Department of Special Services

  • Special1

    Children between the ages of three (3) and twenty-one (21), whose parents are legal residents of the Perth Amboy Public Schools, are eligible.  Students between the ages of 3-21 can be evaluated by the Child Study Team (CST) to determine if there exists an educational disability.  

    1. Referral: A referral is the first step in the special education process.  It is a formal written request that a student be evaluated by the CST to determine whether an evaluation will be conducted and/or if a student is eligible for special education and related services.
    2. A case manager is assigned and an identification meeting is scheduled within 20 calendar days (excluding holidays). 
    3. Identification Meeting: Participants include parent/guardian, school psychologist, social worker, LDT-C, and at least one of the student’s general education teachers. A decision is made as to whether a CST evaluation is necessary.
    4. No Evaluation or Evaluation: If an evaluation is deemed appropriate, an evaluation plan is written describing the required evaluations and parental consent is obtained. Our department offers onsite psychiatric and neurological evaluations as a part of this process, as needed. 
    5. Eligibility: Once evaluations are completed, an eligibility meeting is scheduled to determine whether the student is eligible for special education and related services or speech and language services.  The case manager or evaluator will review the evaluation results and answer all questions. The case manager will discuss the rationale for determination of eligibility or non-eligibility.
    6. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meeting: Once a student has been found eligible for special education and related services or speech and language services, IEP must be held.  This meeting is required before any special education services can commence. The purpose of the meeting is to determine the student’s current educational status and develop a program designed to meet the student’s unique needs. This meeting may be held immediately after the eligibility meeting with parent's consent or within 15 days of the eligibility meeting.

    PROGRAMS

    • Preschool Disabled
    • Collaborative Consultation, Preschool-Grade 4
    • In-class Resource, Preschool-Grade 12
    • Pull-out Resource, Grades 5-12
    • Learning and Language Disabilities (self-contained), Preschool-Grade 12
    • Autism (self-contained), Kindergarten-Grade 8
    • Emotional Regulation Impairment (self-contained), Grades 2-4 and 10-12, in partnership with Rutgers UBHC

    Additionally, our district partners with Rutgers UBHC to provide onsite clinical counseling and psychiatric services for students who are referred to by district staff and parents. These services are offered to students with and without disabilities in kindergarten through grade 12. 

    VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS






     

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