SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
OVERVIEW
Paynesville Area School provides free and appropriate special education services to children from birth -21 who meet criteria as having special education needs. These services are designed for individaul students who need special help to reach their full potential.
Program Goals:
IDENTIFICATION
Children may be eligible for special education services at birth. For these children, services are home based and are offered through the West Central Education District. Referrals can be made to Maura O’Connor at 320-352-6120 ext. 27. Parents may call collect, do not use the extention number and wait for the secretary to answer.
Identification of school aged children is usually based on the student’s performance in school. This process may be intiated by a parent, classroom teacher, counselor administrator, agency or medical personnel. Several steps are used in determining the appropriate education program to be provided.
Pre-referral – When a referral is made, at least two different approaches (pre-referral interventions) are tried and documented to accommodate the needs of the student. Teachers must also be in contact with parents to communicate issues and to learn of situations happening at home that could affect the student’s performance in school.
Referral – If pre-referral classroom interventions are not effective in resolving the student’s learning difficulties, the classroom teacher may make a referral to the Child Study Team to determine if an evaluation is necessary. The team (including the parents) decides the areas to be evaluated and what assessment tools will be used. A parent’s signature is needed to give permission for the evaluation.
Evaluation – Parents are strongly encouraged to contribute pertinent information during this period. Their perspectives on and experiences with the student are of great value and must be considered during the evaluation. Licensed staff administers the evaluation and share results with parents and other team members.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) – If the student meets criteria and is in need of special education services, the student, parents and staff develop an IEP to address the areas of needs as identified in the evaluation process. The IEP contains information on the student’s Present levels of functioning as well as goals and objectives to work on in their areas of need.
Individual Interagency Intervention Plan (IIIP) Some children who received services from several agencies may have an IIIP instead of an IEP. The difference is that the IIIP describes the needed services and funding arrangements for a child with a disability and their family across a variety of programs, agencies and services.This joint planning process enhances family/person centered planning and results in more holistic and community based services for the child and family.
Review – The IEP/IIIP is reviewed at several points throughout the school year. It must be re-written each year and reviewed a minimum of once during a year. The evaluation process must be reviewed at least every three years.
Categories of Special Education Include:
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Deaf-Blind
Developmental Adapted Physical Education
Developmental Cognitive Delay (DCD)
Developmental Delay (Early Childhood Special Education ECSE)
Emotionally/Behaviorally Disordered
Hearing Impaired
Other Health Disabilities
Physically Impaired
Severely Multiply Impaired
Speech or Language Impairments
Specific Learning Disability
Traumatic Brain Injury
Visually Impaired
Additional Support Services:
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Social Worker
School Psychologist
Vision Consultant
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher
Audiologist
Assistive Technology
Transition services
See the following site for criteria information for each category:
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Learning_Support/Special_Education/index.html