Special Education

The Ballard County School District keeps educational records in a secure location in each school and in the Board office.

The Ballard County School District obtains written consent from a parent or eligible student (age 18 or who is attending a postsecondary institution), before disclosing personally identifiable information to an entity or individual not authorized to receive it under FERPA.

For students who have been determined eligible for Special Education, educational records will be destroyed at the request of the parents when they are no longer needed to provide educational programs or services. The Ballard County School District may destroy the educational records of a child without parent request three (3) years after they are no longer needed to provide educational programs or services. Parents are advised that data contained in the records may later be needed for Social Security benefits or other purposes. The Ballard County School District may retain, for an indefinite period of time, a record of the student’s name, address, telephone number, grades, attendance records, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed.

Children eligible for Special Education include those children with disabilities who have autism, deaf-blindness, developmental delay, emotional-behavior disability, hearing impairment, mental disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment and who because of such an impairment need Special Education services.

Children eligible for 504 services include those children in a public elementary and secondary education program who have a current physical or mental impairment that currently substantially limits some major life activity which causes the student’s ability to access the school environment or school activities to be substantially limited.

Children eligible for the State-Funded Preschool program include three- and four-year-old children identified with disabilities and four-year-old children who are at-risk, as defined by federal poverty levels up to 160%. Preschool children eligible for special education must have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) instead of a 504 plan to receive State-Funded Preschool program services.

The Ballard County School District has an ongoing “Child Find” system, which is designed to locate, identify and evaluate any child residing in a home, facility, or residence within its geographical boundaries, age three (3) to twenty-one (21) years, who may have a disability and be in need of Special Education or 504 services. This includes children who are not in school; those who are in public, private, or home school; those who are highly mobile such as children who are migrant or homeless; and those who are advancing from grade to grade, who may need but are not receiving Special Education or 504 services.

The district’s “Child Find” system includes children with disabilities attending private or home schools within the school district boundaries that may need special education services.

The Ballard County School District will make sure any child enrolled in its district who qualifies for Special Education or 504 services, regardless of how severe the disability, is provided appropriate Special Education or 504 services at no cost to the parents of the child.

Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees, and concerned citizens are urged to help the Ballard County School District find any child who may have a disability and need Special Education or 504 services. The District needs to know the name and age, or date of birth of the child; the name, address, and phone number(s) of the parents or guardian; the possible disability; and other information to determine if Special Education or 504 services are needed.

Letters and phone calls are some of the ways the Ballard County School District collects the information needed. The information the school District collects will be used to contact the parents of the child and find out if the child needs to be evaluated or referred for Special Education or 504 services.

If you know of a child who lives within the boundaries of the Ballard County School District, who may have a disability, and may need but is not receiving Special Education or 504 services, please call or send the information to:

      Terri Gentry

      Director of Special Education/Section 504 Coordinator

      Ballard County Schools

      11 Vocational School Rd

      Barlow, KY 42024

      270-665-8400, ext. 2101

If you know of a child who attends a private or home school within the boundaries of the Ballard County School District, who may have a disability, and may need but is not receiving Special Education services, please call or send the information to:

      Terri Gentry

      Director of Special Education

      Ballard County Schools

      11 Vocational School Rd

      Barlow, KY. 42024

      270-665-8400, ext. 2101

“Child Find” activities will continue throughout the school year. As part of these efforts the Ballard County School District will use screening information, student records, and basic assessment information it collects on all children in the District to help locate those children who have a disability and need Special Education or 504 services. Any information the District collects through “Child Find” is maintained confidentially.

Written Policies and Procedures have been developed which describe the District’s requirements regarding the confidentiality of personally identifiable information and “Child Find” activities. There are copies in the Principal’s office of each school, and in the Board of Education office. Copies of these Policies and Procedures may be obtained by contacting:

      Leslie Davis

      Director of Pupil Personnel

      Ballard County Schools

      11 Vocational School Drive

      Barlow, KY. 42024

      270-665-8400, ext. 2014

The District office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Ballard County School District provides a public notice in the native language or other mode of communication of the various populations in the geographical boundaries of the District to the extent feasible.

If you know of someone who may need this notice translated to another language, given orally, or delivered in some other manner or mode of communication, please contact the Director of Pupil Personnel, the Director of Special Education or the Section 504 Coordinator at the address or phone number listed above.

Revised March 2011 per KDE

Updated January 2023

If you know of someone who may need this notice translated to another language, given orally, or delivered in some other manner or mode of communication, please contact the Director of Pupil Personnel, the Director of Special Education or the Section 504 Coordinator at the address or phone number listed above.

Terri Wehmeyer 
Phone: 270-665-8400, ext. 2101
Email: terri.wehmeyer@ballard.kyschools.us