SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK Oklahoma State Department of Special Education Services 405-521-3351 • http://ok.gov/sde/special-education Page | 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .........................................................................................................................1 HOW-TO GUIDE ON USING THIS MANUAL ...................................................................................9 NAVIGATION .................................................................................................................................................................. 9 A. Option 1 ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 B. Option 2 ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 INTERACTIVE LEGAL CITATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 11 A. Accessing Federal Regulations .................................................................................................................................................... 12 B. Accessing Oklahoma Statute & Regulations (Oklahoma Administrative Code) ...................................................... 13 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. 14 GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................................ 17 CHAPTER 1: FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE) ........................................ 40 SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF A FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE) ............................... 41 SECTION 2. PROVISION OF A FAPE ...................................................................................................................... 41 A. LEA Obligation .................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 B. LEA Provision of a FAPE ................................................................................................................................................................. 42 C. Limit to LEA Obligation .................................................................................................................................................................. 42 D. When LEA Obligation to Provide a FAPE Ends ..................................................................................................................... 42 SECTION 3. FAPE CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................................... 43 A. Incarcerated Students ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43 B. Funding Sources and Insurance .................................................................................................................................................. 43 C. Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) ................................................................................................................................ 44 D. Assistive Technology ....................................................................................................................................................................... 45 E. Physical Education ............................................................................................................................................................................ 45 F. Residential Placement ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45 G. Extended School Year ...................................................................................................................................................................... 45 H. Charter Schools and Virtual Charter Schools......................................................................................................................... 46 I. Medication ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 SECTION 4. CASE LAW INTERPRETATIONS OF A FAPE ................................................................................. 46 CHAPTER 2: CHILD FIND ................................................................................................................ 50 SECTION 1. LEA RESPONSIBILITY ....................................................................................................................... 51 SECTION 2. LOCATING STUDENTS ...................................................................................................................... 51 A. Coordination ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 B. Public Awareness .............................................................................................................................................................................. 51 SECTION 3. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS ................................................................................................................ 52 A. Screening .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 B. Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) .................................................................................................................... 52 SECTION 4. SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL .................................................................................................. 53 Page | 2 SECTION 5. EARLY CHILDHOOD CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................................... 54 A. Transition Planning Conference (TPC) .................................................................................................................................... 54 B. Late Referrals to SoonerStart ....................................................................................................................................................... 55 C. Late Referrals to LEA ....................................................................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 3: INITIAL EVALUATION & ELIGIBILITY ............................................................... 58 SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INITIAL EVALUATION.......................................................................................... 60 SECTION 2. PARENT RIGHTS ................................................................................................................................. 60 SECTION 3. REVIEW OF EXISTING DATA (RED) ............................................................................................. 61 A. No Additional Data Needed ........................................................................................................................................................... 61 B. Additional Data Needed .................................................................................................................................................................. 61 SECTION 4. WRITTEN NOTICE/PARENTAL CONSENT .................................................................................. 61 A. Written Notice .................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 B. Request for Parental Consent....................................................................................................................................................... 62 C. Failure to Respond or Provide Consent ................................................................................................................................... 62 SECTION 5. EVALUATION ....................................................................................................................................... 63 A. Evaluation Group............................................................................................................................................................................... 63 B. Parent Participation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 63 C. Timeline ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 63 D. Evaluation Procedures ...................................................................................................................................................................