CATALINA FOOTHILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Special Education
We are committed to providing young children and eligible students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education, consistent with federal and state laws.
These laws require the district to identify and assess students who may have disabilities and then provide appropriate programs and/or related services to those eligible. Programs and services are provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which was signed into law into 1997 and re-authorized in November 2004 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.
Services are provided based on the individual needs of the student and the recommendation of the Individualized Education Program (IEP), a legal document that describes how CFSD provides services to students with exceptional needs. Parents are full participants in the educational process of their children.
A continuum of services exists to meet the needs of students with disabilities. To help students experience success and build self-confidence as learners, our students:
- Attend their home schools whenever possible;
- Attend class with non-disabled students whenever appropriate;
- Receive direct and indirect services according to their individual needs; and
- Work individually or in small groups with professionally trained educators to learn strategies that may be transferred to classroom work.
Important resources for special education services are listed below:
Parental Rights & Procedural Safeguards (PDF) Español (PDF) Swahili (PDF) Arabic (PDF)
Confidentiality FERPA (PDF) Español (PDF)
Traveling the Special Education Highway (PDF)
Special Education Process Flowchart (PDF)
Revocation of Consent (PDF) Formulario de revocación del consentimiento (PDF)
AZ Scholarship for Students with Disabilities (PDF)
Important links related to special education services are listed below:
Section 504 Accommodation Plan
Understanding Special Education
For more information, contact Dr. Erin Matyjasik, 520-209-8081.
For records requests, please contact Cathy MacNeal, 520-209-8081.
NOTICE:
Notice is hereby given that Catalina Foothills School District intends to destroy the records of all students who qualified for its special education program after four years of having been dismissed from services, graduated, or transferred out. In accordance with federal and state laws, special education records are maintained for four years after the student exits the special education program and/or the activities for which special education funds were used. A permanent record of the student’s name, address, phone number, grades, attendance record and year completed is maintained in perpetuity.
The purpose of destruction is to protect the student from improper and unauthorized disclosure of the confidential information contained within the file. Please note that certain records may be needed by the student, parent or guardian for social security benefits or other purposes.
A copy of any information contained in the special education record can be provided to the parent/guardian or eligible student once the district receives a written request. If no parent/guardian or eligible student responds to this public notice, the school district will assume consent to destroy the entire special education record specific to the student.
If you do not understand this notice or are in need of interpretation, please contact the District Office at (520) 209-8081.