Ferndale Area School District

Speech and Language Support Program

• What is Speech and Language Support?
  • It is an itinerant special education service provided free of charge to all qualifying students.  Itinerant means that the child comes to speech for only a short period of time during the week.  Children may be seen one-on-one or in a small group with other students.
• What areas are worked on in Speech and Language Support?
  • There are several areas that encompass Speech and Language including:
    • Articulation: production of speech sounds.
    • Language: how well your child understands what others say & how well they can express themselves orally.
    • Fluency: the smooth flow of speech. Disruptions of fluency is referred to as 'stuttering'.
    • Voice: sound produced by the vibration of the vocal folds including loudness, quality and resonance.
• How do I get my child help?
  • Children are usually referred by their teacher or parent
  • Your child will be screened in each area of speech and language
  • If the results of the screening indicate that there may be a delay, a Permission to Evaluate form will be sent home along with a copy of the Procedural Safeguards and a Parent Input form.  The Permission to Evaluate form must be signed by the parent or legal guardian and returned to the district before the evaluation process can begin.
  • Once the Permission to Evaluate is signed and returned, the full evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days.  An Evaluation Report (ER) will be shared with the parents with a summary of all information and a recommendation.
  • If your child was found to be eligible for services, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting will be scheduled within 30 calendar days of the ER.  The IEP Team will consist of the parents, the Speech-Language Pathologist, a General Education Teacher, a LEA Representative (usually the principal), and any other person that could provide input regarding services.
  • At the IEP meeting, the results of the evaluation will be discussed and an IEP will be developed including goals to meet your child's individual needs.
  • Once the IEP is completed, a Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP) must be signed by the parent or legal guardian before speech services can begin.
• Why am I being asked to sign a MA permission form?
  • Although speech and language services are provided by the school district free of charge, Medical Assistance will reimburse the school district for services provided to MA eligible students.  This enables the district to purchase materials necessary for a fun and exciting speech program.  We are not able to do this without your written consent.