OAR 581-016-0526: General Placement

(1) It is the policy of the State Board of Education (Policy 8100) that any student with a hearing impairment shall be served whenever possible in the student's home community if appropriate. It is the intent that all local agencies having interest in the student collaborate to offer services locally. A referral shall be made to OSD only when local programs are unable to provide a free appropriate public education consistent with the needs of the student as identified in the student's IEP. (2) A student may be referred to OSD if the student: (a) Has been determined to be eligible for special education services by the resident district under OAR 581-015-0051; (b) Is auditorily impaired to the extent that services needed to implement the IEP as described in OAR 581-016-0536(8)(f)(A)–(D) are not available in the local district with regional program support; (c) Is a legal resident of the State of Oregon; (d) Regarding consent: (A) Has the consent of a parent(s), guardian or surrogate if the student is under age 18; or (B) Has given his or her consent, if over age 18; or (C) Has the consent of a court-appointed guardian if one is appointed and the student is over age 18; and (e) Has not completed the school year in which the student turns age 21. (3) OSD may act as an evaluation and diagnostic center for a student with hearing impairments when requested to do so by the student's resident school district or the student's parents, or when additional assessment information is needed prior to a placement decision.