Q: What does FAPE mean?
A: Free Appropriate Public Education is defined as an individualized educational program that is designed to meet the child's unique needs and from which the child receives educational benefit, and prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living.
Q: What are considered School Age Disabilities?
A: Autism, Deaf-blindness, Deafness, Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disability, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment including Blindness.
Q: What Special Education programs or support does the Allentown School District provide for a student with School Age Disabilities?
A: Autistic Support, Emotional Support, Hearing Impaired Support, Learning Support, Life Skills Support, Multiple Disabilities Support, Speech/Language Support, Vision Support. Related services include speech/language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and nursing services according to a doctor's prescription.
Q: What does this mean for my child in the Allentown School District?
A: Individualized Education Program teams will consider the full range of services, starting with regular education and including the modification of the curriculum content, before contemplating a more restrictive setting. School-age programs are available for students ages 4 to 22. Full day school-age programs focus on academic development and access to the general education curriculum.
Given written consent, a child begins the recommended school-age program and an IEP is implemented at the start of the school year. The IEP must be updated at least annually, or sooner if a team member (including parent/guardian) recommends a revision.
Q: What are the levels of support my child can receive in the Allentown School District?
A: Levels or the continuum of support include:
- Itinerant - students are included with typical peers for at least 80 percent of the school day
- Supplemental - Students are included with typical peers for 20-79 percent of the school day
- Full-Time - Students are included with typical peers 0-19 percent of the school day
Q. What is a related service?
A: Related services are supportive services that are required for a child to benefit from special education. Related services help children with disabilities benefit from their special education by providing extra help and support in needed areas, such as speaking or moving.
Related services can include but are not limited to, any of the following:
- Speech and language, pathology and audiology services
- Interpreting services
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Vision Support Services
- Orientation and mobility services
Q: How often should a student receive a related service?
A: The IEP team determines the frequency, location, and duration of related services based on a student’s individual needs. Parents are an integral part of the IEP team. The related service provider often provides the support to teachers and classroom staff so that the related service can take place in the classroom throughout the day.
Q: How is a student’s need for related services determined?
A: Each student’s need for related services, just as the need for special education, is determined by the student’s IEP team as part of the Individualized Education Program process.
Q: My child receives one of the services named as special education. Is this a related service?
A: Speech/language, deaf/hard of hearing and vision support can either be the student’s special education support in the general curriculum or the support can be the related service supporting the IEP. The student must have a disability in the specified area(s) and be in need of specialized instruction to receive support in the specified area(s) in order to be successful in the curriculum.
Q: May I speak to the school psychologist without my child being evaluated for special education?
A: The psychologist is a member of the school team. You may make an appointment anytime to speak with the psychologist without having to have your child evaluated.
Q: My child is about to register for Kindergarten. How will the Allentown School District determine if my child needs Special Education Services?
A: Once a child is enrolled in the district, Allentown School District's staff will review to determine eligibility. Your child can be recommended for a seamless transition, evaluation, or reevaluation.
- Seamless Transition
- No further data is needed to determine school age eligibility.
- An Individualized Education Program is recommended, offering equitable services.
- A Notice of Recommended Educational Placement is presented for consent.
- Evaluation
- A Permission to Evaluate will be sent home for written consent.
- An evaluation is completed within 60 calendar days of received consent.
- An educational program is recommended based on eligibility (Note: some students may not be eligible for school-age services)
- Reevaluation - no additional data is needed
- Determines if your child has a school-age disability and if your child is in need of specially designed instruction.
- A Reevaluation Report is completed using existing data, including a review of records, teacher input, parent input, and observation.
- If a student is eligible for services, an IEP must be created and recommended within 30 calendar days.
- Reevaluation – Additional Data is needed
- A Permission to Reevaluate will be sent home for written consent.
- A Reevaluation is completed within 60 calendar days of received consent.
- An educational program is recommended based on eligibility (Note: some students may not be eligible for school age services).