About Us

Special Education

Special Education provides services to students with certain disabilities that are specified in state and federal laws. Services are free of charge to the parent. Anybody may refer a student for an evaluation to determine if the student qualifies for services. The referral needs to be in writing (unless, of course, you are unable to write) and should be directed to the student’s principal or Social Service Provider. If you suspect that your child has a disability and might require special education services and your child is not currently enrolled you may direct the referral to the special services office.

Eligibility for special education services requires that we conduct an evaluation. The result of the evaluation needs to show that the child has a disability as defined in Chapter 392-172 of the Washington Administrative Code AND that this disability has a negative effect on the child making progress in what is being taught in the general education classroom. If the child is a preschooler, the disability would need to cause the child to fall behind in activities that children without a disability do.

Services that eligible students receive need to address their individual needs. These services are outlined in an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) that school staff and parents jointly develop.

There is a multitude of legal rules and regulations that determine what happens in special education. They are outlined in WAC 392-172A and are written in legal language. Please feel free to contact one of us at the Special Services Office or the Social Service Provider at your child’s school for some plain language interpretation. Another source of help for interpretation of these rules is an organization called PAVE at 1-800-5-PARENT or the Family Educator Partnership Project at 1-888-754-8798. Further information may also be obtained from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Child Find Notice

Olympia School District is committed to addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities ages birth through 21 residing within the boundaries of the Olympia School District. This includes children with disabilities enrolled in private, including religious schools as well as children who are homeless. Disabilities can be in any one of several areas that ultimately affect a child’s learning, such as the ability to think, to express oneself, to see or hear clearly, to get around, or understand instructions given. If you have a child who you think might have a disability requiring special education instruction or significant accommodations at school, or if you know of such a child, please feel free to call the Olympia School District Special Services Office at 596-7530.

Secondary Transition Services

The Olympia School District is committed to providing a coordinated set of transition activities for students who receive special education services. We want to help them move successfully from high school to post-school activities. Our focus is:

Q: What is transition planning?

A: Transition planning is a collaboration involving students with disabilities, their families, school staff, community members and adult services agencies and employers. The goal of transition planning is to improve student academic and functional readiness in preparation for their lives after high school.

Q: When will my child receive support?

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­A: Begininning in high school, and until graduation or 21 years of age, students will receive staff support in the development and implementation of a Transition Plan.

Q: What are the components in a Transition Plan?

A: Components of the transition plan may include a functional vocational evaluation, specially-designed instruction, related services, interagency linkage, and employment and other post-school adult living objectives. Additionally, as appropriate, community experiences and daily living skills will also be an integral part of the student’s program.

 

Transition Strands

Transition Services prepare students for one of the following post-school activities:

College

Community-Based Work

Supported Employment

Vocational Education

Family Partnership

Family involvement in the decision-making is vital to the development and implementation of the student’s Transition Plan. Participation in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings, follow-through activities, and the utilization of community linkages, all provide the foundation for a successful transition to post-school adult living. As this is a dynamic process, it is equally important for parents to maintain a dialogue with their son or daughter as they learn about themselves and their options. Working with school staff to encourage independent behavior will improve student success towards achieving post-school goals.

Secondary Transition Links

http://www.washington.edu/doit/

http://depts.washington.edu/healthtr/notebook/default.html

Community Partnerships

The Olympia School District is involved in many partnerships that benefit students. Some of our partners include South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), St. Peter’s Hospital, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Inter-City Transit and private businesses. Our community partners provide our students with increased opportunities for education, employment, and independent living activities.

Please click on the following links for more information:

Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators

 

 

 

 

Procedural Safeguards

Notice of Procedural Safeguards

Notice Concerning Educational Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to the student's education records. As a parent you have to be informed of these rights every year.

  1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the District receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal and/or program directors a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal or director will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
  2. The right to request the amendment of student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal or director, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the District will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
  3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the District discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

School Staff

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