Non-Public School Services

The role of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Non-public School Program is to provide supplemental services to students in regular education programs.  The program may not provide special education programs for students who are officially identified nor may ACT 89 services be presented or perceived as a substitute for special education placement.  Students identified as exceptional prior to entrance in a non-public school, however, may be enrolled in ACT 89 programs as long as they benefit from the program and time is available for instruction.

 

Eligible students are Pennsylvania residents parentally placed in qualifying nonprofit K-12 schools on a full-time basis.  The following students are not funded by ACT 89 and, subsequently, are not eligible for non-public education services:

 

Auxiliary services include guidance, counseling and standardized-testing services, psychological services, services for exceptional children, remedial services, speech and hearing services, services for the improvement of the educationally disadvantaged (such as, but not limited to, teaching English as a second language), and other secular, neutral, non-ideological services of a supplementary and remedial nature.  ACT 89 is a state-funded service that is provided directly to the local intermediate unit to students enrolled in a nonprofit private school who participate and share their enrollment through the Private Non-Public School Enrollment portal.  Through a meaningful and timely consultation with all non-public school administration, the program of services is determined.  These are not services that would carry an individualized entitlement for students but, rather, are provided subject to limitations of funding appropriated annually in the state budget.

 

A full description of Auxiliary Services and the regulations governing service delivery can be found at Chapter 112 - Auxiliary Services for Non-Public School Students.

 

The Westmoreland Intermediate Unit currently provides the following under ACT 89:

 

Listed below are Auxiliary Services provided by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit.

1. Phonemic Awareness is the ability to break spoken words into parts. These smaller units of sound are called phonemes. It is often stated phonemic awareness practice can be done in the dark because it does not involve print.  Research has shown that strong phonemic awareness skills are an indicator of later reading success. More advanced phonemic skills include adding, deleting, and substituting sounds in the beginning, middle, and end of a word. PA falls under the umbrella of Phonological Awareness which includes rhyming, alliteration, and syllables.

 

2. Phonics is the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent in print. When students have letter identification and sound knowledge of the twenty-six letters in the alphabet, they are able to segment and blend those sounds to read words (decoding). To that end, there are 44 sound/sound units in the English language that can be spelled 250 different ways!

 

3. Fluency is the ability to recognize words automatically and read with accuracy, prosody (rhythm and intonation), and speed.  Fluency impacts comprehension, so strong decoding skills are imperative. It is often stated that we should read at the rate at which we speak to each other in conversation.   

 

4. Vocabulary is the understanding of word meaning. Having a strong vocabulary, both oral and reading, will enable greater success with comprehension. Vocabulary instruction may include the study of prefixes, suffixes, and morphemes (the smallest unit of meaning in a word).   

 

5. Comprehension is the goal of reading: understanding what is read. Making connections with the text and having background knowledge are essential to this understanding. Other examples of comprehension strategies are: summarizing, visualizing, inferring, questioning, and making predictions.   

Speech and Language Services

^{The WIU employs speech language pathologists who are certified through The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensed through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State to provide researched-based services to the students within the Westmoreland County non-public schools.  Certification and licensure through these organizations require ongoing continuing education with specific coursework in professional development.}

^{Various programs provide speech and language intervention to K-12 students in non-public schools.  Included are Act 89 support and EP services.  Upon a formal request, Act 89 screenings will be completed to determine communication needs, if any, as well as the level of intervention necessary for each qualifying student.  It should be noted that these screenings are not evaluations to determine eligibility for special education.  Students with more severe speech impairments may need a more comprehensive evaluation in which written permission will be obtained from parents and input will be gathered from team members by the requesting non-public school before the initiation of formal student testing.}   

^{The service models provided by the speech and language pathologists during school hours include the following:} 

• ^{Pull-out speech sessions – traditional therapy of determined length completed in a therapy room in an individual or small group setting which provides more intensive intervention to students whose communication needs may be affecting their performance with academics in the classroom}
• ^{Push-in speech sessions – therapy completed within the educational setting/classroom environment with school personnel present to promote carryover of skills and techniques in addition to addressing communication challenges that may not benefit from the pull-out model of intervention}
• ^{5-Minute speech program – therapy for students may include correct sound production of a single or few speech sounds, language and fluency skills, and any other communication need requiring monitoring and maintenance of skill carryover.  This program is completed in a 1:1 format with numerous practice opportunities quickly, thereby limiting the time pulled from the classroom. This may decrease the need for makeup work/tests and/or disruptions of their class schedule.}
• ^{Whole classroom push-in sessions – the focus is on early learners in the kindergarten program for an all-student instruction that supports targeted communication, including articulation, language, and pre-reading skills.  This increases overall communication within the class while supporting the needs of students who are already receiving services.  Additionally, school personnel benefit from staff education and increased opportunities for carryover of techniques within the classroom environment which may decrease the need for more intensive intervention.} 

^{Communication areas that may be addressed per delays or disorders during speech intervention include:} 

• ^{Articulation & phonological disorders –placement/production of speech sounds} 
• ^{Expressive language –an expression of thoughts, wants, and needs}
• ^{Receptive language –knowledge, understanding, and processing of information}
• ^{Stuttering – disfluencies such as prolongations, part/whole word repetitions, hesitations/blocks, etc., as well as accessory behaviors including tension, struggle, and fear}
• ^{Voice disorders – difficulties with pitch, volume, tone, and other vocal qualities such as resonance or hoarseness.  Before any intervention related to voice issues, an evaluation by a medical professional such as an ENT is recommended to rule out any physical problems which may impede and result in speech therapy being counterproductive.}  

^{*The Act 89 Speech and Language Screening Launch can be found in the Forms section.}    

 

Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Non-Public School Psychological Services are provided to assist non-public schools in educating students who experience academic and/or behavioral difficulties.  WIU7 provides evaluations and reevaluations for the non-public schools in Westmoreland County.  Services may include the following:

 

Psycho-educational Evaluation:  An evaluation aims to determine the child’s educational strengths, needs, and exceptionality/educational disability as defined by PA Department of Education criteria.  The multidisciplinary evaluation may consist of:  An individual test of intelligence, an individual test of achievement, a developmental history form completed by the parent/guardian, teacher/school input, an observation(s), rating scales (i.e., social, emotional, behavioral, adaptive), and a review of records (i.e., group/individual assessment scores, progress monitoring data, current educational supports, health records, attendance, grades, independent evaluations).  A comprehensive report will be shared with the non-public school, the parent/guardian, and Act 89 support staff as deemed appropriate.  Recommendations may include accommodations, modifications, instructional strategies, and educational resources.

 

Psycho-educational Reevaluation:  Students who meet criteria based on one of the IDEA disability categories are reevaluated tri-annually, with parent/guardian permission.  Students who are identified under the disability category of an Intellectual Disability are reevaluated bi-annually.  The purpose of a reevaluation is to determine a student’s continued eligibility and to provide any additional recommendations to best meet the student's educational needs. * Eligible Non-Public schools can request the Psychological Reevaluation Referral forms and submit completed referral paperwork to Jennifer Burkardt, School Psychologist, at [email protected].  Interested parents should contact the designated school principal for more information regarding the evaluation process.

 

Consultation services may be requested to determine strategies and resources:

Individual Student Concerns - The school psychologist may collaborate with teachers, administrators, and/or parents to identify and define areas of educational concern.  The school psychologist can observe the student, consult with teachers, and provide academic and/or behavioral recommendations.  The school psychologist can also assist schools in developing PAS/educational support plans, following psycho-educational evaluations.

Classroom Management - The school psychologist may assist in supporting teachers in creating a structured, positive learning environment using a positive behavior support approach and a positive school climate.  The school psychologist may collaborate with classroom teachers to help them identify classroom-based concerns and implement data-based interventions.

Professional Development - The school psychologist may assist the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Team in providing educational information/resources in informal (i.e., staff meetings) and formal settings (i.e., professional development presentation). 

 

Disability Categories Under IDEA

 

Please see a list of the federal definitions of the specific disability categories below: 

 

Autism:  A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below.  A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied.

 

Deaf-Blindness:  Concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

 

Deafness:  A hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

 

Emotional Disturbance:  A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:

(a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

 

The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.

 

Hearing Impairment:  An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but is not included under the definition of "deafness."

 

Intellectual Disability (formerly known as Mental Retardation):  Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

 

Multiple Disabilities

Concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness, intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments.  The term does not include deaf-blindness.

 

Orthopedic Impairment:  A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

 

Other Health Impairment:  Having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that—

(a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning,

leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(b) adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

 

Specific Learning Disability:  A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.  The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

 

Speech or Language Impairment:  A communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

 

Traumatic Brain Injury:  An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

Visual Impairment Including Blindness:  An impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.