DATE:
October 31, 2024
TO:
Building Principals
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Kim Lloyd, Director, Special Education
Travis Hamblin, Director, Student Services
Caleb Olson, Enrollment Consultant, Student Services
SUBJECT:
Clarification on Enrollment Releases for Students with IEPs
The District has seen an increase this year in requests from parents of students with IEPs to release the student from enrollment for a portion of the day. These requests can be for reasons directly connected to the disability documented on the IEP (such as therapy) or may be for traditional “non-academic” reasons.
When a student on an IEP is released from enrollment, the service minutes specified in the IEP do not decrease. As a result, the District is responsible for providing the same amount of service in a reduced amount of time (and with reduced funding due to the release).
When a release is requested for reasons connected to the disability identified in the IEP, the building principal and the IEP team should determine how those services can be provided during the school day. If the parent continues to desire outside providers to provide the service during the school day, the parent will need to check the student out each time the service occurs.
When a release is requested for “non-academic” reasons, the release should not be approved until after consultation with the IEP team on potential impacts to the services specified in the IEP.
Additional questions on this topic may be directed to the Special Education Department or Planning & Enrollment.
