Special education services are available to students from ages 3 through 21 who have been diagnosed with disabilities and require specialized instruction in order to make effective progress in accessing curriculum. Individualized special education programs (IEPs) are cooperatively developed by the student's individual planning team lead by a Special Education Coordinator, which includes parents, teachers, administrators and, when appropriate, a speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, school psychologist, and/or other specialists. These TEAMs make every effort to provide the appropriate special education program to children in a setting as close to a regular classroom as possible.

Many times the Special Education process can seem confusing to parents with new language, rules, expectations and forms. If, at any time, you have a question or concern regarding your child's progress or IEP do not hesitate to contact the Special Education Coordinator for your child's school. Their primary role is to assist parents and staff in, and through, the Special Education process. You may also contact the Special Education office at 508-943-6888 or via email at hharrisman@dcrsd.org.

American with Disabilities Act, Section 504

Section 504 is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination based upon a disability. Obligations for school districts start when federal funds are received.

Section 504 covers eligible students with disabilities for reasonable accommodations that enable them to work or learn. A team knowledgeable of the student determines if the individual meets eligibility criteria.

Please find the following coordinators, based on school location, below:

DCRSD 504 Procedures Manual

Nondiscrimination Policy Statement

It is the goal of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and affirmatively provides access to employment and equal educational opportunity. Discrimination, including that based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, homelessness or sexual orientation of an individual occurring in the workplace or in other settings in which individuals may be entitled access to educational opportunity is unlawful and will not be tolerated by this organization. Further, any retaliation against an individual for cooperating with an investigation of a discrimination complaint is similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated. To achieve our goal, acts of discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated and we have provided procedures by which inappropriate conduct will be addressed, if encountered by an employee, student or member of the community.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination:

Heather Harriman, Director of Pupil Personnel Services
Dudley-Charlton Regional School District Offices
68 Dudley-Oxford Road
Dudley, MA 01571

Are you currently ...

• Living in a shelter?
• Living in a public or private place not designed or ordinarily used as a sleeping space for people?
• A teen on your own?
• Doubled up with friends or relatives due to hardship?

Click for Mass resources: Shelter Assistance

Click for McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

You have the right to ...

• Immediate enrollment
• To remain in the school of origin or to attend school where temporary residency is taking place (The choice to remain in the school of origin continues until the end of the school year in which permanent housing is obtained)
• Transportation to the school of origin to the extent feasible (NOTE: Massachusetts has defined “to the extent feasible” for transportation as up to a one-hour drive one way,45 minutes for preschool/kindergarten children)
• Access to services and educational programs comparable to those received by other students
• Automatic eligibility for Title I Services
• Provision of free lunch
• Dispute resolution – please contact the Homeless Education Liaison below

We want to help...

Should you find yourself in circumstances where you and/or your child are “lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence”, we would like to help.

Please contact:

Dudley-Charlton Regional School District

Homeless Liaison:

Your call will be kept confidential.

These rights are established under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This act is the primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness in U.S. public schools. It was reauthorized as Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002. To qualify for these rights, children and youth must be considered homeless according to the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness.