Procedural Safeguards

Maryland State Department of Education 2004

A step-by-step educational decision making process is involved in the provision of special education and related services to children with a disability. Certain protections, known as procedural safeguards, are built into the process to guarantee the rights of you and your child. You have the right to participate in your child's special education program. You have the right to participate in meetings regarding the identification, evaluation, educational placement of your child, and the provision of a free appropriate public education. You also have the right to an interpreter, translator, and/or have other individuals accompany you to any meeting when the meeting is focused on your child. Becoming familiar with these rights will enable you to be a well-informed advocate for your child. A document entitled "Parental Rights Maryland Procedural Safeguards Notice" provides detailed information.

• Notice
• Consent
• Educational Evaluation Process
• Independent Educational Evaluation
• Parent Surrogate
• Procedures Regarding Educational Records
• Extended School Year Services
• Discipline of students with disabilities
• Unilateral placement of students in private schools
• Resolving disagreements
• Attorney's fees

A copy of this document is to be provided to you upon the initial referral of your child for evaluation, and when you request a due process hearing. Any time you wish to have additional copies of this document, please contact the IEP Facilitator at your child's school.

What is the Infants and Toddlers program?
The Charles County Infants and Toddlers program provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers, birth to 3 years of age, who may be delayed in development or have disabilities. 

For more information, contact:
Daphne Burns
Principal, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center
301-934-3884
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Early Intervention services address the needs of children, birth through 5 years, who have or may have disabilities or developmental delays that impact their learning. Charles County Public Schools is dedicated to developing a seamless system of services for special education students throughout their early intervention experience. CCPS’ Early Intervention services are based out of the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center and include collaboration with local service providers (physicians, daycare staff, childcare centers, etc). CCPS also has partnerships with other local agencies and services, such as Head Start and the Judy Centers.

Preschool Child Find Services

What? Free developmental, speech and hearing screenings; if needed, assessments and special education program planning.

Who?  Children ages 3-5 years, living in Charles County who parents have concerns about their development.

Where?  F.B. Gwynn Educational Center, 5998 Radio Station Road, La Plata, Md., 20646

When?  Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

How?  Call the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center at 301-753-1745 or 301-934-3884 to schedule an appointment.

Preschool Special Education Programs
Special education services for preschool age students are delivered in a variety of ways, and are determined by the needs of the student and their family. Many of our students attend preschool special education programs that are located in most elementary schools; these programs include a strong inclusive philosophy and a co-teaching model. 

For more information, contact:
Sheila Myers
Instructional Specialist for Preschool
301-753-1745 or 301-934-3884
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The Emotional Adjustment (EA) Program is a highly structured self-contained therapeutic program with mainstreaming opportunities for those students who have difficulty accessing the academic curriculum in the general education setting due to emotional /behavioral concerns. The program is regionalized, with school sites at the elementary, middle and high school settings. The program provides students with academic, behavioral, and psychological services support for the acquisition of essential self-regulatory, social, and academic skills. The program continues to support those students who are able to maintain appropriate behavior as they return to the mainstream setting. Ultimately, these therapeutic supports are intended to assist the student in achieving emotional/behavioral stability and academic success without the need for such extensive supports.

For further information, please contact:
Cathryn Lopez
EA Program and Special Education Coordinator
301-934-7387
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SOAR (Structured teaching, Opportunities for social inclusion, Active learning and Rigor) is a regionalized program for students with Autism who require specialized instruction in order to develop skills essential to achieving independence, self-advocacy, flexibility and generalization. The program serves students beginning in kindergarten through the end of the student’s high school career and utilizes evidence-based practices to support academic, communication, social, adaptive and behavioral development. Classrooms are purposefully arranged to integrate visual supports, principles of applied behavior analysis and structured work systems. SOAR classrooms maintain high levels of structure, have increased staff to student ratio and provide intensive case management. Students in the SOAR program are on track to receive a high school diploma and when appropriate, are educated in the same environments as their typically developing peers. Placement in the SOAR program is determined through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. School placements may be at the student’s home school or a nearby school location.

For additional information, please contact:
Christine Prozik
Coordinator of Autism Services
301-934-7433
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ACHIEVE is a regionalized special education program designed to meet the needs of students in kindergarten through age 21, with significant cognitive disabilities. The ACHIEVE Program provides rigorous and individualized instruction in:

Academics
Communication and
Heightened
Independence for
Education
Vocation and
Engagement

The ACHIEVE Program provides academic instruction on the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Essential Elements in reading and mathematics and modified outcomes from the Next Generation Science Standards.  The DLM Essential Elements are derived from the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards and are the MSDE approved alternate curriculum for the state of Maryland.  The ACHIEVE Program is structured to incorporate the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and utilizes evidence-based practices for teaching students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and multiple disabilities.

Students in the ACHIEVE Program are pursuing a Maryland State Certificate of Completion upon exit of the school system. ACHIEVE classrooms are located in comprehensive elementary, middle, and high schools. Whenever appropriate, students receiving services through the ACHIEVE program are educated in the same environments as their typically developing peers. Placement in the ACHIEVE program is determined through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting and may be at the student’s home school or a nearby school. 

For further information, please contact:

Amanda Mastran
Special Education Coordinator
301-392-7508
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The Transition Team insures uniform case management and compliance with IDEA by providing direct services to 14 to 21 year old students with IEPs and their teachers. Transitions for each student with disabilities from school to adult life requires collaborations among family, school, and community; all working together to support the student reach his or her postsecondary goals for employment, education or training, and/or independent living. Transition Team members review each student’s IEP for COMAR and IDEA compliance. Then, assist the student’s teacher and IEP team, identifying and coordinating community resources and adult services, which include linkages to: employers and employment, work-based learning, college support services, community rehabilitation providers, and State agencies (Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration, Division of Rehabilitation Services/Maryland State Department of Education, Mental Hygiene Administration/Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Office of Workforce Development and Adult Learning/Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation. The Transition Team also provides training and supports for developing IEP Transition Plans, writing Exit Documents, and identifying students’ career interests.

For further information regarding the Transition services, please contact:

Christina Sprague
Transition Specialist
301-302-8307
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Adult Independence Program
Adult Independence is a vocational rehabilitation program serving students 18 to 21, who have completed the requirements for a State Certificate. IEP teams identify students who wish to enroll and whose participation in the program is likely to improve their employment outcome. Instruction often occurs in the community, where students experience adult life first hand, acquiring environmentally specific skills that support personal goals and seamless transitions to employment, travel, and community integration. Through practice, repetition, and individualized service coordination, each student develops and experiences a sustainable life system that includes all aspects of his or her adult life. Students who participate in Adult Independence become fully engaged with their adult life, while parents and guardians become adept at navigating community systems. The transition from school to adulthood becomes seamless when individuals notice no difference between their last day as public school students and their first day as independent adults.

For further information regarding the Adult Independence Program services, please contact:

Christina Sprague
Transition Specialist
301-302-8307
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The Charles County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee is organized to provide a forum for issues pertaining to children with special education needs.  Our members advocate at the county, state, and national levels to make recommendations and assist the Charles County Public Schools about issues including the education budget, inclusion, assessments, support services, and other issues concerning the educational needs of students with disabilities.

The Charles County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 6:30 pm.  We do not meet in June, July, August, or December.  Our meetings are located inside the Parent Center at the following address:

Gwynn Center
5998 Radio Station Rd
La Plata, MD 20646