The Board of Education ensures parents/guardians who are hearing impaired the right to meaningful access to school initiated meetings or activities pertaining to the academic and/or disciplinary aspects of their children’s education. School initiated meetings or activities are defined to include, but are not limited to, parent/guardian-teacher conferences, student support team or building-level team meetings, planning meetings with school counselors regarding educational progress and career/transition planning, suspension hearings, Committee on Special Education (CSE) or Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) meetings, or any conferences with school officials relating to disciplinary actions. The term “hearing impaired” shall include any hearing impairment, whether permanent or fluctuating, which prevents meaningful participation in school district meetings or activities.

Parents/guardians shall be notified of the availability of interpreter services to be provided at no charge, provided that a written request is made to the school district within fourteen (14) days of the scheduled event. Exceptions to the time frame request may be made for unanticipated circumstances as determined by the principal/designee. The district shall also notify appropriate school personnel as to the terms and implementation of this policy.

If interpreter services are requested, the district shall appoint an interpreter for the hearing impaired to interpret during the meeting or activity. The district will arrange for interpreters through a district-created list or through an interpreter referral service.

In the event that an interpreter is unavailable, the school district shall make other reasonable accommodations which are satisfactory to the parents/guardians. Examples of what constitutes reasonable accommodations in the event an interpreter cannot be located may include, but are not limited to, the use of:

Education Law §3230(2) 8 NYCRR §100.2(aa)