OAR 581-016-0536: Procedures for Referral and Placement

(1) The resident school district or the regional program shall contact the director of OSD to request a multidisciplinary team meeting to determine placement. (2) The director or designee of OSD shall send the placement procedure packet to the district contact person and set a mutually agreed upon date, place and time for a meeting to determine placement. (3) The district contact person shall obtain parent consent to send the following records to OSD and shall send the records for review to the director of OSD at least three working days prior to the multidisciplinary team meeting: (a) The current audiological report (OSD); (b) The current and previous medical, behavior, psychological, health immunization, and educational records, including previous IEPs, multidisciplinary team decisions and eligibility statements; (c) The current statement of eligibility; (d) The current IEP; and (e) The signed parent consent for release of information. (4) If the student is eligible for special education as a child with an intellectual or developmental disability, the resident school district shall contact the local mental health program case manager, who, in consultation with a Children's Services Division caseworker, shall review the IEP to determine if the student has need for residential care as part of the education program: (a) If the student needs residential care or other support services as part of the education program, but community resources are not available as documented by the local community mental health program case manager, the resident school district shall proceed with the placement process; (b) In cases where the student does not need residential care as a part of the education program, but needs other educational services provided by OSD, the resident school district shall proceed with the placement process. (5) The resident school district is responsible for conducting the multidisciplinary team meeting to determine the student's placement. (6) Participants in the placement meeting shall include persons knowledgeable about the student, the meaning of the evaluation data and placement options. The multidisciplinary team shall consist of: (a) The student's parent(s), guardian, or surrogate if the student is under age 18 or has a court-appointed guardian, or alternatively the student, if the student is over age 18 and does not have a court-appointed guardian; (b) The student, when appropriate; (c) The resident school district representative; (d) The regional program representative who is knowledgeable about the student's disability; (e) The director or designee from OSD who has knowledge about services that can be provided by the special school and has the authority to commit resources for services; (f) The local mental health case manager for students eligible for intellectual or developmental disability services; (g) Other representatives from the student's local placement; and (h) Other persons with pertinent information about the student. (7) The multidisciplinary placement team shall designate a member to complete the placement form. (8) When determining placement, the multidisciplinary team shall: (a) Base its decision on the student's current IEP; (b) Consider documented information from a variety of sources; (c) Address the variety of educational programs and services available to students without disabilities; (d) Review opportunities to participate in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities with students without disabilities; (e) Consider any potential harmful effects on the student or on the quality of services provided to the student; (f) Consider the following factors: (A) The services needed to implement the IEP which may include, but are not limited to, areas such as academics; self-help, social, interpersonal, independent living; vocational training; and language development; (B) A learning environment in which there is ample opportunity for the student to have meaningful communication with other students and teachers and exposure to cultural factors related to the student's disability; (C) The student's need for direct instruction in an alternative communication system; and (D) The extent of curriculum and instructional adaptations needed. (g) Determine whether the student needs additional services and specialized educational resources available at OSD that are not available at the local placement options; (h) Consider the impact on the student regarding the length of daily transportation for each placement option considered; (i) Compare the instructional time available at local placement options to implement the student's IEP with the instructional time available at OSD; and (j) Document the placement options considered and the rationale for rejection or acceptance. (9) Within 14 calendar days of the multidisciplinary team meeting, the resident school district shall submit the following documents to the Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Student Learning and Partnerships, Oregon Department of Education: (a) The eligibility statement; (b) The placement meeting notes; (c) The parental consent for release of information; (d) A letter of placement recommendation from the regional program and the resident school district; and (e) A written statement from the local community mental health program case manager regarding the availability of local residential services, when appropriate. (10) The Assistant Superintendent for the Oregon Department of Education’s Office of Student Learning and Partnerships shall send written notification of the multidisciplinary team's placement decision to the parent(s), guardian or surrogate, the resident school district, the regional program, and OSD. Placement shall begin after written notification is received by the parent(s) and the resident school district. (11) Prior to the student's enrollment at OSD, the school shall review the student's file to insure that the documents identified in section (3) of this rule have been received.