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OVERVIEW
A major component of the Chancellor's special education reform effort is the decertification of students no longer in need of special education services and, where necessary, providing support services and / or transitional services in general education.
During periodic review of the student's IEP (i.e., Annual Review, requested review and triennial review), the IEP Team should determine if the student no longer requires special education services as the students' needs can be met in the general education program. The IEP Team should also determine for students who no longer require special education services, if the student requires temporary services to facilitate his/her transition to general education (i.e" declassification support services). Students who continue to require ongoing special education services for more than a year are not appropriate for decertification at this time.
Decisions regarding decertification must be made on an individual case-by-case basis by the IEP Team, based on the needs of the student. The decertification process must comply with federal IDEA regulations and Board of Education procedures for a Type ill recommendation for substantial change. This includes the active participation of the student's parents and the student, as appropriate, in the decision making process. Under the reauthorized IDEA, parents also have the right to request that assessments be conducted.
PROVISION OF DECLASSIFICATION SUPPORT SERVICES
Declassification Support Services are temporary services (not to exceed twelve months) designed to assist students who have been declassified from a special education service and who are recommended for a general education program with no other special education services. Declassification Support Services provide temporary direct support to students and/or the receiving teacher to facilitate transition to the general education classroom and maintain appropriate student functioning. Declassification support services may include individual or group counseling, individual or group speech and language service, small group instruction, modified curricula or other strategies that have demonstrated success with students.
