Annual Public Notice of Special Education Services and Programs, Services for Gifted
Students, and Services for Protected Handicapped Students

(Revised July 2020)

Notice to Parents

According to state and federal special education regulations, annual public notice to parents of children who reside within a school district is required regarding child find responsibilities.  School districts (SDs), intermediate units (IUs) and charter schools (CSs) are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  For additional information related to Section 504/Chapter 15 services, the parent may refer to Section 504, Chapter 15, and the Basic Education Circular entitled Implementation of Chapter 15.  Also, school districts are required to conduct child find activities, including screening and evaluations,  for children who may be eligible for gifted services via 22 PA Code Chapter 16.  For additional information regarding gifted services, the parent may refer to 22 PA Code Chapter 16.  If a student is both gifted and eligible for Special Education, the procedures in IDEA and Chapter 14 shall take precedence.

This notice shall inform parents throughout the school district, intermediate unit and charter school of the child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities or eligible young children.  In addition to this public notice, each school district, intermediate unit and charter school shall publish written information in the handbook and on the web site.  Children ages three through 21 can be eligible for Special Education programs and services.  If parents believe that the child may be eligible for Special Education, the parent should contact the appropriate staff member identified at the end of this public notice.

Children age three through the admission to first grade are also eligible if they have developmental delays and, as a result, need Special Education and related services.  Developmental delay is defined as a child who is less than the age of beginners and at least three years of age and is considered to have a developmental delay when one of the following exists:  (i) The child’s score, on a developmental assessment device, on an assessment instrument which yields a score in months, indicates that the child is delayed by 25% of the child’s chronological age in one or more developmental areas.  (ii) The child is delayed in one or more of the developmental areas, as documented by test performance of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on standardized tests.  Developmental areas include cognitive, communicative, physical, social/emotional and self-help.  For additional information you may contact, Ms. Angie Sees, Supervisor of Early Intervention Services, BLaST IU 17.

Evaluation Process

Each school district, intermediate unit and charter school has a procedure in place by which parents can request an evaluation.  For information about procedures applicable to your child, contact the school, which your child attends.  Telephone numbers and addresses can be found at the end of this notice.  Parents of preschool age children, age three through five, may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to Ms. Angie Sees, Supervisor of Early Intervention Services, BlaST IU 17.

Consent

School entities cannot proceed with an evaluation, or with the initial provision of Special Education and related services, without the written consent of the parents.  For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, www.Pattan.net.  Once written parental consent is obtained, the district will proceed with the evaluation process.  If the parent disagrees with the evaluation, the parent can request an independent education evaluation at public expense.

Program Development

Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professionals and parents determine whether the child is eligible.  If the child is eligible, the individualized education program team meets, develops the program and determines the educational placement.  Once the IEP team develops the program and determines the educational placement, school district staff, intermediate unit staff or charter school staff will issue a notice of recommended educational placement/prior written notice.  Your written consent is required before initial services can be provided.  The parent has the right to revoke consent after initial placement.

Confidentiality of Information

The school districts, intermediate units and charter schools maintain records concerning all children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities.  All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality.  Your consent, or consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21.  Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure and destruction stages.  One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information.  Each participating agency must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.

In accordance with 34 CFR § 300.624, please be advised of the following retention/destruction schedule for the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA), Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), and Keystone Exam related materials:

  • PSSA, Keystone Exam, and PASA test booklets will be destroyed one year after student reports are delivered for the administration associated with the test booklets.
  • PSSA and Keystone Exam answer booklets and PASA media recordings will be destroyed three years after completion of the assessment.

For additional information related to student records, the parent can refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

This notice is only a summary of the Special Education services, evaluation and screening activities, and rights and protections pertaining to children with disabilities, children thought to be disabled and their parents.  For more information or to request evaluation or screening of a public or private school child, contact the responsible school entity listed below.  For preschool age children, information, screenings and evaluations requested, may be obtained by contacting the Intermediate Unit.  The addresses of these schools are as follows:

INTERMEDIATE UNIT
BLaST Intermediate Unit 17
2400 Reach Road, PO Box 3609
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-323-8561

BLaST Intermediate Unit 17

33 Springbrook Drive
Canton, PA 17724
570-673-6001

SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICES

BRADFORD COUNTY

Athens Area School District
100 Canal Street
Athens, PA 18840
570-888-7766

Canton Area School District
509 East Main Street
Canton, PA 17724
570-673-3191

Northeast Bradford School District
526 Panther Lane
Rome, PA 18837
570-744-2521

Sayre Area School District
333 West Lockhart Street
Sayre, PA 18840
570-888-6121

Towanda Area School District
410 State Street
Towanda, PA 18848
570-265-9154

Troy Area School District
68 Fenner Ave
Troy, PA 16947
570-297-2750

Wyalusing Area School District
11450 Wyalusing New Albany Rd
Wyalusing, PA 18853
570-746-1600

Bradford County Prison
15927 Route 6
Troy, PA 16947
570-297-5047

TIOGA COUNTY

Northern Tioga School District
110 Ellison Road
Elkland, PA 16920
814-258-5642

Southern Tioga School District
310 Morris Street
Blossburg, PA 16912
570-638-2183

Wellsboro Area School District
227 Nichols Street
Wellsboro, PA 16901
570-724-4424

Tioga County Prison
1768 Shumway Hill Road
Wellsboro, PA 16901
570-724-5911

SULLIVAN COUNTY

Sullivan County School District
777 South Street, PO Box 240
Laporte, PA 18626
570-946-8200

LYCOMING COUNTY

East Lycoming School District
349 West Cemetery Street
Hughesville, PA 17737
570-584-2131

Jersey Shore Area School District
175 A&P Drive
Jersey Shore, PA 17740
570-398-5250

Loyalsock Township School District
1605 Four Mile Drive
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-326-6508

Montgomery Area School District
120 Penn Street
Montgomery, PA 17752
570-547-1608

Montoursville Area School District
50 North Arch Street
Montoursville, PA 17754
570-368-2491

Muncy School District
206 Sherman Street
Muncy, PA 17756
570-546-3125

South Williamsport Area School District
Raymond R. Rommelt Building
515 West Central Avenue
South Williamsport, PA 17702
570-327-4470

Williamsport Area School Distric
Service Center
2780 West Fourth Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-327-5000

Lycoming County Prison
277 West Third Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-326-4623

The school entity or charter school will not discriminate in employment, educational programs or activities based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, creed, marital status or because a person is a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era.  No preschool, elementary or secondary school pupil enrolled in a school district, intermediate unit or charter school program shall be denied equal opportunity to participate in age and program appropriate instruction or activities due to race, color, handicap, creed, national origin, marital status or financial hardship.