15-1181

15-1181. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Child" means a person who is at least three years of age by September 1 of the
current year but who is under twenty-two years of age.

2. "Foster parent" means a person who may serve as the parent of a child with
disabilities if that person has an ongoing, long-term parental relationship with the
child, is willing to make educational decisions for the child and has no personal
interest that would conflict with the interests of the child.

3. "Fund" means the special education fund.

4. "Home school district" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-761.

5. "Individualized education program" has the same meaning prescribed in section
15-761.

6. "Parent" means the natural or adoptive parent of a child, the legal guardian of
a child, a relative with whom a child resides and who is acting as the parent of that
child or a surrogate parent who has been appointed for a child pursuant to section
15-763.01. Parent does not mean this state if the child is a ward of the state.

7. "Place" or "placement" means placement of a child in a private residential
facility for residential special education placement as defined in section 15-761 or by a
state placing agency for care, safety or treatment reasons.

8. "Private residential facility" means a private facility that is licensed by the
department of economic security or department of health services and to which one of the
following also applies:

(a) For special education placements, the facility has been approved by the
division of special education pursuant to section 15-765 for the purpose of providing
special education and related services.

(b) For other than special education placements, the facility has been accredited
by the north central association of colleges and secondary schools, except that private
facilities applying for initial approval as a private school are not required to receive
accreditation until three years after the date of initial approval as long as continual
progress toward accreditation is maintained.

9. "Related services" means related services as defined in section 15-761.

10. "Residential special education placement" has the same meaning prescribed in
section 15-761.

11. "Special education" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-761.

12. "State placing agency" means the department of juvenile corrections, the
department of economic security, the department of health services or the administrative
office of the court.