• School Psychology Service Handbook

                 

The Manual provides educators, school administrators and parents with procedures and guidelines to identify, evaluate, place, and educate students with disabilities in Philadelphia Public Schools.  The procedures included in this Manual reflect the Office of Specialized Instructional Services’ (OSIS) interpretation and understanding of the most recent federal and state disability laws and regulations, and judicial decisions and court consent decrees effecting the education of students with disabilities.  

Disability law is not static, but rather evolves and changes in response to needs of society, economic resources, legislative mandates, and legal or administrative interpretation.  To respond to these changes, OSIS established the Procedural Manual Review Committee. The Committee members include three permanent OSIS administrators to oversee and edit the OSIS Procedural Manual.  For each Manual chapter a Regional Special Education Director, teacher, and OSIS Case Manager with expertise in the chapter’s subject area, is appointed to the Committee.  An outside legislative and legal consultant reviews and edits each chapter.  All chapters are review and approved by the School District’s Office of General Counsel (OGC).

The Committee’s meets monthly to review the manual.  When appropriate, the Committee makes changes or revisions to the Manual to reflect and comply with new laws, regulations, policies, and interpretations.  Through this process, the Manual continually evolves and changes.  Do not use a downloaded version of this Manual as a permanent canon. Rather, review the Manual website to obtain the School District’s most recent policies and procedures effecting the education of students with disabilities.

• Chapter 1 - Procedures for Locating, Evaluating, and Identifying Children with Disabilities (Child Find)
• Chapter 2 - Comprehensive Student Assistance Process (CSAP)
• Chapter 3 - The Evaluation (ER) and Reevaluation (RR) Process
• Chapter 4 - Procedural Safeguards
• Chapter 5 - The IEP Process
• Chapter 6 - Auxiliary IEP Services and Support
• Chapter 7 - Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) / Prior Written Notice (PWN)
• Chapter 8 - Dispute Resolution
• Chapter 9 - Discipline of Students with Disabilities
• Chapter 10 - Homebound Instruction /Instruction in the Home
• Chapter 11 -Supports for Homeless Children and Youths
• Chapter 12 - Equitable Participation - Serving Students with Disabilities Placed by their Parents at Private Schools
• Chapter 13 - Protected Handicapped Students 
• Chapter 14 - Gifted Support
• Glossary of Terms