Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
State Board of Education
 
Guidance Document Change: During the 2020 Virginia General Assembly session, legislation passed requiring individualized education program teams to consider the need for certain age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate instruction. House Bill 134 required the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to establish guidelines for individualized education program (IEP) teams to utilize when developing IEPs for children with disabilities to ensure that IEP teams consider the need for age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate instruction related to sexual health, self-restraint, self-protection, respect for personal privacy, and personal boundaries of others. The legislation also requires each local school board, in developing IEPs for children with disabilities, in addition to any other requirements established by the Board, to ensure that IEP teams consider such guidelines. The purpose of this document is to provide school divisions a framework for the development of operating guidelines tailored to local resources and service delivery models. This document does not replace any federal or state regulations. Additionally, this information is provided to assist IEP teams in considerations for instructional planning and implementation in these critical areas.
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4/30/21  10:56 am
Commenter: J Garland

Guidance Followed by Implementation
 

I wholeheartedly support this guidance. In the past, the parent (and advocate) bore the burden of bringing a child's traumatic experience to the IEP team along with recommendations they would like to see implemented to support the child in the school. This opens the door for parents who have not considered, or do not understand, the impact that trauma can have on students.

The IEP team must be willing to work with parents on the agreed upon strategies that support and provide a safe environment for the traumatized student to ensure FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION by administration and staff!

 

CommentID: 97766