: Referral for Services

Friday June 2nd, 2023

Referral for Services

PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

The Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative is comprised of the following school districts in St. Clair County, Illinois:

Wesclin School District #3 Grant School District #110

Lebanon School District #9 Wolf Branch School District #113

Mascoutah School District #19 Whiteside School District #115

St. Libory School District #30 High Mount School District #116

Marissa School District #40 Belleville School District #118

New Athens School District #60 Belle Valley School District #119

Freeburg School District #70 Smithton School District #130

Freeburg High School District #77 Millstadt School District #160

Shiloh School District #85 Harmony-Emge School District #175

O’Fallon School District #90 Signal Hill School District #181

Central of O’Fallon School District #104 Belleville Twp. High School District #201

Pontiac-Holliday School District #105

BASSC is fiscally responsible for overseeing the Federal IDEA Flow Through and Preschool Allocations and Illinois state reimbursements that apply to students who are eligible for special education. BASSC is legally responsible for submitting FACTS (Funding and Child Tracking System) data to ISBE for all special education students who reside within its members’ geographic boundaries. BASSC offers specialized evaluations, technical assistance, consultation, training, specialized instructional programs, and advises its member districts on policies/procedures that conform with state and federal regulations and other initiatives that affect students with disabilities and special education.

Public schools are required to provide FAPE (a free, appropriate, public education) to all students who are identified as eligible for special education and who have an IEP (individualized education plan). Students with disabilities are eligible to attend school from age 3 through age 21, unless they graduate with a standard high school diploma.

The Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative and its member districts are responsible for actively locating, identifying, and evaluating all children with disabilities who live within the member districts’ boundaries, in addition to children who are homeless or wards of the state and children who attend private schools located within the boundaries of its member districts. If a student is found eligible for special education services, it is the responsibility of the member district to develop and implement an Individualized Education Program to designate the services that are required and to assure that the placement of the student eligible for services provides an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.

Referral for an evaluation may be made by contacting a member district building principal, local school superintendent, or the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative office at 355-4700.

The rights of parents and children are protected by Procedural Safeguards as outlined by federal law. A copy of these rights can be downloaded from BASSC at www.bassc-sped.org or the Illinois State Board of Education at http://www.isbe.state.il.us/.

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