In a statement made by the New Hampshire State Department of Education in its training manual for Special Education Administrators, we need to consider children with disabilities as general education children first…..systems must work together to provide effective teaching and assure that those with additional needs benefit from strong teaching and instructional methods that should be offered to the child through general education. Each special education need must be met using a school’s comprehensive resources, not relegating students to a separately funded program.
The Nashua School District is grounded in this philosophy and makes every attempt to education all of its children in the least restrictive environment possible. In general, that means the classrooms with which people are most familiar – the second grade at an elementary school, a life science classroom at a middle school, or an English Literature class in a High School. Only when the student, because of his or her disabilities, cannot make progress in those classrooms is he or she referred for Special Education service
How a student is referred
Based on a concern raised by the parent, teacher, counselor or administrator, a Child Assistance Team (ChAT) meeting is held between the school and parent to discuss the concern and, if necessary, the need for an evaluation. The ChAT process may result only in recommendations for further interventions to be attempted. If those interventions prove unsuccessful, an Initial Evaluation may be recommended. The parent must consent to an evaluation before the process can continue. If the parent refuses to allow an evaluation, the team discusses how to address the concerns within the general education classroom.
If the team determines that an evaluation is needed and if the parent gives consent, students are evaluated by professional staff to determine whether the student has a disability. There are specific disabilities to be considered. If the student has a disability and requires specialized instruction as a result of the disability, he or she is identified as eligible and the process of developing an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) begins. As a general rule, students are placed within the Least Restrictive Environment (e.g. they are educated in a setting with non-disabled peers.) Placement of children with disabilities into more restrictive environments occurs only when their needs cannot be met in less restrictive settings. The IEP, based on the needs of the student, determines the placement. IEPs are developed on an annual basis. At minimum, continued eligibility for Special Education services is addressed every three years.
The Special Education services provided to students in the Nashua School District represent a continuum of services ranging from additional assistance within the general education classroom for brief periods of time during the school week (push-in services), to assistance provided outside of the general education classroom (pull-out services), to placement on a part time basis in Special Education Resource rooms, to placement in self-contained classrooms, to placements in a different school within the district, to placements outside of the district, to placements in hospital settings (the most restrictive setting.) Push-in and pull-out services include physical and occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, communication therapy, and counseling service. Each of these services must be provided by qualified professional staff.