Rhode Island Vision Education and Services Program
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Eligibility for Federal Quota Registration
In order for students to be eligible for registration in the Federal Quota Program, they MUST meet the requirements as outlined in An Act to Promote the Education of the Blind.
Students must:
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Meet the definition of blindness--"central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with best correction; a peripheral field so contracted that the widest diameter of such field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees; or visual performance reduced by a brain injury or dysfunction when visual function meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye care specialist or neurologist."
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Be enrolled in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of less than college level.
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Be enrolled with the registering school or agency on the first Monday in January.
The educational programs providing services to these students can include public, private, and parochial schools.
There is NO chronological age limit for eligibility. The federal law limits registration to persons working at less than college level, but places no restriction on the ages of eligible students.
Eligibility of Adults
The Board of Trustees of the American Printing House for the Blind, at its 1985 Annual Meeting, approved a resolution which requires that students in education programs--but not enrolled in grade 12 or below--MUST "have a written instruction plan and be enrolled in and attend, on a regular basis, an instructional program of at least 20 hours of instruction per week. Social and leisure programs do not qualify as instructional programs."
Eligibility of Infants, Preschool Children, and Homebound Students
Eligible infants, preschool children, and homebound students can be registered if they are enrolled in a formally organized, regularly scheduled educational or training program and have a written education plan.
Eligibility of Students Who Are Home Schooled
In order for blind students enrolled in home school programs to prove eligible for registration in the Federal Quota Program, the home school program should meet guidelines and/or procedures in effect within each individual state.
Important Notes
Definition of School Age
For the purposes of the Federal Quota Registration, school age is to be determined by the state law of each respective state.
Required Documentation
The following documents are not to be submitted to APH, but must be on file with the agency or school where students are attending in the event that an audit requires evidence of the student's educational program or visual acuity:
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Written education plan--for each student registered. This verification that the student is in a formally organized educational program may be an IEP, a 504, or any other written action plan.
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Current eye report--by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist must be on file for each eligible student. (A report from a neurologist is acceptable for students classified as 'Functions at the Definition of Blindness'.) The report must be current within three years. Exemption from the current eye report regulation: students with proven non-changing eye conditions, such as bilateral enucleations, anophthalmos, or other conditions determined immutable.
Definitions of Required Information and Reporting Codes
Student ID numbers:
This number is for APH purposes. Click the SAVE button after updating the rest of the student's data and the year will be updated automatically.
Name of student:
Report each student's full name in this order: last name then first name (e.g., Doe John). Do NOT report a student's middle initial. Please do NOT submit a name with only the initial of the student's first name if at all possible. Do NOT, under any circumstance, use punctuation marks when entering a student's name.
Date of birth:
Give the student's date of birth in numbers using this sequence: month, day, year (e.g., 06-03-1985).
Name of school district, system, agency, or district in which student is enrolled:
Select the school system, agency, or district from the drop down list of valid entities for your account. If you wish to add a new school system, agency, or district to your drop down list, please contact Cindy in writing by e-mail at camback@aph.org. Be sure to include the following information in your e-mail: account number, name of districts to be added, your name, and your phone number just in case there is a question about your information.
Student Grade Placement Categories and Reporting Codes
Please carefully review the following chart of student placement categories, being certain the placement reported accurately reflects each student's placement. Report the grade placement for each student using the appropriate code shown. Only these codes will be accepted.
Note: Students who exceed school age as determined by respective state law must be registered as Adult Students (Reporting Code "AD").
Adult Students
Includes all eligible participants over school age. Reporting Code: AD
Definition of Student Placement Category Adult Students: Adults above school age, as determined by state law, in educational programs of less than college level.
Note: For the purposes of Federal Quota Registration, school age is to be determined by the state law of each respective state.
Students in education or rehabilitation programs, but not enrolled in grade 12 or below, must "have a written instruction plan and be enrolled in and attend, on a regular basis, an instructional program of at least 20 hours of instruction per week. Social and leisure programs do not qualify as instructional programs."
Preschool and School Age Students
Does not include any eligible participants over school age.
Reporting Code |
Definition |
IP |
Infants: Children of preschool age served by infant programs |
PS |
Preschool Students: Children of preschool age served by preschool programs |
KG |
Kindergarten Students: Children enrolled in kindergarten classes |
01-12 |
Students of School Age: Determined by state law, in regular academic grades 1 through 12. Please indicate grade placement by using numerals 01 through 12 |
AN |
Academic Non-graded: Students of school age, as determined by state law, who are working to acquire skills necessary for placement in a regular grade |
VO |
Vocational Students: Students of school age, as determined by state law, who are in vocational training (e.g., students enrolled in a program which is designed to lead to independent employment). This does not include multi-handicapped students in prevocational programs or classes. |
PG |
Post-graduate Students: Students of school age, as determined by state law, in post-graduate high school programs, studying at less than college level |
OR |
Other Registrants: Students of school age, as determined by state law, who do not fall into any of the above placements (e.g., students enrolled in classes for nonacademic students) |
Measurement of Vision with Correction
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Measurements of visual acuity performed by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist must be indicated for each student. (See below for exceptions.) These visual measurements are to be reported using only the codes listed below.
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Measurements of visual acuity must be current within three years. A reasonable exception will be made for persons who are totally blind or whose eyes have been enucleated or who have proven non-changing eye conditions.
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A separate measurement must be given for each eye.
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The actual eye report form is not to be submitted to APH, but must be on file where the student is enrolled in the event that an audit requires evidence of the student's visual measurement.
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Measurements should be stated in terms of distance on the Snellen Chart whenever possible. Diseases of the eye are NOT acceptable reporting codes.
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Functions at the Definition of Blindness (FDB) is a category indicating blindness due to brain injury or dysfunction. A student whose visual performance is reduced by a brain injury or dysfunction may be considered blind for educational purposes when visual function meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye care specialist or neurologist. Students in this category manifest unique visual characteristics often found in conditions referred to as neurological, cortical, or cerebral visual impairment.
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Even in the case of a non-communicative or non-responsive student, there must be a verification that the student meets the definition of blindness as outlined in these instructions.
Vision Measurements and Reporting Codes
Reporting Codes |
Measurements of Visual Acuities |
Example: 20/200 or 20/400 |
Distance Vision: 20/200 or less with maximum correction using the Snellen Chart |
VF and the degree of restriction (e.g., VF 20, VF 6) |
Visual Field: Restricted field of 20 degrees or less |
CF |
Counts Fingers: Should be used only when an eye specialist finds it is not possible to obtain an acuity using the Snellen Chart |
FDB |
Functions at the Definition of Blindness: Should be used when visual functioning is reduced by a brain injury or dysfunction and visual acuity is not possible to determine using the Snellen Chart |
HM |
Hand Movements: Should be used only when an eye specialist finds it is not possible to obtain an acuity using the Snellen Chart |
OP |
Object Perception |
LP |
Light Perception |
NIL |
Totally Blind |
Reading Media
Primary Reading Media and Reporting Codes (required field)
The primary reading medium is to be reported for each student using the following reporting codes. Only these codes will be accepted.
Note: Infants and preschoolers identified as visual, braille, or auditory readers should be reported using the appropriate media codes.
Reporting Code |
Primary Reading Medium |
V |
Visual Readers: Student primarily using print in their studies |
B |
Braille Readers: Students primarily using braille in their studies |
A |
Auditory Readers: Students primarily using a reader or auditory materials in their studies |
P |
Prereaders: Students working on or toward a readiness level; infants, preschoolers, or older students with reading potential |
N |
Nonreaders: Nonreading students; students who show no reading potential; students who do not fall into any of the above categories |
Secondary Reading Medium and Reporting Codes (required field)
In addition to listing a primary reading medium, a secondary reading medium is also a required category/field. Only one medium can be chosen and entered in the secondary reading medium field to provide more accurate statistics.
Reporting Code |
Secondary Reading Medium |
V |
Visual: Students use print to some extent |
B |
Braille: Students use braille to some extent |
A |
Auditory: Students use a reader or auditory materials to some extent |
NA |
NA Not Applicable: Nonreaders, prereaders, or students with no additional reading media |
Note: Please remember that you may not duplicate a reading medium in the primary and secondary reading media fields.
Other (or Third) Reading Medium and Reporting Codes (optional field)
An optional other (or third) reading medium field has been added for your convenience. This field is not required and defaults to NA, or not applicable. You may choose not to include another (or third) reading medium.
Reporting Code |
Other (or Third) Reading Medium |
V |
Visual: Students use print to some extent |
B |
Braille: Students use Braille to some extent |
A |
Auditory: Students use a reader or auditory materials to some extent |
NA |
Not Applicable: Nonreaders, prereaders, or students with no additional reading media |
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