The District acknowledges a student’s social, cultural, environment, and economic circumstances can be relevant factors when considering and determining the identification, disability category, educational placement and discipline of a student suspected of or having a disability covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. By way of this policy, the District reaffirms that on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, it does not discriminate in favor of or against (a) the identification of children as children with disabilities, including identification by disability category, (b) the placement of children with disabilities in particular educational settings, or (c) the incident, duration, and type of disciplinary action taken with respect to children with disabilities, including suspensions.

To ensure implementation of this policy, district employees, district multidisciplinary evaluation teams, and district individualized education program teams at all school sites must consider a student’s social, cultural, environment and economic circumstances when:

• Referring a student for evaluation as a student with a disability and in addition to the student’s current performance, area of disability, medical information, parental/teacher input and disability category;

• Evaluating the student as a student with a disability;

• Determining the disability category of a student with a disability;

• Determining the educational placement of student with a disability; and

• Considering and imposing discipline on students with a disability. 

The purpose of considering a student’s social, cultural, environment and economic circumstances is to ensure that students, because of their race, color, or national origin, are not being (a) over referred for evaluation as students with a disability, (b) over identified as students with a disability, (c) over/under identified as having particular disability categories, (d) limited to receiving educational services in a particular educational placement, and (e) subject to a particular discipline, including suspensions. 

In implementing this policy, the Superintendent or designee is to ensure that school staff receives annual training, preferably in the fall of each school year, on all eligibility considerations regarding the identification of students with disabilities, including race and ethnicity. 

Approved by the Board of Education May 2017