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Special Education for School-Age Children (age 3 to graduation or age 21)

Overview

Step 1:  Evaluation

Step 2:  Individualized Education Program (IEP)

  • Annotated Individualized Education Program (IEP) : This link will take you to Pennsylvania’s Annotated Individualized Education Program (IEP) School Age Form.  The annotations will help you understand and guide you through what should be included in the sections that must be completed on your child’s IEP.

Step 3:  Educational Placement

  • Annotated Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) : This link will take you to Pennsylvania’s Annotated Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP)/Prior Written Notice (PWN) School Age Form.  The annotations will help you understand and guide you through what should be included in the sections that must be completed when any action is proposed or refused by the school/district.  It also explains when parental consent is required and what you can do if you do not agree with the school’s recommendations on special education services and/or educational placement for your child.

Resolving Disputes

  • Division of Compliance Complaint: This link will take you to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education (BSE) Complaint Information Packet and Form. The complaint process begins when BSE receives a signed, completed complaint. BSE must complete the investigation and issue the Complaint Investigation Report (CIR),within 60 days. If violations of state or federal requirements are found, the Local Educational Agency (LEA) meaning Intermediate Unit, School District, Charter School, Regional Office (Philadelphia), Approved Private School, etc. would be directed to correct the non-compliance.
  • Annotated Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) : This link will take you to Pennsylvania’s Annotated Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP)/Prior Written Notice (PWN) School Age Form.  The annotations will help you understand and guide you through what should be included in the sections that must be completed when any action is proposed or refused by the school/district.  It also explains when parental consent is required and what you can do if you do not agree with the school’s recommendations on special education services and/or educational placement for your child.
  • Office for Dispute Resolution: The Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) is the agency appointed to help parents and schools resolve educational disputes. ODR’s website offers a parent resource library and information about the procedures parents may use to resolve disputes with their child’s school: IEP Facilitation, Mediation, and Due Process Hearings. Parents who are preparing for a Due Process Hearing without an attorney can access the Dispute Resolution Manual and a guide for Understanding Special Education Due Process Hearings. ODR’s website also provides access to published Hearing Officer Decisions.  

United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR): OCR seeks to ensure equal access to education and vigorously enforce students’ civil rights in our nation’s schools. Their website provides information about students’ civil rights, information about how to file a civil rights complaint, civil rights data, and answers to frequently asked questions.