The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, commonly referred to as Section 504, is a nondiscrimination statute enacted by the United States Congress. The purpose of the Act is to prohibit discrimination and to assure that disabled students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to non-disabled students.
An eligible student under Section 504 is a student who (a) has, (b) has a record of having, or (c) is regarded as having, a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity such as learning, self-care, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working and performing manual tasks.
Destruction of Special Education Records
Page TopSpecial Education Records will be kept for three years past Roane County School's last contact with the student (i.e. graduated, dropped out, aged out, etc.). At the end of each school year an advertisement will be run in the local newspaper notifying parents/students that special education records will be destroyed. This notice will include a contact number for parents to call to obtain a copy of the records before they are destroyed.
- Autism
- Deaf-Blindness
- Developmental Delay
- Emotional Disturbance
- Hearing Impairments
- Intellectually Gifted
- Speech or Language Impairments
- Mental Retardation
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedic Impairments
- Other – Functional Delay
- Other – Health Impairments
- Specific Learning Disabilities
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairments
Student Rights – Rights of Children With Disabilities and Parent Responsibilities – Tennessee Department of Education, Division of Special Education, September 2001
The purpose of homebound instruction is to provide an appropriate program for students who will be absent from school due to doctor approved medical conditions more than two weeks. To begin the process for homebound, parents need to contact their child’s school for the homebound application.
- March 2010 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- October 2009 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- July 2009 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- April 2009 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- January 2009 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- November 2008 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- October 2008 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- July 2008 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- April 2008 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- February 2008 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
- May 2006 Special Education Newsletter (Downloadable PDF file)
Roane County School Psychologists are experts in psychology and education who serve children in the school setting. Their services include:
- consulting with parents, teachers, administrators and other professionals in the community to enhance services to students
- identifying the special needs of students and helping to plan their educational program
- individual or group counseling
- educating youth in study skills, test-taking skills, social skills, stress management and/or conflict resolution
- Psychological/Academic Assessment
- teacher in-service
- parent training workshops
- developing crisis management teams
- assisting schools to be in compliance with procedural safeguards
Roane County Schools provides several types of services for students identified as eligible for gifted services. At the elementary and middle school levels, enrichment programs are provided per IEP team decision.
- activities to extend achievement beyond expectations in the regular classroom
- emphasis on higher cognitive levels of analysis, synthesis of information, and evaluation of knowledge learned
- field trips and other resources to further enrich the gifted curriculum
- social interaction with peers of equal abilities provided through group dynamics
At the high school level consultation services are provided per IEP team decisions.
- emphasis on the preparation and transition for college
- independent study
- resume planning
- competitions
- analyzing and solving complex problems
- college visits to make students aware of the variety of choices provided in Tennessee, while helping them determine their correct college fit
Special Education Commonly Used Terms
- Evaluation: A procedure used to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs.
- FAPE: Free (at no cost to parents), Appropriate (suited to the individual needs of the child), Public (provided by, or paid for by, the public school system) Education.
- Individualized Education Program (IEP): A written plan for a child with a disability that is developed and implemented according to federal and state regulations.
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Means to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are non-disabled; and the special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occur only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
System-wide Special Education Literacy Leader
The Literacy Leader for Special Education acts as a resource and mentor to special education teachers who serve students in preschool through fifth grade. Goals include:
- teaches research-based strategies
- assessments to use to drive curriculum decisions
- helps teachers find the correct interventions for students who aren’t responding to traditional methods
System-wide Special Education Transition Leader
The Transition Leader travels to each high school, middle school, Midtown Educational Center and the Michael Dunn Center bi-weekly. Goals of the transition leader include:
- ensure transition plans are in compliance with state requirements
- research and choose curriculum and materials to support transition topics taught in middle and high school special education classes
- working with the Michael Dunn Center to assist in facilitating a School-to Work Pilot Program
- provide current training for teachers regarding the TCAP-Alt. portfolios
- review data folders for the middle and high school students