1.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Provide for making the application and all pertinent documents related to such application available to parents, guardians, and other members of the general public and provide that all evaluations and reports required shall be public information.

2.

RIGHT TO EDUCATION

Provide or cause to be provided an appropriate, free public education to all eligible exceptional children within its jurisdiction who are not voluntarily enrolled in an approved non­public school program.

3.

FULL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY GOAL

Establish a goal of providing full educational opportunities to all exceptional children, including:

4.

PRIORITIES

Locate and identify each child under the Board's jurisdiction suspected of being exceptional and in need of special education and related services and provide or cause to be provided, a free appropriate public education to each eligible exceptional child residing within the Board's jurisdiction who is not voluntarily enrolled in an approved non-public school.

5.

CHILD IDENTIFICATION

Provide for the conduction of appropriate activities for identifying, locating and evaluating all children suspected of being exceptional and in need of special education or related services.  Children who may require special education or related services shall be referred to the school system for evaluation.  Such referral may be initiated by a parent or, with parent approval, by teachers, principals, or other relevant school/community professionals.

6.

INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION

Provide for the conduction of individual evaluations, consisting of the Pupil Appraisement Assessment Program and/or a Diagnostic Assessment, of each child suspected of being exceptional and in need of special education or related services.

7.

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM

Provide assurances that the local education agency or intermediate educational unit will establish, or revise, whichever is appropriate, an individualized education program for each exceptional child at the beginning of each school year and will then review and, if appropriate, revise its provisions periodically, but not less than annually.

8.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Require, to the maximum extent appropriate, exceptional children, including children in public or private institutions, be educated with children who are not handicapped.  Such placement shall be evaluated and determined at least annually.  Removal of exceptional children from the regular educational environment should occur only when the nature and severity of the handicap is such that education in regular classes  cannot be achieved satisfactorily.  The child shall be placed as close to home as possible and shall have the option to participate in non-academic and extra-curri­cular services and programs.

9.

PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS

Provide satisfactory assurance that the local educational agency or intermediate educational unit will establish and maintain procedural safeguards in accordance with the provisions of P.L. 94-142, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1941 to 1958 and appropriate regulations developed by the State Department of Education.

10.

PROTECTION IN EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Assure, throughout the evaluation process, that all applicable procedures required by law are strictly followed, including the following:

11.

PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

Assure that all special education personnel are properly certified and employed on a nondiscriminatory basis.  The Board shall also provide continuous in-service training to school personnel as it relates to identifying, evaluating, placing exceptional children and providing all other Special Education and related services to exceptional children.  Such training shall be provided according to annual needs assessments and recent legislative action.

12.

PARTICIPATION OF NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN

Provide, to the extent possible, appropriate opportunities for approved non-public school students to participate in Special Education programs and services consistent with their number, needs and legislative requirements.

13.

PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Provide for the development of an individualized education program for each child that is placed in an approved non-public school for special education or related services.  Further, the Board shall assure that all students placed in such schools have all the rights they would have if served by public state or local agencies.  The Board shall also provide for the monitoring of programs in private facilities to which students have been referred to or placed in to ensure that the student is receiving special education and related services in conformance with the individualized education plan developed for each student.

14.

PUBLIC CONTROL OF FUNDS

Provide satisfactory assurance that the control of funds provided under this part, and title to property derived from such funds, shall be in a public agency for the uses and purposes provided in this part, and that a public agency will administer such funds and property.

15.

EXCESS COST AND NON-SUPPLANTING

Assure federal funds expended by local educational agencies and intermediate educational units for programs (i) shall be used to pay only the excess costs directly attributable to the education of handicapped children, and (ii) shall be used to supplement and, to the extent practicable, increase the level of State and local funds expended for the education of handicapped children, and in no case to supplant such State and local funds.

16.

COMPARABLE SERVICES

Assure that facilities which are identified as being for exceptional children and the service and activities provided therein are of the same standards and levels of quality as are facilities, services, and activities provided other children.

17.

INFORMATION - REPORTS

Provide for furnishing such information and all appropriate reports as may be necessary to enable the State education agency to perform its required duties, including information relating to the educational achievement of handicapped children participating in applicable programs.

18.

RECORDS

Provide for the proper maintenance of all pertinent records associated with the special education program and to provide for such access by appropriate personnel to inspect and review any educational records and verify their accuracy.  Such records shall include a record of all parties obtaining access to educational records including name, date of review, and purpose.

19.

LOCAL POLICIES CONSISTENT WITH STATUTE

Provide satisfactory assurance that policies and programs established and administered by the local educational agency or intermediate educational unit shall be consistent with the provisions of state and federal laws, and any standards adopted by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).

20.

NONDISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF HANDICAPPED INDIVIDUALS.

21.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Assure the appointment of an Advisory Council, consisting of such members appointed and serving for such terms as may be provided for by law, which shall aid the school system in the development of local plans for the provisions of special education and related services to exceptional children.

22.

GENERAL SUPERVISION

Delegate to the Supervisor of Special Education the responsibility for the efficient functioning of the special education program.  He shall develop, implement, and evaluate all special education services, supervise all personnel involved in providing services to handicapped/exceptional students, and maintain contact with pertinent federal and state agencies.

23.

MONITORING

Provide for the constant review and monitoring of all special education services being rendered by or on behalf of the school district, including: