Program Philosophy

The Department of Special Education is committed to meeting the individual student´s needs through communication and collaboration among general education staff and special education staff and parents. An array of instructional services is provided which allows learning in an environment that is most appropriate and least restrictive.

District Provides

Identification programs include referral/screening and/or individual assessments to determine educational, psychological, vocational, speech, visual, audiological and physical needs, and to determine:

• The presence or absence of a disability
• The presence or absence of a significant educational need, and
• The identification of specific learning competencies

A Special Education program is designed to meet each eligible student´s needs through a combination of individualized instruction in general and special education. These programs are available to persons who are below the age of 22 as of September 1, who may have one or more of the following disabilities:

1. Mental Retardation
2. Auditory Impairment
3. Orthopedic Impairments
4. Deaf-Blindness
5. Other Health Impairments
6. Speech Impairment
7. Learning Disability
8. Autism
9. Emotional Disturbance
10. Multiple Disabilities
11. Visual Impairment
12. Traumatic Brain Injury

Programs and services are available to students who qualify for special education services and the ARD/IEP Committee has determined an educational need. Students eligible for special education services are afforded a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), starting on their third (3rd) birthday.