Special education and related services are provided to eligible students with disabilities ages 3 to 21 and to students who qualify for gifted services Kindergarten to grade 12. Infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities are served through Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County.

Special education in Blue Valley is specially designed instruction that enables students to make continuous progress in school. Special education services are present within each school and are an integral part of Blue Valley's comprehensive school system. The Blue Valley School District philosophy is reflected in the practice of responsibly including students in educational and social activities to the maximum extent appropriate, based on their individual learning needs. 

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT

Reauthorized by Congress and signed into law by President Bush in December 2004, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA-04) guides all special education practices in the United States. IDEA-04 mandates that each student identified as eligible for special education services receive a "free and appropriate public education" in the "least restrictive environment" and be afforded "due process rights" as delineated in the legislation.

The Blue Valley School District uses compliant practices as described in the Kansas Special Education Process Handbook that is published by the Kansas State Department of Education, which is available online.

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP)

The Individualized Education Program, or IEP, describes the special education services a student will receive from Blue Valley. Written by an IEP team, including the parents and the student, if appropriate, the IEP includes information designed to communicate to the school and the parents a plan for delivering services and measuring student growth toward IEP goals.

The IEP is reviewed with parents at least annually. IEP progress reports are sent home quarterly.

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR

Students between the ages of 3 and 21 with disability-based IEPs may be eligible for Extended School Year (ESY) services through the Special Education Department. The decision for extending services into the summer or other lengthy school breaks is made by the IEP team.

The majority of students who attend ESY work on maintaining skills that the student has developed during the school year. For these students, the team must consider data that indicates the student would lose skills that could not be regained within a reasonable time period upon returning to school without extended services.

The majority of students who are eligible for Extended School Year attend during the summer for a five-week session in the mornings. The service each student receives is individualized and is based on IEP goals that have been attained during the regular school calendar. Related services such as speech and occupational therapy may be continued through Extended School Year based on the decision of the IEP team.

Transportation to and from the student's home will be provided. Accommodations that are provided throughout the school year will be continued during ESY transportation.