The board of trustees of each school district shall provide a free appropriate public education consistent with Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for all preschool children with disabilities residing in the district. Working with other agencies, the districts may enter into agreements with other districts or agencies, public or private, which maintain approved special education programs or who operate noneducational programs in which special education programming or related services might be provided by the district. In order to facilitate the implementation of this responsibility, each district shall arrange transportation for all children enrolled in preschool programs for children with disabilities who require transportation.
Beginning on their third birthday, preschool children with disabilities meeting the placement criteria developed by the State Department of Education must have available a special education program, including related services, if needed. Local education agencies must evaluate a child in accordance with criteria established by the Department of Education and develop an individualized education program within timelines that allow placement to occur on the third birthday. Evaluations conducted by other professionals or agencies within the last six months may be accepted and used in developing the initial individualized education program so as to ensure a timely initiation of that program and to avoid overtesting of the child. When children turn three between the ending date of one school year and the beginning date of the subsequent school year, an evaluation must be conducted and an individualized education program must be developed within timelines that allow for placement to occur on the beginning date of the subsequent school year. However, if the individualized education plan team determines that there is a need for summer services, these services may be provided before the beginning of the school year. School districts must adhere to the policies and procedures established by the State Department of Education to ensure a smooth transition from the early intervention services provided to infants and toddlers under Section 44-7-2510, et seq. (BabyNet) to the district preschool program.
Early intervention service coordinators, parents of children with disabilities who are ready to enter preschool programming, or representatives of agencies or other entities providing services to a child with disabilities must notify a school district at least fourteen calendar days before a transition meeting. At least ninety days before the date on which a child becomes eligible for the preschool program, school district personnel must participate in a transition meeting requested by early intervention case managers, or representatives of agencies or other entities providing services to the child.
HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 86, Section 1.