Federal Title Programs

Child Find
Child Find is the process of identifying, locating and evaluating children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services.

Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees, and concerned citizens can help school districts find any child, age birth – 21, who may have a disability and need special education and related services. If you are aware of a child who may have special needs, please notify his/her school district. Schools can do a better job with your help. In Girard, please contact Joseph Jeswald, Superintendent at 330/545-2596, ext. 151.

When a school receives information of a student who may need special education services, the district will contact the parents to find out if the child needs to be evaluated. If a need is identified, the child will receive the appropriate special education services.

Directory Information
1. Student directory information includes the student’s name, height and weight if a member of an athletic team, awards received, honor rolls made, scholarships, participation in officially-recognized activities and sports, and date of graduation.
2. Parents and adult students may refuse to allow the District to disclose any or all of such directory information upon written notification to the District within ten days after receipt of the District’s public notice. Otherwise, such directory information shall be released without the consent of the student or parent.
3. Directory information shall not be provided to any organization for profit-making purposes.
4. By state law, the District shall release the names, addresses, and phone numbers of students in grades 10-12 to recruiting officers of any branch of the U.S. military
5. Whenever the release of a student’s educational, health, or directory information is necessary, either parent may provide consent unless agreed to otherwise in writing by both parents or stated by court order.
6. The District may provide directory information on former students without student or parental consent.

Nondiscrimination
In compliance with federal law, the Girard City School District has established policies and procedures that are free from discriminatory practices. Board policy 2260 states, “The board of education declares it to be the policy of this district to provide an equal opportunity for all students regardless of race, color, creed, disability, religion, gender, ancestry, age, national origin, place of residence within the boundaries of the district, or social or economic background to learn the curriculum offered in this district.”

The Board has designated the Superintendent as the district’s Civil Rights Compliance Officer. The Superintendent can be reached at 330-545-2596, ext. 151.

Limited English Proficiency
The school district provides services to students whose primary language is not English. Parents of students in Girard’s Limited English Proficiency
program are entitled to the following information:
- child’s level of English proficiency
- how that level is assessed
- status of child’ achievement
- method of instruction used in child’s program
- how the program will meet educational strengths and
needs of the child
- how the program will help the child learn English and
meet age appropriate academic achievement standards
for promotion and graduation
- program exit requirements
- expected rate of transition
- expected rate of graduation for secondary school
children
- how the program meets the child’s IEP, if applicable

Parents have the right to remove their child from the program, to decline enrollment in the program, and to receive assistance in selecting from available programs. Parents who would like to request assistance for their child should contact their child’s principal.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
In addition, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) gives parents and eligible students the right to opt out of surveys that are not funded by the Dept. of Education if those surveys fall into one of the eight categories as stated in No Child Left Behind Law, involves the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information in order to market or sell the information to others, or involves a non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening as a condition of attendance other than hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings or any physical exam or screening permitted under state law. Any violations of this amendment can be reported to the Superintendent of schools at 704 E. Prospect St., Girard, Ohio 44420.

Inspection Rights
Parents and eligible students have the right to inspect, upon request, protected information surveys; documents used to collect personal information from students for any of the marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes referred to above; and instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum.

Information Regarding Teacher Qualifications
Parents have the right to request of school districts the qualifications of their child’s teacher. This includes the teacher’s degrees earned and HQT (highly qualified teacher) status.

School district have a responsibility to notify parents whose children have been taught for four consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet Ohio’s definition of highly qualified.