Alternative Program Guidelines for Students with Disabilities
Alternative Program Guidelines for Students with Disabilities
Middle School Alternative Program (MSAP)
The Middle School Alternative Program (MSAP) provides services to students in
grades six through eight who are experiencing behavioral difficulty at the middle school level. Students with significant disciplinary infractions are considered for acceptance into the program.
Students are referred either by the School District Hearing Officer or by the school administrator. If referred by the school administrator, the Application for Alternative Assignment packet must be completed. Admittance to the program requires approval by the MSAP administrator, with the exception of referrals for assignments made by the School District Hearing Officer. If admittance to MSAP is denied by the MSAP administrator, questions should be directed to the Director of Alternative Programs or the Executive Director of Student Services. Written parent/guardian permission is required for a student to attend MSAP. Transportation and lunch are provided.
The ultimate goal of MSAP is to help students reintegrate successfully into the traditional school setting. MSAP students continue with the middle school course of study and attend school from 8:30 am until 3:00 pm in multi-age/multi-grade level classes. While at MSAP, the student is placed on a behavior management system and receives intense instruction in Life Skills including a focus on appropriate social skills, peer pressure, coping skills, decision making, and anger management.
High School Alternative Program (HSAP)
The High School Alternative Program (HSAP) provides services to students in grades nine through twelve who are experiencing behavioral difficulty at the high school level. Students with disciplinary infractions that may not warrant expulsion are considered for acceptance into the program.
Students are referred to HSAP by the District Hearing Officer as a result of an expulsion hearing. Instruction at HSAP is provided through a virtual format offering core academic courses and some electives. HSAP students attend school from 8:30 am until 3:00 pm in multi-age/multi-grade level classes. Except for students with transportation as a related service specified in the student’s Individual Education Program (IEP), transportation is not provided to the HSAP program.
Access to Alternative Programs for Students with Disabilities
Alternative Programs follow the laws and procedures in accordance with Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities.
There are four ways that students in Greenville County Schools can access the age appropriate alternative program (MSAP or HSAP):
- School District Hearing Officer: Following an expulsion hearing, the School District Hearing Officer may make a recommendation for assignment to MSAP/HSAP.
- School Administrator: The student’s current school administrator may make a referral to MSAP/HSAP and will complete an Application for Alternative Assignment. The Application for Alternative Assignment packet should include, if applicable to the individual student’s needs, academic information, copy of all current year referrals, historical referral printout, Analysis of Removals form, current IEP, Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), including BIP data reflective of positive behavior interventions and support implementation, and any other current data/strategies or systemic approach which addresses corrective action taken by the home school. However, should the referral have been initiated from a single, isolated incident of concern, the Application for Alternative Assignment packet should note that data related to behavior supports/interventions are not available because the student has no history of behavior that impedes the learning of himself or others.
- IEP Team Decision: An IEP team may determine that an alternative program is the most appropriate IAES setting based on the needs of the individual student. As with any IEP meeting, team discussions should focus on the needs of the student and services rather than location of the services.
Special Circumstances: Unilateral Removal to an Interim Alternative Educational Setting (IAES): Circumstances in which school personnel (not the IEP team) may remove a student with disabilities from their current educational placement to an appropriate IAES for not more than 45 school days as a result of an infraction involving weapons, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury. The IEP team is responsible for determining the appropriate interim alternative educational setting. Unilateral removals do NOT include decisions by the IEP team to change a student’s placement.
In all four instances, schools considering placement of a student at any alternative program, should seek input and participation regarding programming from a representative from the alternative program. In the case of IEP meetings, a representative should be invited to participate.
In each of the above circumstances, the Special Education Specialist and the Alternative School Coordinator should be made aware that an alternative school setting is being considered prior to any change in location of specialized instruction. An IEP meeting shall be scheduled and conducted with required participants in attendance to determine how a FAPE will be provided in the alternative setting. The receiving alternative program
shall be notified and provided with an opportunity to participate in the IEP meeting.
For case consultation or requests for enrollment of students in MSAP or HSAP who have not been expelled via the District’s expulsion hearing process, or students who do not meet the current enrollment guidelines for the requested alternative program, contact the Director of Alternative Education at 864.355.5183 or 864.867.8863.
Evaluations
- Students with pending or in-process evaluations should remain assigned to their home school and a meeting should be convened to review and update strategies during the evaluation period. While parents have the right to refuse consent for an evaluation or to rescind their consent for an evaluation, schools should work collaboratively with parents to support the student’s needs while determining eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- When an evaluation is requested for any student already attending an alternative program, the alternative program will obtain the parent’s signature on the Permission for Screening form and the Release of Information form. Once screenings are completed, the home school will schedule and hold an Evaluation Planning Meeting where Consent for Evaluation will be obtained from the parent. The Evaluation Planning meeting should include the parent, the LEA, general education teacher, and special education teacher from the home school; a school psychologist, an alternative program special education teacher and administrator, and the student, if appropriate. Once the evaluation is complete, the IEP team from the home school will schedule an Eligibility Meeting to review evaluation results, and determine eligibility.
Documenting FAPE through the IEP Process
- Consideration of Special Factors: The IEP team will identify the Special Factors that will be addressed throughout the IEP meeting. The IEP team must acknowledge that behavior will be addressed in the IEP.
- Transition: Transition must be addressed for any student of transition age during the effective dates of the IEP.
- Present Levels of Performance: The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) must be updated to describe the student’s strengths and needs as it relates to all areas of need, in both academic and functional areas. This would include updating this section of the IEP in the area of Social/Emotional Behavior to provide supporting data for the recommendation of a change to an alternative location.
- IEP Goals and Objectives: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance provide the foundation for the development of individual goals on the IEP.
- Accommodations/Modifications/Supplementary Services: The IEP team will review and amend, as appropriate, Accommodations and/or Modifications and Supplementary Services to address any areas of need. The need for any accommodation, modification, or supplementary service must be supported by evidence in the present levels of performance.
- Special Education and Related Services: The IEP team must consider the full continuum of services for all students. Service minutes must be recorded as TOTAL minutes per week and the number of sessions per week. If the student requires transportation, IEP team should discuss and document the decision and complete the Transportation Form.
- Participation in Statewide/District Testing: Any statewide or district assessment scheduled to be administered during the effective dates of the IEP must be addressed. Allowable accommodations must align with the accommodations provided in the classroom on a daily basis.
- Least Restrictive Environment: The IEP team will address LRE based on the individual student’s needs.
- Behavior Intervention Plan (if applicable): The IEP team will review the positive behavior supports and interventions required to meet the individual student’s needs. The location-wide behavior management system will be modified for individual students as needed, based on IEP team decisions.
- Prior Written Notice: The Prior Written Notice (PWN) must clearly identify the proposal(s)/refusal(s) of the IEP team. An assignment to an alternative program should be identified as a change in location of services and is not considered a change in educational placement unless the student’s LRE placement option changes. For example, if a student’s LRE is “Inside regular class and activities 40-79% of the day” and the LRE changes to “Inside regular class and activities 80% or more of the day” this would be considered as a change in the “Educational Placement” section of the PWN. It must also be noted that a referral or assignment to an alternative program by either a Hearing Officer or school administrator is NOT a proposal of the IEP team. The IEP team considers FAPE as a result of the referral or assignment to an alternative program and determines if a FAPE can be provided in this location. If an IEP team recommends a student move to an alternative program (ex: determining an alternative program to be an appropriate IAES) this would be a proposal of the IEP team for a location change and not a change in placement.
Following the IEP meeting, the current Special Education Case Manager must scan and send via email a copy of all meeting documents to the Alternative School Coordinator at the specified location. Upon completion of the IEP meeting, the Alternative Program Coordinator must be notified to schedule an intake meeting with the parent and student by the sending school administrator or their designee. This intake meeting must NOT delay the provision of a FAPE.
Procedures for Returning a Student to the Home Based School
An IEP team meeting must be convened prior to the student’s return to their previous school. Within seven calendar days of the anticipated completion of the alternative program, the special education teacher at the alternative program will schedule and conduct an IEP meeting. The alternative program teacher will contact required IEP team meeting participants to determine a mutually agreed upon time for the meeting and issue the Notification of Meeting letter to the parent/guardian/age of majority student.
During the IEP meeting, the alternative program special education teacher will provide a review of data regarding the student’s progress and LRE considerations. The PLAAFP section of the IEP will be updated to reflect the data presented in the meeting. The IEP team will discuss and document any other IEP amendments. Prior Written Notice will be provided to the parent/guardian/age of majority student before the amended IEP is initiated at the location determined to be the LRE for the student. The special education teacher at the alternative program is responsible for the completion of all required documents prior to the student leaving the alternative setting.
Alternative Program Guidelines for Students with Disabilities
