Disability Policy
Randolph School is committed to making its programs and activities available on a nondiscriminatory basis. Randolph School will not discriminate against any individual on the basis of disability, including children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, with regard to the full and equal enjoyment of its programs, services and activities. Randolph School will make reasonable modifications for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, both applicants and those already enrolled, on a case-by-case basis, to permit them to participate in its programs, services, or activities, including its Summer Program, unless Randolph School can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs, services, or activities, or pose an undue financial burden.
Randolph School recognizes that children with neurodevelopmental disabilities who participate in educational and summer programs may require individualized assistance or modifications to allow for participation in the most integrated setting and therefore one policy cannot dictate the particular protocol for all individuals.
Individualized Assessment and Reasonable Modification
Randolph School will provide this Policy on its website. When informed that a child with a neurodevelopmental disability has applied to a particular school term or session of the Summer Program, Randolph School will provide the parent/guardian of such child notice of this Policy, and Randolph School will provide a written copy of this Policy upon request.
Absent extenuating circumstances, within 4 weeks prior to the first day of each school term or Summer Program session, Randolph School will individually assess the needs of each child with disabilities, including children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, on a case-by-case basis and work with families to provide reasonable modifications in accordance with this Policy and applicable laws. To this end, Randolph School will assess the level of assistance or supervision that is necessary to make a reasonable modification to allow for participation in the most integrated setting and to provide assistance that is appropriate and consistent with each child’s needs. Randolph School may request additional information or guidance from the child’s healthcare provider or parents/guardians as necessary.
If an agreement cannot be reached for Randolph School to provide reasonable modifications, Randolph School will notify the parent/guardian in writing of its final determination. The determination will document which modifications Randolph School will provide and which modifications it will not provide, demonstrating that the modification not provided would not be reasonable or would fundamentally alter the nature of its service, program, or activity.
Training
If a child with a disability enrolls in any school term, session or program, Randolph School will arrange for a qualified healthcare professional to provide training to any staff who may be responsible for or may be working directly with a student or camper with a disability that enables Randolph School to provide all care required to comply with applicable law.
The training will include an overview of neurodevelopmental disabilities, general information on how to make adjustments to ensure the classroom or Summer Program experience is inclusive of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and information related to attitudinal barriers, effective communication, appropriate rules and expectations, responses to behavior, visual and auditory supports, and triggers.
Responsibilities of Parents and Guardians
While parents/guardians of a child with a disability, including a child with a neurodevelopmental disability, may submit a request for reasonable modification at any time, to the extent possible, they are requested to provide Randolph School promptly after a child’s application for enrollment or as soon as practical thereafter with information detailing the child’s disability, the management thereof, and requests for reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures. If a medical disability, including a neurodevelopmental disability that affects behavior, is diagnosed after enrollment, the child’s parents/guardians will promptly inform Randolph School and provide information detailing the child’s disability, the management thereof, and requests for reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures.
Parents/guardians of a child with a neurodevelopmental disability who are seeking reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures on the basis of such disability will provide specific information about the child’s disability and particular needs to Randolph School and will permit the child’s personal health care providers to share information with staff and other health care personnel to assure the child’s safety and compliance with the child’s particularized plan.
Connect with us about Your Child’s Needs
The Randolph School will promptly consider all requests for reasonable modification of policies, practices, or procedures with respect to educational, childcare, and summer camp services. Upon receiving a request for a modification, if Randolph School is not able to immediately grant a request, it will initiate a discussion with the child’s parent or guardian within fifteen (15) days of receipt to explore what modification(s) may be necessary. Following the discussion, the School will either grant the request, or if more information is needed, make a narrowly tailored request for documentation relating to the child’s disability and any necessary modification(s).
The School will provide a written response to any request for modification within thirty (30) business days from the date the request is received. If the School is unable to provide a final determination with respect to the requested modification within that timeframe, it will inform the parent or guardian of the affected child in writing by what date the School expects to provide a response and the reason additional time is needed.
After completing an individualized assessment, if Randolph School is not able to grant a request for a modification or provide requested services to a child with a disability, the School will notify the parents or guardians of the affected child of each and every reason it is not able to grant the request or provide requested services.
If you are considering applying for school or summer programs, and your child may benefit from specific environmental accommodations, please use the form below to contact our Accommodation Coordinator, who will share more about our program and learn more about your child’s needs. If there are relevant documents that you wish to provide that would support this process, please direct them to Katie, who can be reached at accommodation@randolphschool.org or by phone at 845-297-5600.