Alternative Educational Services
What are alternative educational services?

Alternative educational services may include special tutoring, modified curriculum, modified instruction, other modifications or adaptations, instruction through electronic media, special education services as indicated by appropriate assessment, homebound instruction, supervised himework, or enrollment in another district or in an alternative learning center. Supervised homework can take the form of sending homework home and calling the student to check on progress and answer questions. All alternative educational services that are provided should be documented in the contact log.

When is an alternative educational service(s) provided to a student with a disability?
Alternative educational service(s) must be provided when a student with a disability is suspended for more than 5 consecutive days. Alternative educational service(s) must also be provided to ensure FAPE (a free, appropriate public education) if a student is suspended for more than 10 consecutive or cumulative days. In other words, when the student is suspended for 10+ consecutive or cumulative days, the IEP team must carry out alternative eductional service(s) during the suspension period to ensure that the student with a disability will continue to make progress on IEP goals and objectives and make progress in the general education curriculum. The minimum amount of service that must be provided to the student is 5 hours per week (e.g., 1 hour per day or a combination of hours that equals a minimum of 5 hours). The IEP team may determine that the student needs more than 5 hours of service(s) to ensure FAPE.

How is alternative educational service(s) determined for a student?

An IEP team meeting must be held. The IEP team must complete a manifestation determination, review or complete a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and determine the alternative educational service(s).

If a student is suspended or dismissed for more than 10 cumulative or consecutive days, a change of placement has occurred. A change is placement is a legal term used to describe when a student with a disability is denied access to school and special education services. This is not to be confused with an administrative transfer or IEP transfer to a different or more restrictive setting.

IEP teams may want to consider proactively writing an alternative educational service into the IEP for students who may be dismissed for more than 5 consecutive or 10 cumulative or consecutive days. In cases where the 5 days of consecutive dismissal or suspension occur for a student with under 10 cumulative days of dismissal or suspension, supervised homework can be used. In cases where the dismissal or suspension is beyond 10 days, homebound services must be provided and supervised homework is not adequate to ensure FAPE.

In cases where a student with a disability is suspended for an extended period due to a weapons charge, for example, the IEP team must meet to write a new IEP to change the placement to homebound.

Who provides the alternative educational service(s)?

When alternative eductional services are required, a licensed staff person from the school must provide the services. The alternative educational services can be provided by a regular education licensed staff person with consultation from a special education licensed staff person in the building.

Where are alternative educational services provided?

The location for service is determined by the IEP team. The service(s) may be provided at the home or at a neutral site such as the local public library, community or recreation center. Again, this must be determined by the IEP team and arranged by the school.