Special Education

Special Education Programs

The Special Education services for each student with disabilities are written into the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Services may be provided in a variety of settings, with the goal being to educate each student in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE); which means providing services in the regular classroom environment to the maximum extent possible.

The following list of educational settings is in order from least to move restrictive environment:

Collaboration/Consultation Services - Regular Education Classes: These services focus on intervention specialist and general educators working collaboratively to best meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Resource Services - Special Class: Support children whose disabilities require a specially designed instruction that may occur outside of the general education classroom. Continued participation in the child's regular class activities is encouraged. The Resource Room offers a modified curriculum which provides a student with a disability a personalized option that is not offered in the general education program.
Separate Facility: Separate facilities are, typically, schools outside of the district that are designed specifically for students with disabilities.
Home Instruction: An individualized education program provided at home to a child with a disability which prevents the child from attending a regular or special program even with the aid of special transportation.

Related Services

Related Services are support services needed to allow children with disabilities to benefit from special education. These may include:

Adapted Physical Education
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Aide Support
Audiological Services
Interpreter Services
Orientation & Mobility Services
School Psychology Services
Specialized Transportation
Transition Services
Nursing Services
Mental Health Services
Work Study Services

Does My Child Have a Disability?

Child Find is a search for all children with disabilities. Child Find is the process of identifying, locating and evaluating children with disabilities who may be in need of Special Education and related services. Both state and local education agencies are given the responsibility by federal and state laws to conduct Child Find activities so that children who need Special Education services have the opportunity to receive those services. Early intervention is very beneficial.

What is the purpose of Child Find?

To promote public awareness of disabilities.
To alert parents, professionals and the public to children who may have special needs.
To assist school districts in finding children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to their attention.
To enable children and families to receive the Special Education and related services that are needed.

What is a disability?

For ages 3 - 5 years - A documented deficit in one or more of the following developmental areas: communication, vision, hearing, motor skills, social emotional/behavioral functioning, self-help skills and/or cognitive skills.
For ages 5 - 21 years - Identification of one or more of the following conditions: autism, deaf/blind, hearing impairment including deafness, mental retardation or cognitive disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury and/or visual impairment including blindess.

Who can help?

Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees and any concerned citizens can report to local school districts any child, age birth to 21, who may have a disability and who may need Special Education and related services. If you are aware of a child who may have special needs, please notify his/her school district. Schools can do their job better with your help.

We are a community of learners inspiring each student to explore, grow, and achieve.

Special Education