if your child still needs speech-language therapy services, consultation or academic instructional support.

• If your child has never been evaluated by SBBC, then he or she must have a comprehensive evaluation done to determine if your child has a disability.

4. Who provides the comprehensive evaluation?
The ESE Office will refer you to an SBBC school. Qualified staff at the school and other evaluation specialists from SBBC will provide the evaluations at that school. You will be responsible to bring your child to the public school.

5. How long will it take for the comprehensive evaluation to be completed?
Once SBBC has gathered information from you and the private school and determined that a comprehensive evaluation should be completed, you will be asked to give your consent in writing. The evaluation will be completed within 60 student attendance days of the date you return the signed consent to the public school.

6. If my child is eligible to receive speech-language therapy, consultation, or academic instructional support, will The School District develop a new individual education plan (IEP)?
No. Children in private schools are not entitled to an IEP. The special education to be provided will be described on a Service Plan.

7. Will the Service Plan include the same special education and related services that were on my child’s IEP when he/she was in public school?
No. The Service Plan is only required to include the type and amount of special education that the school district has decided to provide during the coming year.

8. My child has never been evaluated by SBBC or was evaluated by SBBC more than three years ago. Can a private evaluation by a speech-language pathologist or other qualified evaluator be used to determine eligibility for a Service Plan?
Yes. However, the speech-language pathologist or other evaluator must meet Department of Education qualifications and provide a written report that includes the information needed to determine eligibility. In addition, the school district must ensure that the evaluation of your child is comprehensive, so your consent will be required for additional testing.

9. Will the Service Plan provide the same amount of speech-language
therapy that was on my child’s IEP or that my child is receiving privately?
No. The Service Plan will provide up to one hour of speech-language therapy a week.

10. My child, who is learning disabled, received occupational therapy when he was enrolled in the public schools. Will occupational therapy services be provided as part of the Service Plan for consultation?
No. Occupational therapy is a related service provided to students to benefit from special education. Consultation is not an instructional service. However, if services are provided directly to the student, the service plan might also include related services if need needed by the child to benefit from the special education he is receiving.

11. How will the Service Plan be developed?
A meeting (which can be by telephone) will be scheduled that includes the parents, a teacher from the private school, and representatives of SBBC. The student may be included as appropriate.

12. Will the Service Plan continue from year to year?
No. Service Plans are reviewed and new plans are written every year. The School District must spend a proportionate share of federal funds on services to eligible private school students. The amount of funds changes every year. It is possible that all the funds could be spent before the end of the year. If that occurs, all services would end. From year to year, The School District may decide that different students are eligible and different services will be provided.

13. My child is attending a private school under the McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities. Is my child eligible to receive special education services?
Yes. Your child must have been identified with a disability and demonstrate a need for the services being provided by The School District.


14. My child has never been evaluated by SBBC. He/she may have a speech-language problem. Can I request just a speech-language evaluation from the public school?
No. The parent cannot request a specific evaluation. If you suspect your child may have a disability, you and the private school will be asked to provide public school staff with information about your child’s school performance. It is the responsibility of SBBC to conduct a comprehensive evaluation including any assessments that may be needed to determine if and what type of disability your child may have. While a speech-language evaluation may be one of the assessments, SBBC will not proceed until you give your consent to complete a comprehensive evaluation, which could include other assessments.

15. My child has never been evaluated by SBBC. He/she is having difficulty in private school. How can I find out what special education and related services SBBC would provide to my child?
Once you give your consent for a comprehensive evaluation and the evaluation is completed, SBBC will meet with you to discuss your child’s evaluation results. You will be provided with an evaluation report and a determination of eligibility. If you are considering enrollment in the SBBC school system to receive services, the school will develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP). This IEP is SBBC proposal of a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) for your child. If you choose, you may withdraw your child from private school and enroll him/her in SBBC to receive the services on the IEP. Your consent will be required before the school begins providing the special education and related services described on the IEP. If you reject SBBC offer and remain in the private school, your child may still be eligible for a Service Plan for some special education services.

16. What other services will be provided to students with disabilities placed by their parents in private schools located in The School Board of Broward County?
The SBBC will provide the opportunity for private schools to receive training to improve their awareness and identification of students with disabilities, their knowledge of accommodations and modifications to instruction, and to supplement core curriculum programs.