Child Find

Services for School-age Students with Disabilities

Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School (“Charter School”) provides a free, appropriate, public education (“FAPE”) to eligible students. To qualify as an eligible student, the child must be of school age, in need of specially-designed instruction, and meet eligibility criteria for one or more physical or mental disabilities as set forth in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) and Chapter 711 of the Pennsylvania State Regulations.   

The Charter School uses identification procedures to determine the eligibility of students and provides an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services individualized to meet student needs at no cost to the parents. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an on-going basis. These screening activities include a review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability, and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, physical, and speech/language screening; and review of data by  applicable Charter School Teams. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible for special education services, the Charter School seeks written parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation because the Charter School cannot conduct an evaluation or provide an initial provision of special education services without this written permission. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, www.pattan.net.

However, parents who suspect that their child is eligible for special education services may request a multidisciplinary evaluation at any time through a written request to the Principal or Special Education Coordinator.   If the parent disagrees with the Evaluation Report, the parent can request an independent educational evaluation at public expense.

Once the evaluation process determines eligibility, an IEP Team of Charter School professionals and parents meet to discuss and determine services to meet the needs of the student and include the annual development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), bi-annual or tri-annual multidisciplinary re-evaluation, and a full continuum of services, which include Itinerant, Supplemental, or Full-time Levels of Intervention. The extent of special education services and the location for the delivery of such services are determined by the IEP team and are based on the student’s identified needs and abilities, chronological age, and the level of intensity of the specified intervention. The Charter School also provides related services, such as transportation, speech and language therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, required for the student to benefit from the special education program.

Services for Protected Handicapped Students

In compliance with the state and federal law, namely Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Charter School will provide to protected handicapped students services or accommodations that are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extra-curricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. These related services or accommodations are provided without discrimination or cost to the student or family. To qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be of school age with a physical or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. Services and safeguards for protected handicapped students are distinct from those applicable to exceptional students enrolled or seeking enrollment in special education programs. 
Confidentiality of Student Records

The Charter School protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable information for all students in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), state law and the Charter School’s student records policy.

Contacts

For additional information regarding any special education or Section 504 issues, please contact the CEO/Principal at:

Kathleen Garland
Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School
914 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 1522