Alternative Education
When the needs of a student cannot be met in a Spring Grove Area School District, or a student has had certain serious infractions of the behavior code, the District will assist students and their parents/guardians in finding an alternative placement, with the goal of the student’s return to the District classroom as soon as is feasible.
Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) placements, guided by state law, generally last for 45 days if the student successfully attends and completes all assignments with passing grades.
Information on AEDY programming, regulations, and guidelines can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website. The local AEDY Complaint Procedures and Forms are available below.
The Spring Grove Area School District partners with River Rock Academy in Spring Grove and Red Lion, High Road School in York, and Capitol Academy in Harrisburg to provide alternative education to our students. The major emphasis is to prepare students academically and socially for a return to public school. Each student will have individualized goal plans developed in conjunction with group and individual counseling to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Transition planning will be used to reintegrate youth back into the public school and community setting. Co-op programming that utilizes community work experiences will be available to eligible students.
AEDY Complaint Process
The following is a process designed to address complaints and concerns regarding any aspect of Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) programs, including placement and exiting decisions, the quality of academic instruction, the provision or omission of language assistance services, and services to students with disabilities to include reasonable modifications. This process is referred to as the “AEDY Complaint Process.”
Individuals having complaints and concerns regarding AEDY are required to seek resolution via the relevant School District rather than elevating concerns to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in the first instance. The filing of a complaint via the AEDY Complaint Process does not limit any other rights or remedies under federal and state law. This means, for example, that a parent may still file a separate due process complaint concerning his or her child’s Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) as provided pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”).
School districts will ensure that parents and students who are limited in (or have no) English proficiency (known as Limited English Proficiency or “LEP”) are provided translation and interpretation services to participate in the AEDY Complaint Process. If you need translation and interpretation services to access this document or the AEDY Complaint Process, please contact Dr. Michelle Ludwig at LudwigM@sgasd.org or 717-225-4731, Extension 3016.
Filing an AEDY Complaint with the School District
Any individual or organization may submit a written complaint using the attached AEDY Complaint Form. The form must be completed and sent to the relevant School District.
The complaint must include:
(1) the facts on which the statement is based;
(2) all relevant documents and supporting information;
(3) a proposed resolution to the problem to the extent known and available to the complainant at the time the complaint is filed; and
(4) the contact information for the complainant.
All relevant documents must be forwarded to the Spring Grove Area School District, at the Educational Service Center, 100 East College Avenue, Spring Grove PA 1736, faxed to: 717-225-0737, or emailed to LudwigM@sgasd.org.