We’re Here for You
Carolus Online Academy (COA) offers robust special education services to support students and meet their needs, empowering them to thrive in school and beyond. With high-quality, personalized learning and the help of teachers and support staff, students with special needs can achieve their academic goals, find their confidence, and pave a path to success.
COA Special Services
Carolus Online Academy (COA) complies with all federal and state education laws. The following information and resources allow parents to know their legal rights and COA school policies and procedures.
For questions or further information, contact Jackie Reed at Jreed@carolusonlineacademy.org
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
English Language Learners (ELL) Coordinator
At Carolus Online Academy, we are dedicated to supporting multilingual learners in developing English language proficiency while ensuring access to rigorous academic content. Our English Language (EL) program provides individualized instruction, accommodations, and resources to help students succeed in both language development and core subjects.
A Home Language Survey (HLS) is required to be on file for every student enrolled at COA. COA uses the home language survey responses to begin the identification process of English language learners. Identified English Language Learners are provided supplemental
support through English Language support and instruction and, when applicable, supplemental curriculum.
If you have questions about English Language services or would like to learn more about how we support multilingual students, please contact Lynn Pabalan,English Language Coordinator,atLpabalan@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Section 504 Coordinator
Carolus Online Academy is committed to ensuring that all students have equal access to educational opportunities. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, we provide accommodations and support for eligible students with disabilities through 504 Plans. This federal law protects the rights of individuals with disabilities and ensures they receive appropriate services to participate fully in school programs and activities.
If you believe your child may qualify for a 504 Plan or have questions about the process, please contact Brieann Bookter atBbookter@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Homeless Liaison and Foster Care Coordinator
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), students in foster ca re are entitled to educational stability and support to ensure academic success. Carolus Online Academy is committed to meeting these requirements by coordinating with child welfare agencies and providing timely enrollment, transportation assistance (when applicable), and access to needed educational services.
We work to remove barriers to learning and help foster students thrive in a consistent and supportive learning environment.
For assistance or more information, please contact Lisa Jenkins,Homeless Liaison and Foster Care Coordinator atLjenkins@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Compliance Act Coordinator/Special Programs Manager
Carolus Online Academy is committed to ensuring accessibility and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act.
For questions, please contact Jackie Reed,Special Programs Academic Administrator, at Jreed@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Title IX
Laura Randolph
Lrandolph@k12.com
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Request for Parent/Guardian Interpreter Services or Disability Accommodations
Any parent or guardian who is limited in speaking, reading, or writing English may request language assistance services from the school. These services may include an interpreter and/or translated documents. To request assistance, please contact Jackie Reed at Jreed@carolusonlineacademy.org. Prompt access to appropriate language support will be coordinated.
Additionally, if any parent/guardian has a disability or other limitation that would impact their ability to participate fully in their child’s educational planning process, COA would be happy to discuss accommodations that may be available to maximize the parent/guardian’s participation.
Individuals seeking to discuss accommodations for this reason may contact Jackie Reed atJreed@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
McKinney-Vento and Migrant Coordinator
Carolus is committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed. The McKinney-Vento program provides support for students experiencing homelessness by helping remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, and success in school. The Migrant Education program offers services to students whose families have moved in the past three years for agricultural or seasonal work, ensuring they receive academic support and resources.
If you believe your child may qualify for either program or would like more information, please contact Jackie Reed,McKinney-Vento and Migrant Coordinator,atJreed@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
McKinney Vento Definition, Rights, Services, Dispute Resolution Policy
Carolus Online Academy provides support and services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act for students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes students living in shelters, motels, campgrounds, doubled-up housing due to hardship, or in other unstable living situations.
Eligible students have the right to:
- Enroll in school immediately, even without documents
- Stay in their school of origin if it is in their best interest
- Receive transportation assistance (if applicable)
- Access free meals and educational services
We are committed to resolving any enrollment or service disputes through a fair and prompt Dispute Resolution Policy in accordance with federal and state guidelines.
For assistance or to request services, please contact Jackie Reed, McKinney-Vento Liaison, at Jreed@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Dispute Resolution Policy
The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires that each state implement a state-level process to review district-level decisions regarding the enrollment of a homeless child or an unaccompanied youth. An unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of a homeless child may request that the state conduct a review of a school district’s final decision regarding an enrollment issue. The contact person at the State Department of Education is the coordinator for the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth.
Under no circumstances must resolution of a dispute delay the school enrollment of an unaccompanied youth or a homeless child. That is, during the pendency of any administrative or judicial proceeding regarding a dispute over the enrollment of an unaccompanied youth or homeless child, the student must continuously be enrolled in school, be provided all relevant services, and be allowed to participate fully in all school activities (as consistent with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended).
I. Responsibilities of the School District
A. When it is determined that a dispute cannot be settled at the district level, the school district must carry out the following responsibilities in a timely manner:
1. inform the unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of the homeless child concerning his or her right to request that the State Department of Education review the decision of the school district,
2. inform the unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of the homeless child that this request must be made either on the district supplied request-for-review form or by a telephone interview with the coordinator in the State Department of Education’s Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth,
3. give the unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of the homeless child a copy of the State Department of Education’s request-for-review form and the contact information for the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth, and
4. inform the unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of the homeless child that he or she may seek the assistance of advocates or attorneys for the review.
B. Once the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth has received either the completed request-for-review form or has conducted a full telephone interview with the youth or the parent or guardian, the coordinator will send a copy of the completed form and any other relevant material to the school district. The school district must send a written response to the state and to the person filing the state review request within five business days from the date it receives the request-for-review form.
II. Responsibilities of the Youth or the Parent or Guardian
A. The unaccompanied youth or the parent or guardian of the homeless child must complete and return the request-for-review form to the address designated on the form or must telephone the coordinator in the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth and make an oral report on the circumstances surrounding the request for review.
B. The youth or the parent or guardian either may attach to the form any additional information he or she thinks is relevant or may telephone the coordinator and provide the information orally.
III. Responsibilities of the Coordinator
A. The coordinator for the education of homeless children and youths will conduct all state reviews requested by unaccompanied youths or the parents or guardians of the homeless children.
B. The coordinator will review all written documents submitted concerning the particular dispute. The coordinator may request additional information from the parties in making his or her determination.
C. The coordinator will make a final decision within ten business days of receiving the written response from the school district. The decision of the coordinator is binding and will be effective immediately.}
Carolus Online Academy
101 Westpark BLVD Suite C
Columbia, SC 29210
Office Phone Number: 803.205.4005
Procedural Safeguards
In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirement that all educational agencies provide parents of students with disabilities notice containing a full explanation of the procedural safeguards available under the IDEA and U.S. Department of Education regulations. See COA’s procedures here:
English: Procedural Safeguards English PDF
Spanish: Procedural Safeguards Spanish PDF
Annual Public Notice of Special Services & Programs
In accordance with federal and state regulations, COA will provide an annual public notice to families informing them of COA’s Child Find responsibilities, procedures involved in identifying educational disabilities, and determination of students’ service and support needs. Families are encouraged to review the following information that describes these regulations.
Information regarding COA’s internal practices to comply with these will be available in the COA’s Special Programs Manuals and Handbooks.
Child Find
COA strives to identify, locate, and evaluate all enrolled children who may have disabilities. Disability, as stated in IDEA, includes such conditions as hearing, visual, speech, or language impairment, specific learning disability, emotional disturbance, cognitive disability, other health or physical impairment, autism, and traumatic brain injury. Identifying, locating, and evaluating these children is referred to as Child Find.
As a public school, we will respond vigorously to federal and state mandates requiring the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to each child regardless of a child’s disability or the severity of the disability. To comply with the Child Find requirements, COA will implement procedures to help identify, locate, and evaluate students, including those who are homeless or wards of the state, in need of special education and related services.
Parent/Guardian permission and involvement are vital pieces in the process. Once a student has been identified as having a “suspected disability” or identified as having a disability, COA will ask the student or the student’s Parent/Guardian for information about the child, such as:
- How has the suspected disability or identified disability hindered the student’s learning?
- What has been done, educationally, to intervene and correct the student’s emerging learning deficits?
- What educational or medical information relative to the suspected disability or identified disability can be shared with the school?
This information may also be obtained from the student’s present or former teachers, the student’s school records, as well as from doctors, therapists, or other agencies, pending the legal guardian’s written consent.
As part of the Child Find process, some services may include a complete evaluation, an individualized education program designed specifically for the child, a 504 plan, and a referral to other agencies providing special services.
Consent
COA cannot proceed with an evaluation, or with the initial provision of special education and related services, without the written consent of a student’s parents/legal guardians. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice, which can be found at the SCDE website, https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/ or by accessing the link via the Child Find section of the COA website. Once written parental/guardian consent is obtained, COA will proceed with the evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation results, the parent can request an independent education evaluation at public expense.
Special Education (IEP) or Service Agreements (504 Plans)
Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified COA personnel, parents/guardians, and other relevant service providers hold an evaluation determination meeting to agree on whether the student meets eligibility for one of the disability categories under IDEA, https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/ for information related to eligibility criteria associated with the disability categories defined under IDEA. If the student is eligible and requires specially designed instruction, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be coordinated, during which the IEP team will review and finalize the proposed details of an appropriate educational program to meet the student’s documented needs.
For students confirmed to present with special education needs, once the IEP team agrees on the IEP and the student’s educational placement, a Prior Written Notice (PWN) will be sent to the parent/guardian for signature. This must be signed and returned to COA. COA can only proceed with implementing the student’s IEP (or 504 Plan) upon receipt of the signed PWN. Some students are found to present with one or more disability but do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined under IDEA (special education); however, their disability may still require COA to develop a 504 Service Agreement (504 Plan) to outline the special provisions a student may require for adaptations and/or accommodations in COA-based instruction, facilities, and/or activities.
Students may be eligible for certain accommodations or services if they have a mental or physical disability that substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the COA program and otherwise qualify under the applicable laws. COA will ensure that qualified students with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in the COA program and activities to the maximum extent appropriate for each individual student. In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, COA will provide students with disabilities the necessary educational services and support they require to access and benefit from their academic program. This is to be done without discrimination or out-of-pocket cost to the student or family for the essential supplementary aids, services, or accommodations determined to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the COA program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities and the extent required by law.
Parents/Guardians have the right to revoke consent for services after initial placement. Please note that a revocation of consent removes the student from ALL special services and support outlined on the IEP or 504 Plan, https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/.
Privacy & Confidentiality
To maintain the privacy of students’ special education records, both within its central office and across COA systems and databases, COA follows protocols consistent with the federal regulations associated with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), click here.
Accommodations
Notice of these rights is available, upon request, on audiotape, in Braille, and languages other than English. Should you need further assistance or information regarding any of these accommodations, please contact Jackie Reed at specialprograms@carolusonlineacademy.org or any member of your child’s COA team for guidance.
Translation Needs
Professional interpreter service may be requested at any time for legal guardians of students by contacting Jackie Reed at specialprograms@carolusonlineacademy.org.
Grievances or Disputes
COA recognizes that despite the best intentions of all parties, disagreements or miscommunications may arise between the COA-based team and COA families or students. Should this situation occur, the COA special education case manager will initiate an IEP team discussion where the specific details contributing to any educational concern are fully discussed and addressed as the entire team determines what is most appropriate for the student. Collaboration is a primary focus for this type of meeting, and the COA Special Programs Team seeks to establish and maintain the confidence of its families to always serve its students to maximize their educational success.
Dispute Resolution Options
- IEP Facilitation – IEP facilitation is a voluntary process that can be utilized when all parties to an IEP meeting agree that a neutral third party would help facilitate communication and the successful drafting of the student’s IEP. This process is not necessary for most IEP meetings. Rather, it is most often utilized when there is a sense from any of the participants that the issues at the IEP meeting are creating an impasse or acrimonious climate.
- Mediation – A voluntary process in which both parties seek to resolve the issues involved in the concern with an unbiased, third-party mediator from the Department of Education. The mediator will write up the details of the agreement that the parties come to through the mediation conference. Both parties sign the agreement, and thus what the document states is mandated to be implemented. This process is less time-consuming, less stressful, and less expensive than a due process hearing.
- Formal Due Process – Families are NOT obligated to pursue the above alternatives to due process should they feel their concerns can only be resolved through a formal due process hearing; see https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/ for more information regarding due process.