This bill amends Section 16-24-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-24 entitled "Children with Disabilities" to clarify that school committees in cities or towns must provide special education to children with disabilities as recommended and approved by the state board of education. It also states that school committees must provide the same free and appropriate education to parentally placed children with disabilities in private schools as they do to children in public schools. These children and their parents have the same rights and remedies as children in public school under the regulations of the board of education governing the education of children with disabilities and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The bill also defines a parentally placed child with a disability as a child enrolled or placed in a private school by their parents without consultation of the public school district, who has or is diagnosed with a learning disability. The bill further defines a free and appropriate education as special education services and related services that are provided at public expense, meet all state standards and requirements, and are provided in conformity with an individualized education program. The bill also states that if a child with a disability moves to another town or city, their individual education plan shall remain in effect until a new plan is adopted for them in the new town or city. The bill also extends the availability of benefits provided by this section to children with disabilities up to their twenty-first birthday, in accordance with their individualized education program. If a child with a disability is enrolled in a postsecondary or transitional educational program and reaches twenty-one years of age during a school or program year, the school committee or local education agency's obligation to pay for the program shall continue through the conclusion of the academic year. The bill also requires the local educational agency to provide notice to the child and parent or guardian explaining the rights that remain in effect at age twenty-one, and requires state adult service agencies to provide notice of their obligations and responsibilities to eligible recipients. The bill also clarifies that "special education" includes speech-language pathology services for students. This act would take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7021: 16-24-1