N.H. Admin. Code § Ed 306.25 - Alternative Approval
(a) In order to meet the provisions of these rules and encourage innovation to achieve high standards for students, a local school board may request approval of an alternative method of compliance with the relevant rule or rules.
(b) To apply for alternative approval, the local school board shall submit a written request to the commissioner that includes:
(1) The name(s) of school(s), district, or both;
(2) The SAU number;
(3) The contact person and telephone number;
(4) The grades covered by the request;
(5) The number of students affected;
(6) Identification of the rule(s) for which the alternative plan is being submitted;
(7) The local school board chairperson's signature;
(8) A clear and concise written justification of the request; and
(9) A plan which describes:
a. The alternative and consists of a statement of intent;
b. Method of implementation;
c. Evaluation procedures;
d. Timetable for development and implementation; and
e. An explanation of how the alternative is consistent with the statement(s) of philosophy, goals, and objectives adopted pursuant to Ed 306.05.
(c) The commissioner shall grant approval of the alternative for that period of time consistent with the school(s) approval designation, issued pursuant to Ed 306.24, if the request meets the following criteria:
(1) The information provided is thorough and complete;
(2) The school district has demonstrated that it is able to implement the alternative; and
(3) The alternative is educationally sound and is consistent with the intent of the rule(s).
(d) The commissioner shall notify the local school board chairperson and the superintendent in writing of the decision.
(e) If the commissioner denies the request, the chairperson of the local school board or designee may appeal the decision and request a state board hearing.
(f) The appeal shall be filed, in writing, with the state board.
(g) The state board shall hear the district's appeal at the next regularly scheduled state board meeting.
(h) Should the district wish to present oral argument to the state board, the district shall file a separate request for oral argument at the time of the appeal. If the district requests oral argument, the department shall also have the opportunity to provide oral argument to the state board if it so chooses.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
(a) If a district employs a school psychologist as an optional service pursuant to RSA 189:49, IV, the standards in (b) - (e) below shall apply. Nothing in this section shall prevent a school district from contracting services with a qualified school psychologist.
(b) Employing school districts shall require that school psychological services are provided by certified school psychologists in a coordinated, organized fashion, and are deployed in a manner that results in the provision of a comprehensive continuum of services. Comprehensive school psychological services shall be based on this section and The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services, published by NASP in 2010 as referenced in Appendix II.
(c) The school psychologist shall provide comprehensive psychological services throughout various learning environments to help children and youth develop academic, social, behavioral, and emotional competence through:
(1) Data-based decision making and accountability methods that use psycho-educational assessment results, data collection strategies, and technology resources to design and implement services and programs and to evaluate outcomes;
(2) Consultation, collaboration, and communication with educators, families, health care professionals including mental health, social services and other systems to promote effective and coordinated implementation of services;
(3) Interventions and instructional supports to develop academic skills, incorporating available research and assessment data to develop and implement evidence based instructional strategies designed to support students' cognitive and academic skills;
(4) Interventions and mental health services to develop social and life skills in collaboration with others, using assessment and data collection methods to implement and evaluate developmentally appropriate services that support socialization, learning, and mental health;
(5) School-wide practices to promote learning, developing and implementing evidence-based practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and supportive learning environments for children and others, including multi-tiered systems, to support students' academic, social, emotional, and behavioral goals;
(6) Preventative and responsive services employing theories and research related to resilience, risk factors, and multi-tiered prevention, to support evidence based strategies for effective counseling, crisis response, and behavioral intervention;
(7) Family-school collaboration services to facilitate and provide effective collaborative partnerships between families and schools that support children's learning and mental health utilizing a strength-based, culturally sensitive approach;
(8) Diversity in development and learning to provide professional services that promote effective functioning for individuals, families and schools with diverse characteristics, cultures and backgrounds, across multiple contexts;
(9) Research and program evaluation to support educational decision-making and evaluate programs; and
(10) Legal, ethical, and professional practice consistent with legal requirements and ethical and professional standards including the NASP Principles of Professional Ethics (2010) as referenced in Appendix II.
(d) School psychologists shall utilize assessment findings to diagnose educational and behavioral disorders and to facilitate educational treatment planning.
(e) Employing school districts shall insure that an effective program of supervision and evaluation of school psychological services exists. School psychologists in cooperation with their employing districts or agencies, shall be responsible for the overall development, implementation and professional supervision of school psychological service programs.
(f) Professional supervision shall be available to all school psychologists to an extent sufficient to ensure the provision of effective and accountable services. Beginning school psychologists in their first year of employment as a school psychologist shall receive a minimum of one hour of face-to-face supervision contact per week. Supervisors shall meet Ed 500 requirements for certification as a school psychologist and have at least 3 years of professional experience as a school psychologist in a school system.
(g) Employing school districts shall insure that parental consent and student information are protected as required under applicable state and federal law.