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Subject: Private Schools/Parent
Placements/Requirement for Consultation with Representatives of Private
Schools
Source: Margaret Strecker, Director, Compliance Section
Intended Audience: Directors of Special Education, Superintendents
Date: August 22, 2007
This message is to remind school districts that the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires timely and meaningful
consultation among the public school district, officials of private schools,
and representatives of parents of parentally-placed private school children
with disabilities within their jurisdiction. This consultation must occur at
least annually and more frequently if needed and needs to occur prior to
your decision about the use of the proportionate share of funds described in
IDEA. We recommend you accomplish this consultation before September 30,
2007, if you have not done so already.
The consultation is intended to address topics such as child find,
proportionate share of funds, provision of special education and related
services, the consultation process, and how you will provide a written
explanation if you disagree with the views of the private school officials
on provision of service issues. To ensure this consultation meets all of the
requirements of the IDEA, districts are encouraged to document decisions
made during the consultation process and share the completed plan with the
private school representatives involved in the consultation. A sample
documentation form is available at
http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/IDEA-PPPSCD.html.
After timely and meaningful consultation has occurred, you must obtain a
written affirmation signed by the representatives of participating private
schools. A model form is available at
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/PDF/Nonpub_Con-Part.pdf. If the
representatives do not provide the affirmation within a reasonable period of
time, you must forward the documentation of the consultation process to us.
For more information on consultation and the required topics that must be
discussed during the consultation process, proportionate share for students
attending private schools, and the affirmation of nonpublic school
consultation and participation form, go to:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/faq-parent-placed.pdf
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/PDF/Calcu_Pro_Share.pdf |
