HB 497

Certain students with disabilities; certain communication, reporting, and data posting. Requires, in any case in which it is determined that a student does not qualify for special education and related services pursuant to an individualized education program or that a school board has not complied with the requirement to provide special education and related services as set forth in a student's IEP, the appropriate school board employee to report such fact to the State Parent Ombudsman for Special Education (the Ombudsman) and requires the Ombudsman to compile all such reports for inclusion in the Department of Education's annual special education public data reports. The bill requires the data contained in such reports shall be included, in a de-identified manner, on a publicly accessible, interactive data dashboard on the Department's website. The bill requires such data dashboard to also include de-identified data on the number of students with a Section 504 Plan in each school division. The bill requires each school board to notify the parents of any student offered a Section 504 Plan, through the school division's Section 504 coordinator or another non-instructional designee, of the supports and services offered by the Parent Training and Information Center in the Commonwealth (the Center) and provides that in any case in which such a parent contacts the Center with a question or concern about the Section 504 Plan, the Center shall include aggregate data on such communications in the report that it is required to make to the Ombudsman.