Process for School Districts to Consider the Appropriateness of Residential Placement of a
Special Education Student via the IEP Process
IEP related Residential Treatment Services are provided to assist a student to access his/her special
education program. The decision to provide Residential Treatment Services is made after thorough
assessment is completed, which may take up to 60 calendar days - they are not emergency response
services.
IEP Related
Behaviors:
Not IEP Related*
Behaviors primarily:
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Are primarily due to social/emotional issues or
symptoms and resulting in significant, ongoing
difficulties in educational performance (and/or)
Are presenting frequent, ongoing safety risks at
school to self and/or others, (and)
Are not sufficiently responsive to extensive
supports and services which have been provided
at school and/or home, to address educational
needs (and)
Require and student is likely to benefit from a
comprehensive full time therapeutic setting in
order to access their educational services
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Are related to social maladjustment or conduct
disorder (and/or)
Are result of substance abuse (if any) (and/or)
Are observed in the home and community but
student is still able to benefit from his or her
educational program (and/or)
Are due to Intellectual or Developmental
Disabilities which preclude the ability to benefit
from a comprehensive, therapeutic setting.
The following steps should be followed if Residential Placement has been requested by any member of
the IEP team:
 Assessment Plan generated
 Assessment conducted by District of Residence School Psychologist and Intensive School-Based Therapist
in consultation with Residential Placement Coordinator within 60 days of signed Assessment Plan
 Report written using the “Consideration of Need for Residential Treatment Services” Assessment Report
template (On SELPA website under Assessment Reports/Residential Treatment)
 Begin meeting in SIRAS – Meeting purpose “Other Review” and “Change Placement”
 IEP meeting held- Residential Placement Consultant included
 IEP form “Consideration for IEP/Educationally Related Residential Treatment Services” completed at the
meeting, to document decision about placement (in SIRAS as an optional form under the list of forms that
comes up)
 If agreed to place, Residential Treatment Services noted on the Student Information and Services page for
10,080 minutes per week, location “service provider location”
 The offer of FAPE will be general, pending selection of the specific facility.
 The “Worksheet for Specialized Out of District Placement” form is also included with the IEP, specifying
goals as well as the skills and behaviors student needs to return home (located in SIRAS at as an optional
form under the list)
 Once selected, Residential Placement Agreement form signed by parent and district (located on SELPA
website under Social/Emotional Residential Treatment)
 IEP Addendum held to add the specifics about the facility to the IEP - We will have sample statements to
put in the IEP regarding the unique features of the facility.
 Residential Treatment Coordinator will request an IEP Review as soon as appropriate after placement
 IEP review must be held at six months.
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