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Right to Special Programs and Services

Right to Special Programs/Services

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This notice is intended to inform the community of a student’s right to a free, appropriate public education and the availability of programs and services, including a special education.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) are federal laws that give the School Division certain responsibilities with respect to providing such educational programs to students with disabilities. Under the IDEA and Section 504, the School Division has the responsibility to actively and continuously identify, locate, and evaluate those children, infant to age 21, living in Prince William County who may be in need of special education and/or related services, or adaptations or accommodations to regular education services.

These laws also require the School Division to:

  • Refer for possible evaluation any student of school age living in the School Division who a school staff member suspects may be disabled.
  • Provide appropriate educational and school‐related opportunities to students with disabilities in an inclusive setting to the maximum extent appropriate.
  • Provide notice of the availability of services and types and location of services to nearby private schools, pediatricians, and the Health Department.
  • Provide parents/guardians of students with disabilities with notice of their rights annually, and prior to their student’s evaluation and placement, or any significant change in their student’s placement.
  • Develop and implement procedural safeguards with respect to actions regarding the identification, evaluation, and placement of students with disabilities.
  • Provide procedures for the reporting, investigation, and resolution of student complaints of discrimination or harassment based upon disability, which were revised by the School Division in April of 2016 and are contained in Regulation 738-1, “Complaint Procedures for Student Claims of Discrimination or Harassment.”
  • Provide written notice of the School Division’s procedural safeguards to parents or guardians.

If you suspect that your student may have a disability affecting your student’s development or academic performance, or may have a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, please contact the Director of Special Education at 703-791-7287 for further information.