by Georgia Charter Schools Association
Special Education – Global Rehabilitation Services Teach Compliance
No two children are quite alike. As parents, we all want our children to be viewed with the uniqueness they display and to be treated kindly and with respect by those we entrust with their education. Sometimes, student population size, budgets, administrative agendas, or other factors can overshadow this concept in the school system.
Special needs populations can be most susceptible to these unfortunate stumbling blocks. This population may require specialized services, professionals, materials and resources which can tax an already burdened school budget. On top of that, are additional State and Federal rules, regulations and laws such as IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and its revisions, not to mention all the provisions outlined in the new Georgia State Plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as approved by the U.S. Department of Education on January 19, 2018.
All this leads to confusion and frustration from educators, administrators and parents alike. Even specialized advocacy groups for Autism, Down Syndrome, EBD and others struggle to stay on top of ever changing rules, regulations and laws.
Charter schools can be very susceptible to the pitfalls of all these fluid situations. It is difficult and time consuming to find correct answers for policies and procedures from Local Education Agencies (LEAs), the Department of Education and other on and off-line resources. Even the ins and outs of handling Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and related Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) can be daunting, time consuming and financially burdensome if you are unclear in what is going on.
And clarity is a MUST in Special Education service delivery. Parent rights, student rights and expectations all must be considered and taken seriously. Timelines (testing, eligibility, IEP) must be maintained throughout the process and all meetings formalized (beware of predetermination). A failure in the process can lead you down a litigious path that can be very costly in more ways than one. Records not maintained or written to standard can trigger audit findings that can tax valuable resources of time and money. In short, no one wants to have to write a Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) to the DOE, go through a tribunal or a formal court proceeding.
Fortunately, a solution does exist. With well over a century of combined expertise, Global Rehabilitation Services understands and works with the struggles of families and educational agencies in Special Education Services. We have a team of school administrators well versed Special education issues as well as team of therapy specialists from Applied Behavioral Analysis Specialists to Speech, Occupational and Physical therapists and Psychologists. We have been providing program support and solutions to schools in north Georgia since 1988. From mock audits to Medicaid and therapy provision, to entire department set up and program management, we can help. Driven by the desire for optimal student outcomes, we bridge gaps between parents and administration while being a top-quality cost-efficient solution to the ever-changing world of Special Education. Contact us and find out how Global Rehabilitation Services makes a world of difference to those we serve. Let us help. 770.844.0206
Georgia Charter Schools Association
The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) is the membership organization for Georgia’s charter school operators and petitioners, established in 2001. Our mission is to be an effective advocate and service provider for all charter public schools in Georgia.
