The Foreign Service Journal, June 2021

76 JUNE 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT For additional information, visit the OOS website or email OverseasSchools @ state.gov. The Nitty-Gritty FLO: What are the basic eligibility criteria for a student to receive SNEA? CFP: The basic eligibility criteria include a medical diagnosis or learning disability that has a significant impact on the child’s ability to access a general education curriculum. These are not the only criteria, how- ever. As per the Individuals with Disabili- ties Education Improvement Act of 2004, on which we base CFP processes, we also require the child to have an individual- ized education plan (IEP), which details services required to access the general curriculum. Examples of these services include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and specialized educational instruction, among others. The services must be defined as required in the IEP; and the IEP must detail the metrics used to evaluate the child’s progress in the various deficien- cies the services are intended to address. Many schools overseas do not have expe- rience developing a detailed IEP. CFP recognizes this and will provide guidance to families when equivalent documenta- tion is needed. To grant SNEA, CFP must under- stand what services are required, how the school and external specialists will provide the services, and how progress will be measured. FLO: Timely responses are paramount for families while bidding. What can families realistically expect from your office in terms of getting their inquiries answered? CFP: When families contact the CFP mailbox, MEDCFP@state.gov , they receive a response within five business days. With SNEA applications, the nurse liaison will maintain communication with families until required documen- tation is compiled. The case is then assigned to one of the CFP specialists to complete adjudication. Processing times vary based primar- ily on the time required to compile the necessary documentation. Possible delays may occur because of incomplete documentation, pending identification