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Barre Town Supervisory District Policy Manual

TITLE: Screening/Testing of Students     CODE: JLDAC  

Independent Student Evaluations

Standard

The Board of School Directors recognize that in order to adequately evaluate some students in conformance with IDEIA and Vermont Special Education regulations or in response to appropriate parental requests, independent evaluations of students may be necessary.

Procedures

It is the policy of the Barre Town School District to grant independent evaluations under the conditions set forth in applicable federal regulations and Vermont state regulations. Whenever an independent evaluation is to be paid for by this School District, the following criteria are to be met:

1. Upon request of the Special Services Director, the agent who serves as the independent evaluator must provide evidence of being appropriately trained, licensed or certified to administer and interpret all tests or examinations to be administered.

2. Unless approval by the Superintendent of Schools, all independent evaluations will be conducted within a 60-mile radius of Barre, Vermont. With the approval of the Superintendent, parents may be granted reimbursement for independent evaluations outside this area provided there is written agreement that such reimbursement will be limited to the amount of a comparable evaluation within the designated area and with agreement that reimbursement for all associated expenses (meals, room, travel) shall be limited to the expense of one round-trip to an appropriate site within the designated area.

3. Parents, or guardians may request an independent evaluation at school expense only after the Evaluation Planning Team has completed its evaluation and issued a report. The request must be in writing to the Special Services Director and be made before the independent evaluation has taken place. The Special Services Director will provide parents with a list of evaluation agents/sites that meet the School District's criteria and the parents will inform him/her of their choice before the evaluation has taken place.

4. The School District will respond to an appropriate parental request for an independent evaluation by approving the request or by initiating a hearing to show that the School District's evaluation is appropriate.

5. The Special Services Director may request the independent evaluator to carry out additional and specific assignments which the Basic Staffing Team deems necessary to ensure the appropriateness of a child's education.

6. The results of independent evaluations obtained at private expense will be considered by the Evaluation Planning Team and/ or IEP Team in any decision made with respect to the provision of a free appropriate public education to the student.

7. The School District may pursue mediation or a due process hearing to demonstrate that an Independent educational evaluation obtained by a parent does not meet school district criteria.

Date Adopted: 11/21/83
1st Reading: 12/7/2005
Date Revised: Minutes of 6/4/84
2nd Reading/Date Effective: 12/20/05
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