Private School Services
Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) requires that school districts locate, identify, and evaluate at public expense students who are parentally placed at private schools and who are suspected of having disabilities and needing special education and related services. This is part of the general school district responsibility, known as child find.
School districts must make available a free appropriate public education (FAPE) via an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) to those parentally-placed students who are evaluated at public expense and determined to have disabilities if the student enrolls in and attends public school. The requirement to make available a free appropriate public education does not extend to private school settings when children with disabilities are parentally placed in those settings.
There is no individual entitlement of parentally-placed private school students to receive special education services and/or related services. However, some students may receive services under a Services Plan.
Even though Part B does not require that all parentally-placed students with disabilities receive services, or that the full range of services be provided to those students the school district elects to serve, district personnel must consult with private school representatives prior to making a final decision regarding the provision of services.
Please note that these services are only available to parentally-placed students with disabilities (ESE) who attend nonprofit private schools within Pasco County.
For additional information, please contact Dave Law at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (813) 794-2601.
Consultation Process
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) requires that timely and meaningful consultation occur between the District School Board of Pasco County (DSBPC) and private school representatives regarding any decision that affects the opportunities of eligible private school students with disabilities, teachers, and other educational personnel to participate in programs under this Act, and shall continue throughout the implementation and assessment of activities under this section. The final decision regarding what services will be provided resides with the district.
Formal Consultation meetings have concluded for the 2012-13 school year. Please feel free to contact the program specialist overseeing private school services with questions, concerns, or requests for assistance.
2012-13 Private School Consultation Forms
FLDOE Private School Links
Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice
FLDOE Private School Resources
FLDOE Technical Assistance Paper for General Education Intervention Procedures, Child Find, and the Initial Provision of Exceptional Education Services to Eligible Students
(See sections E-1, E-4, and E-6 on pages 14, 16-17 for information relating to private schools)
Information For Parents
FAQs for Parents: Private School Services
Parent Request for Child Find (Evaluations and Reevaluations)
Parent Request for ESE Services (2012-13)
Services Available to Private School Students with Disabilities (2012-13)
Please remember the following:
* The student must be ESE eligible to receive services (have an existing IEP or found eligible via
Child Find).
* Only 2012-13 Service request packets will be accepted. (Old forms will not be accepted after May
1st).
* Packets must be submitted fully completed (12-13 services request form, teacher input, parent
input, and IEP if needed). Incomplete forms or packets will not be considered.
* If the student does not have a valid Pasco IEP, please submit their most current IEP from their
previous/home county.
* Speech/Language, Occupational and Physical Therapists are currently a critical shortage area for
the district and our contract providers. This may affect the ability of the district to provide these
services to private school students.
* Further reductions in district staff may also adversely affect the ability to provide consultation
services.
Information For Private School Administrators and Contacts
Parent Request for Child Find (Evaluations and Reevaluations) Memo
Survey of Students with Students with Disabilities Enrolled in Private Schools (2011-12)
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Response to Intervention (RtI) has been described in Florida as a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) for providing high quality instruction and intervention matched to student needs using learning rate over time and level of performance to inform instructional decisions. Please see Florida’s MTSS web page for more information.
Staff Development for Private School Staff
Private school personnel who provide educational services to students with disabilities are welcome to attend staff development / training opportunities offered by the District School Board of Pasco County.
Professional Development Opportunities from the District School Board of Pasco County
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Private School Staff Professional Development Guest Registration Form
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A Message from our Director
Dear Parents of Exceptional Students:
Welcome to the Exceptional Student Education webpage. The purpose of this site is to provide information for parents, school staff, and caregivers of students with disabilities and students who are gifted. Both groups of students are served in collaboration with the Exceptional Student Education Department.
Parent involvement is very important for student success. By definition students who are exceptional may learn differently from typical children, at home and at school. As a parent, you are your child's first teacher and have probably already discovered your child's strengths and found ways to support areas that he or she may find challenging.
Your knowledge about your child is very helpful to the school team when collaborating to develop your child's education plan. If you have not met your child's teachers, please plan on contacting them to discuss your child's progress and ways that you can work together for his or her success. I would also encourage you to join our ESE Advisory Committee (information below) or your child's school's advisory council. This is a wonderful way to learn more about our programs and to provide valuable input.
Please feel free to contact the ESE Department at (727) 774-2600 if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Melissa Musselwhite
