The term "special education" means specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and instruction in physical education.
Special education and related services are available for eligible students with identified disabilities in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state regulations, the Exceptional Children’s Education Act (ECEA).
When a student is not making expected academic progress or social, emotional or behavioral gains, a request for assistance from the school’s student support team can be made. The goal of the team is to find solutions for students through a team approach using a structured problem-solving process that focuses on student strengths.
At any time during this process, the team may determine that the student needs to be referred to special education for further evaluation. There are times when the student will be referred for evaluation without going through the problem-solving process. When parents/families are concerned about a student’s lack of progress, they may also request an evaluation.
A special education evaluation includes a variety of individualized assessments administered to a child and/or the use of a Response to Intervention (RtI) model, but only after parents have given informed written consent.
This evaluation includes assessment results, including data from interventions, that will lead to the most complete understanding of the student's unique educational needs. A meeting will be held with the parents, teachers and those who conducted assessments to determine if the child has an educational disability and is eligible to receive special education services.
If a disability is identified, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be developed to ensure the student receives a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).
For more information, please contact your child's teacher, counselor or school psychologist or the Exceptional Student Services department at 970-613-5026.