Child Find for Home Schooled or Parochial School Students
In compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), RTSD 26 provides child find/evaluations and special education services to parentally-placed students attending local private/parochial schools or students who receive home schooling. The District is required to utilize a portion of its federal funds (referred to as Proportionate Share) to provide special education services to parochial and private schools within our attendance boundaries. RTSD 26 in agreement with St. Emily’s has chosen to use these funds to provide speech and language services and limited consultation to teachers to qualifying students. The District also provides child find (screening and evaluation) services, at no charge, to students.
Evaluation
Throughout the year, the District receives requests to evaluate students who are home-schooled or attending private/parochial schools. The District is legally obligated to consider each evaluation request. Based on a review of existing data and information from both parents and teachers, the District will determine if an evaluation is appropriate. Please note: The District does not automatically grant all evaluation requests. In the event that you feel that your child should be evaluated for special education, you should contact the administration at St. Emily’s/parochial school or send a letter directly to the Department of Student Services, Attention: Mrs. Jodi Megerle, requesting an evaluation. You must make your child available for evaluation and testing if required through a mutually agreed upon process at the onset of the evaluation timeline.
Services
Local public schools, including River Trails School District 26 do not provide the full range of special education services to students attending private/parochial schools or home-schools as they do for students in public schools. The District meets annually with local participating private/parochial schools and home-schooling parents to discuss the types of services that will be provided by the District under Proportionate Share. Our district has agreed to provide Speech and Language services as well as limited consultation with teachers for the 2017-18 school year. Students receive a specific amount of service, regardless of the severity of their disability. Services are delivered at one of our three schools in the district, depending on the specialist assigned. Parents are responsible for transportation unless otherwise agreed upon. Should you wish to access a greater level of support for your child (as recommended by the educational team completing the evaluation), you may choose to enroll your child in the public school district of residence in order to receive the full range of services.
Timely and Meaningful Consultation
In compliance with IDEA, RTSD 26 meets with parents and staff from private and parochial schools on an annual basis to discuss how it will support students with special education needs in those schools or who are home-schooled. This meeting is typically held in May of each school year. We encourage parents and representatives from our local parochial schools to attend this meeting.