Special Services

Special Services encompasses a wide array of programs and services designed to meet the needs of students. Our staff work collaboratively with classroom teachers, families, community organizations and other agencies to address the needs of students with physical, cognitive, behavioral, mental health or other impairments interferring with their performance in school.

Specialized instruction and related services to support students with disabilities. Special education is specially designed instruction based on the needs of an individual student. As required by law, Faribault Public Schools provides a free, appropriate public education to about 700 students with disabilities from birth through age 21 who attend both public and private schools. A team develops, implements, and reviews each student's individual program.

The following range of services are provided depending on a student's individual needs:

Students with disabilities functioning in the regular education program with the assistance of special education support services such as: consultation with the classroom teacher, monitoring progress, modification of the curriculum, or direct teaching within the regular classroom.
Students with disabilities functioning in the regular education program but needing services outside the regular classroom.
Students with disabilities whose primary placement is in a special education program with some mainstreaming.
Students who, due to the intensity of their needs, are placed in specialized programs in locations other than their home school.

Resources

Special Services Contacts

Early Childhood Special Education

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) provides support and services to eligible infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities and their families.

Referral and Evaluation:
If you have concerns about an infant, toddler, or preschooler’s development, you can refer the child for a free developmental screening or evaluation. Referrals can be made online through Minnesota's Help Me Grow referral system or by calling Faribault Public Schools Early Childhood Special Education at (507) 333-6826.

When the Faribault Public Schools receives a referral, an early childhood special education teacher will call the parent(s) to discuss their concerns about the child’s development. This discussion will help determine next steps, which may include screening or evaluation. This call will usually happen within one to two weeks of the referral. School staff may decide to first conduct a screening to help determine if a child should be evaluated for eligibility. A screening is not an evaluation and does not establish eligibility. To determine eligibility for early childhood special education services, a child must be evaluated by a school district and found eligible under Minnesota state-established criteria.

The school district evaluation team may include: Early Childhood Special Education teacher, Speech and language pathologist, Occupational therapist, School psychologist, Physical therapist, Autism Spectrum Disorders teacher, Teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, Teacher of the visually impaired
Disability areas include: Developmental Delay, Speech or Language Impairments, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Cognitive Disabilities, Emotional or Behavioral Disorder, Physical Impairment, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind-Visually Impaired, Deaf-Blind, Severely Multiply Impaired, Specific Learning Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Other Health Disabilities.

The process for determining eligibility and developing a service plan must take place within 45 calendar days of the referral for birth to age 3 and within 30 school days of written consent for children ages three to kindergarten entry.

If your child is found eligible for Early Childhood Special Education:

Part C Early Intervention - Birth to Age 3

Once an infant or toddler has been identified as being eligible for early intervention services, an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) is written that describes a family’s priorities for their child.
Services are provided in your child’s natural environment. Typically this is the home or daycare, but may also include Family Education or other community environments the child participates in.
Visits are determined by the family and the special education team. They may occur weekly to every few months, depending on your family’s needs and priorities.

The special education team will use routines-based strategies to assist families with embedding interventions within their existing routines. Families and caregivers are supported through coaching and consultation to help improve the child's development.

Part B Early Childhood Special Education - Age 3 Up To Kindergarten Entrance
Once a preschooler has been identified as eligible for early childhood special education services, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed based on the educational needs identified through the evaluation. Services are provided in a variety of settings, based on the individual needs of your child. Services are typically provided within Faribault Public Schools preschool classrooms, but may also be provided in consultation with community preschools or daycares. The types and amount of special education services provided through the IEP will be identified based on the educational needs and placement of your child.

Section 504

A Federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with physical and mental impairments, and provides reasonable accommodation when an impairment impacts a major life activity.

Section 504 is a federal anti-discrimination law that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education (29 USC §794,701 et seq.). Recipients of this federal financial assistance include public school districts, institutions of higher education, and other state and local education agencies. It requires a school district to provide a “free and appropriate education,” (FAPE) to each qualified student with a disability who is in the recipient’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the student’s disability (34 C.F.R. § 104.33(a). Under Section 504, FAPE provides regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities as adequately as the needs of individuals without disabilities are met. 34 C.F.R. § 104.33(b)(1)(i).

Faribault Public Schools is committed to fulfilling the obligations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The district has systems in place to identify, evaluate and provide educational services to students with disabilities in a manner that is as similar to their non-disabled peers as deemed appropriate.

Parents and students have a right to request an evaluation if they suspect the student has a disability that affects their educational progress. Parents and students have a right to be part of the educational team that determines the methods of evaluation, the interpretation of the evaluation results and the development of the Individual Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan should one be required. Parents and students who have questions regarding the process can contact the Special Services Department at 507-333-6004.

Special Education Advisory Council

MISSION:
The mission of SEAC is to “educate, promote and support parents, students, school personnel and community on issues concerning special education programs and educational opportunities.”

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is to assure:
Parental and Community input into the decision making process of Faribault Public Schools
To provide a communication link with Faribault Public Schools parents and special education instructors/leaders.
To advocate for high quality regular and special education programs.

The SEAC consists of parents, community members and school staff working together on current issues, program development, parental concerns, district-wide guidelines and procedures and promoting involvement. If you have a desire to become more involved please contact us today!

Faribault Public Schools Special Services Department
710 17th Street SW
Faribault, MN 55021
507-333-6004

Total Special Education Systems

The Total Special Education Systems (TSES) Manual

The Total Special Education Systems (TSES) Manual is designed to assist districts in achieving compliance with special education mandates and funding requirements.

The TSES Manual includes (1) descriptions of policies that local school districts are required to develop; (2) supplemental items that demonstrate compliance; and (3) relevant laws and regulations.

PLEASE NOTE: Since federal regulations and state laws and rules continue to undergo changes, the TSES Manual includes references to laws that may, at times, conflict. Whenever that occurs, if federal law is more restrictive than state law, it supersedes state law, but if state laws are more proscriptive, then they supersede federal law.

Section 1: Due Process Procedures
Section 2: Special Procedures
Section 3: Due Process Rights
Section 4: Eligibility Criteria
Section 5: Program Standards
Section 6: Definitions
Section 7: 504 Plans

Faribault Public Schools Restrictive Procedures Plan

Schools that intend to use restrictive procedures are required to maintain and make publicly accessible a restrictive procedures plan for children.

Restrictive procedures mean the use of physical holding or seclusion in an emergency.

An emergency means a situation where immediate intervention is needed to protect a child or other individual from physical injury.

Restrictive procedures may be used only in response to behavior that constitutes an emergency, even if written into a child's Individual Education Program or Behavior Intervention Plan.

Helpful Links

Minnesota Rules
This link directs the user to the Minnesota Administrative Rules page concerning students with disabilities.

Minnesota Statutes
This link directs the user to the Minnesota Statutes page regarding special education.

Minnesota Department of Education
This link directs the user to the Minnesota Department of Education's home page.

Minnesota State Academy for the Blind
This link directs the user to the website of the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind.

Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf
This link directs the user to the website of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.

Help Me Grow
Help Me Grow provides resources for families to understand developmental milestones and learn if there are concerns.

LINKS

Cannon Valley SpEd Coop

SpEd Acronyms

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