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Charles City County Public Schools

Educate - Engage - Empower

Exceptional Education

Exceptional Education

Exceptional education means specially designed instruction to meet the unique educational needs of a child with a disability. It includes instruction; accommodations/modifications; supports; and related services needed as determined by the child’s individualized education program team. The parent is a necessary component and is always invited to participate as a team member. The steps in the exceptional education process include:

  • Identification and Referral Evaluation
  • Determination of eligibility
  • Development of an IEP and determination ofservices
  • Reevaluation

For more information, you may want to look at the VDOE document,Families Guide to Special Education, or contact the Supervisor of Exceptional Education:

SEAC-Special Education Advisory Committee
Want to join SEAC? Interested in providing suggestions, comments, or ideas to the Advisory Committee, or just want to attend an upcoming meeting?

  • CLICK THIS LINK TO VISIT OUR CCPS SEAC PAGE

College Experiences / Child Find Information

College Experiences
Longwood Life: A college experience for students with disabilities in transition from high school to adulthood.

Mason Life (George Mason University):  Comprehensive transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who desire a university experience in a supportive academic environment.

Visit the Site to learn more: Click here and view the video below.

 

Child Find Information
Child Find is a service mandated by the Commonwealth of Virginia, which serves children from birth to age 21, inclusive. School districts are directed to screen, identify, and evaluate those students who might need special education services to support their learning.

If you suspect that your child between birth and before the age of three may have a disability or you are concerned that your child is not meeting their developmental milestones, please contact the Infant & Toddler Connection of Henrico, Charles City and New Kent at (804) 727-8535 for Early Intervention. If your child is between the ages of two and five, please complete this form or call the Office of Exceptional education at (804) 652-4612. If you suspect your school-age child (Kindergarten-12th grade) has a disability that may require special education services, please contact the administrator of the Charles City County Public School your child attends or would attend in the case of a child who is attending a private school or is homeschooled.

Those children identified as eligible may receive special education services through Charles City County Public Schools. Child Find is an opportunity for children with special needs to receive early intervention services.

For more information about the Child Find process, please contact the Office of Student Services at (804) 652-4612.

Early Intervention Supports for Infants and Toddlers: 

 

IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL

When parents or school staff notice that a student might need special help, they should give that information to the school system. A team will gather information and decide if an evaluation is needed. Information given by the parents is very important. Anyone who has a vested interest in the child's education can refer the student to the Child Study Team.  Contact your child's building administrator to complete the referral request.

DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY

In order for a student to receive special education services, the student must meet the criteria of one or more of the thirteen disability categories which adversely affects educational performance. At the eligibility meeting, a team of qualified professionals and the parents of the student make a decision as to whether or not a student meets the requirements to receive special education services. If the student is found eligible, then an IEP will be developed and special education services will begin.

Exceptional Education Resources

  • An evaluation is a careful look by a team of teachers and specialists at a student’s abilities, strengths, and areas of need. It provides information about the student’s educational needs and will also include information provided from the parents. Information given by the parent is very important.

  • An IEE is an evaluation conducted by a qualified evaluator who is not an employee of your school division. You have the right to ask for an IEE at public expense (i.e., at no cost to you) when you disagree with the results of an evaluation conducted by the school. This could be an evaluation or reevaluation for special education services or an evaluation for a specific service or support, for example, technology supports or speech therapy. You can ask for only one IEE for every evaluation with which you disagree. Asking for an IEE is like asking for a 2nd opinion from a doctor or other professional. You should consider requesting an IEE when the results or analysis of the school’s evaluation do not seem correct, or if the school has decided not to conduct an evaluation you think your child needs.

    1. General. (34 CFR 300.502(a))
    • The parent of a child with a disability shall have the right to obtain an independent educational evaluation of the child.
    • The local educational agency shall provide to the parent of a child with a disability, upon request for an independent educational evaluation, information about where an independent educational evaluation may be obtained and the applicable criteria for independent educational evaluations.
    1. Parental right to evaluation at public expense. (34 CFR 300.502(b) and (e))
    • The parent has the right to an independent educational evaluation at public expense if the parent disagrees with an evaluation obtained by the local educational agency.
    • If the parent requests an independent educational evaluation at public expense, the local educational agency shall, without unnecessary delay, either:
      • Initiate a due process hearing to show that its evaluation is appropriate; or
      • Ensure that an independent educational evaluation is provided at public expense, unless the local educational agency demonstrates in a due process hearing that the evaluation obtained by the parent does not meet the local educational agency's criteria.
    • If the local educational agency initiates a due process hearing and the final decision is that the local educational agency's evaluation is appropriate, the parent still has the right to an independent educational evaluation, but not at public expense.
    • If the parent requests an independent educational evaluation, the local educational agency may ask the reasons for the parent's objection to the public evaluation. However, the explanation by the parent may not be required and the local educational agency may not unreasonably delay either providing the independent educational evaluation at public expense or initiating a due process hearing to defend the public evaluation.
    • A parent is entitled to only one independent educational evaluation at public expense each time the public educational agency conducts an evaluation with which the parent disagrees.
    • If an independent educational evaluation is at public expense, the criteria under which the evaluation is obtained, including the location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner, shall be the same as the criteria that the local educational agency uses when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent those criteria are consistent with the parent's right to an independent educational evaluation. Except for the criteria, a local educational agency may not impose conditions or timelines related to obtaining an independent educational evaluation at public expense.

  • An Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes the educational plan that has been designed to meet the child’s unique needs. Each child who receives special education and related services must have an IEP. The IEP is developed with a group of individuals such as teachers, parents/guardians, administrators, related services personnel, and student (when appropriate) who work collaboratively to create a plan that provides meaningful benefit for the student with a disability.

     Annual Review

    At least once a year, the IEP team meets to review/revise the student’s IEP.

  • Special education services include a variety of options that allow the student to access the general curriculum. Teachers provide special education services across a continuum of service options that range from the least restrictive to the most restrictive. Students receive services determined by their specific needs. 

    Related services mean developmental, corrective or supportive services required for a child with a disability to benefit from special education, including:

    • Assistive technology
    • Occupational therapy
    • Physical therapy
    • Social and behavioral services
    • Speech-language therapy
    • Vision services
    • Hearing services
    • Transportation

    Re-evaluation

    At least every three years, a student’s eligibility is reviewed which may, or may not, involve new evaluations. This meeting determines a student's continued need for special education services.