SB529: Bill Text

SB529,16,23 115.782 (3) (a) Upon the completion of the administration of tests assessments and other evaluation materials measures, the individualized education program team group appointed under sub. (1) (ag) shall determine whether the child is a child with a disability. The individualized education program team and the educational needs of the child. The group may not determine that a child is a child with a disability solely because the child has received insufficient if the determinant factor for the determination is lack of appropriate instruction in reading , including in the essential components of reading instruction, as defined in 20 USC 6368 (3), or lack of instruction in math, or because the child has limited proficiency in English.

SB529, s. 51 Section 51. 115.782 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,17,15 115.782 (3) (b) If the individualized education program team determines that a child is a child with a disability, the team The local educational agency shall prepare an evaluation report that includes documentation of determination of eligibility. The local educational agency shall ask each individualized education program team participant if he or she wants a copy of the evaluation report or additional time before the individualized education program team develops the child's individualized education program. If any individualized education program team participant requests a copy of the evaluation report at any point in the process of developing the child's individualized education program or considering the child's educational placement, the local educational agency shall give a copy of the report to each individualized education program team participant before continuing with the process. If no individualized education program team participant requests a copy of the evaluation report, the for special education. The local educational agency shall give a copy of the evaluation report, including the documentation of eligibility, to the child's parents with the notice of placement under s. 115.792 (2).

SB529, s. 52 Section 52. 115.782 (3) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

SB529, s. 53 Section 53. 115.782 (4) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,17,19 115.782 (4) (a) (intro.) A local educational agency shall ensure that the individualized education program team does do all of the following:

SB529, s. 54 Section 54. 115.782 (4) (a) 1. and 2. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB529,18,4 115.782 (4) (a) 1. Evaluates Evaluate a child with a disability in accordance with this section before determining that the child is no longer a child with a disability, except that an evaluation is not required before the termination of a child's eligibility for special education and related services because he or she graduated from secondary school with a regular diploma or because he or she reached the age of 21. In those circumstances, the local educational agency shall provide the child with a summary of the child's academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations on how to assist the child in meeting his or her postsecondary goals.

SB529,18,12 2. Reevaluates Reevaluate a child with a disability in accordance with this section if the local educational agency determines that conditions the educational or related services needs of the child, including the child's academic performance, warrant a reevaluation or if the child's parent or teacher requests a reevaluation, but at least once every 3 years.. The local educational agency shall reevaluate a child no more frequently than once a year unless the child's parent and the local educational agency agree otherwise, and at least once every 3 years unless the child's parent and the local educational agency agree that a reevaluation is unnecessary.

SB529, s. 55 Section 55. 115.782 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,18,23 115.782 (4) (c) If the individualized education program team and other qualified professionals, as determined by the local educational agency, find group described under sub. (1) (ag) finds under sub. (2) (b) 2. that no additional data are needed to determine whether the child continues to be a child with a disability or to determine the child's educational needs, the local educational agency shall notify the child's parents of that finding and the reasons for it and the right of the child's parents to request an assessment to determine whether the child continues to be a child with a disability and to determine the child's educational needs. The local educational agency is not required to conduct such an assessment unless the child's parents request it.

SB529, s. 56 Section 56. 115.787 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,19,5 115.787 (2) (a) A statement of the child's present level of educational academic achievement and functional performance, including how the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum or, for a preschool child, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities.

SB529, s. 57 Section 57. 115.787 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,19,12 115.787 (2) (b) A statement of measurable annual goals for the child, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to meeting academic and functional goals, designed to meet the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general curriculum, and to meeting meet each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability.

SB529, s. 58 Section 58. 115.787 (2) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

SB529,19,16 115.787 (2) (bm) For a child with a disability who takes alternate assessments aligned with alternate achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives.

SB529, s. 59 Section 59. 115.787 (2) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,19,22 115.787 (2) (c) (intro.) A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child to do all of the following:

SB529, s. 60 Section 60. 115.787 (2) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,19,24 115.787 (2) (c) 1. Advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals.

SB529, s. 61 Section 61. 115.787 (2) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,20,3 115.787 (2) (c) 2. Be involved and make progress in the general curriculum in accordance with par. (a) and participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.

SB529, s. 62 Section 62. 115.787 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,20,9 115.787 (2) (e) 1. A statement of any individual modifications in the administration of any appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on statewide or local educational agency-wide assessment of pupil achievement that are needed for the child to participate in the assessment assessments.

SB529,20,16 2. If the individualized education program team determines that a child will not participate in take an alternate assessment on a particular statewide or local educational agency-wide assessment of pupil achievement, or part of such an assessment, a statement of why that assessment is not the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child and how the child will be assessed through alternative means.

SB529, s. 63 Section 63. 115.787 (2) (g) 1. and 2. of the statutes are repealed and recreated to read:

SB529,20,23 115.787 (2) (g) 1. Beginning not later than in the first individualized education program that will be in effect when the child is 16, and updated annually thereafter, a statement of appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals for the child based on age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills.

SB529,21,2 2. Beginning not later than in the first individualized education program that will be in effect when the child is 16, and updated annually thereafter, a description of the transition services, including courses of study, needed to assist the child in reaching the goals under subd. 1.

SB529, s. 64 Section 64. 115.787 (2) (g) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,21,8 115.787 (2) (g) 3. Beginning at least one year before the child attains the age of 18, and annually thereafter until the child is no longer eligible for special education and related services, a statement that the child has been informed of the parental child's rights that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of 18 under s. 115.807.

SB529, s. 65 Section 65. 115.787 (2) (h) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,21,11 115.787 (2) (h) 1. How the child's progress toward attaining the annual goals described in par. (b) will be measured.

SB529, s. 66 Section 66. 115.787 (2) (h) 2. of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

SB529,21,15 115.787 (2) (h) 2. When periodic reports, such as quarterly reports or other periodic reports issued concurrently with report cards, on the child's progress toward attaining the annual goals described in par. (b) will be provided to the child's parents.

SB529, s. 67 Section 67. 115.787 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,21,21 115.787 (3) (a) In developing each child's individualized education program, the individualized education program team shall consider the strengths of the child, the concerns of the child's parents for enhancing the education of their child and, the results of the initial evaluation or most recent reevaluation of the child, and the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child.

SB529, s. 68 Section 68. 115.787 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,22,2 115.787 (3) (b) 1. In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider, when appropriate, strategies, including the use of positive behavioral interventions, and supports and other strategies to address that behavior.

SB529, s. 69 Section 69. 115.787 (3) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,22,10 115.787 (3) (b) 4. Consider the communicative communication needs of the child, and, in the case of a child who is hearing impaired, consider the child's language and communicative communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communicative communication mode, academic level and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communicative communication mode.

SB529, s. 70 Section 70. 115.787 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,22,17 115.787 (3) (c) The regular education teacher of the child, as a participant on the individualized education program team, shall, to the extent appropriate, participate in the development of the individualized education program of the child, including the determination of appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies and the determination of supplementary aids and services, program modifications and support for school personnel.

SB529, s. 71 Section 71. 115.787 (3) (d) and (e) of the statutes are repealed.

SB529, s. 72 Section 72. 115.787 (4) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB529,23,4 115.787 (4) (c) After the annual individualized education program meeting for a school year, the entire individualized education program team may make changes to the child's individualized education program, or the child's parent and the local educational agency may agree not to convene an individualized education program team meeting for the purpose of making changes to the child's individualized education program. If the child's parent and the local educational agency agree not to convene an individualized education program team meeting, they shall instead develop a written document to modify the child's current individualized education program. Upon request, the local educational agency shall give the child's parent a copy of the child's revised individualized education program.

SB529, s. 73 Section 73. 115.787 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,23,10 115.787 (5) Failure to meet transition objectives. If a participating agency, other than the local educational agency, fails to provide transition services in accordance with sub. (2) (g) 2., the local educational agency shall reconvene the individualized education program team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the child set out in the individualized education program.

SB529, s. 74 Section 74. 115.787 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,23,17 115.787 (7) Construction. Nothing in this section requires the individualized education program team to include information under one component of a child's individualized education program that is already contained under another component of the individualized education program or requires that additional information be included in a child's individualized educational program beyond what is explicitly required by this section.

SB529, s. 75 Section 75. 115.791 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 115.791 (3) (a) (intro.).

SB529, s. 76 Section 76. 115.791 (3) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 115.791 (3) (b) 1.

SB529, s. 77 Section 77. 115.791 (3) (b) (intro.) and 2. of the statutes are created to read:

SB529,23,24 115.791 (3) (b) (intro.) Notwithstanding the notice requirement in sub. (2) (a), a court or hearing officer may determine not to reduce or deny the cost of reimbursement for failure to provide such notice if any of the following apply:

SB529,24,2 2. Compliance with sub. (2) (a) would likely result in serious emotional harm to the child.

SB529, s. 78 Section 78. 115.791 (3) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 115.791 (3) (a) 2. and amended to read:

SB529,24,6 115.791 (3) (a) 2. Compliance with sub. (2) (a) would likely result in serious physical or serious emotional harm to the child.

SB529, s. 79 Section 79. 115.791 (3) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 115.791 (3) (a) 3.

SB529, s. 80 Section 80. 115.791 (3) (d) of the statutes is renumbered 115.791 (3) (a) 4.

SB529, s. 81 Section 81. 115.792 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,24,17 115.792 (1) (a) 2. That a child's rights are protected by the assignment of an individual, who shall not be an employee of the department, the local educational agency, or any other agency that is involved in the education or care of the child, to act as a surrogate for the child's parents whenever the child's parents are not known; the local educational agency cannot, after reasonable efforts, locate the child's parents; or the child is a ward of the state. For a child who is a ward of the state, a judge overseeing the child's care may appoint a surrogate for the child's parents if the surrogate meets the requirements of this subdivision.

SB529, s. 82 Section 82. 115.792 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,24,21 115.792 (2) (d) A description of each evaluative evaluation procedure, test assessment, record, or report that the local educational agency used as a basis for the proposed or refused action.

SB529, s. 83 Section 83. 115.792 (2) (e) of the statutes is repealed.

SB529, s. 84 Section 84. 115.792 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,25,3 115.792 (2) (g) A statement that the parents of a child with a disability have procedural safeguards under this section and, if this notice is not an initial referral for evaluation, or reevaluation, or a notice of an individualized education program meeting, the way in which the parents may obtain a description of the procedural safeguards under sub. (3).

SB529, s. 85 Section 85. 115.792 (2) (i) of the statutes is repealed.

SB529, s. 86 Section 86. 115.792 (3) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,25,14 115.792 (3) (b) (intro.) The local educational agency shall give to the parents of a child with a disability, once a year but also upon the child's initial referral or parental request for evaluation, upon each notification of an individualized education program meeting and upon reevaluation of the child the first occurrence of the filing of a request for a hearing under s. 115.80, and upon request by the child's parent, a full explanation written so as to be in an easily understood by the general public understandable manner, and in the native language of the child's parents unless it clearly is not feasible to do so, of the procedural safeguards available under this section and under applicable federal law relating to all of the following:

SB529, s. 87 Section 87. 115.792 (3) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,25,18 115.792 (3) (b) 5. Opportunity to present and resolve complaints, including the period in which the child's parents may request a hearing and the opportunity for the local educational agency to resolve the issues presented by the request.

SB529, s. 88 Section 88. 115.792 (3) (b) 11. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,25,21 115.792 (3) (b) 11. Civil actions, including the period in which to file a civil action.

SB529, s. 89 Section 89. 115.797 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,26,4 115.797 (1) (a) "Dispute" means any disagreement between parties concerning the proposal or refusal to initiate or change the evaluation, individualized education program or educational placement of a child with a disability or the provision of a free appropriate public education to such a child. "Dispute" includes any such disagreement between parties that arises before the filing of a request for a hearing under s. 115.80 or in which other processes, including a hearing under s. 115.80 or litigation, have been requested or commenced.

SB529, s. 90 Section 90. 115.797 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,26,13 115.797 (6) Agreements. If the parties resolve the dispute or a portion of the dispute, or agree to use another procedure to resolve the dispute, the mediator shall ensure that the resolution or agreement is reduced to writing, that it is signed by the parties and that a copy is given to each party. The written resolution or agreement shall state that all discussions that occurred during mediation are confidential and may not be used as evidence in any hearing or civil proceeding. The resolution or agreement is legally binding upon the parties and is enforceable in the circuit court for the county in which the local educational agency is located.

SB529, s. 91 Section 91. 115.80 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,26,24 115.80 (1) (a) 1. A parent, or the attorney representing the child, may file a written request with the division for a hearing within one year after the refusal or proposal of the local educational agency to initiate or change his or her child's evaluation, individualized education program, educational placement , or the provision of a free appropriate public education, except that, if the local educational agency has not previously provided the parent or the attorney representing the child with notice of the right to request a hearing under this subdivision, he or she may file a request under this subdivision within one year after the local educational agency provides the notice. The division shall develop a model form to assist parents in filing a request under this subdivision.

SB529, s. 92 Section 92. 115.80 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,27,4 115.80 (1) (b) A local educational agency may file a written request with the division for a hearing only to override a parent's refusal to grant consent for an initial evaluation, or a reevaluation or an initial educational placement or to contest the payment of an independent educational evaluation.

SB529, s. 93 Section 93. 115.80 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB529,27,11 115.80 (1) (d) A parent or local educational agency, or the attorney representing a parent or local educational agency, shall file a request for a hearing under this subsection by providing the request to the other party and a copy of the request to the division. Upon receiving a request for a hearing, the division shall give to the child's parents a copy of the procedural safeguards available to the parents under s. 115.792 and under federal regulations.

SB529, s. 94 Section 94. 115.80 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

SB529,28,2 115.80 (1) (e) 1. If the parent of a child with a disability files a written request for a hearing, and the local educational agency has not previously sent a written notice to the parent under s. 115.792 (1) (b) regarding the subject matter of the hearing request, the local educational agency shall, within 10 days of receiving the hearing request, send to the child's parent a written explanation of why the local educational agency proposed or refused to take the action raised in the hearing request, a description of other options that the individualized education program team considered and the reason why those options were rejected, a description of each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report that the local educational agency used as the basis for the proposed or refused action, and a description of the factors that are relevant to the local educational agency's proposal or refusal. A response by a local educational agency under this subdivision does not preclude the agency from asserting that the parent's request for a hearing is insufficient under subd. 2.

SB529,28,10 2. A hearing may not occur until the party requesting the hearing, or the attorney representing that party, files a request that meets the requirements of par. (a) 2. The request under par. (a) 2. shall be considered sufficient unless the party receiving the request notifies the hearing officer and the other party in writing that the receiving party believes the request does not meet the requirements of par. (a) 2. Within 5 days of receiving a notice under this subdivision, the hearing officer shall determine whether the request meets the requirements under par. (a) 2. and notify the parties.

SB529, s. 95 Section 95. 115.80 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

SB529,28,16 115.80 (1) (f) The party receiving a request for a hearing shall send to the party requesting the hearing a written response that addresses the issues raised in the hearing request within 10 days of receiving the request, except that the party receiving the request has 15 days in which to respond if the party notifies the hearing officer under par. (e) 2. that the request is insufficient.

SB529, s. 96 Section 96. 115.80 (1) (g) of the statutes is created to read: