P5407 Feeding of Disabled Students
- 5400 Special Education
P5407 Feeding of Disabled Students
USD 259 has the right to determine the appropriateness of initiating or continuing oral feeding/drinking services at school for disabled students. The lawful custodians are to be informed of, and involved in, the pending evaluation relating to determining appropriateness of the oral feeding/drinking at school.
Administrative Implemental Procedures:
- The process of determining the appropriateness of oral feeding/drinking services at school is a joint effort between the lawful custodians and the professionals.
- Referrals for evaluation of eating/drinking concerns may come from the following sources:
- Lawful custodian request
- Physician request or recommendation
- Teacher
- Other school personnel involved with student’s feeding
- The evaluation team will consist of a speech/language pathologist with feeding/swallowing background, school nurse, classroom teacher, and other professionals as deemed necessary. Lawful custodians may provide this evaluation team with any medical information that would aid the team in determining the appropriateness of oral feeding/drinking services.
- The evaluation will consist of:
- Observations of feeding/swallowing behaviors
- Assessment of feeding/swallowing behaviors
- Assessment of the student’s nutritional status
- Assessment of the student’s health status
- The evaluation team may seek additional assessment information from approved medical sources.
- The evaluation may consist of:
- Videotape of feeding sessions
- Lawful custodian input
- Teacher and/or paraprofessional input
- Medical information obtained by the lawful custodian and/or district
- Feeding or drinking services will be administered as the evaluation warrants. No change in services will be initiated until written notification is presented to the lawful custodian. Except in cases of extreme emergency, this notification must be delivered to the lawful custodian at least ten school days prior to the change of services. All special education due process procedures will be duly afforded to the lawful custodian of any identified special education student as required by law/regulation.
- Reevaluation of a student with eating/swallowing concerns may be initiated by either staff or lawful custodian request.
Administrative Responsibility: Student Support Services
Latest Revision Date: June 2011
Previous Revision Date: September 1997 P5407
Updated administratively for alignment purposes: January 2021