| October 14, 2002 TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED: SUBJECT: A Guide to the Admission, Review and Dismissal Process and Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities Enclosed are two new documents, A Guide to the Admission, Review and Dismissal Process (ARD Guide) and Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities (Procedural Safeguards). The purpose of this letter is to explain the documents and provide districts with guidance regarding their purpose and dissemination. A Guide to the Admission, Review and Dismissal Process This guide was produced to implement Texas Education Code (TEC) Section 26.0081 which requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to produce and provide to school districts sufficient copies of a comprehensive, easily understood document that explains the process by which an individualized education program (IEP) is developed for a student in a special education program and the rights and responsibilities of a parent concerning the process. This document contains information a parent needs to effectively participate in an admission, review, and dismissal committee meeting for their child. This guide was produced with the expert guidance of a stakeholder group of parents, educators, other professional service providers, advocates, and information compiled from statewide public meetings. The ARD Guide is intended to be a companion document to, not a replacement for, the Procedural Safeguards, which explains the specific rights and responsibilities of the parent in the special education process as required by federal law. Schools are responsible for disseminating the ARD Guide at the local level by: 1. Ensuring that parents of students with disabilities are
provided copies; and The implementation of the dissemination of the ARD Guide will be discussed during District Effectiveness and Compliance monitoring visits. The ARD Guide is intended to provide a common understanding for parents, school personnel, and communities, of the process by which an IEP is developed for a student with disabilities. Dissemination Timelines: The TEA will print and send copies of the ARD Guide to each Education Service Center (ESC). Each ESC will manage the timely dissemination of the document to each district in their region. Districts must ensure that all parents of students with disabilities currently receiving special education services have a copy of the ARD Guide by February 28, 2003. The ARD Guide reflects current requirements and should be incorporated
into the district’s referral process for special education evaluation
as soon as possible after the district receives its shipment
from the ESC. Documentation of Dissemination: Although the TEA is not requiring districts to keep a receipt signed by the parents for the ARD Guide, there must be documentation in each student’s folder that the parent has received a copy of the document. Additionally, districts must maintain an ongoing centralized record of dissemination, listing the student’s name, and the date and method of dissemination. Districts will report this documentation to their ESC in an effort to evaluate the dissemination process. The state in conjunction with the ESCs will continue to bear the responsibility for publication of the ARD Guide.
The Procedural Safeguards document explains the specific rights and responsibilities of the parent in the special education process. Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 300.504 requires that public schools, which include district and charter schools, provide parents of students with disabilities a copy of the procedural safeguards, at a minimum, upon: 1. Initial referral for evaluation;
Dissemination: Each school is responsible for downloading, printing, and distributing
the Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students
with Disabilities, available online at: The revised Procedural Safeguards document reflects current requirements and should be incorporated into the district’s referral process for special education evaluation as soon as possible. Schools must no longer distribute the outdated 1997 version of the notice, and immediately begin to issue the new edition on the occasions listed above. All parents of students with disabilities must receive an initial copy of this document by February 28, 2003. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will continue to monitor the appropriate provision of the Procedural Safeguards document through the District Effectiveness and Compliance monitoring system. The Notice of Procedural Safeguards: Rights of Parents of Students
with Disabilities fulfills the current legal requirements for
the federally prescribed content of this notice. It is presented
in a format designed to clarify for parents their rights under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Other
than adding local contact information in the designated space,
the wording must not be changed. Special Note: Commissioner rules set deadlines of one year for filing a due process hearing and 90 days for appealing a due process hearing decision to state or federal court. Both of these rules are currently the subject of litigation. The Procedural Safeguards document directs parents to contact the TEA Office of Legal Services at (512) 463-9720 if they have questions about the deadlines that apply to their cases. Language Requirements: Each school must ensure that the notice is provided in the
native language of the parent, or other mode of communication,
unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. English, Spanish
and Braille versions are available from the TEA’s website at: If the native language or other mode of communication is not a written language, the school must translate the notice orally or by other means so that it is understood by the parent. Documentation of Dissemination: Districts must continue to document the provision of Procedural Safeguards in a student’s folder. The ARD Guide and the new Procedural Safeguards will both be
available online at: Educating parents, school personnel, and the public in the contents of the ARD Guide and the Procedural Safeguards document will enhance the ability of parents to participate effectively in decision-making processes involving the education of their child. It will also help the district to establish and maintain effective IEPs for students that meet current federal and state requirements. If you have questions related to either of these documents, you may contact the special education administrator in your regional education service center or Kathy Clayton or David Carrales in the Division of Special Education at (512) 463-9414. Sincerely, Felipe Alanis FA:KC:sw ARD Guide - English |