Source: http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/022/chapter15/chap15toc.html
Timestamp: 2017-08-21 21:36:51
Document Index: 667140168

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 12', '§ 3800', 'art 104', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 10', '§ 3270', '§ 3280', '§ 3290', '§ 14', '§ 14', '§ 15', '§ 1232', 'art 99', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', 'art 104', '§ 15', 'art 104']

CHAPTER 15. PROTECTED HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
15.3. General.
15.4. Annual notice.
15.5. School district initiated evaluation and provision of services.
15.6. Parent initiated evaluation and provision of services.
15.7. Service agreement.
15.8. Procedural safeguards.
15.9. Confidentiality.
15.10. Discrimination claims.
15.11. Rules of construction.
The provisions of this Chapter 15 issued under the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § § 1-10127-2702), unless otherwise noted.
The provisions of this Chapter 15 adopted February 22, 1991, effective February 23, 1991, 21 Pa.B. 714, unless otherwise noted.
This chapter cited in 22 Pa. Code § 12.1 (relating to free education and attendance); and 55 Pa. Code § 3800.229 (relating to education).
(a) This chapter addresses a school districts responsibility to comply with the requirements of Section 504 and its implementing regulations at 34 CFR Part 104 (relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance) and implements the statutory and regulatory requirements of Section 504.
(b) Section 504 and its accompanying regulations protect otherwise qualified handicapped students who have physical, mental or health impairments from discrimination because of those impairments. The law and its regulations require public educational agencies to ensure that these students have equal opportunity to participate in the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the ability of the protected handicapped student in question. School districts are required to provide these students with the aids, services and accommodations that are designed to meet the educational needs of protected handicapped students as adequately as the needs of nonhandicapped students are met. These aids, services and accommodations may include, but are not limited to, special transportation, modified equipment, adjustments in the students roster or the administration of needed medication. For purposes of the chapter, students protected by Section 504 are defined and identified as protected handicapped students.
§ 15.4. Annual notice.
On or before the first day of a school year, a school district shall inform parents of enrolled students that the district does not discriminate against protected handicapped students and the districts responsibilities under this chapter. The notice may be included in a document reasonably expected to reach the parents of students enrolled in the school district, such as school calendars or brochures.
§ 15.5. School district initiated evaluation and provision of services.
(a) A school district shall send a written notice to the students parents if a school district believes that a student meets one or more of the following conditions:
(3) Requires a change in or modification of the students current service agreement.
(b) The school districts notice to the parents shall be in the parents native language or mode of communication and shall state the following:
(1) The school district believes the student is a protected handicapped student or is no longer a protected handicapped student.
(2) The basis for the school districts belief.
(3) The proposed change or modification in the service agreement.
(4) The parents right to inspect and review all relevant school records.
(5) The parents right to meet with appropriate school officials to discuss the issues associated with evaluating or accommodating the student.
(6) The specific related aids, services or accommodations the school district is proposing.
(7) The requirement that the parents agree to the students identification as a protected handicapped student and execute a service agreement before the school district will provide the proposed related aids, services or accommodations.
(8) The school district will not modify or terminate the students current service agreement without the parents written consent, pending completion of the procedures in § 15.8 (relating to procedural safeguards).
(9) The procedural safeguards available to students and their parents.
(c) If the school district needs additional information before it can make a specific recommendation concerning the related aids, services or accommodations needed by the student, the district may ask the parents to provide additional medical records which the parents may have and to grant the district permission to evaluate the student.
(d) The school district initiated request to evaluate a student shall specifically identify the procedures and types of tests which it proposes to use to evaluate the student and inform the parents that they have the right to give or withhold their written consent to these evaluations.
(e) The school districts response to the parents shall be in the parents native language or mode of communication and shall state the following:
(1) Whether the parents request or a portion of the parents request is being granted or denied.
§ 15.7. Service agreement.
(a) If the parents and the school district agree as to what related aids, services or accommodations should or should no longer be provided to the protected handicapped student, the district and parents shall enter into or modify a service agreement. The service agreement shall be written and executed by a representative of the school district and one or both parents. Oral agreements may not be relied upon. The agreement shall set forth the specific related aids, services or accommodations the student shall receive, or if an agreement is being modified, the modified services the student shall receive. The agreement shall also specify the date the services shall begin, the date the services shall be discontinued, and, when appropriate, the procedures to be followed in the event of a medical emergency.
(b) If the parents and the school district cannot agree as to the related aids, services and accommodations that should or should no longer be provided to the protected handicapped student, either party may use the procedural safeguard system under § 15.8 (relating to procedural safeguards) to resolve the dispute, and the school district shall notify parents in writing of their rights in this regard.
(c) In implementing the service agreement, school entities shall address relevant factors, such as educational resources, physical plant and personnel capabilities.
This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 10.23 (relating to response and handling of a student with a disability); 55 Pa. Code § 3270.4 (relating to definitions); 55 Pa. Code § 3280.4 (relating to definitions); and 55 Pa. Code § 3290.4 (relating to definitions).
(1) The school district is not providing the related aids, services and accommodations specified in the students service agreement.
(b) Request resolution. The Department will investigate and respond to requests for assistance and, unless exceptional circumstances exist, will, within 60 calendar days of receipt of the request, send to the parents and school district a written response to the request. The response to the parents request shall be in the parents native language or mode of communication.
(c) Informal conference. At any time parents may file a written request with the school district for an informal conference with respect to the identification or evaluation of a student, or the students need for related aid, service or accommodation. Within 10 school days of receipt of the request, the school district shall convene an informal conference. At the conference, every effort shall be made to reach an amicable agreement.
(d) Formal due process hearing. If the matters raised by the school district or parents are not resolved at the informal conference, the district or parents may submit a request for a hearing. The hearing shall be held before an impartial hearing officer and shall be governed by § 14.64(a)(l), (n) and (o) (relating to impartial due process hearings) if no issues under Chapter 14 (relating to special education services and programs) are raised for decision in the hearing by the parents, school district or hearing officer. If issues under Chapter 14 are raised for decision in the hearing by the parents, school district or hearing officer, an appeal from the hearing officers decision shall be governed also by § 14.64(m).
§ 15.9. Confidentiality.
A school district shall do the following:
(1) Protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information regarding a protected handicapped student.
(2) Require parental consent before releasing personally identifiable information to unauthorized persons.
(3) Provide access to educational records of the student to the parents or a representative of the parents.
(4) Comply with section 513(a) of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C.A. § 1232g) and 34 CFR Part 99 (relating to family education rights and privacy).
§ 15.10. Discrimination claims.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, an eligible or noneligible student under Chapter 14 (relating to special education services and programs) may use the procedures for requesting assistance under § 15.8(a) (relating to procedural safeguards) to raise claims regarding denial of access, equal treatment or discrimination based on handicap. A student filing a claim of discrimination need not exhaust the procedures in this chapter prior to initiating a court action under Section 504.
This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 15.2 (relating to definitions); and 22 Pa. Code § 15.11 (relating to rules of construction).
§ 15.11. Rules of construction.
(a) The full description of substantive responsibilities of school entities is set forth in Section 504 and the Section 504 regulations at 34 CFR Part 104 (relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving or benefitting from federal financial assistance) and not in this chapter.
(b) Eligible and thought to be eligible students continue to be governed by Chapter 14 (relating to special education services and programs), except for the provisions of § 15.10 (relating to discrimination claims).
(c) It is not the purpose of this chapter to preempt, create, supplant, expand or restrict the rights or liabilities of protected handicapped students or school entities beyond what is contemplated by Section 504, the Section 504 regulations at 34 CFR Part 104 or another law. This chapter does not restrict or limit a parent, protected handicapped student, school entity or the Commonwealth from pursuing claims or defenses available, whether constitutional, statutory, regulatory or common law. This chapter does not restrict or limit a protected handicapped student or school entity from filing a cognizable action, appellate or original in nature, to resolve a dispute under Section 504 or the Federal Section 504 regulations. This chapter does not increase or diminish the jurisdiction of any court.
(d) It is not the intent of the Board that this chapter be interpreted as influencing, in either the plaintiffs or defendants favor, the disposition of a particular civil action. However, this chapter is intended to have the force of law and to be so interpreted by the courts.