Services for School Age Students with Disabilities
or Mental Giftedness:
The South Fayette Township School District provides
a free, appropriate public education to students with
disabilities or mental giftedness according to state and
federal rules. To be eligible, the child must:
n Be of school age.
n Have a disability or mental giftedness and be in
need of specially designed instruction.
n Meet eligibility criteria for one or more of the
following physical or mental disabilities as set
forth in the Pennsylvania State Standards: autism,
deaf-blindness, blindness, visual impairment,
emotional disturbance, specific learning disability,
other health impairment, traumatic brain injury,
and speech/language impairment, orthopedic
impairment, hearing impairment, deafness,
multiple disabilities or mental retardation. Services
designed to meet the needs of eligible disabled
students include:
a) The annual development of an individualized
education program (IEP or Gifted IEP).
b) A triennial multidisciplinary re-evaluation for
students with disabilities (except for those
students with mental retardation where
evaluation remains biennial).
c) A range of supports for students from
itinerant level to supplemental level to full
time level special education support within
the school district or placement in a full-time
special education disabilities class outside of
the regular school.
The extent of special education services for disabled
or mentally gifted students and the location for the
delivery of such services are determined by the parents
and the district staff at the IEP team meeting and are
based on the student’s identified needs and abilities,
chronological age and the level of intensity of the
specified intervention. The school district also provides
related services, such as transportation, physical
therapy, occupational therapy and assistive technology
if they are required to enable the student with disabilities
to derive educational benefits.
a) Prior to initiation of services, parents of a student
with disabilities are presented a “Notice of
Recommended Educational Placement/Prior
Written Notice” (NOREP) and parents of a mentally
gif ted student with a “Notice of Recommended
Assignment” (NORA) with which they agree or
disagree. If parents agree to the program outlined
by the multidisciplinary team and the parent signs
either the NOREP or NORA, then the program is
implemented for their child. If parents disagree
with the program being recommended, they have
the right to request IEP facilitation, mediation
and/or a due process hearing. Parents are issued
their “Procedural Safeguards” which outlines
in detail their legal rights as a parent of a child
identified as having a disability or considered
mental gifted. Lastly, if a child proves to have a
disability or handicapping condition under PA
Chapter 15 and the American Disabilities Act and
it is determined the child is entitled to services and
accommodations that are necessary to enable
them access and safety when participating in
programs and activities of the school, then a 504
Student Services Plan is outlined between the
parent, district LEA and district staff. Parents are
also given “Procedural Safeguards” for Chapter
15 504 Student Services Plans which outlines their
rights as a parent of a student who has a disability
and requires accommodations.
Detailed information regarding Chapter 14 special
education, Chapter 16 gifted education and Chapter
15 504 Service Plan/Agreement procedures and
services may be obtained by calling the Pupil Personnel
Department at South Fayette Township School Schools,
(412) 221-4542, extension 429.
Services for Students in Nonpublic Schools:
Public school education may be accessible to
resident students attending nonpublic schools on a
dual enrollment basis in a special education program
operated in a public school. A multidisciplinary
evaluation which determines the child’s eligibility
for services must be conducted and, if eligible, an
individualized education program plan (IEP) is developed.
Parents of nonpublic school students who suspect that
their child is disabled and in need of special education
may request a multidisciplinary evaluation of their child
through a written request to the building principal or
Director of Pupil Personnel.
Services for Protected Handicapped Students:
The school district will provide to each protected
handicapped student without discrimination or cost
to the student or family those related aids, services or
accommodations which are needed to provide equal
opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of
school programs and extracurricular activities to the
extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. To qualify
as a protected handicapped student, the child must be
of school age with a physical or mental handicap which