Page 89 - Birmingham City Schools 2020-2021

“Appropriate” under FAPE:
The meaning of the term appropriate will depend on the unique needs of the individual student. Under IDEA, an appropriate education to a student with a disability is provided when:
— District personnel comply with Alabama Administrative Code (AAC), applicable federal law, and procedural requirements; and
— the individualized education program developed for the student is reasonably calculated to enable the student to receive educational benefit.
The federal regulations implementing IDEA define an appropriate education as the provision of general or special education and related aids and services that:
— are designed to meet individual educational needs of persons with disabilities as adequately as the needs of persons without disabilities are met; and
— are based on adherence to procedures that satisfy the requirements for evaluation.
The District is not required to provide the best possible education for a student with a disability. However, the District must provide a program that is designed to provide some educational benefit to the student. These educational benefits must be more than minimal, meaning that the program must be designed to result in some tangible gain in the student’s abilities.
Child Find
The Child Find Project seeks to create public awareness of special education programs, to advise the public of the rights of eligible children and parents, and to alert community residents of the need to identify, locate, and assess qualified children who are suspected of having a disability or developmental delay, and needing special education and/or related services. Children may be referred to Child Find by parent, state or community agencies, private agencies, medical providers or facilities, private or parochial schools, preschool or day care centers or others concerned with the child’s needs. After the referral is initiated and the decision to evaluate is made, procedures for initial evaluation are followed.
To make a referral, contact the Special Education Department at 205-231-9966.
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