The district provides learning support for students whose cognitive ability falls within normal limits but have a significant deficiency in one or more of the following areas.

1. Oral expression
2. Listening comprehension
3. Written expression
4. Basic reading skills
5. Reading comprehension
6. Mathematics calculation
7. Mathematics reasoning

Typically, students requiring learning support are those experiencing a specific learning disability. However, it is provided to all students with a disability on an as-needed basis, e.g., life skills and emotional support.

This type of service is provided primarily for students who demonstrate significant developmental and social adaptive delays or differences. Classroom support consists of an adapted or modified general education curriculum with an emphasis on functional academics and life skills.

Emotional support is provided to students who demonstrate behaviors that have an adverse effect on their academic performance to a marked degree over a long period of time. Programmatic emphasis is based on conducting functional behavioral assessments and developing related behavioral support plans that will facilitate learning.

This type of support is provided for students having a developmental delay that significantly affects verbal and non-verbal communications and social interaction. Programmatic emphasis is on the verbal, sensory, and social behaviors that adversely impact their educational performance. The key factors defining Autistic Support are the student's global need for specifically designed instruction that falls in the areas of Communication, Social Skills, Behavior Regulation, Academic Support, and Functional Skills.

This type of support is provided for students with two or more coexisting disabilities such as orthopedic impairments and Intellectual Disability. The educational emphasis is geared to the nature and severity of their disability. PHYSICAL SUPPORT This support may be provided as an ancillary service to meet the needs of students with orthopedic or other health impairments. It comes in the form of Physical Therapy (PT-gross motor) and Occupational Therapy (OT-fine motor). In the educational setting these therapies are provided to students who require them to benefit from special education.

Speech Therapy (Sp.T) consists of diagnosis, appraisal, and therapy. These services are available for all students having difficulty with speech sound production, and/or language based problems that impact classroom performance. Speech and language therapy is unique in that it may be a related service, like PT and OT or a primary disability.

The Delaware County Intermediate Unit provides itinerant support services for students with vision, hearing, or motor problems that are severe enough to impact upon a child's learning. Some students will need direct support on a weekly basis, while some students might need indirect support services such as consultation between the classroom teacher and the specialist. Students can be referred for these services by either their teacher or parents by contacting the Director of Special Education. Itinerant services are only available to students who have a specific handicapping condition.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, and the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) are pleased to announce the "Pennsylvania Secondary Transition Guide". (Link is below) A website designed to be a central information hub for youth and families navigating the transition from secondary education to adult life.

The website is organized by secondary transition topics that cover key areas, including post-secondary education and training, employment and community living. Information on the website is designed to highlight important subjects and activities based on a student's age. The website links to other Pennsylvania agencies and departments that support secondary transition. Materials for youth and families are added to the web portal frequently, so be sure to add the website to your favorites and return to the site often!

For more information regarding the website, please contact David Berquist, Educational Consultant - PaTTAN Pittsbugh via phone 1.800.446.5607 x6869

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

• Transitioning to College PowerPoint
• Planning for the Future Checklist
  Students can use this checklist to get ready for life after high school. They can bring it to their meetings with school and/or agency supporters to talk about their progress and how best to plan for their future.
• Pennsylvania Secondary Transition Guide
  A website designed to be a central information hub for youth and families navigating the transition from secondary education to adult life.
• Non-ACT-SAT 4 Year Colleges
  Listing of college who do not necessarily use the SAT or the ACT to admit students into a bachelor degree program.

For pre-school children (3 – 5) district residents may contact the Early Intervention Program operated by the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) if there are concerns regarding their child’s development. In these cases any parent who suspects that their child may be demonstrating a developmental delay or disability may contact: DCIU directly (610-938-2800). Early Intervention Programs and services may be either center-based or service based, e.g. child will go to a location to receive a service. Center-based programs are located at various sites throughout Delaware County. Parents and teachers having academic and/or behavior concerns can seek assistance for their child by contacting the DCIU Early Intervention program directly for a multidisciplinary evaluation. The district participates in the transition of the students who are turning 5, Kindergarten Eligible and identified through the Early Intervention process.

Related services are such developmental, corrective, and other support services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. As indicated, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech/language therapy are among them. Additionally, it includes audiological, psychological, counseling, and mobility services. It may also include certain medical, health, and social work services.

The Student Records Request Form can be found at the bottom of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) page.

Springfield School District is committed to providing Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) to all students with disabilities that meet their unique needs. IEPs are designed and implemented so as to confer meaningful educational benefit as measured by progress toward meeting their annual goals. The district is equally committed to educating our IEP students in the most integrated learning environment that is appropriate. To this end we provide a continuum of services that involve both in and out of district placement. We have a strong preference for in-class supports and services within the district, whenever appropriate.

Medical Assistance (also known as Medicaid) is a public insurance system with eligibility based on income and other criteria, including health status. It is jointly funded by the federal and state governments and administered by state governments. It is not “welfare” and does not provide its beneficiaries with cash assistance.

The links included here will assist families in determining eligibility, learning about services, and provide them with on-line access to the application. You can also appear in-person at one of the addresses listed below to get personal assistance with the process. (**Please call in advance of showing up at one of the offices listed below to insure that someone will be available to assist you.)

Children with identified educationally based disabilities are eligible for a vast array of support and services through Medical Assistance. Financial criteria for eligibility is still requested as a portion of the application for assistance; however, children receiving special education services are eligible regardless of family income level. Your building's guidance counselor can assist you if you have questions regarding the process; however, the information requested must be supplied by the family in the application form in order for services to be initiated.

Along with medical, dental, and co-pay assistance, Medical Assistance also provides a program consisting of family-based mental health services that assist families in caring for children or adolescents with emotional problems. It is designed to prevent hospitalization or residential placement of a child or adolescent, and to reunite families with children who have already been removed from their homes for treatment. An essential aspect of the program is the emphasis on families as partners and resources in treatment. The family-based program uses an intensive approach, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Treatment teams, consisting of two mental health professionals, provide services directly in the home. Services are free to families that have Medical Assistance and available statewide.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

This program is designed for families:

• with children or adolescents age 0-21 who have serious emotional or behavioral problems.
• with children or adolescents at risk of psychiatric hospitalization or residential placement.
• with at least one adult member who agrees to participate in the program.
• who are registered with their local Base Service Unit or mental health center

Important Links and Documents

• PA Medical Assistance Billing Notification
  Please print a copy of this and return to District Office of Special Education
• Compass / Medical Assistance (MA)
  Main COMPASS Medical Assistance Online Information, Eligibility, and Application Website
• Medical Assistance (MA) / Access FAQs

Springfield School District is committed to finding all children with disabilities residing in the district, including those attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disability. We seek to identify, locate, and evaluate any child (3 – 21) who is in need of special education and related services. For school age children, the district has provided Instructional Support Teams in grades K – 6 and secondary pre-referral teams in grades 7 – 12 for this purpose. These teams have been created and maintained to implement a comprehensive screening process for any child who may be experiencing learning and or behavioral problems. Any parent, teacher, or counselor can make a referral to those teams should they wish to utilize this assessment / intervention process. All students receiving special education services must be found eligible by the district, as a disabled student.

For more information, please see the Child Find Public Notice announcement.

Some of the links below direct you to the state's PaTTAN website; PaTTAN warehouses all of the documents that pertain to special education supports and services. PaTTAN is an initiative of the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN works in partnership with families and local education agencies, to support programs and services to improve student learning and achievement.

• IDEA / Special Education Procedural Safeguards
• 911 Emergency Responders and Students with Special Needs
• Child & Family Focus, Inc. is pleased to serve Transition Aged Youth
  Child and Family Focus, Inc. (CFF) is a not-for-profit Community Based Mental Health Agency serving children, adolescents and transitional aged adults in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties.
• Special Education Plan 2025 - 2028
• Strengthening Executive Functioning
• Special Education Process Timelines
  Flow chart describing process when the District (LEA) initiates or a parent requests an evaluation
• Special Education Reevaluation/IEP Process
  Flow chart describing process when the District (LEA) is reevaluating a child
• Reevaluation Process for Students with Disabilities (Narrative)
  Narrative describing process when the District (LEA) is reevaluating a child
• LRE & Students w/ IEPs
  Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Educational Placement for Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• Supplementary Aids and Services
  Definition and description of Supplementary Aides and Services
• ESY Guidelines
  Extended School Year Guidance and Eligibility
• District Protocol for Children Transferring into the District with In State and Out of State IEPs
• Independent Educational Evaluation
• Surrogate Parent Guide
• Permission to Evaluate Consent (PTER)
  PTER: Used by District when a parent makes a verbal request for educational testing
• Permission to Evaluate and Request for Consent (PTEC)
  PTEC: Used by District when a written request is made for an evaluation or if the district requests to initiate an evaluation
• Evaluation Report - Annotated
• Individualized Education Plan - Annotated
• Permission to Reevaluate Consent (PTReC)
  PTReC: Used when District requests consent for revaluation within the biannual / triennial timeline
• Permission to Reevlaute and Request for Consent
• Reevaluation Report Annotated
• Notice of Recommended Placement (NOREP)
  NOREP: Used by District to present offer of special education services, programming, supports, placement options, etc.
• Agreement to Waive Reevaluation (Annotated)
• PaTTAN
• Ted Talks - There's no dishonor in having a disability
  When faced with a bump in the road, sometimes we forget we have a choice: overcome the obstacle or let it overcome you. Steven Claunch, who was born without fingers on his right hand and with one leg shorter than the other and has excelled in basketball nonetheless, explains why obstacles can provide an opportunity to both inspire others and develop character.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires Pennsylvania to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject using the PASA does not exceed one percent of the total number of all students in the state assessed on the statewide assessments. Each local educational agency (LEA) must complete and submit the PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification to BSE if it anticipates that more than 1.0% of its students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 will be assessed using the PASA. A list of LEAS who anticipate exceeding the threshold will be made publicly available on the PDE website, in accordance with 34 CFR 200.6 (c) (3) regulations. LEAS must also make the document publicly available upon request, moving any personally identifiable information. The Springfield School District anticipates exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold for PASA participation for the 2023-24 testing cycle. The necessary justification information has been submitted to the Bureau of Special Education. Questions on the Springfield School District participation rates should be directed to Marnie Lorah, Assistant Director of Special Education at marnie.lorah@ssdcougars.org.