Special Education
Dansville Schools, in partnership with Ingham Intermediate School District (Ingham ISD), is committed to high expectations for all students and ensuring access to and progress in the general education curriculum for all students.
Improving educational results for students with disabilities is an essential element of promoting equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, economic self-sufficiency and further education or training.
We are able to provide school-wide supports, teacher consultant support services, resource services and a secondary basic classroom for the students of Dansville Schools. Our classroom teachers, professional staff and paraprofessionals provide appropriate educational programs and services for our students. In recognition of the diverse needs of students, Dansville Schools’ partnership with Ingham ISD provides the opportunity to operate special education programming and services according to the Individuals With Disabilities Education and Improvement Act (IDEA), inclusive of those identified under the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education. Eligibility for Special Education services is determined through a referral and evaluation process.
What to do if I suspect my child has a disability?
If your child is suspected of having a disability, anyone can refer him or her to the school for an evaluation. This may be done by contacting the child’s teacher, principal, school counselor or building special education coordinator.
A Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET) will meet to review information needed about your child and determine what evaluations are needed. The team includes specialists from different educational areas. Parents are important members of this team and provide valuable information.
Once written consent is received, the MET team will conduct testing within 30 school days. The MET team will make a recommendation for eligibility to the Individual Education Program (IEP) team. The district will schedule a meeting to develop an IEP.
The IEP team participants must include:
- The parents;
- A general education teacher;
- A special education teacher/provider;
- A representative of the local school district who has the authority to commit resources and is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum;
- A person who can interpret evaluation results; and
- Any other person who the parent or school district wishes to include who has knowledge of expertise regarding your child.
The IEP team will determine if a child has a disability and whether he or she is eligible to receive special education services. The IEP team determines the programs and services provided to a student, supporting the practice that programs and services are determined based on student needs/strengths and are not predetermined based on disability.
The district ensures the child’s IEP is being carried out as it was written. Each of the child’s teachers and service providers has access to the IEP and knows his or her specific responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This includes the accommodations, modifications and supports that must be provided to the child, in keeping with the IEP.
Progress is measured and reported to parents. The child’s progress toward the annual goals is measured, as stated in the IEP. His or her parents are regularly informed of their child’s progress and whether that progress is enough for the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year.
The child’s IEP is reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year. If necessary, the IEP is revised. Parents can make suggestions for changes, can agree or disagree with the IEP goals, and agree or disagree with the placement.
If parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement.
At least every three years, the child must be reevaluated. The purpose is to find out if the child continues to be a “child with a disability,” as defined by IDEA and what the child’s educational needs are. However, the child may be reevaluated prior to that time if conditions warrant or if the child’s parent or teacher asks for a reevaluation.
