Notice to Parents

Leechburg Area School District provides a free, appropriate, public education to students thought to be with a disability according to state and federal law. To qualify as a student thought to be with a disability, the child must be of school age, must be in need of specially-designed instruction, and must meet eligibility criteria for one or more of the following physical or intellectual disabilities, as set forth in Pennsylvania State Standards: autism/pervasive developmental disorder, blindness/visual impairment, deafness/hearing impairment, intellectual disability multi handicap, neurological impairment, other health impairment, physical disability, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment.

The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that all students receive a free appropriate educational program, consisting of special education and related services that are individualized to meet the educational needs of the student, and reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress, at no cost to the parents and in compliance with state and federal law.

Various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis to identify students who may be eligible for special education programs and services. These include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, physical and speech/language screening; and review by a building-level Instructional Support Team, when appropriate.

When screening results suggest that a student may have a disability, the district seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation.

Parents who suspect that their child may have a disability may request a multidisciplinary evaluation of their child at any time through a written request to the Director of Special Education.

Services designed to meet the needs of students with a disability include the annual development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), triennial multidisciplinary reevaluation (or biennial for intellectually challenged students), supportive intervention in the general class, supplemental intervention in the general class or in a special education resource program, placement in a part-time or full-time special education class in a regular school or placement in a full-time special education class outside of a regular school. The extent of special education services and the location for the delivery of such services are determined by the MDE team and are based on the student's identified needs and abilities, chronological age and the level of intensity of the specified intervention. The District also provides related services, such as transportation, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, required to enable the student to benefit from the special education program.

Parents are invited and encouraged to participate with school personnel in their child's evaluation and the development of their child's IEP.