Alma Center Humbird Merrillan School District provides a free appropriate public education for all students, including students with disabilities. Our goal is for every student to be engaged, equipped, and empowered learners, who are prepared to successful transition from our schools to accomplish their post-secondary career and life goals.

A full range of services is available to students in need of special education and other special support programs. This range of services includes, but is not limited to, direct special education instruction, direct classroom support, and indirect support through accommodations and modifications to the general education curriculum and instruction. These and other services are determined on an individual student basis and are designed to maximize the student’s ability to access their general education instruction.

Special Education Evaluation

Prior to implementing a student’s IEP, the student must first be identified as a student with a disability and a student who demonstrates a need for special education services. To be found as a student with a disability, the student must meet the state-specified eligibility criteria in one of these specific disability areas:

• Autism
• Cognitive Disabilities
• Deaf/blind
• Emotional Behavioral Disability
• Hearing Impaired
• Other Health Impairment
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Significant Developmental Delay
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech or Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

The School District of Alma Center-Humbird-Merillan accepts and processes referrals of children suspected to have a disability. School personnel who reasonably believe a child has a disability are required to make a referral. Prior to submitting a referral, the people required making a referral inform the parents of the intent. The written referral includes the name of the child and reasons why the person making the referral believes that the child is a child with a disability. In addition, information collected on prior interventions implemented to address the areas of concern must be included with the referral.

Once the district receives a referral, an evaluation team evaluates the child to determine if the child meets eligibility for special education and related services. Once a determination has been made, the IEP team develops the individualized education program for the child. Parental consent is obtained only for those tests over and above what is administered to all children. Notice of placement is provided to parents within 60 calendar days from receipt of the referral or the initiation of a re-evaluation. Extensions may be requested with written notice of parents.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

In order to assure that each student with a disability has an individual education, you and your child are an active participant in our Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team. The IEP serves as the tool to ensure that students receive the necessary support and services required in order for them to meaningfully benefit from instruction in the least restrictive environment possible. The least restrictive environment is the maximum amount of time students with disabilities are included in general education instruction with their non-disabled peers. The IEP also establishes annual goals and benchmarks to measure the student’s learning progress and specifies the number of services the student receives in order to make progress toward those goals. The IEP is reviewed and revised at least annually and can be reviewed or revised earlier to meet the individual student’s need.