New Foundations is committed to providing a continuum of services that offers students with disabilities the opportunity to access the general curriculum of the school in the least restrictive environment. Services are designed in alignment with CHILD FIND, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 04) and state law (Chapter 14) to meet the needs of New Foundations Charter School students with disabilities. These services are provided at no cost to students who qualify.

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The Special Education Department is committed to supporting the delivery of specially designed instructional strategies and related services as prescribed on an identified students Individualized Education Plan (IEP) with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for students with disabilities to learn and grow with non-disabled peers.

A student must be evaluated and identified as having a disability and in need of specially designed instructional strategies by a Multidisciplinary Evaluation (MDE) to be eligible for special education programs and related services. 

The Pennsylvania Parent Guide To Special Education for School Age Children from the Pennsylvania Department of Education outlines how a child’s need for special education is determined, how a child’s educational program is developed, the responsibilities and protections guaranteed to parents and children, and the resources available to parents of a child with disabilities. This guide has been updated to reflect the new July 2008 Chapter 14 regulations. Please refer to pages 1-5 for information regarding how a child can be found eligible for special education services.

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The primary purpose of the federal special education law known as The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related served designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. IDEA also states that transition planning for students who receive special education services through an IEP must begin at age 16. In Pennsylvania, this process begins at age 14. 

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IDEA Statement on Transition 

The mission of the NFCS English Language Learning (ELL) Program is to provide a diverse population of students who are learning English with access to a variety of courses, academic and extracurricular activities that will allow them to gain linguistic and cultural knowledge to further their academic, social, and emotional learning and provide opportunities for English language development. Our educators are dedicated to supporting our multi language learners and speakers.

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