The Legacy School is strongly committed to providing a research-based education for children diagnosed with language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. In order to provide an individualized program for each student, research informs us that we must be diagnostic in our approach. When teachers are committed to a diagnostic way of teaching, they keep careful data and design treatment plans based on the data collected. Legacy’s datakeeping system differs substantially from that of any county located in Maryland. We sometimes refer to this data as Benchmarking. Parents may request a copy of their child’s benchmarking along with our scope and sequence or any other data at any time, and they can use this data in any way they choose.
IEPs: The IEP system is utilized in the public school system by all of the surrounding counties. The Legacy School does NOT use this system. About half of our families wish to either maintain an older IEP (one developed prior to coming to Legacy) or are currently developing an IEP with the purpose of seeking funding from the county and must use Legacy’s data to write their child’s next IEP.
Once the county becomes involved in our data-collection, this places a significant administrative burden on the School. Each county requires: teacher interpretation of our data system, goals and objectives from our treatment plans, e-mail correspondence explaining our program, scheduled observations, present-level statements from multiple teachers, an attendance record (a different form for each county), a statement of expenses (a different one for each county), meetings between our administration & the county’s case manager.
Because of the substantial administrative documentation and communication required by each county when we are asked to assist with the IEP process, we are instituting an administrative fee of $2,600.00 per student that is triggered when Legacy School is asked to interact with the county in any capacity. This fee will go towards reorganizing our administration to assist with the extra workload the counties require.
Included in the Fee: This $2,600.00 administrative fee includes: 1) conferring with the county regarding your child’s present levels and progress; 2) submitting benchmarking, curriculum and any other requested documentation directly to the county, 3) scheduling and reserving Legacy classroom space for county observations, county testing and/or meeting with the county following observations; 4) filling out attendance records for the counties; 5) preparing billing statements to your county’s specifications and 6) meeting with county representatives.
Not Included in the Fee: Interaction with Special Education attorneys and attendance at IEP meetings are services that are NOT included in the fee. If Legacy is asked to: 1) interpret your child’s benchmarking and standardized testing for your attorney; 2) write a detailed report or letter regarding your child’s program and progress to be entered into the record at an IEP meeting; or 3) attend IEP meetings (whether on Legacy campus or in your home school), these services fall outside of the realm of the school completely and will be billed to you directly by the individual(s) asked to provide their expertise in the matter.
Terms of the Fee: The fee will be assessed to your incidental account as soon as Legacy receives a request from the county to conference with them regarding your student. It does not matter when during the year the request is made; the process with each county is time-consuming and cumbersome regardless of when we start conferring with them. There will only be one fee assessed per academic year. If you are seeking reimbursement from the county, you may include this administrative fee as a cost-line item. If the county is billing Legacy directly, we will bill them the administrative fee. If your child is in the 8th grade and transitioning back to public school, the fee will not be billed as it is considered part of the Legacy School’s help with your child’s transition process.
I understand the terms surrounding the School’s administrative fee for consulting with the surrounding counties, and I agree to pay the administrative fee if The Legacy School is asked to assist with the IEP process.
