File: JF

Admission and Denial of Admission

I.Eligibility General

Children between the ages of birth to twenty-one years who qualify for special education in the areas of hearing and/or vision may be considered for enrollment at CSDB. To be eligible for residential placement, students must meet the guidelines as stated in section III of this policy and must require a full day educational program. Students reaching the age of 21 after the commencement of the academic year may complete that current academic year. Eligible students must present educational needs which can be met through the unique environment of CSDB. Additionally, the following criteria must be met:

A. Cognitive Criteria

Children shall possess a minimum cognitive functioning level to be considered eligible for enrollment. Cognitive abilities with compatible adaptive behavior skills at or above 40% of chronological age must be demonstrated through a multi-disciplinary team evaluation.

B. Behavioral Criteria

The presence and extent of behavioral issues will be considered. Students ineligible due to behavioral criteria include, but are not limited to, those who demonstrate:

  1. Unpredictable assaultive behavior and/or a pattern of predictably assaultive behavior directed towards authority figures and/or peers
  2. Dangerousness to self (self-abusive behaviors) and/or others
  3. Mental disorders of severity which require close medical/psychiatric interventions

Further, entry criteria exclude a student who requires

  1. The level of structure and intensive supervision of a treatment program on a 24-hour basis
  2. Related and rehabilitative services on a 24-hour basis to facilitate management of educational needs
  3. 24 hour a day supervision in order to meet goals listed on the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP)

C. Age Criteria

  1. Entrance into day preschool requires that the child be three years of age.
  2. Entrance into kindergarten requires that the child be five years of age on or before September 15.
  3. Entrance into the first grade requires that the child be six years of age on or before September 15.
  4. Under extenuating circumstances, the superintendent may make exceptions to the age requirements based on the individual needs of the child.

An appeal process exists for students who are found ineligible. (See regulation JF-R.)

II.EXTENDED ASSESSMENT PERIOD

Students may enroll for a 30 day Extended Assessment Period to determine potential eligibility for enrollment at CSDB and/or to determine whether the student presents educational needs which could be met through the unique environment of CSDB.

III.RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS

The residential program at CSDB is available to meet the needs of students who are eligible for enrollment at the school and (a) live at such distance from CSDB that they cannot practically be transported to and from school on a daily basis and/or (b) have educational needs that can be met only through a residential placement of specified duration. When a child has educational needs identified on the IEP, s/he shall be served in the least restrictive environment. Residential placement is available only when that is the least restrictive environment in which a child's educational needs can be met.

Eligibility for residential placement at CSDB is recommended by the student’s IEP staffing team based on the following criteria: The student must be eligible for enrollment at CSDB and (a) live at such distance from CSDB [i.e., out of the Pikes Peak Region Districts (which are #2, #3, #8, #11, #12, #14, #20, and #49)] that the student cannot practically be transported to and from school on a daily basis and/or (b) has educational needs that can be met only through a residential placement of a specified duration. Residential placements which are made for educational needs must be reviewed annually (or more often as needed) by the IEP staffing team. When the staffing team decides that a less restrictive placement is appropriate to meet the child's educational needs, the child may not be enrolled in CSDB’s residential program. Examples of residential placement requests that do not indicate educational needs include but are not limited to:

  1. participation in sports and extra-curricular activities
  2. 2.child care
  3. 3.foster care

IV.ADDITIONAL GROUNDS FOR DENIAL OF ADMISSION

The following shall constitute additional grounds for denial of admission to CSDB:

  1. Having been expelled from any school district during the preceding twelve months;
  2. Failure to comply with the immunization requirements of C.R.S. 25-4-901 et seq.;
  3. Behavior in another school district in the preceding twelve months that is detrimental to the welfare or safety of other pupils or of school personnel.

V.ELIGIBILITY FOLLOWING GRADUATION/GED COMPLETION

Students who have received a high school diploma or who have successfully passed the GED test may be eligible to enroll in CSDB’s transition program, as determined by the student’s IEP team. The superintendent shall make the final decision regarding enrollment of such students and the waiver of any other CSDB eligibility criteria.

Issued: November 1982 – October 1993

Revised: February 1994

Adopted and revised by Board of Trustees: June 27, 2005

Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Colorado Springs, CO Page 1 of 3