Special Education

(From PDE website) AEDY Programs must comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the education of students with disabilities, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504, and the American with Disabilities Act.  The sending LEA is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities within AEDY Programs receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

A student may not be removed to an AEDY Program if their behavior is a manifestation of their disability with the exception of the circumstances listed in 34 C.F.R. § 300.530(g) or § 300.532(b)(2)(ii), or when the student's parent and LEA agree to the change in educational placement pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 300.530(f)(2). For all students eligible under IDEA and Section 504, the LEA must conduct and document a manifestation determination prior to a disciplinary change in educational placement.  For circumstances listed in 34 C.F.R. § 300.530(g), the LEA must conduct and document a manifestation determination within 10 days of the decision to change the educational placement. A copy of a recommended Manifestation Determination Worksheet is available on the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance (PaTTAN) website at www.pattan.netOpens In A New Window, keyword "Manifestation Determination Worksheet."

Special Education Records

(PDE website) The following documents must be forwarded to the AEDY Program when a special education student is placed:

1. Permission to Evaluate, Permission to Reevaluate or Agreement to Waive Reevaluation – with signatures.
2. Evaluation Report or Reevaluation Report – with evaluator signatures for SLD students and list of evaluators for other disabilities.
3. Invitation to Participate in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team Meeting Or Other Meeting – with signatures.
4. Individualized Education Program (IEP) – with signatures.
5. Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) – with signatures.
6. Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), if available.
7. Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP), if available.
8. Manifestation Determination.

English Language Learners

(PDE website) The education of students whose dominant language is not English is the responsibility of the LEA. Regulations require the LEA to provide a program for every student who is an English Learner (EL).  22 Pa. Code § 4.26. 

The sending LEA maintains the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that EL students in AEDY Programs receive EL services and education that conforms to federal and state law.

AEDY Programs must comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the education of students identified as EL.  ELs are entitled to equal access to the general education curriculum via modifications and adaptations to and accommodations for instruction and assessments as well as planned instruction in English language development. Beginning on July 1, 2019, LEAs must certify to PDE in the online application that ELs in AEDY Programs are provided with services in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.

When an EL is educated in an AEDY Program, he/she must:

1. Receive a 45-day Presumptive Exit Date,
2. Receive planned English language development instruction by a certified ESL/Bilingual Education teacher (Program Specialist ESL Certification), and
3. Receive adaptations/modifications in the delivery of content instruction and assessments by all teachers based on the student's language proficiency levels and the Pennsylvania English Language Development Standards (PA ELDS) Framework for ELs as well as the Pennsylvania Academic Standards.

When an EL is educated in an AEDY Program, the sending LEA must:

1. Provide PDE with a copy of their EL Service Plan if the AEDY Program is providing the EL instruction.
2. LEAs are responsible to ensure AEDY Programs have plans that give due consideration to the following requirements and program recommendations.
3. Ensure that parents/guardians are provided with translation and interpretation services.

When an EL is educated in an AEDY Program, the provider must:

1. Provide PDE with a copy of their individual EL Service Plan if they are providing the EL instruction.
2. Ensure that parents/guardians are provided with translation and interpretation services.

Other Supports

Muhlenberg School District is always committed to the success of our students.  Students receiving any other support while in regular education will continue to receive this support while enrolled in the Muhlenberg AEDY program.