Exceptional Student Services

The Crane Exceptional Student Services department is designed to promote the interaction and cooperation of special education and regular education. Although committed to Child Find, the district strives to minimize labeling and continually address the concept of the least restrictive environment.

 

Through the use of School-Wide Teacher Assistance Teams (STAT), collaboration / consultation and/or child study teams (CST), the District adheres to the standard of developing interventions in regular education before referring the student for special education consideration.

 

Each year, the process of writing and reviewing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is repeated. Progress made on the last IEP will be reviewed, and new goals and objectives will be set for the coming year.

 

Parents receive meeting notices before an IEP is going to take place and a prior written notice after the meeting to record any new changes that the IEP team has suggested. Parental input is always welcome and encouraged in implementing a child’s IEP.

 

Once an evaluation is complete and it is determined your child has a specific disability, you must sign a placement statement in order for your child to begin receiving special education and related services.

 

If you have concerns about the evaluation process, an independent evaluation may be requested. If you have any concerns about the nature or procedure of the evaluation, please call the ESS Department (928) 373-3451 and we will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

 

Input From Others
You may bring anyone you would like to any meeting with your child’s IEP team. IEP teams are required to consider the information provided by any outside source.

 

The team is not required to implement findings or follow recommendations, but should have all the information available in order to implement the best program for your child.

 

Students with disabilities are to be provided with an education in the least restrictive environment possible. To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities should be educated with non-disabled students.

 

Special Classes or Schools
Students with disabilities who require special classes or separate schooling are placed in those environments only if the nature and severity of their disability is such that education in general classes with supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

 

The student should be provided with an education as close as possible to the child's home and in the school he/she would attend if he/she did not have disabilities, unless the IEP requires some other arrangement.

 

The Evaluation Process
If an evaluation of your child is necessary, you will be asked to sign a Permission to Evaluate form at a Child Study Team (CST) meeting. During an evaluation, various testing and evaluation techniques will be used.

 

All results will be shared with you at a meeting called a Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET). At that time, if there is enough information, your child may be diagnosed with a disability. Your input will also be welcome at that time.

 

IEP Process
Through the IEP process, your child may qualify for special transportation. Crane Schools offer transportation accommodations for children who are in wheel chairs or are non-ambulatory.

 

If you have questions regarding the transportation of your child to and from school please contact the ESS Department at (928) 373-3451.

 

Extended School Year (ESY) means special education and/or related services provided beyond the normal school year of the school for the purpose of providing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to a student with disabilities. These services are distinct from enrichment programs, summer school programs, and compensatory services and are not just an extension of time or duplication of regular school year services.

 

Purpose
ESY services are provided to a student when the educational benefits gained during the regular school year are significantly jeopardized by a break in service. ESY is necessary to enable a student to benefit from instruction received during the regular school year when the lack of ESY services would thwart the goal of maintaining the meaningful progress gained during the regular school year.

 

Determination
ESY services are a result of an individual determination of the IEP team and focus on critical skills and are not based upon a category of disability. While the need for ESY services is the exception rather than the rule, it is the responsibility of the IEP team to consider the need for ESY for every student.

 

The team must make their determination 45 calendar days before the end of the school year. The team must also plan what data will assist them in the determination and document it on the IEP.