Special Education

General Information

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.  A Section 504 Individual Accommodation plan establishes accommodations for the student within the classroom setting.  

An impairment in and of itself is not a disability.  However, the impairment must substantially limit one or more life activities such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

A medical diagnosis of an illness does not automatically mean a student can receive services under Section 504.  The illness must cause a substantial limitation on the student’s ability to learn or another major life activity.

A temporary impairment does not constitute a disability for purposes of Section 504 unless its severity is such that it results in a substantial limitation of one or more major life activities for an extended period of time.  Determination of whether a temporary impairment is substantial enough to be a disability must be resolved on a case‐by‐case basis.  Generally, a transitory impairment is an impairment with an actual or expected duration of six months or less.   

 

504 Procedure

At the elementary and secondary school level, determining whether a child is qualified disabled student under Section 504 begins with the evaluation process.  Upon referral by either parent or school staff, an evaluation must be conducted prior to a student receiving services.  Section 504 requires informed parental permission for initial evaluations.   

Using the evaluation information, a 504 team which includes the student’s parents determines eligibility.  If eligible, the 504 team will then write and implement a 504 Individual Accommodation Plan for the student.  

For qualified students, periodic re‐evaluation is required and will be conducted at three‐year intervals unless the parent and the district agree that the re‐evaluation is unnecessary.  Re‐evaluations may occur more frequently if conditions warrant or the child’s teacher or parent requests reassessment. Re‐evaluations are limited to once a year.

In the Harrisonville School District, 504 inquiries or referrals are directed to the building 504 Facilitator.

 

Contact Information

Section 504 Facilitators

Conducts initial and annual meetings/Re-evaluation:

Early Childhood Center

Becky Sumner
Counselor
816-380-4131 ext. 3250
becky.sumner@harrisonvilleschools.org

Harrisonville Elementary School

Brian Graber
Counselor
816-380-4131 ext. 3250
brian.graber@harrisonvilleschools.org

McEowen Elementary School

Carly McFadden
Counselor
816-380-4545 ext. 4250
carly.mcfadden@harrisonvilleschools.org

Harrisonville Middle School

Susan Harness
Counselor
816-380-7654 ext. 5251
susan.harness@harrisonvilleschools.org

Harrisonville High School

Kari Bliss
Counselor
816-380-3273 ext. 6253
kari.bliss@harrisonvilleschools.org

Cass Career Center

Kristin Quinley
Counselor
816-380-3253 ext. 7250
kristin.quinley@harrisonvilleschools.org

 

Section 504 Compliance Officer 

Grievances/Causal Relationship Determination:

Annie Knox
Assistant Superintendent
816-380-2727 ext. 1500
annie.knox@harrisonvilleschools.org

Click here to view the Paraprofessional Handbook

Procedural Safeguards Notice

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. & 1232q; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education reports. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies. Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information. Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR & 99.31):

• School officials with legitimate educational interest
• Other schools to which a student is transferring
• Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
• Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school
• Accrediting organizations
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies and
• State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information w\such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202)260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. Or you may contact us at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue
SW Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

As a parent of a child with a disability, you have the right to:

1. Attend individualized education program (IEP) meetings and represent your child's interests.
2. Have an advocate or expert present at individualized education program (IEP) meetings. 3
3. Receive a copy of your child's evaluation, disagree with it, and request one independent educational evaluation at public expense.
4. Provide a written report from outside sources as part of the evaluation process.
5. Examine all education records pertaining to your child and be provided with a copy of the individualized education program.
6. Disagree with the decision of the individualized education program (IEP) team and pursue complaint procedures, including: filing a child complaint with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, state paid mediation, have an impartial due process hearing, and appeal the due process decision to the court.
7. Participate in reviews of the individualized education programs (IEPs) and in any decision to change any aspects of the IEP, as well as receive a written notice of action before a change in your child’s educational placement or the provision of a free and appropriate public education.
8. Have your child placed in the least restrictive environment and in a general education classroom to the greatest extent appropriate.
9. Request an accommodation to provide effective communications if you have limited English language proficiency.
10. A free appropriate public education for your child with an individualized education program designed to meet your child's unique needs, which may include, but not be limited to, special education and related services, such as assistive technology devices and services; transportation; speech pathology services; audiology services; interpreting services; psychological services, including behavioral interventions; physical therapy; occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling; orientation and mobility services; school health services; school nurse services; social work services; parent counseling and training; and, medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.

 

This document does not confer any right or rights beyond those conferred by federal or state law and is intended for informational purposes only. For additional information, contact the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Division of Special Education at (573) 751-0699 or webreplyspeco@dese.mo.gov.

January 1, 2010

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, children who live outside the district but are attending a private school within the district, highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children, children who are wards of the state, and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade. The Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District assures that it will provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under its jurisdiction. Disabilities include autism, deaf/blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairment and deafness, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment/blindness and young child with a developmental delay.

The Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri First Steps program.

The Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District assures that personally identifiable information collected, used, or maintained by the agency for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

The Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District has developed a Local Compliance Plan for the implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This plan contains the agency’s policies and procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the agency’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with the General Education Provision Act (GEPA). This plan may be reviewed at the district’s administration office at 503 South Lexington, Harrisonville, MO. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

This notice will be provided in native languages as appropriate.

Pursuant to the requirements of State Law 162.997-999 RSMo, the State Board of Education is required to appoint a surrogate parent at such time as it becomes evident that a child with a disability does not have a parent or a person acting as a parent to participate in matters dealing with the provision of special education. For purposes of this requirement, the term may include the biological parent, a guardian, a person acting as a parent of a child including, but not limited to, a grandparent, a stepparent, or a foster parent with whom the child lives. The term does not include the State if the child is a ward of the State. The term does not include a person whose parental rights have been terminated.

The local public school district is given the responsibility to determine when a child with a disability who requires special education and who resides in the District is without a parent. The District must notify the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of the need to appoint a surrogate parent. Training for persons serving as surrogate parents will be provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the local public school district.

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a surrogate parent, more information can be obtained from the Director of Special Services in the local public school district.

In accordance with the state and federal regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this is to inform you of our intent to destroy personally identifiable information related to special education services maintained in your student’s school special education records.  

If you wish to maintain this information for your personal records, you need to notify us upon receipt of this notice; otherwise, the information will be destroyed on August 1, 2022.

Please be advised that the records may be needed by the student or the parent(s) for social security benefits or other purposes.

Records to be destroyed are as follows:

• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• Evaluation Reports
• Test Protocols (Available for inspection only; no copy will be provided)
• Notification of Meetings
• Notices of Action
• Review of Existing Data Summaries

All other personally identifiable information within the Special Education file*

The reason for destruction of the above listed items is because they are no longer needed to provide educational services as it has been more than three (3) years since this individual has received special education services at Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District.

*The district may maintain a permanent record, without time limitation of a student’s name, address and phone number, his/her grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed.

The school is required to maintain records for a minimum of three (3) years from the date the child no longer received special education and related services.  

You may contact the records office at Harrisonville-Cass R-IX School District at 816-380-2727 (x1500) or at 503 S. Lexington, Harrisonville, MO  64701 for more information.