Parents of Parentally Placed Private School Students
Exceptional Student Education Non-Public Services provides evaluation services to students who do not participate in the public school system and who are in kindergarten through twelfth grade. These services include assistance in initially determining if a non-public school student may need special education services and conducting reevaluations for identified students with disabilities.
Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) requires that school districts locate, identify and evaluate at public expense students who are parentally placed at private schools and who are suspected of having disabilities and needing special education or related services. This is part of the school districts responsibility, known as Child Find.
School districts must make available a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) via an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) to those parentally placed students who are evaluated at public expense and determined to have disabilities if the student enrolls in and attends public school. The requirement to make available a free appropriate public education does not extend to private school settings when children with disabilities are parentally placed in those settings. There is no individual entitlement of parentally placed private school students to receive special education services.
Seminole County Public Schools also partners with Seminole County non-profit private schools to provide support and services to students with disabilities who are in kindergarten through twelfth grade. These services are determined through the process that takes place between SCPS and private school representatives in Seminole County on an annual basis.
All not-for-profit private schools in Seminole County are eligible to partner (affirm) with SCPS to receive equitable services for their students with disabilities. The services are agreed upon annually.
Florida Department of Education Resources
FDOE School Choice
SCPS Contact: [email protected] or 407-320-2032