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These policies and procedures are governed by federal, state and local mandates.

All procedures used by the South Bend Community School Corporation in the identification and provision of special education and related services to students with disabilities are in accordance with the rules and regulations of federal and state law.

Students with disabilities who are ages three (3)  through twenty-two (22), reside within the jurisdiction of the South Bend Community School Corporation and are eligible for special education and related services will receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment as defined by state and federal law. 

FAPE will be provided to students until they have earned a high school diploma or have completed the school year during which they reached the age of twenty-two.  SBCSC recognizes the high mobility rate of students residing within its’ boundaries.  In accordance with regulations, services will be provided in the student’s home school, unless the needs of the student require placement at another school as defined by the IEP.

The Special Education Department supports the development of specifically designed instructional approaches to meet the individual student needs in the least restrictive setting with participation in the general education curriculum, if appropriate.  The Department provides the entire continuum of services required by federal and state mandates.

These services can most effectively be provided through a school-based model which focuses on the use of building level resources.  This model provides the following advantages:

The role of the Special Education Department in the school-based model is to:

The role of the school staff shall be to:

School and Special Education Department staff must work collaboratively to assure consistency and quality of special education and related services within the school and across the district.

Teacher Of Record (TOR) Responsibilities

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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

The case conference committee shall ensure that a student with a disability is educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.  A student with a disability shall not be removed from the general education classroom unless it can be documented that the student cannot achieve satisfactorily, even with supplemental aids and services or solely because modifications are needed in the general curriculum. 

The student shall attend the home school with chronological aged peers unless the IEP requires a more restrictive placement.  The same non-academic and extracurricular activities that are available to non-disabled students must also be available to students with disabilities. 

The student with disabilities may participate in vocational education, art, music, homemaking education, field trips, lunch, recess, athletics, graduation ceremonies, etc. if appropriate. 

Related services should also be delivered in the least restrictive setting.  Services to students with different disabilities may also be provided at the same time and in the same setting.

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Continuous Improvement Monitoring of Special Education and Related Services

The Special Education Department has the responsibility for ensuring that high quality and appropriate educational services are delivered to eligible student with disabilities.  The Department maintains a process that ensures the Corporation is in compliance with federal and state rules and regulations through the use of Continuous Improvement Monitoring (CIM).  This process was designed by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and incorporated by the Indiana Department of Education, Center for Exceptional Learners.

Most questions/concerns regarding students with disabilities can be resolved through consultation with the student’s teacher of record (TOR), building administrator or district support team member.

Questions which cannot be resolved at this level or concerns of a more serious nature, should be referred to the Special Education Department:

South Bend Community School Corporation

Special Education Department

215 South St. Joseph Street

South Bend, IN 46601

Phone:  (574) 283-8130     Fax:  (574) 283-8105       

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Child Find Procedure

The South Bend Community School Corporation consistently exercises efforts to make the public aware of special education services. This is accomplished through numerous contacts with private agencies and facilities, the distribution of resource materials, and maintaining close working relationships with departments in the corporation that serve our highly mobile and often homeless families. 

Information is also made available in non-English formats to inform population groups in the area whose native language or mode of communication is not English.

Child find activities also apply to students who are enrolled in non-public schools located within the SBCSC boundary areas.  This includes students who are being homeschooled.

Parent Advisory Council

All parents are welcome to participate in the Parent Advisory Council meetings.  The meetings provide a forum for open communication, identification of needs and concerns, as well as providing input for on-going in-service training, promotion of positive public relations, and identification of community resources.