Pregnant Student Policy
Perry Technical Institute is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals enjoy freedom from discrimination, including discrimination based on sex, as mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).
Perry Technical Institute will not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom. In accordance with Title IX, Perry Technical Institute will grant a pregnant student leave for the length of time deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician.
To the extent possible, Perry Technical Institute will take reasonable steps to ensure that pregnant students who take a leave of absence or medical leave return to the same educational status the student held prior to withdrawing. Given the nature of our cohort-style programs, medically necessary leaves are sufficient cause to permit the student to join a subsequent cohort when returning from leave, depending on the circumstances. Nothing in this policy requires modification to the essential elements of any academic program.
Pregnant students are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with their department head by the sixth month of pregnancy or sooner to explore options for academic success, which may include make-up work, or emergency absence (as outlined below). The Title IX coordinator will assist with plan development and implementation as needed.
Make-Up Work
Make-up work will be available to pregnant and postpartum/parenting students. The following types of make-up work are allowed: textbook assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and lab work. The specifics of the make-up work assignments and related due dates will be left to the instructor and department head to determine.
Accommodations
Students with pregnancy-related disabilities, like any student with a short-term or temporary disability, are entitled to reasonable accommodations so that they will not be disadvantaged in their program of study. Students who wish to discuss their need for such accommodations should seek assistance from the Title IX coordinator. Pregnancy related accommodations shall be based on the pregnant student’s request, and shall not be initiated by Perry Technical Institute.
As with disability accommodations, information about pregnant students’ requests for accommodations will be shared with faculty and staff only to the extent necessary to provide the reasonable accommodation. Faculty and staff shall regard all information associated with such requests as private and will not disclose this information unless necessary. Administrative responsibility for these accommodations lies with the Title IX coordinator, who will maintain all appropriate documentation related to accommodations.
Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
- Providing accommodations requested by a pregnant student to protect the health and safety of the student and/or the pregnancy (such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from hazardous substances)
- Making modifications to the physical environment
- Providing mobility support
- Extending deadlines and/or allowing the student to make up tests and assignments missed for pregnancy-related absences
- Offering remote learning options (where possible)
- Excusing medically-necessary absences
- Granting leave per Perry Technical Institute’s emergency absence policy or implementing incomplete grades for classes that will be resumed at a future date
- Allowing breastfeeding students reasonable time and space to pump breast milk in a location that is private, clean, and reasonably accessible
Attendance and Enrollment Options
The following attendance and enrollment options are available to pregnant students or those facing pregnancy related conditions. As long as students can maintain satisfactory academic progress (maintain 2.0 GPA), faculty, staff or other PTI employees will not require them to take an emergency absence or withdraw from or limit their studies as the result of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.
Requesting Excused Absences
Absences related to prenatal medical care and other pregnancy related absences may be excused with a doctor’s note. Perry Technical Institute requires that an emergency absence request form be completed each quarter and documentation must be submitted for each related absence. A letter to the respective dean of your program describing your need for excused absences must be provided, along with documentation from your medical provider. Please see the Education Department for the emergency absence request form.
Student Medical Leave
Students who desire to take leave under this policy for pregnancy related reasons must notify their department head of intent to take leave at least 30 calendar days prior to the initiation of leave. Perry Technical Institute strongly encourages students to notify their department head by the sixth month of pregnancy so that the school can work with the student to address their needs to the greatest extent possible.
Previous absences will not be counted towards the medical leave. For example, you may miss two days at the beginning of the quarter and still take a medical leave. In the case of pregnancy and postpartum related leave alone, medical leave may last as long as your medical provider deems necessary (documentation from your provider will be required).
Students are expected to submit make-up work upon return (see below). Note that longer periods of leave may interfere with your ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Medical Withdrawal
A medical withdrawal occurs when a student determines that they must pause their education for medical reasons by taking a quarter or more off from their program of study. If a pregnant student wishes to withdraw for pregnancy and postpartum/parenting reasons and re-enroll later, Perry Technical Institute will work to help reinstate the student to the same educational status the student held prior to withdrawing. After a medical withdrawal, a student seeking re-enrollment will need to join the next available cohort. Perry Technical Institute reserves the right to require a student to restart a program if more than two years have passed between their withdrawal and re-enrollment, or if there has been a significant curriculum revision.
Students who wish to re-enroll to complete their program of study should know that Perry Technical Institute generally restricts the use of financial aid for the first quarter of re-enrollment, but students have the option to appeal for hardship and medically documented reasons. A financial aid specialist will provide more information about existing options or any financial aid questions in general.