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Tags Posts tagged with "Public Education"

Public Education

Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared a new policy issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) that allows students who are eligible under federal IDEA to access a Free and Appropriate Public Education until their 22nd birthday. This means if a student would have traditionally exited from high school during or after the school term in which they turned 21 years of age, they now may remain in school until their 22nd birthday. This includes students that exited during or after the 2022/23 school term. Students can be reenrolled by contacting the school that the student will attend in the 2023/24 school term as soon as possible and requesting reenrollment.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school district. If you require additional assistance from PDE, please send your request via email to PDE.

Students with disabilities in Pennsylvania will now receive free support through the public education system for an additional year beyond what current policy dictates, The Associated Press reported. Under a settlement announced Thursday, the state’s Department of Education will change its policy to allow students with disabilities to continue in K-12 public education until they turn 22. Previously, students would age out of the program at the end of the school year, during which they turned 21. Students who turned 21 during the 2022/23 school year and were considered to have aged out will also have the option to re-enroll in public school this year, according to the settlement. The new policy takes effect September 5.