School Service Plans for Students with Psychiatric Disorders
|
School Service Plans for Students with Psychiatric Disorders
|
504 Plan
|
Individualized Educational Program (IEP)
|
Purpose
|
To ensure that all students have equal opportunity to learn, even if they have a disability; focus is student’s opportunities as compared to other students in that school
|
To remediate symptoms of a student’s disability; student’s unique needs are the focus
|
Criteria to receive this plan
|
Student has an impairment that limits a major life activity, but may not require specialized instruction
|
Student has a disability which interferes with educational progress, and which requires specialized instruction
|
Who develops this plan
|
Teacher, administrator (often the school’s designated “504 coordinator,” school counselor and usually parent, student) (if appropriate)
|
Educational team, including staff certified in special education; may include evaluations by school psychologist, social worker; parent may bring friends, advocates, own evaluators to be part of team
|
What is usually provided
|
Changes within classroom or school building to enable student to
complete curriculum expectations
|
Changes within classroom setting(s) to provide student different instruction, and may substantially alter what is required of student
|
Example of what is provided
|
Student is allowed more time to complete tests; Student may be provided device to hear better
|
Student may leave regular language arts class and receive specialized reading program; student may be exempted from course requirements
|
Which staff deliver services
|
Usually regular education staff
|
Staff with specialized training (special education teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, etc.)
|
Where the student receives
services
|
Regular classroom with regular peers “to the maximum extent appropriate”
|
Wide ranging, from regular education classrooms (inclusion) to pullout for special education classrooms, to offsite day school programs, to 24 hr/day residential schools
|
Review of the plan
|
Plan reviewed at least every year
|
At least every year plan is reviewed, and every 3 yrs the student is retested to see if still qualifies
|
Disciplinary actions
|
If “manifestation hearing” indicates student’s impairment or disability caused misbehavior, then student cannot be suspended/expelled; school is not required to provide free, appropriate education for suspended or expelled students
|
If “manifestation hearing” indicates
student’s disability caused misbehavior, then student cannot be suspended/expelled; if student is suspended or expelled, school must still provide free, appropriate education
|
Appeal resourses
|
School may alter 504 Plan immediately should circumstances indicate need; “notice” may be provided verbally; family may appeal to the Office for Civil Rights if perceive school is discriminating against child because of a disability
|
School must provide “prior written notice” before changes in educational plan or placement are made; family may appeal decisions or plan to local then State departments of education
|