Armada Special Education Services

Regardless of the nature or severity of a child's disability, our exceptionally-trained staff is dedicated to addressing a wide range of needs. Armada Area Schools Special Education programs operate in accordance with all state and federal guidelines.

Armada Area Schools special education programs assist children with a variety of social, emotional, and learning impairments. Children are assimilated into traditional classrooms as much as possible dependent upon their individual needs.

A number of special education programs at each building assist children in challenging areas, provide academic skills training, and help with learning difficulties.

Consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA) regulation § 300.307(a), the Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services has established the criteria that must be followed to determine the existence of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD).

On or before September 1, 2010, each local educational agency (LEA) and public school academy (PSA) must publicly post on their web site, or make public through other means, the process or combination of processes which will be used by the LEA or PSA to determine the existence of a SLD. (§ 300.307(b) and § 300.600(d)(2)).

Therefore, Armada Area Schools guidelines for determining eligibility for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) will utilize a lack of response to research-based intervention (RtI) and/or pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) model (s).

504 Procedural Safeguards

The following is a brief summary description of the rights provided by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to students with disabilities, or suspected disabilities, and some related rights provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The intent of the law is to keep you fully informed about decisions concerning your child and to inform you of your rights in the event you disagree with any decisions concerning your child. You have the right to:
 

1.Have the district advise you of your rights under federal law;

2.Receive notice with respect to Section 504 identification, evaluation, educational program and/or placement of your child;

3.Have an evaluation and placement decision for your child based upon information from a variety of sources and which is made by a team of persons knowledgeable about the student, the meaning of evaluation data, and placement options;

4.Have your child receive a free appropriate public education, which is the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet individual educational needs of your child as adequately as the needs of students without disabilities are met, if the child is Section 504 eligible;

5.Have your child be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate, if the child is Section 504 eligible;

6.Have your child take part in and receive benefits from the District without discrimination on the basis of disability;

7.Have your child educated in facilities and receive services comparable to those provided to non-disabled students;

8.Examine all relevant records of your child, including those relating to decisions about your child's Section 504 identification, evaluation, educational program, and placement; and obtain copies of those records at a reasonable cost, unless the fee would effectively deny you access to the records;

9.Receive information in your native language and primary mode of communication;

10.Have a periodic re-evaluation of your child, including an evaluation before any significant change of placement;

11.Have your child given an equal opportunity to participate in nonacademic and extracurricular activities offered by the District;

12.Request and participate in an impartial due process hearing regarding the identification, evaluation, or placement of your child, including a right to be represented by counsel in that process and to appeal an adverse decision;

13. File a complaint in accordance with the District's grievance procedures or with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.