The Piedmont Regional Education Program (PREP) is a regional special education program that complements the special education services of local school divisions. The participating school divisions include the counties of Albemarle, Culpepper, Fluvanna, Greene, Orange, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Rappahannock and the City of Charlottesville.  The governing body, the PREP Board, is comprised of one school board member from each school division, except Orange County.

PHILOSOPHY

The philosophy of the program is to provide cost effective, quality programming to students with low- incident disabilities by the sharing of resources and personnel. Services provided by the Piedmont Regional Education Program are an integral part of the continuum of services provided to disabled students in the Fluvanna County Public School System.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Piedmont Regional Education Program assists the local school division with the coordination and implementation of special programming in direct classroom services and related services.

Direct Classroom Service

The regional program does not operate in a single facility, but provides classroom services in local public schools within the participating school districts. Direct educational services are provided to students identified as autistic, emotionally disabled, multiple disabled, severely disabled, visually impaired, and hearing impaired.

Related Services

Occupational and Physical therapy and Vision services are provided on a regional basis. These therapists assist the local school division in screening, evaluating, and providing appropriate programs for disabled students whose individualized education program (IEP) requires such services. Occupational and physical therapy and Vision services help students benefit from their special education program.

PROCEDURES

Class Enrollment

All participating school divisions have access to any regional class. The division housing the class has no priority.

Spaces for each class are filled on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Policies and Procedures Manual.

The enrollment of any regional class shall not exceed state regulations unless a written variance is granted by the State Department of Education.

Placement of Students in Regional Programs

If a student is to be placed in a regional school, the sending division may be asked to develop the IEP. Completion and implementation of the IEP is the responsibility of the regional classroom teacher.

Provisions of Related Services

Mobility and Orientation, Assistive Technology, Autism, and Vision Impaired services are available through the regional program.

Occupational and physical therapy are provided by the regional program.

Other related services not funded by PREP are the responsibility of the local division.

Removal of Students in Regional Programs

Removal of a child from a regional school is determined by the regional facility and the LEA working collaboratively through the IEP team.

The principal has the authority to temporarily remove a student from school who is dangerous to himself or to others.

PERSONNEL POLICIES

Recruitment

Educators employed in regional classes are employees of the local school system in which they work. The local school administrator may invite the regional director to assist in the recruitment and interviewing of personnel.

Therapists, educators and specialists employed in regional programs/schools that are employees of the regional program are recruited and interviewed by the Regional Director and her staff.

Supervision

Teacher Responsibilities and Qualifications

The responsibilities and qualifications of the teacher shall be in accordance with the policies and regulations of the local school division or the regional program. In addition, each teacher shall be responsible for the following:

·         assist in the evaluation and identification of special education students;

·         provide in-service training to teachers, administrators, and other pertinent personnel as requested;

·         serve as a member of the school's Eligibility and IEP Committees as appropriate.

·         implement the IEP; and,

·         other duties as assigned by the local administrator and/or the Regional Director.