Special Services
Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 is committed to
fulfilling the obligations of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The
fundamental principle behind these federal laws is that students with
disabilities are provided a free and appropriate public education in the
least-restrictive environment. This means that the District has systems
in place to identify, evaluate, and provide educational services to
students with disabilities in a manner that is as similar to their
nondisabled peers, as deemed appropriate.
Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 provides a full range of
services designed to meet the needs of students from preschool (3-5
years old) through grade six. Children are eligible to receive special
education and related services when the IEP team determines that the
child meets state and federal eligibility criteria and requires special
education services. Not all children with special needs require special
education services. There are thirteen categories of eligibility for
special education for school-age students: learning disability, speech
or language impairment; intellectual disabilities; multiple
disabilities; emotional disturbance; traumatic brain injury; autism;
other health impairment; visual impairment; deafness; orthopedic
impairment; deaf/blindness; and hard of hearing. The classification for
preschool is: Preschool Child with a Disability.
Most students are served through District programs, including Consultant
Teacher, Resource Room Programs, Integrated Co-Teaching Programs,
Special Day Classes, and related services. Some students whose needs
cannot be met in District programs are served in either other public
school districts, BOCES, or nonpublic school programs.
Child Find
Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 has an ongoing “Child Find”
system, which is designed to locate, identify, and evaluate any child
residing in a home, facility, or residence within its geographical
boundaries, preschool (age 3) to grade 6, who may have a disability and
be in need of Special Education or Section 504 services. This includes
children who are not in school; those who are in public, private, or
home school; those who are highly mobile, such as children who are
migrant or homeless; and those who are advancing from grade to grade,
who may need but are not receiving Special Education or Section 504
services.
Parents, relatives, public, and private agency employees, and concerned
citizens are urged to help the Valley Stream Union Free School District
30 find any child who may have a disability and need Special Education
or Section 504 services.
If you know of a child who lives within the boundaries of the Valley
Stream Union Free School District 30, who may have a disability, and may
need but is not receiving Special Education or Section 504 services,
please contact Christine Herman, Director of Special Services, at
(516)434-3600, x5232/5233. The earlier we can begin the process of
identifying whether a child is exceptional and in need of having
specially designed instruction the earlier we can plan an appropriate
education for the child.