Special Education Delivery Models in the Pickens County School System

• Consultation - The special education teacher consults with the general education teacher and student on a scheduled basis to meet the needs of the student. The student typically remains in the general education classroom environment during the instructional day.
• Co-Teaching - Special education personnel and general education personnel work together in the regular classroom to meet the needs of all students in the classroom whether they are considered disabled or non-disabled.
• Alternative Placement (Resource) - Students with disabilities receive instruction in a special education resource room for individualized assistance during a portion of the academic day. Students will typically spend parts of their instructional day in the general education environment.
• Alternative Placement (Self-Contained) - Students with disabilities receive their whole instructional day in the special education setting, typically seeking social interaction opportunities with their disabled peers.
• Separate Facility - Students with disabilities are provided special education instruction in a separate building/facility.
• Homebound Special Education Instruction – a certified special education teacher provides instruction at home for those special education students who are unable to attend school because of severe medical reasons. A licensed physician must verify that their medical condition prohibits them from attending school.
• The amount of time that a student spends in special education/related services is determined by the student’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Typically, a team, including school personnel and the parents, develops the IEP.
• In addition to the special education program and related services, there are numerous activities available for Pickens County Special Education students, which may include:
  • Special Olympics– Offers students with intellectual and physical disabilities opportunities to compete at the local, area, state, and international levels in a variety of individual and team events.
  • Transitional Programs – Offers students with disabilities the opportunity to transition into higher education and/or workforce training.
• Related Support Services are additional services required for a student to maximally benefit from special education. Services may include, but are not limited to: occupational therapy, physical therapy, adapted physical education, nursing services, assistive technology, and transportation.

The District complies with state requirements related to restraint and seclusion as set out in Georgia SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.35. Consistent with that rule, physical restraint will be used only in situations in which the student is in immediate danger to himself/herself or others and the student is not responsive to verbal directives or other less intensive de-escalation techniques. A parent or guardian will be notified in writing each time their student has been restrained. The District maintains written policies and procedures governing the use of restraint.

The Referral Process

The Response to Intervention (RTI) Team is a general education initiative and acts as a pre-referral process before a referral to special education is made. A Response to Intervention Team is in place at each school and is composed of pertinent staff members who meet to review their concerns and plan strategies to assist particular students in their general education classrooms and monitor those students’ progress. Parents are a part of this team and have to give consent before any student is evaluated for special education services. The Pickens County Special Education Department is working with each school to make the Referral Process from RTI more timely.

Least Restrictive Environment

Of all the terminology relating to special education, least restrictive environment (LRE) is probably the most difficult to understand. LRE means that when the IEP Team is deciding where a student should receive his or her special education services, the IEP Team should first consider the general education classroom with supplementary aids and services first and then proceed from there. Students with disabilities have a legal right to the greatest amount of inclusion, which is appropriate to their unique needs.

Due Process

Due Process under special education is a term used for a legal procedure that seeks to ensure the rights of parents if they believe the district has denied their child special education service. Parents or the School System can initiate due process when there is disagreement regarding a child’s identification, evaluation, eligibility, IEP or placement.

Mediation

Mediation is a process provides a means by which the parents and school officials can resolve problems through consensus. It is an informal discussion between parents, school officials, and an impartial third party. Either parents or school officials can initiate mediation. Parents and school officials may or may not choose to have an attorney present.

Features

The Preschool Special Education Program is based at Hill City Elementary.

Notice of Rights of Students and Parents Under Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, commonly referred to as "Section 504," is a nondiscrimination statute enacted by the United States Congress. The purpose of Section 504 is to prohibit discrimination and to assure that disabled students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to non-disabled students.

For more information regarding Section 504, or if you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact your local system’s Section 504 Coordinator at the following address:

The implementing regulations for Section 504 as set out in 34 CFR Part 104 provide parents and/or students with the following rights:

1. Your child has the right to an appropriate education designed to meet his or her individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students. 34 CFR 104.33.
2. Your child has the right to free educational services except for those fees that are imposed on non-disabled students or their parents. Insurers and similar third parties who provide services not operated by or provided by the recipient are not relieved from an otherwise valid obligation to provide or pay for services provided to a disabled student. 34 CFR 104.33.
3. Your child has a right to participate in an educational setting (academic and nonacademic) with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate to his or her needs. 34 CFR 104.34.
4. Your child has a right to facilities, services, and activities that are comparable to those provided for non-disabled students. 34 CFR 104.34.
5. Your child has a right to an evaluation prior to a Section 504 determination of eligibility. 34 CFR 104.35.
6. You have the right to not consent to the school system’s request to evaluate your child. 34 CFR 104.35.
7. You have the right to ensure that evaluation procedures, which may include testing, conform to the requirements of 34 CFR 104.35.
8. You have the right to ensure that the school system will consider information from a variety of sources as appropriate, which may include aptitude and achievement tests, grades, teacher recommendations and observations, physical conditions, social or cultural background, medical records, and parental recommendations. 34 CFR 104.35.
9. You have the right to ensure that placement decisions are made by a group of persons, including persons knowledgeable about your child, the meaning of the evaluation data, the placement options, and the legal requirements for least restrictive environment and comparable facilities. 34 CFR 104.35.
10. If your child is eligible under Section 504, your child has a right to periodic reevaluations, including prior to any subsequent significant change of placement. 34 CFR 104.35.
11. You have the right to notice prior to any actions by the school system regarding the identification, evaluation, or placement of your child. 34 CFR 104.36.
12. You have the right to examine your child’s educational records. 34 CFR 104.36.
13. You have the right to an impartial hearing with respect to the school system’s actions regarding your child's identification, evaluation, or educational placement, with opportunity for parental participation in the hearing and representation by an attorney. 34 CFR 104.36.
14. You have the right to receive a copy of this notice and a copy of the school system’s impartial hearing procedure upon request. 34 CFR 104.36.
15. If you disagree with the decision of the impartial hearing officer (school board members and other district employees are not considered impartial hearing officers), you have a right to a review of that decision according to the school system’s impartial hearing procedure. 34 CFR 104.36.
16. You have the right to, at any time, file a complaint with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.