Students with Disabilities

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including non-resident children attending private schools; highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children; and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade. The Special School District of St. Louis County in partnership with the component Districts assure that a free, appropriate public education is provided to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under their jurisdiction. Disabilities include autism, deaf or blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairment and deafness, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment or blindness and young child with a developmental delay.

The Special School District in partnership with the School District of University City assure that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri’s First Steps program.

The Special School District in partnership with the School District of University City assure that personally identifiable information collected, used or maintained by the districts for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and or reviewed by their parents or guardians. Parents or guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent or guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The Special School District of St. Louis County has developed a local Compliance Plan for implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—2004.