OVERVIEW OF IDEA REQUIREMENTS
       In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 and the No Child Left Behind Act, all students with disabilities must participate in state assessments. Students with disabilities who are in grade 11, (or age 18 if ungraded), must participate in the HSPA or the Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA).
       If the student has not been instructed in any of the knowledge and skills tested and cannot complete any of the types of tasks on the HSPA. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team for each student determines which assessment the student will take for each content area addressed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:14.

AT-RISK STUDENTS
       High school students enrolled in special programs for "at risk," non-classified students or other non-graded categories, who have not passed one or more HSPA content areas may participate in the SRA process if they are expected to complete all state and local graduation requirements for a June or summer graduation when they reach twelfth grade status.

STUDENTS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS
       Students with disabilities who will participate in the SRA process and who attend private schools for the disabled or regional day schools will participate according to the options outlined below:

      • If private schools for the disabled or regional day schools are not approved by the New Jersey Department of Education to administer the SRA, then
              The sending district will convene the SRA panel,
              The receiving school will provide remediation,
              The sending district will administer SRA tasks,
              The sending district will submit the student profile to the office of the county superintendent where the student resides.

      • If the private schools for the disabled or regional day schools are approved by the NJDOE to administer the SRA, then
              The sending district or the receiving school may convene the SRA panel.
              NOTE: The panel must be comprised of three teachers who are New Jersey certified in the HSPA content area to be addressed by the student's SRA. A certified special education teacher, who is not necessarily certified in the content area, may sit on the panel, in addition to the content teachers, if determined appropriate by the school district.

PRIVATE SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS
       SRA materials will be signed out by each private school for the disabled or regional school as needed from the county office of education in which the school is located (the receiving school), regardless of the sending district of the student participating in the SRA.
       Schools must consult with the county education specialist regarding procedures for security and handling of materials.
       When students have completed the SRA, HSPA SRA Student Profile Forms and a HSPA SRA School Summary Form must be submitted to the office of the county superintendent for the county in which the student resides (the sending district). Forms must be submitted by March 1 of each year for approval for graduation in June of the same year.
       Be sure to list on each form the name of the student's
              Sending district,
              Sending school (the school which he or she would attend if not receiving special education),
              Approved private school for the disabled or regional day school attended by the student.

MEETING THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT
       The graduation assessment requirement is met only when the sending district and the approved private school for the disabled or regional day school receive written approval from the county superintendent. The approval letter will be sent to the sending district and copied by the county superintendent to the approved private school for the disabled or regional day school.