The mission of the Arlington Classics Academy Special Education Department is to
provide and support customized educational opportunities for students, parents, and
staff.

“The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) is the federal law that governs the special education process. One of the main purposes of IDEA is to ensure that children with disabilities have available to them a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. ACA will ensure that students with special needs are educated to the maximum extent appropriate with their nondisabled peers.  Placement, supports, and services are based on the individual needs of the student and determined by the ARDc in the IEP.

The parent-school relationship is an essential key to the success of your child. The Special Education staff looks forward to working closely with you to help make our child’s school experience a positive one.  Should you have any questions regarding your child and/or special education services, you may contact the team leader at your child’s campus. If you need further support, you can contact the Special Education Coordinator.

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Which Students Are Served?

Eligible students are those ages 3 through 21 (birth through 21 for students with visual or auditory impairments) who meet the legal requirements of one or more of the following disabilities as defined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA): 

• Auditory Impairment
• Mental Retardation
• Autism
• Multiple Disabilities
• Deaf-Blindness
• Other Health Impairment
• Non-Categorical Early Childhood
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Emotional Disturbance
• Speech Impairment
• Learning Disability
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

“Child Find” is a requirement of both federal and state law. It mandates that each school district will locate, identify and evaluate, at no cost to the family, all students, from birth to 21, who are suspected of having a disability. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) list and defines thirteen disabilities. They are: autism, deaf-blindness, auditory Impairment, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, learning disability, speech impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment and non-categorical early childhood.

• Children ages 0-3, are referred to Early Childhood Intervention of Tarrant County. The referral number is 817-569-5200.
• Children ages 3-21, who reside within the boundaries of ACA, are referred to the Special Education Department of ACA.
• ACA services are available to children with disabilities, ages 3 through 21. Children who have impaired vision or hearing can receive services from birth through age 21.
• ACA also provides services to students with disabilities who attend a private or home school located within the boundaries of ACA, regardless of the child’s place of residence.
• If your child attends public, private, home school, or if you know of a child residing in a foster home or other residential facility within ACA and you believe the child has or may have a disability, please contact one of our campuses. You may also contact the Special Education Department and ACA staff will work with you to ensure that every child receives an appropriate evaluation; determine which children have a disability that qualifies for services. Services are offered to all children free of charge.

The Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Process is a web-based template that summarizes state and federal requirements for special education by topic. Schools may use the Legal Framework as a reference in managing the special education system's procedures and records to ensure accountability that each student is provided the benefits of a free appropriate public education and that relevant special education data is accessible and used in managing system change for continuous student performance and program improvement. 

For more information, please visit the Region 18 Education Service Center website.

El marco jurídico para el proceso Niño-Centrado es una plantilla en un formato electrónico que resuma los requisitos estatales y federales para la educación especial por asunto. Las escuelas pueden utilizar el marco jurídico como referencia en los procedimientos especiales y los expedientes del sistema educativo de manejo para asegurarse que proporcionan a cada estudiante las ventajas de una educación pública apropiada, libre y que los datos relevantes a la educación especial son accesibles y utilizados en el cambio de sistema de manejo para el funcionamiento del estudiante y la mejoria continua del programa. 

Para mas informacion, favor de visitar la pagina de web del Centro de Servicio de la Region 18. 

Special Education Records Public Notice: Destruction of Special Education Records

In accordance with Federal and State regulations, Arlington Classics Academy is giving notice of intent to destroy the special education records of students who graduated and/or ended services SEVEN YEARS PRIOR TO THIS CURRENT YEAR.

With proof of identity, the parent, guardian, or adult student may request student files between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the  Special Education Office. These records may be needed for social security benefit applications or other purposes.

1. Seven year old special education files not requested by NOVEMBER, will be DESTROYED in DECEMBER of each year.
2. A notice will be published in the local newspaper in October of each year, making a PUBLIC NOTICE of this procedure. 
3. ACA has 10 business days to release records after the request has been submitted and/or the consent for records has been signed.

If you have any questions concerning this process, please call the Special Education Office..

TEXAS TRANSITION AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDE
 
The Texas Transition and Employment Guide provide youth, young adults, parents and professional with secondary transition resources to facilitate a young person's progress towards post-secondary goals to education, employment, and community living. This guide will continually be updated. 

TEXAS TRANSITION AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDE 

La versión en español también está disponible en este enlace.

TEA Special Education in Texas

Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism

ARC of Northeast Tarrant County

Region XI

Texas Behavior Support Initiative

Texas Project First Site for Parent

 SPEDTex