FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
JIM HORNE
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
JULIA L. JOHNSON
WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
February 20, 2004
MEMORANDUM #04-05
TO:
Exceptional Student Education Directors
FROM:
Michele Polland
SUBJECT: Provision of Speech/Language Service to Students with Disabilities
A concern was raised by the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP), and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regarding the lack of speech/language
services to some students with disabilities in Florida. To ensure that students with disabilities
who need speech/language services continue to benefit from special education services, we have
developed the enclosed technical assistance paper (TAP) to offer further clarification for students
identified as autistic, deaf or hard-of-hearing, traumatic brain injury, and developmentally
delayed.
As stated in Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, (34 CFR) section 300.532(2)(g), “
a
student being evaluated to determine eligibility as a student with a disability must be assessed in
all areas related to the suspected disability, including, if appropriate, health, vision, hearing,
social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative status,
and motor abilities. The IEP team must consider, when developing each IEP, the
communication needs of the child.”
This TAP identifies the requirements for students identified under State Board of Education
Rules 6A-6.03023, FAC,
Special Programs for Students Who Are Autistic,
6A-6.03027, FAC,
Special Programs for Children Three Through Five Years Old Who Are Developmentally
Delayed,
6A-6.03031, FAC,
Special Programs for Children Birth Through Two Years Old Who
MICHELE POLLAND
Acting Chief
Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 614 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0475 • www.fldoe.org
Memorandum #04-05
February 20, 2004
Page Two
Are Developmentally Delayed,
6A-6.03015(4), FAC,
Special Programs for Students With
Traumatic Brain Injury,
and 6A-6.03013, FAC,
Special Programs for Students Who Are Deaf or
Hard-of-
Hearing to receive speech or language services without meeting additional eligibility
criteria under 6A-6.03012, FAC
, Special Programs for Students Who Are Speech and Language
Impaired.
If you need additional assistance regarding the information addressed in this technical assistance
paper, please contact Lezlie Cline at (850) 245-0478 or by electronic mail at
Lezlie.Cline@fldoe.org.
MP/lcr
Enclosure
cc:
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Contact Persons for Speech/Language Impairments
Contact Persons for Pre-Kindergarten Disabilities
Contact Persons for Autism
Contact Persons for Physical Impairments/Traumatic Brain Injury
Contact Persons for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
State Advisory Committee for Exceptional Student Education
Student Services Directors
