Questions and Answers RegardingSchools for the Severely Disabled Eligibility
- What are the evaluation criteria in order to be considered for State School for Severely Handicapped eligibility?
Students with severe disabilities are those students who have significant cognitive deficits as evidenced by one of the two methods described below:
The student obtains scores falling four or more standard deviations below the mean on standardized measures of cognitive ability and shows commensurate deficits in at least two areas of adaptive functioning.
OR
The student is not able to respond to any standardized measure of cognitive ability due to a combinatiAugust 25, 2008mation indicates significant deficits in intellectual and adaptive behavior skills, and the student requires pervasive supports across all life areas, as defined by the American Association for Mental Retardation (AAMR) classification system. This identification shall result from comprehensive evaluation that is consistent with the procedures in Regulation III.3., Procedures for Evaluation and Determination of Eligibility.
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- What must we consider before requesting State School eligibility?
Students who educationally benefit from special education and related services that can be provided by local educational agencies are not considered eligible for services through the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled. In general, students with disabilities such as cognitive deficits falling two to three standard deviations below the mean, Speech or Language Impairments, Hearing Impaired/Deaf, Visually Impaired/Blind, Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disturbance, Other Health Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injury, or Orthopedically Impaired can receive an appropriate education when served by local educational agencies. Students must meet the cognitive deficit requirement to be eligible, and the school district must justify that the public separate school placement proposal represents the least restrictive environment.
A student, who meets the significant cognitive deficits criteria, and is accepted by Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled must attain the age of five (5) years before they may enroll. Students may be enrolled in the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled until the close of the school term during which their twenty-first (21st) birthday occurs.
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- What form does Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled require in order to complete the Justification for Separate School Placement?
Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled does not have a form, however, a format is contained in the Missouri State Plan Regulation XI and Regulation IV.
If the IEP team is considering public separate school as a placement option for the student, the district must document the justification for such placement in writing. This documentation must include that the district has:
A. considered educating the child in the Local Education Agency (LEA);
B. identified supplementary aids and services that would be needed to educate the child in the LEA; and,
C. articulated why the LEA cannot serve the child in the LEA in a placement that would benefit the child.
Regulation IV – Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)/Individualized Education Program (IEP)/Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) (pdf) - Placements
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- What documentation does the local school district need to send to Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled (MSSD) for an eligibility determination?
Regulation XI – State Operated Programs (Page 126) When the IEP indicates the student is in need of services which the local district is unable to provide and which may be provided by the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, the local school district may forward for eligibility review:
A. The evaluation report
B. Current IEP
C. Justification for separate school placement to the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled
D. Preceding IEPs, if applicable
E. Related educational records
F. Other pertinent information for all services provided by the local district shall also be forwarded
Additional information may be requested on an individual student basis. Following a professional review of this information, the district shall be notified whether or not the student is eligible for services through the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled. Such notice shall specify the school site assignment should the student be referred. The Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled decision on such eligibility is not appealable.
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- What is the next step once the local school district has been notified that a student has been found eligible for Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled?
The district may refer the student to the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled (MSSD) Program. The district shall submit the Referral only after the parents have been offered all rights available to them in relation to Regulation V, Procedural Safeguards. The IEP team would consider that MSSD operates 1800 minutes of services per week and the student's needs to receive Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
A. Upon receipt of the Referral, enrollment papers will be mailed to the parent by the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled for Severely Handicapped.
B. When a clear decision cannot be made for eligibility for services through the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, the district will be notified that an interim IEP will be required for the initial placement. This IEP shall be developed in accordance with the provisions of Regulation IV.2., Individualized Education Programs. The interim IEP may exceed thirty (30) days if circumstances warrant.
C. Within thirty (30) days following initial enrollment of the student in the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, an IEP/placement review conference shall be held. The purpose of this review is to confirm the appropriateness of continued placement in the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled as the least restrictive environment to provide a free appropriate public education for the student.
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- A student currently attending Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled moves into our district, how should the local school district proceed in order to continue placement in Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled?
A student who is enrolled in a State School for Severely Handicapped and moves from one school district to another may transfer enrollment immediately on the basis of the justification for separate school placement, current IEP and evaluation report. Such a move is considered an interim placement, not to exceed thirty (30) days, during which the new local district follows the transfer procedures outlined in Regulation III.3., Procedures for Evaluation and Determination of Eligibility (doc), to confirm placement in the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled as the least restrictive Educational Environment for the Student. The district then compiles and submits to the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, the Agreement for Continued Placement under the existing IEP.
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- A student from another district has recently moved into our district who was in a Separate Day School facility (not Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled), what must the local district do in order to have Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled consider eligibility or enrollment?
Regulation XI.2-d-2 – State Operated Programs (Page 128) (pdf)
To qualify for this interim placement, the criteria, stated in Regulation XI.2-d-2, must be met:
If the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled is not confirmed as the student's least restrictive educational environment, the local district is notified of this decision and becomes responsible for providing the required special education and related services in accordance with Missouri State Plan Regulation V, Procedural Safeguards, and Regulation IV.2., Individualized Education Programs.
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