Special Education Update

Thank you to all who returned your signed IDEA documents! We will have fully executed contracts returned to you later this month. If you have not returned your documents, we need them as soon as possible in order to include them with our Special Education Plan that is due on May 1st.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education is sharing updated links to recent guidance issued by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. The links below will cover the topics of discipline provisions for students with disabilities as set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, inclusion of students with disabilities in early childhood programs, general supervision responsibilities, student discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, military-connected children with disabilities and Intervener Services. These links are provided for review.

• IDEA Discipline

• Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs

• Supervision Responsibilities under IDEA

• 504 Discipline

• Resources to support military families of students with disabilities

• Dear Colleague Letter on Assistive Technology

• Myths and Facts surrounding Assistive Technology

• Intervener Services for children with deafblindness

For additional information, please visit the following sites.

• https://www.ed.gov/
• https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/index.html
• https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html

For questions about the recent guidance, please email Tim Krushinski tikrushins@pa.gov.

Data for Quarter 3 are due to be reported by April 14, 2024

• Quarter 3
• Begin Date 1/1/2024
• End Date 3/31/2024
• Zero Window Opens 4/1/2024
• Last Day to Report 4/14/2024

PAHELPS Grant - Message from PHEAA

While the 2023-2024 application deadline has passed for LEAs and interns, funding is still available. As a result, PHEAA is considering all late appeals received on a case-by-case basis. If an LEA has a qualifying intern during the 2023-2024 school year and have not yet applied for PA HELPS, we urge all LEAs to contact PHEAA to initiate the process for a late appeal.

Interested LEAs that have not submitted either an LEA or intern application should contact PHEAA at pahelps@pheaa.org as soon as possible. It is important to note, PHEAA will still require the submission of all program participation documentation prior to any funds being disbursed because of an approved appeal. Eligibility items and program guidelines for PA HELPS are published at pheaa.org/pahelps.

ALSO ---- PHEAA is currently accepting applications from LEAs for grants for the 2024-2025 school year!! All LEA applications must be submitted before 8/31/24. As LEA applications are returned and processed, the application for interns will be shared with the LEA for the LEA and intern(s) to complete and return. All intern(s) applications must be submitted on or before 10/31/24.

Please contact me for any related services!

Email: krode@iu28.org
Phone: 724-599-0140

Please contact me for any classroom needs!

Email: afilipovich@iu28.org
Phone: 724-388-3055