What is special education, how are students identified, what services does it provide, and how is the program funded?
Special Education is a federally mandated program designed to serve students from birth to 21 years who have disabilities. Students are identified through referrals from teachers and parents, evaluations, by state criteria, and through interventions. Special education offers services in the disability areas, developmental physical education, social services, vocational education, transition services, psychological/mental health services and travel training. Those may include speech/language, occupational therapy, recreation mobility parent counseling/training, behavior management, audiology services, physical therapy, and assistance technology. The federal government requires school districts to spend, in a current year, from state and local special education funds, the same or greater amount spent in the previous year. A school district cannot reduce its special education program costs without putting its federal funds in jeopardy. For more information, see the Department of Education
