CHILD-FIND: STUDENTS ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOLS

When children are enrolled by their parents in private schools, the public school has continuing responsibility for child find and must locate, evaluate, and identify children with exceptionalities (including gifted) in private schools just as they do in the public schools.

Federal and state laws require the district where the private school is located to conduct child find activities. Kansas child find requirements also require the district of residence to evaluate children with exceptionalities, including children attending a private school (K.A.R. 91-40- 7(a)(1). Accordingly, parents of a child who is attending a private school may request a special education evaluation from either the district where the private school is located or the district where the student resides. Evaluations for Gifted evaluations may only be requested from the residential district.

Parents who reside within the Blue Valley boundaries and would like to request an evaluation for their child should contact the Blue Valley School District designee for private schools at [email protected] to discuss the process. The school district can also receive referrals from the private school principal. 

Once a request is received, the designee will email the principal and the parent to collect the necessary paperwork and review the steps to initiate a referral. In order to initiate a referral, the teacher/private school team is to complete a referral packet electronically and email to the Blue Valley designee. Once the completed packet is received with documented interventions and present levels of educational performance, the designee will contact the private school representative to coordinate a Tier III meeting date and time with the Blue Valley team. If private schools are within the Blue Valley boundaries the Blue Valley Private School Team may travel to the private school to meet with staff and parents.

The designee will provide the appropriate team members with copies of information prior to the meeting. During the consultative process, the Blue Valley team will discuss only issues that pertain to the child’s needs. The purpose of the Blue Valley team is to assist the private school in problem-solving modifications or accommodations to be made within the student’s school setting until that student has shown eligibility and need for an Individual Education Program (IEP).

In order for a team to determine a child eligible for special education and an IEP, the child must meet the two-prong test: 

• they must meet the criteria as a child with an exceptionality AND
• the evaluation data must demonstrate that special education services are necessary to enable the child to receive educational benefits in accordance with his/her abilities or capabilities.

When it is determined that a student is in need of special education services, the home school where the student will receive services becomes responsible for formulating, following and monitoring the IEP.

If the private school determines that a student requires accommodations within the private school setting, the private school is responsible for developing and implementing those accommodations, such as through a legally sanctioned 504 Plan.

PROVIDING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES TO CHILDREN ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOL 

Kansas State law requires that when a parent requests services (disability and gifted), the school district of residence will make available all services and will provide any or all of the special education and related services that are identified by an IEP team for any child with an exceptionality, to which the parent provides consent.

Therefore, the parent of a child attending a private school would go to the district of residence to request services. The IEP is to be developed as it would be for any other child and have all the due process rights under state statutes and regulations. The location where services are provided is determined by the school district in consultation with the parents and private school officials.  If services are provided at the public school, the public school district must provide transportation to and from the public school, but it is not required to provide transportation outside the boundaries of the resident school district.

Contact [email protected] with questions about services for private school students.