Special Programs

Aiding Students Who Have Learning Difficulties or Who Need Special Education or Section 504 Services

For those students who are having difficulty in the regular classroom, all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools must consider tutorial, compensatory, and other academic or behavior support services that are available to all students, including a process based on Response to Intervention (RtI). The implementation of RtI has the potential to have a positive impact on the ability of districts and charter schools to meet the needs of all struggling students.

If a student is experiencing learning difficulties, his or her parent may contact the individual(s) listed below to learn about the school’s overall general education referral or screening system for support services. This system links students to a variety of support options, including making a referral for a special education evaluation or for a Section 504 evaluation to determine if the student needs specific aids, accommodations, or services. A parent may request an evaluation for special education or Section 504 services at any time.

Special Education Referrals:

If a parent makes a written request for an initial evaluation for special education services to the director of special education services or an administrative employee of the school district or open-enrollment charter school, the district or charter school must respond no later than 15 school days after receiving the request. At that time, the district or charter school must give the parent a prior written notice of whether it agrees to or refuses to evaluate the student, along with a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. If the school district or charter school agrees to evaluate the student, it must also give the parent the opportunity to give written consent for the evaluation.

Please note that a request for a special education evaluation may be made verbally and does not need to be in writing. Districts and charter schools must still comply with all federal prior written notice and procedural safeguard requirements and the requirements for identifying, locating, and evaluating children who are suspected of being a child with a disability and in need of special education. However, a verbal request does not require the district or charter school to respond within the 15-school-day timeline.

If the district or charter school decides to evaluate the student, it must complete the student’s initial evaluation and evaluation report no later than 45 school days from the day it receives a parent’s written consent to evaluate the student. However, if the student is absent from school during the evaluation period for three or more school days, the evaluation period will be extended by the number of school days equal to the number of school days that the student is absent.

There is an exception to the 45-school-day timeline. If a district or charter school receives a parent’s consent for the initial evaluation at least 35 but less than 45 school days before the last instructional day of the school year, it must complete the written report and provide a copy of the report to the parent by June 30 of that year. However, if the student is absent from school for three or more days during the evaluation period, the June 30th due date no longer applies. Instead, the general timeline of 45 school days plus extensions for absences of three or more days will apply.

Upon completing the evaluation, the district or charter school must give the parent a copy of the evaluation report at no cost.

Additional information regarding special education is available from the district or charter school in a companion document titled Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process.

Contact Person for Special Education Referrals:

The designated person to contact regarding options for a student experiencing learning difficulties or regarding a referral for evaluation for special education services is:

Contact Person: Allyson Reichenau

Phone Number: 512-419-1551 ext 334

Section 504 Referrals:

Section 504 Services are designed to provide a system of identifying eligible students with disabilities as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and its subsequent amendments. Once identified, these students are ensured access to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) by providing accommodations that allow equal access to the curriculum in the general education setting. The statute is intended to prevent intentional or unintentional discrimination against persons with disabilities, persons who are believed to have disabilities or family members of persons with disabilities.

Cedars International Academy strives to meet the needs of all students. 504 Services are designed to provide a system of identifying eligible children with disabilities as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (2008), enabling Cedars to ensure that all of the civil rights of these children are protected and receive appropriate services to ensure access to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (2008) and further clarified in 2010, prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in all programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. An eligible student is one who: has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities;

has a record or history of such impairment;
is regarded as having such an impairment.

While many students who receive 504 status and services are Dyslexic or have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), services are not limited to only these areas of disability. Any student with a disability that substantially limits one or more life activities may be considered for 504 services.

Contact Person for Section 504 Referrals:

The designated person to contact regarding options for a student experiencing learning difficulties or regarding a referral for evaluation for Section 504 services is:

Contact Person: Allyson Reichenau

Phone Number: 512-419-1551 ext 334

Additional Information:

The following websites provide information and resources for students with disabilities and their families.