Child Find Annual Public Notice Nordonia Hills City Schools is committed to the location and identification of all un-served individuals with disabilities from birth through 22 years of age. Location and referral of children meeting this criteria (Child Find) may be initiated by anyone with knowledge of the child and suspecting the child may have a disability. Please contact the Director of Pupil Services, Carrie Hutchinson, at (330) 908-6220 or
[email protected], with any questions, concerns, or names for Child Find referral within the Nordonia Hills City School District.
IDEIA-B & Preschool GrantAnnual Public Notice
Nordonia Hills City Schools participates in the federally funded Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA, Title VI-B) and the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). These federally-funded programs provide supplemental assistance to school districts for supporting the educational program and the provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities from three through 22 years of age. If you have any questions or comments regardinging these two federal programs, please contact the Director of Pupil Services, Carrie Hutchinson., at (330) 908-6220 or [email protected], with any questions, concerns, or names for Child Find referral within the Nordonia Hills City School District.
Special Education
Approximately 11% of the students, who attend Nordonia Hills City Schools, ages three through 22 years of age, have been identified as a student with a disability and are provided with a free appropriate public education in accordance with federal and state regulations. Students with disabilities have unique characteristics and needs, many of which are best met by the classroom teacher who differentiates instruction within the regular classroom with the support of special education and related service providers. Special education intervention specialists and related service personnel work collaboratively with classroom teachers and other school personnel to ensure a common understanding and response to all students, including students with a disability.
Special education and related services are determined through a differential referral process of an Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) and the Response To Intervention (RTI) process, a tiered model of prevention and intervention aimed at closing the achievement gap among students with disabilities, at-risk learners, and the rest of the student body. This tiered intervention model uses data to determine intervention effectiveness. At all stages of this process, data are used to make decisions. The RTI model integrates school-wide empirically based research academic and positive behavior support (PBS) interventions to improve the performance of all learners. By using the RTI model to address the academic and behavioral needs of the entire student body, districts and principal-led building teams can reduce the number of children who also need targeted or intensive intervention.
Students who fail to respond to intensive, empirically-based research interventions may be referred for an IAT meeting to determine if the student is suspected of having a disability. All decisions of whether or not a student is responding to intervention are based on data. It is at this time that the team may determine the need for a multi-factored evaluation (MFE) to be completed to determine two things: 1. does the student meet one of the 13 federally defined disability categories for special education; and, 2. if the student is determined eligible for special education, what specifically designed instruction, services and supports are needed to meet the individual needs of the student.
Students with Disabilities Served
A. Preschool Age Children (ages 3-5)
Preschool Special Education Services are provided through a consortium with the Summit County Educational Service Center. Children between the ages of 3 to 5 years of age suspected of having a disability should contact the Summit County Educational Service Center to schedule a screening. Click here for more details.
B. School Age (ages 6-21) students with identified disability conditions
- Autism
- Cognitive Disabilities
- Deaf-Blindness
- Hearing Impairment
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedically Handicapped
- Other Health Impairment
- Severe Emotional Disturbance
- Specific Learning Disabilities
- Speech/Language Disability
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
An individualized education program (IEP) is developed through a team process with the parents/guardian and the school-based team members. In accordance with federal and state laws, “…to the maximum extent appropriate,” students with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled. Some students with disabilities may require more intensive special education and related services outside of the regular education classroom. Removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment is permitted only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in the regular classes, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
Continuum of Special Education Services
A full continuum of special education service delivery exists in meeting the individualized needs of students with disabilities. Different types of educational environments available but not limited to students with disabilities include:
- Regular classes, consultation between the general education staff by an intervention specialist
- Special classes with individual and small group instruction
- Special schools outside the district that are designed specifically for specialized disability needs
- Home instruction when the disability prevents the child from attending a regular or special program even with the aid of special transportation
- Hospitals, and Institution
Services can either be provided within the district or by agreement with another school district or service provider.
Related Services are support services needed to allow children with disabilities to benefit from special education. These services may include but are not limited to:
- Speech and Language Services
- School Counseling Services
- School Health Services
- School Psychological Services
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Work Study and Transition Services
- Vocational Occupational Special Education Services
- Specialized Transportation
Changes to Ohio Law Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities
Ohio law governing the education of children with disabilities has been updated effective September 29, 2007. The Ohio law, which is found in Chapter 3323 of the Revised Code, was updated to be consistent with the updated federal law for educating children with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). ODE is updating the Ohio rules which implement the Ohio law and the federal law. Those rules are in Chapter 3301-51 of the Ohio Administrative Code. The rules are called the Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools Serving Children with Disabilities. The draft rules are also posted on our website. The target date for the new rules to be in place is July 1, 2008.