(1) Written notice that meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section must be provided to the parents of a student eligible for special education services, or referred for special education services a reasonable time before the school district:
(a) Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of FAPE to the student; or
(b) Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of FAPE to the student.
(2) The notice required under this section must include:
(a) A description of the action proposed or refused by the agency;
(b) An explanation of why the agency proposes or refuses to take the action;
(c) A description of each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report the agency used as a basis for the proposed or refused action;
(d) A statement that the parents of a student eligible or referred for special education services have protection under the procedural safeguards and, if this notice is not an initial referral for evaluation, the means by which a copy of a description of the procedural safeguards can be obtained;
(e) Sources for parents to contact to obtain assistance in understanding the procedural safeguards and the contents of the notice;
(f) A description of other options that the IEP team considered and the reasons why those options were rejected; and
(g) A description of other factors that are relevant to the agency's proposal or refusal.
(3)(a) The notice required under subsections (1) and (2) of this section must be:
(i) Written in language understandable to the general public; and
(ii) Provided in the native language of the parent or other mode of communication used by the parent, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.
(b) If the native language or other mode of communication of the parent is not a written language, the school district must take steps to ensure:
(i) That the notice is translated orally or by other means to the parent in his or her native language or other mode of communication;
(ii) That the parent understands the content of the notice; and
(iii) That there is written evidence that the requirements in (b) of this subsection have been met.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
28A.155.090. WSR 21-19-065, § 392-172A-05010, filed 9/14/21, effective 10/15/21. Statutory Authority: RCW
28A.155.090(7) and 42 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq. WSR 07-14-078, § 392-172A-05010, filed 6/29/07, effective 7/30/07.]