Virginia Special Education Regulations

From the Virginia Department of Education, this launch page offers a copy of state regulations for implementation of IDEA, and other state and federal special education policies.

VDOE Credit accommodations for Advanced Studies and Standard Diplomas

This webpage provides updated information about available accommodations for earning credits needed for Virginia’s Standard and Advanced Studies diplomas.

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  VDOE Credit Accommodations for students with disabilities

Back to School with ADHD webinar

Originally broadcast live on September 6, 2022, this webinar from FFF provides an overview of ADHD, recent federal policies and strategies for formed families impacted by the condition.

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  Recording of Back to School ADHD webinar

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  Presentation slides

Foster Care, Special Education, and Learning and Thinking Differences: What You Need to Know

This brief article from Understood.org overviews some education issues specific to children and youth in foster care to foster/resource parents.

Federal Discipline Guidance and Resources, issued July 2022

Released on July 19, 2022, the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) published several policy documents and guides to  help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline.

The  resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student discipline and build on the Department’s continued efforts to support students and schools through pandemic recovery.

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  Questions and Answers: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA's Discipline Provisions from OSERS

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  Stakeholders' Guide: Positive, Proactive Approaches to Supporting Children with Disabilities from OSERS

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  Dear Colleague Letter: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA's Discipline Provisions

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  Dear Colleague Letter: Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

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  Fact Sheet: Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Extended School Year (ESY) webinar May 2022

This webinar, presented live on 5/19/22 by special education advocate Liz Capone, MS, offered timely information about extended school year services for students with disabilities.

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  Recording of the webinar

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  Presentation slides

Special Education for Formed Families: Making It Work! webinar

Presented live on March 8, 2022, this webinar overviewed eligibility and evaluation processes and offered helpful strategies for foster, adoptive and kinship families to ensure appropriate assessments. Presented by Kelly Henderson and Beth Spivack of FFF.

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  Webinar recording

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  Presentation slides

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  VDOE Supplemental Guidance on Evaluation and Reevaluations 2021

VDOE Supplemental Guidance for Evaluation and Eligibility in Special Education

From the Virginia Department of Education, this 2021 guidance offer is an addendum to the Virginia Department of Education’s Evaluation and Eligibility For Special Education and Related Services: Guidance Document and Guidance on Evaluation and Eligibility for the Special Education Process Appendix A (Sample Evaluation and Eligibility Forms). The Supplemental Guidance provides information about data sources that may be used to inform eligibility for special education services or a need for a related service, as well as information to assist in the local interpretation for terminology in Virginia special education regulations that are not clearly defined (e.g., determining “adverse educational impact” and determining “need for specially designed instruction”).

Reevaluations: Tips for Continuing Special Education Eligibility webinar

Originally broadcast on March 1, 2022, this webinar presented by Kelly Henderson of Formed Families Forward includes a review of the why, when, who and what of special education reevaluations or “triennials”. The 4 steps of reevaluation and the specifics of the ‘developmental delay’ category are covered.

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  Recording of Reevaluation Webinar

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  Slides

Finding the Sweet Spot: Foster Care, Disability and Special Education article

This article by FFF Executive Director Kelly Henderson offers an overview of special education considerations for children and youth in foster care. It was published in Fostering Families Today magazine in July 2021.

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  Article on website

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  PDF version of article

The Special Education Evaluation Process webinar

Delivered on February 22, 2022 by FFF staff experts, this was first in the Winter 2022 Accessing Special Education: Evaluation & Eligibility Basics webinar series.  This session covered initial referral and evaluation processes, timelines and requirements. Eligibility categories and approaches were shared.

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  Recording of webinar

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  Presentation slides

Applied Studies Diploma fact sheet from VDOE

Published by Va Department of Education in Spring 2021.

Happy Camper accommodations guide for summer camps

From the disAbility Law Center of Virginia, this short guide provides an overview of federal law and policies that provide for accessible summer camp experiences.

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  Happy Camper guide

Getting through the Gate: Special Education Eligibility webinar

Broadcast live on March 18, 2021, this webinar from FFF covered the topics of referral, evaluation and eligibility for special education.

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  Webinar recording

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  Getting through the Gate slides

Home/School Contract- Fillable template

This fillable Word document can be used to create and customize a written agreement between student, parent/caregiver, and school staff.  Customize areas and actions and clarify recognitions and rewards.

Virginia JLARC Report on Special Education December 2020

Find the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s December 4, 2020 report on K-12 Special Education HERE. 

Find the December 14, 2020 presentation to the Commission HERE.

Find State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Virginia Department of Education response, December 14, 2020 HERE.

Background:

In 2018, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) directed its staff to review Virginia’s K–12 special education system. Staff were directed to review school divisions’ identification and eligibility determination processes; the processes used to determine where students with disabilities will receive their education; student outcomes; the adequacy of training and expertise in special education across school divisions; the effectiveness of the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) monitoring, guidance, and support; and spending trends in special education. (See Appendix A for the study resolution.)

To address the mandate, JLARC staff analyzed student- and state-level data on the enrollment, placements, discipline, and outcomes of students receiving special education, data on state and local spending on special education services, and data related to VDOE’s monitoring efforts. Staff interviewed school division special education directors, special education teachers, VDOE staff, parents, advocates, staff from education agencies in other states, and other stakeholders, including special education experts at Virginia’s special education Training and Technical Assistance Centers. JLARC staff also surveyed school division special education directors and parents of students receiving special education services and reviewed research literature on topics related to special education.

Virginia Parent’s Guide to Special Education

From the Virginia Department of Education

This publication was developed to help parents understand their rights and responsibilities, their child’s rights and the school’s responsibilities to meet the special needs of their child. The guide includes a description of the special education process and what is required of you and the school during each step of that process. Important timelines are highlighted in each section.

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  Parent's Guide in English, PDF

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  Parent's Guide in Spanish, PDF

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  Parent's Guide in ePUB version for mobile

Questions and Answers on the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 for Students with Disabilities Attending Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

A Question and Answer guidance document from the Office of Civil Rights, US Department of Education that addresses how the Americans with Disabilities Act amendments of 2008 impact students with disabilities. This particularly impacts students who have a 504 plan or are eligible for protections under Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

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  Q and A guidance document from US Dept of Educ

Formed Families Forward Podcast on Special Parents Confidential

A podcast featuring Formed Families Forward, recorded in July 2020, with Special Parents Confidential.

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  Special Parents Confidential

Special Education Hacks that Help Students with Mental Health Conditions

A presentation by FFF Director Kelly Henderson for the NAMI of Virginia Family and Youth Virtual Summit on May 16, 2020. Includes some COVID-related specifics at conclusion of the session.

Critical Decision Points for Families of Children with Disabilities online modules

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), through grant funding provided by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD) and assistance provided by the Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) at James Madison University has developed five web-based training modules for parents, school professionals, and other community stakeholders that work with families whom have a child with a disability.   Parents and caregivers have certain goals in mind when their children go to school. Regardless of whether or not their children have disabilities, all parents want their children to learn, explore, and experience as much as they possibly can.  Parents strive for their children to complete their public education, obtain a diploma, and be fully prepared to move on toward their chosen path, whether that is immediate employment, higher education, or something else.  In order for children to achieve these goals, there are certain decisions that will have to be made along the way.  The modules created relate to the Critical Decision Points for Families of Children with Disabilities curriculum and are designed to assist participants in understanding four things as they prepare to make these decisions:

• What are some of the keys to a child’s academic success?
• What decisions will need to be made regarding a child’s educational path?
• At what point should we be making these decisions?
• What information is needed so that we can make the most well informed decisions possible for a child?

There are a total of five modules that range in length from three to five minutes, which can be completed in a single viewing or broken up over time to meet individual time constraints.

The curriculum for these modules is also available in print and online.  A fully accessible online version is located at the following web link: Virginia Department of Education’s Special Education – Parents Section.  To obtain a printed copy of the curriculum or to ask questions about the module training opportunities, please contact Tracy Lee, Family Engagement Specialist, via email, at Tracy.Lee@doe.virginia.gov, or by phone, at (804) 225-3492.