What's New in Special Education? Chapter 14 Revisions 

The Northern Tioga School District is committeed to providing a free, appropriate education for all children with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

I. Child Find

The Northern Tioga School District ensures ongoing efforts will be made to identify, locate, and evaluate school-aged children who reside within the district and have a confirmed or suspected disability in accordance with federal regulations and state standards.

II.  Procedural Safeguards

The Northern Tioga School District ensures that each child with a disability and his/her parent are provided with safeguards, as required by law, throughout the identification, evaluation, and placement process, and the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child.

III.  Evaluation

The Northern Tioga School District provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation for children with disabilities by ensuring that: children are assessed in their native language or other mode of communication; tests are used for their validated purposes; children are evaluated in all areas related to their suspected disability; testing is conducted by a multidisciplinary team; testing materials and procedures are not racially or culturally biased; tests are administered by trained personnel qualified in accordance with all federal regulations and state standards; and, tests are administered in conformance with the instructions provided by the producer.

IV.  Individualized Education Program

The Northern Tioga School District ensures that an individualized education program (IEP) will be developed for each child with a disability that is found to be eligible for special education.  The IEP shall be developed to meet the needs of the child.  The IEP shall be reviewed and revised as often as necessary, but at least annually.

V.  Least Restrictive Environment

The Northern Tioga School District ensures that the education of children with disabilities occurs in the least restrictive environment.  Special education programs and services shall be appropriate and designed to meet the unique needs of each child with a disability.  To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities shall be educated with children who do not have disabilities.  Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular education environment, shall occur only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that an education in regular classes with the use supplemental aides and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

VI.  Confidentiality of Data

The Northern Tioga School District, in accordance with section 444 of GEPA, ensures the protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, information, and records collected or maintained by the school district and LEA, pursuant to Part B of the section 444 GEPA Act, and consistent with 300.611 through 300.627 of the Pennsylvania school code.

The transmittal of student records: (1) An agency reporting a crime committed by a child with a disability must ensure that copies of the special education and disciplinary records of the child are transmitted for consideration by the appropriate authorities to whom the agency reports the crime.  (2) An agency reporting a crime under this section may transmit copies of the childs's special education and disciplinary records only to the extent that the transmission is permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The following Special Education Services and Programs are available to eligible students within the Northern Tioga School District:

Psychological Services - The Northern Tioga School District employs 2 full-time school psychologists responsible for coordinating and conducting multi-disciplinary evaluations to determine eligiblity for special education services.  They also provide individual and group counseling services, coordinate preventive programs, and provide consultation for parents and staff.

School Social Workers - The district employs 2 full-time certified social workers resposible for providing case management, counseling, prevention activities, and consultation to students, staff, and families.

Elementary Guidance - The district employs an elementary guidance counselor responsible for providing case managment, counseling, prevention activities, and consultation to students, staff, and families.

Speech and Language Support - The district employs 2 full-time certified Speech and Language Specialists responsible for providing assessments as well as individual, small group, and consultative services for eligible students to assist with the development of improved articulation and receptive and expressive language skills.

Learning Support - Certified Special Education Teachers provide primarily academic support and accommodations to eligible students within the regular education setting or in small groups to reinforce class lessons, provide additional guided practice, or to allow for adaptations.

Life Skills Support - Certified Special Education Teachers provide eligible students primarily functional academic instruction and experiences along with direct instruction and practice for the development of improved daily living skills.

Emotional Support - Certified Special Education Teachers provide academic support along with social / emotional and behavioral support to eligible students.  Through a cooperative agreement with BLaST IU #17, Laurel Youth Services, and neighboring school districts, eligible elementary students may participate in a Partial Hospitalization Program (located in Blossburg) to address their identified needs.  At the secondary level, the district provides an Emotional Support Program located within the regular school in which students may receive supports within the program or within their regular education classes.

Multiple Disabilities Support - A Certified Special Education Teacher, with the direct assistance of aides, and therapists, provides functional academic instruction and direct instruction and practice for the development of improved daily living skills to eligible students who present with concamitant impairments, the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in educational programs solely for one of the impairments.

Autistic Support - Certified Special Education Teachers provide instruction and experiental opportunities designed primarily for students with developmental disabilities significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interactions which adversely affect their educational performance.  Emphasis is placed on the development of the student's communication, socialization, daily living, academic, and behavior managment skills.

Occupational and Physical Therapy - The district contracts with Laurel Health Services to provide occupational and physical therapy to eligible students to address significant fine and gross motor deficits, as well as sensory issues, which impact the students' educational performance.

Hearing and Vision Support Services - The district collaborates with vision and hearing specialists through BLaST IU #17 for eligible students.  Consultative and individual services are available.

Behavior Support Specialist - The district collaborates with a behavior support specialist through BLaST IU #17.  The behavior support specialist may assist district staff by providing observations, consultations, and assistance with the development of positive behavior support plans for eligible students.

Assistive Technology Specialist - The district collaborates with an assistive technology specialist through BLaST IU #17.  The assistive technology specialist may provide services and assistive technology devices to students, by delivering training and technical assistance to teachers, aides, therapists, parents and administrators.