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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ADMINISTRATION
S/H Pg 1
Originally Adopted 2008
Revised 2/12
Enrollment Criteria and Process: Students Ages 3 to 21
Purpose
The purpose of this Enrollment Criteria and Process description is to provide guidance to families, school districts, early childhood providers and other agencies that may refer students to The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD). These criteria also provide guidance for PSD Multidisciplinary Team members in determining whether or not a placement in PSD is appropriate and recommended.
General Enrollment Criteria
PSD provides a unique language and communication environment for students with educationally significant hearing losses. PSD’s learning environment is accessible primarily through American Sign Language and also through spoken English as appropriate. This enables all students to have full access to and make progress in the general education curriculum.
Students who may be appropriate for placement at PSD are as follows:
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Students who are deaf or hard of hearing and require the unique language and communication environment offered at PSD for educational purposes.
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Students whose primary receptive and expressive language for learning is, or is projected to be,
American Sign Language (ASL).
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Students whose primary receptive modality is audition and whose primary expressive language will be spoken (or written) English and who also benefit from sign language support to learn.
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Students whose families express a preference for the unique language, communication, social and cultural environment provided by PSD.
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Students who are deaf or hard of hearing and who also have diverse physical, cognitive, or emotional needs, which can be addressed through accommodations and modifications within the context of the
PSD communication and learning environment.
Students who may not be appropriate for placement at PSD are as follows:
 Some students who have a significant hearing loss may not benefit from PSD’s unique visual language and communication environment, even with significant modifications and accommodations, and may not be appropriate for enrollment at PSD. Such students may include, but are not limited to:

2 o Students whose cognitive and developmental delays are so significant that they are unable to utilize the visual and/or auditory input they receive to develop a sufficient language and communication base for the purpose of learning, social interactions with peers and adults and progress in the general education curriculum with modifications or accommodations; o Students whose behavioral health needs are such that they cannot meaningfully participate in a classroom environment even with positive behavioral support and/or who present a danger to themselves or others; a specific enrollment protocol is required for students with significant behavioral health needs; o Students whose physical or emotional health status or intellectual disabilities are such that they cannot utilize a visual/manual language environment to acquire a language and communication system for the purpose of education and social interaction with peers and adults; o Students whose physical needs are such that they require specialized medical environments which PSD is not equipped or authorized to provide; students with significant medical needs must be approved for enrollment by PSD’s Medical Director. o Students whose multiple disabilities override deafness as the primary handicapping condition as defined by IDEA
Enrollment Process
In order to be considered for admission to PSD, a student must be referred in writing by their local educational agency (LEA). PSD does not discriminate in admissions on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ancestry, veteran status and all other classes protected by applicable law . The PSD enrollment process is consistent with all applicable provisions of IDEA 2004 and
Chapter 14 of the Pennsylvania School Code, Special Education Regulations.
Initial steps:
Upon receiving a written referral, PSD contacts the family/legal guardian(s). If there are no school records with the referral, records will be requested from the referring School District and other appropriate agencies. The
School District must have family/guardian permission to release records to PSD. If the multidisciplinary team needs additional information about the child, PSD will also request written permission to have records released to PSD directly from a school entity or agency.
Evaluation:
Upon receiving a referral, PSD will convene its Multidisciplinary Team to begin to assess the student’s language and communication needs, current educational level of functioning, and other learning, social, emotional, behavioral, physical and cultural needs, as evidenced in the available records. In almost all cases a school visit is required for enrollment. PSD’s Multidisciplinary Team includes personnel who can communicate with the child in her/his preferred language and communication modality. PSD’s
Multidisciplinary Team may conduct its own evaluations during the visit. School visits generally include meeting with: the Director of the Admissions Office, the Principal/Supervisor who is responsible for programs for the student’s age and grade level, the Director of Speech, Language, and Assessment, a tour of the school, and opportunities for the prospective student to meet with peers.

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PSD recognizes that it may be difficult to determine whether a very young child will be able to take advantage of the primarily visual language environment provided at PSD, especially those with progressive hearing loss and/or significant cognitive, physical, behavioral health or learning differences, or pronounced developmental delays. While every effort will be made to provide and or adapt programs for all children referred for enrollment, there may be some children for whom PSD is not able to provide an appropriate program. Students who are not initially accepted for enrollment at PSD may have their application for enrollment reconsidered should there be a change in those conditions which previously precluded them from taking advantage of the language and communication environment provided by PSD.
Admission:
Following the completion of the evaluation process described above, an acceptance letter stating that PSD can provide an appropriate program for the student will be sent to the referring School District and family.
The School District will then schedule an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meeting for the purpose of developing a new IEP and making a placement recommendation for the student. Placement at PSD occurs if the family, School District and PSD (the IEP team) agree that the program described in the IEP can be provided at PSD. If the agreed upon placement is PSD, the School District of residence forwards the Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) and other required information to the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE) for approval. School Districts may place students at PSD without approval of PDE on a direct tuition basis. Students may also attend PSD prior to PDE approval if the School District of residence agrees to pay the daily tuition rate until PDE approval is secured.
Trial Placements:
There may be situations in which a clear determination about enrollment cannot be made following the standard admissions procedures because it is not clear if the student will respond to the PSD learning environment. On these rare occasions, a Trial Placement may be considered if the family, referring school district, and PSD are in agreement. This evaluation period, for up to sixty days, provides additional time to assess and observe the student and determine if PSD is the appropriate placement.
Health Requirements
All students must have the immunizations required by PDE for all school children in the Commonwealth.
Evidence of immunizations and other required health documents must be provided to the PSD School Nurse prior to the first day of attendance.
Additional Supports:
Some students require additional supports in order to attend PSD that are not included in the basic PSD program or included in the approved tuition rate. Examples of such supports are one-to-one aides, wraparound services related to behavioral health needs, individual nursing services, individualized assistive technology, and other medical or mental health services, etc. In such cases, these supports must be provided and paid for by the School District of residence or through an appropriate community agency.

Continuation of Enrollment:
The IEP Team, consisting of the family, PSD staff, and the LEA (Local Education Agency) will review and determine at the annual IEP meeting if continued enrollment at PSD is appropriate.
Originally Adopted 2008
Revised February 2012
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