Logan City School District
Special Education
Policies And
Procedures Manual
Combination SLD Eligibility Method
I. General Provisions
II. Identification, Location, and Evaluation
III. IEP Development and Service Delivery
IV. Procedural Safeguards
V. Discipline Procedures
VI. Students With Disabilities In Other Settings
VII. Preschool and Postsecondary Transitions
VIII. Responsibilities of the Utah State Board of Education
IX. LEA Eligibility and Responsibilities
X. Special Education Funding
Logan City School District, in accordance with the requirements of Part B of the IDEA and with the Rules, has developed policies and procedures to ensure that all students with disabilities residing within the jurisdiction of the LEA, including students with disabilities birth through 21 years of age and those attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated. These policies and procedures include a practical method for determining which students are currently receiving needed special education and related services and provide a process to reevaluate those who are found eligible within the three-year timeframe.
RULES IV.A.)
Opportunity to examine records.
The parent(s) of a student with a disability or student who is an adult must be afforded, in accordance with these Rules, an opportunity to inspect and review all education records with respect to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of the student and the provision of a FAPE to the student.
Parent participation in meetings.
The parent(s) of a student with a disability or student who is an adult must be afforded an opportunity to participate in meetings with respect to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of the student and the provision of a FAPE to the student.
Logan City School District must provide notice, consistent with the Rules, to ensure that parents of students with disabilities or adult students have the opportunity to participate in meetings.
A meeting does not include informal or unscheduled conversations involving Logan City School District personnel and conversations on issues such as teaching methodology, lesson plans, or coordination of service provision. A meeting also does not include preparatory activities that Logan City School District personnel engage in to develop a proposal or a response to a parent or student who is an adult proposal that will be discussed at a later meeting.
Parent involvement in placement decisions.
Logan City School District must ensure that a parent of each student with a disability or student who is an adult is a member of any group that makes decisions on the educational placement of the parent's student (34 CFR § 300.327), including notifying the parent(s) or student who is an adult of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend and scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed-on time and place (34 CFR § 300.322(a)).
The notice of meeting must indicate the purpose(s), time, and location of the meeting, who will be in attendance, and inform the parents or student who is an adult of their right to bring other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise about the student (34 CFR § 300.322(b)).
If neither parent or the student who is an adult can participate in a meeting in which a decision is to be made relating to the educational placement of the student, Logan City School District must use other methods to ensure their participation, including individual or conference telephone calls or video conferencing.
A placement decision may be made by a group without the involvement of a parent or student who is an adult if Logan City School District is unable to obtain the parents or student who is an adult participation in the decision. In this case, Logan City School District must have a record of its attempt to ensure their involvement.
INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION (34 CFR § 300.502; RULES IV.B.)
Definitions.
Independent educational evaluation (IEE) means an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by Logan City School District responsible for the education of the student in question.
Public expense means that Logan City School District either pays for the full cost of the evaluation or ensures that the evaluation is otherwise provided at no cost to the parent or student who is an adult.
Logan City School District has established and implemented policies and procedures related to independent educational evaluation that meet the requirements of Part B of the IDEA and the Rules.
The following requirements must be addressed:
The parents of a student with a disability or student who is an adult have the right to obtain an IEE of the student at public expense if they disagree with an evaluation obtained by Logan City School District.
Logan City School District must provide to the parents or student who is an adult, upon request for an IEE, information about where an IEE may be obtained and the Logan City School District criteria applicable for IEEs.
If a parent or student who is an adult requests an IEE at public expense, Logan City School District must, without unnecessary delay, either:
File a request for a due process complaint and hearing to show that its evaluation is appropriate; or
Ensure that an IEE is provided at public expense, unless Logan City School District demonstrates in a due process hearing that the evaluation obtained by the parent or student who is an adult did not meet Logan City School District criteria.
If Logan City School District files a due process complaint and request for hearing, and the final decision is that Logan City School District's evaluation is appropriate, the parent or student who is an adult still has the right to an IEE, but not at public expense.
If a parent or student who is an adult requests an IEE, Logan City School District may ask for the parents’ or student who is an adult’s reason why the student who is an adult objects to the public evaluation. However, the explanation by the parent or student who is an adult may not be required and Logan City School District may not
unreasonably delay either providing the IEE at public expense or requesting a due
process hearing to defend the public evaluation.
A parent or student who is an adult is entitled to only one IEE at public expense each time Logan City School District conducts an evaluation with which the parent or adult student who is an adult disagrees.
If the parent or adult student who is an adult either obtains an IEE at public expense or shares an evaluation obtained at private expense with Logan City School District, the results of the evaluation:
Must be considered by Logan City School District, in any decision made with respect to the provision of a FAPE to the student provided that the IEE meets Logan City School District criteria; and
May be presented by any party as evidence at a hearing on a due process complaintregarding that student.
If a hearing officer requests an IEE as part of a due process hearing, the cost of the evaluation must be at public expense.
If an IEE is at public expense, the criteria under which the evaluation is obtained, including the location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner, must be the same as the criteria that Logan City School District uses when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent those criteria are consistent with the parent's or student who is an adult right to an IEE.
Except for the criteria described above, Logan City School District may not impose additional conditions or timelines related to obtaining an IEE at public expense.
An IEE conducted at Logan City School District’s expense becomes the property of Logan City School District, in its entirety.
PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE (34 CFR § 300.503; RULES IV.C.)
Prior written notice must be given to the parents of a student with a disability or student who is an adult a reasonable time before Logan City School District:
Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of a FAPE to the student; or
Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of a FAPE to the student.
The notice required must include:
A description of the action proposed or refused by Logan City School District;
An explanation of why Logan City School District proposes or refuses to take the action;
A description of each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report Logan City School District used as a basis for the proposed or refused action;
A statement that the parent(s) of a student with a disability or student who is an adult have protection under the procedural safeguards of Part B of the IDEA and, if this notice is not an initial referral for evaluation, the means by which a copy of a description of the procedural safeguards can be obtained;
Sources for the parent(s) or student who is an adult to contact to obtain assistance in understanding the provisions of Part B of the IDEA;
A description of other options that the IEP Team considered and the reasons why those options were rejected; and
A description of other factors that are relevant to Logan City School District's proposal or refusal.
The notice must be:
Written in language understandable to the general public; and
Provided in the native language of the parent or student who is an adult or other mode of communication used by the parent or student who is an adult, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.
If the native language or other mode of communication of the parent or student who is an adult is not a written language, Logan City School District must take steps to ensure that:
The notice is translated orally or by other means to the parent or student who is an adult in the parent’s or student who is an adult native language or other mode of communication;
The parent or student who is an adult understands the content of the notice; and
There is written evidence that the requirements above have been met.
PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS NOTICE (34 CFR § 300.504; RULES IV.D.)
A copy of the procedural safeguards available to the parent(s) of a student with a disability or student who is an adult must be given to the parent(s) or student who is an adult only one time a year, except that a copy also must be given to the parent(s) or student who is an adult:
Upon initial referral or parent or student who is an adult request for evaluation;
Upon receipt of the first State complaint or a due process complaint in that school
year;
In accordance with the discipline procedures in 34 CFR § 300.530(h) and Rules V.F.;
and
Upon request by a parent or student who is an adult.
Logan City School District may place a current copy of the procedural safeguards notice on its website if a website exists.
The procedural safeguards notice must include a full explanation of all the procedural safeguards relating to:
Independent educational evaluations;
Prior written notice;
Parental or student who is an adult consent;
Access to educational records;
The opportunity to present and resolve complaints through the, including:
The time period in which to file a due process complaint or State complaint;
The opportunity for the agency to resolve the due process hearing complaint or State complaint; and
The difference between the due process complaint and the State complaint procedures, including the jurisdiction of each procedure, what issues may be raised, filing and decisional timelines, and relevant procedures;
The availability of mediation;
The student’s placement during pendency of hearings on due process complaints;
Procedures for students who are subject to placement in an interim alternative educational setting (IAES);
Requirements for unilateral placement by parent(s) of students or by a students who is an adult in private schools at public expense;
Hearings on due process complaints, including requirements for disclosure of evaluation results and recommendations;
State-level appeals;
Civil actions, including the time period in which to file those actions; and
Attorneys’ fees.
The notice required must be in language understandable to the parent(s) or student who is an adult as set forth in 34 CFR § 300.503(c) and Rules IV.C.3.
A parent of a student with a disability or student who is an adult may elect to receive prior written notice, procedural safeguards notice, and prior written notice following a due process complaint pursuant to Rules IV.H.6 by an electronic mail communication, if Logan City School District makes that option available (34 CFR § 300.505).
STATE COMPLAINT PROCEDURES (34 CFR § 300.151–153; RULES IV.E.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.E regarding State complaint procedures.
MEDIATION (34 CFR § 300.506; RULES IV.F.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.E regarding Mediation.
FILING A DUE PROCESS COMPLAINT (34 CFR § 300.507; UCA 53E-7- 208; RULES IV.G.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.G regarding filing a due process complaint.
DUE PROCESS COMPLAINT (34 CFR § 300.508; RULES IV.H.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.H regarding due process complaints.
RESOLUTION PROCESS (34 CFR § 300.510; RULES IV.J.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.J regarding the resolution process.
IMPARTIAL DUE PROCESS HEARING (34 CFR § 300.511; RULES IV.K.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.K regarding impartial due process hearings.
HEARING RIGHTS (34 CFR § 300.512; RULES IV.L.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.L regarding hearing rights.
HEARING DECISIONS (34 CFR § 300.513; RULES IV.M.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.M regarding hearing decisions.
FINALITY OF DECISION (34 CFR § 300.514; RULES IV.N.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.N regarding finality of decisions.
STATE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS (34 CFR § 300.537; RULES IV.O.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.O regarding State enforcement mechanisms.
TIMELINES AND CONVENIENCE OF HEARINGS (34 CFR § 300.515; RULES IV.P.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.P regarding timelines and convenience of hearings.
CIVIL ACTION (34 CFR § 300.516; RULES IV.Q.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.Q regarding civil action.
ATTORNEY’S FEES (CFR §300.517; UCA 53E-7-208(4)(B); RULES IV.R.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.R regarding attorneys’ fees.
STUDENT’S STATUS DURING PROCEEDINGS (34 CFR § 300.518; RULES IV.S.)
Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.S regarding student’s status during proceedings.
SURROGATE PARENTS (34 CFR § 300.519; RULES IV.T.)
Logan City School District must ensure that the rights of a student are protected when:
No parent (as defined under 34 CFR § 300.30 and Rules I.E.34.) can be identified for a student under the age of majority;
Logan City School District after reasonable efforts, cannot locate a parent for a student under the age of majority;
The student is a ward of the State under the laws of Utah; or
The student is an unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness under the age of majority.
The duties of Logan City School District include the assignment of an individual to act as a surrogate for the parent(s) for a student under the age of majority. This must include a method for determining whether a student under the age of majority needs a surrogate parent and for assigning a surrogate parent to the student.
In the case of a student who is a ward of the State, the surrogate parent alternatively may be appointed by the judge overseeing the student's case, provided that the surrogate meets the requirements.
Logan City School District may select a surrogate parent in any way permitted under State law.
Logan City School District must ensure that a person selected as a surrogate parent:
Is not an employee of the USBE, Logan City School District, or any other agency that is involved in the education or care of the student;
Has no personal or professional interest that conflicts with the interest of the student that the surrogate parent represents; and
Has knowledge and skills that ensure adequate representation of the student.
A person otherwise qualified to be a surrogate parent is not an employee of Logan City School District solely because the person is paid by Logan City School District to serve as a surrogate parent.
In the case of a student who is an unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, appropriate staff of emergency shelters, transitional shelters, independent living programs, and street outreach programs may be appointed as temporary surrogates until a surrogate can be appointed that meets all of the requirements.
The surrogate parent may represent the student in all matters relating to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of the student, and the provision of a FAPE to the student.
The USBE and Logan City School District must make reasonable efforts to ensure the assignment of a surrogate parent not more than 30 calendar days after Logan City School District determines that the student needs a surrogate.
TRANSFER OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AT AGE OF MAJORITY (34 CFR § 300.520; RULES IV.U.)
When a student with a disability reaches the age of majority under State law (i.e., age 18) that applies to all students, except for a student with a disability who has been determined to be incompetent under State law, or the student with a disability marries or becomes emancipated:
Logan City School District must provide any notice required by Part B of the IDEA to both the individual and the parent(s); and
All other rights accorded to parents under Part B of the IDEA transfer to the student.;
All rights accorded to parents under Part B of the IDEA transfer to students who are incarcerated in an adult or juvenile State or local correctional institution; and
Whenever a state transfers rights, Logan City School District must notify the individual and the parent(s) of the transfer of rights within a reasonable time frame.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION (34 CFR §§ 300.610–300.626; R277-487; RULES IV.V.)
Logan City School District takes appropriate steps to ensure the protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, information, and records collected or maintained by Logan City School District pursuant to Part B of the IDEA and R277-487. Logan City School District follows all requirements found in Rules IV.V.1-19 regarding confidentiality of information including.
Definitions as used in Rules (34 CFR § 300.611).
Destruction means physical destruction or removal of personal identifiers from information so that the information is no longer personally identifiable.
Education records means the type of records covered under the definition of “education records” in 34 CFR § 99, implementing regulations for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 USC § 1232g (FERPA).
Participating agency means any agency or institution that collects, maintains, or uses personally identifiable information, or from which information is obtained, under Part B of the IDEA.
Record of access (34 CFR § 300.614).
Logan City School District must keep a record of parties obtaining access to education records collected, maintained, or used under Part B of the IDEA and the Rules (except access by parents or student who is an adult and authorized employees of Logan City School District), including the name of the party, the date access was given, and the purpose for which the party is authorized to use the records.
Records on more than one student (34 CFR § 300.615).
If any education record includes information on more than one student, the parent(s) of those students or the student who is an adult have the right to inspect and review only the information relating to their student or themselves or to be informed of that specific information.
List of types and locations of information (34 CFR § 300.616).
On request, Logan City School District must provide parents or student who is an adult with a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by Logan City School District.
Fees (34 CFR § 300.617).
Logan City School District may charge a fee for copies of records that are made for parent(s) or student who is an adult under Part B of the IDEA if the fee does not effectively prevent the parent(s) or student who is an adult from exercising their right to inspect and review those records.
Logan City School District may not charge a fee to search for or to retrieve information under Part B of the IDEA.
Consent for disclosure of PII (34 CFR § 300.622).
Except as to disclosures addressed in referral to and action by law enforcement and judicial authorities, for which parental consent is not required by 34 CFR § 99, parental or adult student consent must be obtained before PII is:
Disclosed to anyone other than officials of participating agencies collecting or using the information under Part B of the IDEA or the Rules: or
Used for any purpose other than meeting a requirement of Part B of the IDEA or the Rules.
Logan City School District may not release information from education records to participating agencies without parental or adult student consent unless authorized to do so by 34 CFR §§ 99.31 and 99.34 (FERPA):
34 CFR § 99.31 allows an LEA to disclose PII from the education records of a student without the written consent of the parent(s) of the student or student who is an adult, if the disclosure is:
To other school officials, including teachers, within the LEA who have been determined by the LEA to have legitimate educational interests.
To officials of another school or school site in which the student seeks or intends to enroll, subject to the requirements set forth in 34 CFR § 99.34 below.
34 CFR § 99.34 requires that an LEA transferring the education records of a student pursuant to 34 CFR § 99.34 above shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent of the student or student who is an adult of the transfer of records at the last known address of the parent or student who is an adult, except that the LEA does not have to provide any further notice of the transfer of records when:
The transfer is initiated by the parent(s) or student who is an adult at the sending LEA.
The LEA includes in its annual notice of procedural safeguards, that it is the policy of the LEA to forward education records on request to a school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
The LEA transferring the records must keep a copy of the records for three years after the transfer.
Logan City School District, upon receiving PII from another educational agency or institution may make further disclosure of the information on behalf of the LEA without the prior written consent of the parent(s) or student who is an adult if the conditions of 34 CFR §§ 99.31 and 99.34 noted above are met, and if the educational
agency informs the party to whom disclosure is made of these requirements.
If the parent(s) or student who is an adult refuses consent for the release of PII to a third party, then that party may proceed with statutory procedures in an effort to obtain the desired information.
Note: As authorized in 34 CFR § 99.31 (FERPA), Logan City School District includes in the annual procedural safeguards notice that it is their policy to forward educational records of a student with disabilities without parental or student who is an adult consent or notice to officials of another school or school district in which a
student seeks or intends to enroll.
Safeguards (34 CFR § 300.623).
Logan City School District must protect the confidentiality of PII at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction stages.
One official at Logan City School District must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any PII.
All persons collecting or using PII must receive training or instruction regarding the State’s policies and procedures in this section and 34 CFR § 99.
Logan City School District must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the LEA who may have access to PII on students with disabilities.
Destruction of information (34 CFR § 300.624).
Logan City School District must inform parents or student who is an adult when PII collected, maintained, or used under Part B of the IDEA and these Rules is no longer needed to provide educational services to the student.
The information no longer needed must be destroyed at the request of the parent(s) or student who is an adult. However, a permanent record of a student’s name, address, phone number, the student’s grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed may be maintained without time
limitation.
Each student’s records may be considered “no longer needed to provide educational services” and may be destroyed three years after the student graduates or three years after the student turns 22 under IDEA. Medicaid requires that records be maintained for at least five years after the provision of services.
Students’ rights (34 CFR § 300.625).
The rights of privacy afforded to parent(s) are transferred to the student who reaches the age of 18, providing the student has not been declared incompetent by a court order or the student has married or become emancipated.
Parentally placed private school students with disabilities means students with disabilities enrolled by their parent(s) or an adult student in private, including religious, schools or facilities that meet the definition of elementary school or secondary school in Part B of the IDEA.
If placement in a public or private residential program is necessary to provide special education and related services to a student with a disability, the program, including non-medical care and room and board, must be at no cost to the parent(s) of the student or adult student.
To ensure timely and meaningful consultation, Logan City School District must consult with nonprofit private school representatives and representatives of parent(s) of parentally placed or adult student private school students with disabilities during the design and development of special education and related services for the students regarding the following:
An LEA may not use funds available under Section 611 or 619 of the IDEA for classes that are organized separately on the basis of school enrollment or religion of the students if:
No student with a disability who is home schooled full time has an individual right to receive any of the special education and related services that the student would receive if enrolled in a public school.
To ensure that all students with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.
For a student with a disability age 14 and older, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, the notice of meeting must indicate:
For an IEP Team meeting that includes as a purpose the development of a transition plan:
The USBE and IDEA established qualifications for each person employed as a public school special education teacher in the State who teaches in an elementary school, middle school, or secondary school.
The qualifications include qualifications for related services personnel and paraeducators that:
Under UCA 35A-13-604, an individual is required to be certified as an interpreter if that individual provides interpreter services for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Federal special education funding is made available through a grant to the state from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). These funds are restricted and may only be used to provide services and program for students who qualify under Part B of the IDEA. Funds are available for students who are 3–5 (section 619 Preschool) and for students age 3–21 (section 611 School-Age). Some funds are retained at the state level for administration and for state level activities. The remaining funds are distributed to Utah Local Education Agencies (LEAs) by formula.
Professionals providing services to students with disabilities must hold a Utah Professional Educator License or Endorsement in the area in which they provide services. This includes special education teachers, speech/language pathologists, school psychologists, school social workers, and other professionals. Physical and occupational therapists must hold appropriate Utah licensure. The Logan City School District administration shall be responsible for the evaluation of the appropriateness of licenses and endorsements when assigning staff members. Logan City School District refers to the USBE Teaching, Leadership, and Paraeducator Standards.
Logan City School District has on file with the USBE staff, information to demonstrate that amounts provided to the LEA under Part B of the IDEA:
Logan City School District may reduce the level of expenditures by Logan City School District under Part B of the IDEA below the level of those expenditures for the preceding fiscal year if the reduction is attributable to any of the following:
Logan City School District exercises the authority to reduce the level of expenditures due to an increase in Part B funds, Logan City School District must use an amount of local funds equal to the reduction in expenditures to carry out activities that could be supported with funds under the ESEA/ESSA, regardless of whether Logan City School District is using funds under the ESEA/ESSA for those activities.
In addition to the requirements listed below, Logan City School District provides data as required for State and Federal reports and other State functions as listed in Rules VIII.
As the State Education Agency (SEA), the USBE has a responsibility under both Federal and State law to monitor implementation of the IDEA by LEAs through a system of general supervision that improves educational results and functional outcomes and ensures that public agencies meet program requirements. The special education program that is funded both from federal and state funds and it is critical to understand the similarities and differences of these funding sources.
“Federal special education funds” means funds paid to the State under IDEA Part B for the purposes of special education.
“State special education funds” means state funds appropriated to public education for the purposes of special education.
Federal special education funds are calculated, allocated, and classified differently than state special education funds. Rules X outline the regulations, restrictions, and allowable costs and activities applicable to each funding source; some requirements are the same for both funding sources and some provisions apply only to one or the other.