KEARNY BOARD OF EDUCATION File Code: 6171.4
Kearny , New Jersey 07032
Policy
IDENTIFICATION, LOCATION AND EVALUATION OF
POTENTIALLY EDUCATIONALLY HANDICAPPED PUPILS
The Kearny Board of Education hereby adopts the policy that all children residing within the jurisdiction of the district board of education who are handicapped, including students with disabilities attending nonpublic schools, regardless of the severity of their handicap, and who are in need of special education and related services are identified, located, and evaluated according to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.3.
The procedures used to implement the above policy shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
Prior to any decision regarding referral of a pupil to a Child Study Team for determination of eligibility for special education and/or related services, interventions in the regular school program shall be provided to the pupil and written documentation by the staff of the regular program shall be maintained.
Each school in the district shall have a School Based Pre-Referral Intervention Committee which shall consist of the Principal, two faculty members, the guidance counselor and additional individuals as appropriate; e.g., Child Study Team member(s), parents.
Prior to referral to the Child Study Team, the following procedures are to be followed:
1. The teacher should keep a written anecdotal record of the student’s academic
performance and behavior; any other relevant concerns may be included in this
record.
2. The teacher should discuss the student’s progress with other staff members (i.e.,
guidance counselor, nurse, special subject and departmental teachers, reading
specialist, speech correctionist, etc.) and keep a record of their observations.
3. The teacher should keep the student’s parents advised of the student’s difficulties
and should document all parental contacts.
4. After gathering this information, the teacher will then consult with the guidance
counselor. Attempts should be made to resolve the situation within the regular
school setting and a record must be kept of these interventions.
5. If the situation is not resolved within the school setting, the teacher and guidance
counselor should request a meeting with the school’s Pre-Referral Intervention
Committee.
6. As a result of the Pre-Referral Intervention Committee meeting, the committee
will decide which interventions should be continued and whether a referral to the
Child Study Team is appropriate.
7. If it is determined appropriate to initiate a referral the principal, or his designee,
will provide written notice to the parent and provide the parent(s) with copies of
appropriate rules and regulations.
8. All the information gathered in completing these pre-referral procedures will be
documented in the anecdotal record and included with the referral with a copy
provided to the student’s parent(s).
Identification, Location and Evaluation of Potentially Educationally Handicapped Pupils 6171.4 Page 2
Pre-referral intervention is not required for a pupil whose educational problem(s) is such that direct referral to the Child Study Team can be supported.
Upon receipt of a referral, a case number is assigned, binder prepared and the case assigned to a Child Study Team. The Child Study Team shall meet and determine the need for an initial evaluation and write an evaluation plan. The parent(s) and adult pupil shall be provided with a copy of the evaluation plan. Written consent shall be obtained prior to conducting the initial evaluation.
The Child Study Team is an interdisciplinary group of appropriately certified persons and shall consist of a school psychologist, a learning disabilities teacher-consultant and a school social worker, and a speech correctionist or speech-language specialist for pupils ages three to five . The Child Study Team shall act in consultation with a school physician when considering medical diagnostic services and with any other professional staff member(s) or consultant(s) deemed appropriate by the Child Study Team, the parent(s) or the chief school administrator, or designee. One member of the Child Study Team shall act as case manager.
All evaluations leading to a determination of a pupil’s eligibility for special education and/or
related services shall be completed without undue delay and consistent with the timelines established in N.J.A.C. 6A:14.
An initial evaluation shall consist of the following:
1. A comprehensive health appraisal by a physician.
2. A psychological assessment by the school psychologist.
3. An educational assessment by a learning disabilities teacher-consultant.
4. A social assessment by the school social worker.
5. A speech and language assessment for pupils ages three to five by a speech correctionist or
speech-language specialist.
The Child Study Team shall include pertinent information from the parent(s), teacher(s), other certified school personnel, and agencies concerned with the welfare of the pupil when rendering evaluation and eligibility decisions.
If the reports and evaluations of other New Jersey public school district Child Study Team members, Department of Education approved clinics or agencies, or professionals in private practice are accepted by members of the Child Study Team, such acceptance shall be noted in writing and shall become part of the report(s) of the Child Study Team member(s). If a report or evaluation is rejected, a written rationale shall be provided.
In addition to the above procedures, children may be identified and referred through various sources including the parent(s), outside agencies, physicians, clinics, hospitals, pre-school handicapped programs and/or early intervention programs. The school district, in cooperation with other local districts, places newspaper advertisements in local newspapers in both the English and Spanish language and participates in Project Child Fund.
It is the goal of the Kearny Board of Education to locate, evaluate and provide, when appropriate, programs and services to pupils at the earliest possible age to reduce the incidence and severity of potential learning problems and behaviors which could affect academic and emotional growth and development, and to work with parent(s) in gaining knowledge and understanding about their child’s educational needs.
Amended: February 28, 2000