OAR 581-021-0029: Homeschooling for Children with Disabilities

(1) The definitions in OAR 581-021-0026 apply to this rule, along with the following definitions: (a) "District" means the student's resident school district under 339.133 (b) "Child with a disability means a child between the ages of 6 and 18 whose parent or guardian seeks exemption from compulsory school attendance under ORS 339.030(1)(c) or (1)(d) and who meets eligibility criteria for a specific disability category under OAR 581-015-0051. (c) "Individualized educational program" (IEP) is defined under OAR 581-015-0005(11). (d) "Privately developed plan" (PDP) means an individual plan developed by a team including the parent and one or more private service providers to address the educational needs of a child with a disability. A PDP shall include individual educational goals for the student and a statement indicating how satisfactory educational progress will be determined for the student. (e) "Satisfactory educational progress" means educational progress across academic and/or developmental areas appropriate to the child's age and abilities. The student need not complete all individualized educational program or privately developed plan goals for the team to determine that the student is making satisfactory educational progress. (2) Notice Requirements: (a) Parents shall notify the ESD superintendent of intent to homeschool a child with a disability in accordance with OAR 581-021-0026(1)(f) and (4). (b) The ESD superintendent shall notify the district if the ESD receives notice that a parent intends to homeschool a child with a disability. (c) The district shall provide written notice to the parent that it stands ready to provide a free appropriate public education if the child enrolls in the district. This notice shall be provided annually as long as: (A) The child remains eligible for special education; and (B) The child is exempt from compulsory education as a homeschooled child; and (C) The child is not receiving special education and related services from the district. (3) Testing and Reporting Requirements: (a) If a child with a disability is receiving IEP services from a district and the IEP includes a provision for IEP team assessment of satisfactory educational progress, the district shall: (A) Complete this assessment according to the schedule identified in OAR 581-021-0026(6); and (B) Provide the parent with a copy of the results, including a summary statement indicating whether the child has made satisfactory educational progress in light of the child's age and disability. (b) If a child with a disability is receiving services under a PDP, and the PDP includes a provision for assessment of satisfactory educational progress, the PDP team shall: (A) Complete this assessment according to the schedule identified in OAR 581-021-0026(6); and (B) Provide the parent with a copy of the results, including a summary statement indicating whether the child has made satisfactory educational progress in light of the child's age and disability. (c) Parents who are homeschooling a child with a disability shall do one of the following: (A) If the district has conducted an assessment under subsection (3)(a)(A), retain documentation of the child's progress under subsection (3)(a)(B) and, upon request, report this information to the ESD on the same schedule as required under OAR 581-021-0026(6); or (B) Ensure that the child's progress is evaluated according to a privately developed plan, and retain and report progress, upon request, on the same schedule as required by OAR 581-021-0026; or (C) Follow the testing and reporting requirements in OAR 581-021-0026. (d) Parents of a child who is not identified under OAR 581-015-0051 but who is disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act shall comply with subsections (B) or (C), above. (4) If the IEP or PDP team determines that the child has not made satisfactory educational progress, the superintendent shall take the actions identified in OAR 581-021-0026 in the sequence stated. (5) District responsibilities for homeschooled children with disabilities: (a) When the district receives notice that a parent intends to homeschool a child with a disability or that a child with a disability is being homeschooled, the district shall offer, and document to the parent; (A) An opportunity for the child to receive special education and related services if the child were enrolled in the district; and (B) An opportunity for IEP meeting to consider providing special education and related services to the child with a disability in conjunction with homeschooling. (i) An IEP shall only be developed for a child with a disability if the IEP team determines that a free appropriate public education can be provided in conjunction with homeschooling. (ii) Services may be provided in the home only to the extent that special education or related services would be provided in the home if the child were not homeschooled. (b) The child's IEP team shall be convened and conducted, and an IEP developed, consistent with the requirements in OAR Division 15, with the following exceptions: (A) The child's parent shall be treated as both parent and regular education teacher of the child unless the parent designates another individual as the regular education teacher; (B) Under "extent of non-participation in regular education" the IEP shall state that the child is exempt from compulsory school attendance and regular education is provided through homeschooling; and (C) The IEP shall state how "satisfactory educational progress" will be determined for the student. (i) If the IEP team determines that the testing requirements of OAR 581-021-0026 are appropriate for the child, the provisions of 581-021-0026(6) shall apply to the child. (ii) If the IEP team determines that the testing requirements of OAR 581-015-0026 are not appropriate for the child, the IEP team shall identify another measure that will be used to determine whether the child has made satisfactory educational progress. (iii) Notwithstanding subsections (i) and (ii), a parent may use a PDP to determine whether the child has made satisfactory educational progress. If so, the IEP shall indicate that satisfactory educational progress will be determined by the PDP team at parent request. (c) Children with disabilities shall be reevaluated at least every three years in accordance with OAR 581-015-0072 through 581-015-0074 and 581-015-0701. (A) If the team determines that specific evaluation is necessary to continue eligibility or to determine appropriate special education and related services for the child's IEP, and the parent refuses consent for such evaluation, or refuses to make the child available, the district shall document to the parent that the district stands ready to conduct the evaluation when the parent gives consent or makes the child available. (B) If the district does not have sufficient evaluation information to determine eligibility or to develop an IEP, the district is not required to complete these activities. The district shall provide prior written notice under OAR 581-015-0075 if the district terminates eligibility or services under these circumstances. (d) Child find: (A) If a district suspects that a homeschooled child has a disability under OAR 581-015-0051, the district shall: (i) Obtain parent consent for initial evaluation under OAR 581-015-0039; and (ii) Conduct an initial evaluation and determine the child's eligibility to receive special education and related services consistent with OAR 581-015-0051, 0053, 0071, 0072, 0073, and 0701. (B) If the child is eligible, the district shall notify the parent and shall offer and document to the parent an opportunity for an IEP meeting to consider initiation of special education and related services to the child with a disability. (C) If the parent refuses consent, does not respond, or refuses to make the child available, the district shall document to the parent that the district stands ready to conduct the evaluation when the parent gives consent or makes the child available. (D) If a parent does not respond or refuses to meet to consider initiation of special education and related services, the district has no further obligation to initiate the offer of a free appropriate public education as long as the child is exempted from compulsory education as a homeschooled child. (6) If the district permits partial enrollment of homeschooled children in its regular education program, the district shall permit children with disabilities to participate to the same extent as non-disabled children, if appropriate, whether or not the child is receiving IEP services from the district. (a) If the child is receiving IEP services from the district, the IEP team shall determine the appropriateness of participation and the IEP shall include necessary modifications and accommodations related to the participation. Notwithstanding subsection (5)(b)(A), if the IEP calls for participation in any part of the district's regular education program, the IEP team shall include a district regular education teacher in accordance with OAR 581-015-0066(3). (b) If the child is not receiving IEP services from the district, the district shall consider the participation, and necessary modifications and accommodations for the child under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. (7) A child who is exempt from compulsory school attendance as a homeschooled child with a disability will continue to be considered an exempt homeschooled child even though: (a) The child receives special education and related services from the district, unless these services are the equivalent of full-time enrollment in the district; or (b) If the district permits partial enrollment of homeschooled children and, pursuant to that policy, the child attends one or more regular education classes. (8) Parents of homeschooled children with disabilities have the same procedural safeguards as children with disabilities enrolled in the district, except for the following: (a) A parent is not entitled to an independent educational evaluation at public expense under OAR 581-015-0094 if the parent disagrees with an IEP team evaluation regarding satisfactory educational progress under this rule. (b) A parent may not request a due process hearing under OAR 581-015-0081 to contest a district's decision not to provide special education and related services in conjunction with homeschooling. (c) Complaints that a school district has failed to meet any of the requirements under OAR 581-021-0029(5) or (8) may be heard under OAR 581-015-0054.