Special Education

Leona Group Schools makes special education and related services available to all students. Our teachers are trained to teach to diverse learning styles and ability levels. Our schools believe in close collaboration between general education teachers, special education teachers, staff, and parents. This produces the best possible learning outcomes for our exceptional students. For more information about our special education programs, please contact the school’s special education department.

Special Education Records Retention Notice: Pursuant to A.R.S. 41-1351, special education records including placement records, referrals, evaluations, and testing data, will be destroyed seven years after the student’s last fiscal year of enrollment. A permanent record of a student’s name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed and year completed, may be maintained without time limitation.

Procedural Safeguards: Parents of a student with a disability (or suspected of having a disability) are entitled to a Procedural Safeguards Notice, which explains the rights of the parent and student to ensure they are protected through the special education process. A copy of the procedural safeguards notice is offered to parents once annually and in specific instances; however, copies are always available by contacting the School Office and on the school’s website.

ESS Referral and Evaluation: Students suspected of having a disability may be referred to the school’s exceptional student services coordinator, school leader, or the Director of Exceptional Student Services by the parent or school staff for further evaluation. Evaluations will be conducted pursuant to the requirements under ADA Section 504 and/or IDEA. For information on the school’s evaluation procedures under Section 504 or IDEA, contact the school leader or the Director of Exceptional Student Services at 602-953-2933.

In compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Leona Group managed schools are required to locate and provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for all enrolled students with disabilities.

The following child find activities are conducted by Leona Group managed schools to locate enrolled students with disabilities:

• Review of school records (from prior schools and school of current enrollment).
• Screening within 45 days of enrollment in the following areas: vision, hearing, motor skills, speech, language, cognitive ability, academic, and social-emotional development.
• Refer children suspected of having a disability age birth to three years to the Arizona Early Intervention Program and children age three to five years (not yet enrolled in school) to the appropriate state or community agencies.
• Provide information about concerns and student progress to parent(s) in writing.
• If appropriate, refer the child for evaluation and/or other appropriate services.

All referrals are considered confidential, and services are provided at no cost. The parent, legal guardian, or surrogate parent retains the right to refuse services and are provided other procedural safeguards under federal and state law.

A free appropriate public education with a full continuum of services is available for eligible students with disabilities. If you suspect that your child has a disability and is eligible for services under ADA Section 504 or IDEA or have questions about child find activities, please contact the school’s exceptional student services coordinator or the school leader. You may also contact the Director of Exceptional Student Services at 602-953-2933.

Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Leona Group managed schools have a duty to identify, refer, evaluate and if eligible, provide a free, appropriate public education to students with disabilities. For additional information about the rights of parents of eligible students, or for answers to any questions you might have about identification, evaluation and placement into Section 504 programs, please contact the school leader or the Director of Exceptional Student Services at 602-953-2933.

Grievance Procedure under ADA Section 504: Any person who believes she or he has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability by a student, staff member, or third party may file a grievance under the grievance procedure outlined in this handbook. Examples of disability discrimination can include, but are not limited to, disability-based harassment; limiting or denying a qualified individual with a disability in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving an aid, benefit or service; and failing to make non-fundamental, reasonable modifications of "policies, practices or procedures" when such modification is necessary to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Leona Group managed schools will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, if needed, to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing audio material for the blind, providing a scribe for submission of the complaint, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. The school leader will be responsible for such arrangements.

Leona Group Schools managed schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, you may contact the OCR office for Arizona at: Denver Office, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582. Telephone: 303-844-5695; FAX: 303-844-4303; TDD: 800-877-8339; Email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov

Or visit: https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.

To request records, please email brittany.mclemore@leonaschools.com.

AZ Child Find FERPA Notice (English) FERPA Notice (Español) Procedural Safeguards Notice (English) Procedural Safeguards Notice (Español) 504 Parent Rights & Procedural Safeguards 504 Child Find Notice