Book: I

Section: Instruction

Title: Referral and General Education Interventions

Code: IHBAA

Status: Active

Adopted: August 26, 1992

Last Revised: May 21, 2024

SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND USE OF GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS

It shall be the policy of Portland Public Schools to refer all children within its jurisdiction who are school-age 5 and above and under the age of 22 and who are suspected of having a disability that requires special education to the IEP Team for an evaluation in all suspected areas of disability.

A parent, legal guardian, agency representative, or other individual with knowledge of the child, who believes that the child, because of a disability, may be in need of special education and related services in order to benefit from regular education, may refer a child at any time to the IEP Team.

Professional school staff may refer a child to the IEP Team regardless of the results of the initial child find activities, but only after the completion of the general education intervention process. The school unit may move directly forward with the referral process in those circumstances where the school unit and an individual authorized to make educational decisions for the child (e.g., parent, legal guardian) agree that completion of the general education intervention process is not needed.

Regardless of the source of the referral, a referral will be considered received by the school unit on the date that the written referral is received by the office of the Director of Student Support Services. It shall be signed and dated by the Student Support Services Director or designee, thereby indicating the date of the receipt of that referral.

The Superintendent of Schools, in consultation with the Director of the Student Support Services Director, may develop procedures for referral and the use of general education interventions within the local school unit, and may from time to time amend those procedures as necessary.

Legal References:       Me. Dep't of Educ. Reg. 05-071 ch. 101, §§ II(16), III, IV(2) (2017)

Cross-References:       IHBAA-R – Special Education Referral and General Education Intervention Procedures

IHBAC - Child Find

Adopted:         August 26, 1992

Revised:          October 2, 1996; January 8, 2003, May 21, 2024