CHILD FIND

Charlotte County Public Schools is attempting to identify, locate, and evaluate any child currently residing in Charlotte County (birth to age 21, inclusive) who may have disabilities and may need special education and related services. Pursuant to Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia (8 VAC 20-80-50), Charlotte County Public Schools shall conduct screenings as follows:

 All children (through grade three), within 60 business days of initial enrollment, shall be screened in speech, voice, and language and for fine and gross motor functions.

 All children, within 60 business days of initial enrollment, shall be screened in the areas of vision and hearing. In addition, the vision and hearing of all children in grades 3, 7, and 10 shall be screened during the school year.

 If a child fails the screening, written notice of the results will be provided to the parent(s). All results are confidential and maintained in the student's scholastic record.

For more information about Child Find, please contact:

Lorene Wendelin, Director of Special Programs
Charlotte County Public Schools
P. 0. Box 790
Charlotte Court House, VA 23923 Phone: 434-542-5151

Special Education in Charlotte County Public Schools

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997 prompted the revision of Virginia’s special education regulations. Under the Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia, special education is defined as “specifically designed instruction, at no cost to the parent or parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability… .” Accordingly, Charlotte County Public Schools strives to identify, evaluate, and provide a free and appropriate education to all students (ages 2 –21) identified under IDEA as eligible for special education services.

Each student found eligible for special education services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Under the state regulations, the IEP is defined as “a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a team meeting….and specifies the individual educational needs of the child and what special education and related services are necessary to meet the needs”. The parent is a vital part of this IEP team and invited to participate in all phases of the special education process.

The IEP team must review the child’s needs and determine the most appropriate placement in the least restrictive environment. Once the IEP is finalized, Charlotte County Public Schools coordinates the services specified in accordance with state and federal mandates. These services include: special education instructional services, speech and language services, occupational and physical therapies, as well as other related services deemed appropriate by the IEP team.

Charlotte County Public Schools must submit an Annual Plan of Special Education to the Virginia Department of Education. This details the use of federal funds, as well as policy and procedure. This plan is reviewed and approved by the Local Advisory Committee for Exceptional Students. This committee then submits it to the local school board for approval and submission to the Virginia Department of Education.

Gifted students come from many backgrounds, and their special abilities cover a wide spectrum of human potential. The Regulations governing educational services define gifted students as those students, "whose abilities and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require special educational programs to meet their educational needs."

These students possess talents and abilities that differ from those of their peers to such a degree that differentiated educational programs should be provided to nurture their growth and development. The identification of these students is based on the premise that they need and can benefit from specifically planned educational services differentiated from those provided by the general educational experience. Without a program of services that differs from what is available in the regular educational program, the superior talents and abilities of many students will remain undeveloped or underdeveloped.

Using multiple criteria, local staff members should regularly search for students in grades kindergarten through twelve who have potential and/or demonstrated abilities and who give evidence of high performance capabilities (which may include leadership) in one or more of the following categories:

 General Intellectual Aptitude. Students with advanced aptitudes.. as demonstrated by advanced skills and creative expression in general intellectual ability. 

Specific Academic Aptitude. Students with specific aptitudes in ..academic areas: mathematics; the sciences; and/or the humanities as demonstrated by advanced skills and creative expression in those areas. 

Technical and Practical Arts Aptitude. Students with specific aptitudes in selected technical or practical arts as demonstrated by advanced skills and creative expression in the technical and practical arts. 

Visual or Performing Arts Aptitude. Students with specific aptitudes in selected visual or performing arts as demonstrated by advanced skills and creative expression who excel consistently in the development of a product or performance in any of the visual and/or performing arts.

In Charlotte County, we strive to identify students (K-12) as gifted in the category of General Intellectual Aptitude. We also identify students in grades 3-5 in the category of Visual Arts. A student may be nominated by a parent, teacher, or community member. Once nominated, the parent must consent for the evaluation components to be given. Once the evaluation is completed, a committee at the school reviews the results, assesses if the student meets the established criteria, and then determines the eligibility status. If a student is found eligible, with parental permission, he/she can begin to participate in the specifically designed instruction.

Several models for instruction are implemented in Charlotte County Schools. These include:

 Differentiation of instruction within the classroom setting

 After school enrichment programs

 Advanced coursework (including dual enrollment courses at the secondary level)

 

Each year, our division must report the status of Gifted Education to our local school board. This is compiled and submitted with the approval of our Local Advisory Committee for Exceptional Students. Each five years, our division must submit a Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted to the Virginia Department of Education, detailing our program guidelines and procedures.