Nancy Martinez, Director of Special Education and Counseling Programs
"Child Find" Information - Summary of Child Find Procedures for Parents
Special Education
"CHILD STUDY SERVICES "
Special Education Division
Program Office - 928 S. Hinman Dr. | Prescott, Arizona 86305 | 928-717-3236
Philosophy and Objectives
The Prescott Unified School District seeks to provide free appropriate public education for students of all abilities. To implement this philosophy, the Special Education Program has the following major objectives:
To educate all students to the extent appropriate within the regular education environment.
To identify, assess and diagnose the individual needs of children with disabilities.
To provide adaptations and interventions to children with disabilities in order to attain optimum learning.
To help children receiving special education services learn the social, pre-vocational, and vocational skills necessary to live as independently and successfully as possible.
Procedures
Request for Assistance
Every school has a Child Study Team that meets to assist classroom teachers in responding to students who are experiencing difficulties at school.
A request for this assistance may come from school staff, a family member, or the student. The Child Study Team develops, implements, and evaluates interventions designed to remedy the problem(s).
Screening
If a student continues to experience difficulties, the Child Study Team may request that a more in-depth evaluation be conducted by additional school personnel. One of the purposes for this evaluation is to determine possible eligibility for special education services. However, referral for special education evaluation should occur only after alternatives have been tried and have been determined unsuccessful in the regular classroom.
Full and Individual Evaluation
Evaluations generally assess intellect, achievement, learning styles, and social/emotional development. Decisions are made with parents in a multi-disciplinary evaluation team meeting concerning eligibility. Students placed in a special education program are re-evaluated at least every three years.
Parent Participation
It is extremely important that parents participate in their child's special education program and understand the procedures and information discussed. We encourage parents to present questions and concerns and to invite other participants according to their individual needs. Various support and educational groups for parents/ students are available for those who wish to participate.
Parents are always invited to visit programs recommended for their child. It is our goal to provide equal access to an opportunity to learn for every child. We encourage the support of parents and patrons in realizing this goal.
"....Parents have to be recognized as special educators, the true experts on their children; and professional people--teachers, pediatricians, psychologists, and others--have to learn to be consultants to parents" (Nicholas Hobbs, 1978).
Services
Mildly Disabled students are served through collaborative consultation (special and regular education teachers working together to meet individual needs within the classroom setting). Students are also served in cross-categorical resource placement primarily (Learning Disabled and Emotionally Disabled). Extended Resource and Self-Contained programs are provided outside of the regular classroom for students who need more intensive special education services.
An Extended School Year (ESY) program during the summer months is provided for students to prevent skill loss or regression.
B.E.S.T. (Building Essential Skills and Techniques) self-contained programs, preschool through grade twelve. For students requiring more intensive instruction in small group environments. These classrooms are primarily designed for students who have cognitive disabilities.
Pathways, ALPS, and R&R are programs focusing on prosocial skills for the more significantly Emotionally Disabled students.
Sensory Impaired (Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired) students are served by school staff as well as personnel from the North Central Regional cooperative (affiliated with Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind).
Speech and Language Pathologists serve students with communicative disorders and speaking/listening problems. This service may be provided as a related service or as a primary disability.
Physical or Occupational Therapy is provided as a related service when necessary for students' success and progress in special education. An adaptive physical education program, PEOPEL, is also available.
Transition Services for all disabled students, ages 14-21, are offered, including a vocational assessment, along with transition programs provided to help prepare for successful life experiences beyond the school setting.
Each of these programs may be provided only after an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) has been designed as a result of a a Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET) meeting.