Diagnosis vs. Disability Category

Many parents are surprised to find that the "disability category" qualifying their child for special education and related services is different from their medical "diagnosis." For young children moving from First Steps to preschool, the criteria that qualified them for services may not be the same as the criteria that makes them eligible for public school services when they turn threee. Federal law (IDEA 2004, Part B) has 13 disability categories that States must use to determine if students, age 3-21, are eligible to receive special education and related serviecs.

Here are some examples:

* A child with Down Syndrome may be eligible for IDEA services under "Mental Retardation (MR)" or "Speech Impairment (SI)." Down Syndrome is the child's Medical Diagnosis; MR or SI is his or her Disability Eligibility Category.

* A child with Cerebral Palsy who qualifies for special education and related services under "Orthopedic Impairment (OI)." CP is the medical diagnosis; OI is the disability category.

The federal law (IDEA) uses the following terms to define a child with a disability.
* Autism
* Deaf-Blindness
* Hearing Impaired/Deafness
* Emotional Disturbance
* Other Health Impairment
* Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disorder
* Orthopedic Impairment
* Specific Learning Disability
* Language Impaired
* Traumatic Brain Injury
* Multiple Disabilities
* Sound System Disorder
*Speech Fluency/Speech Voice
* Young Child with a Developmental Delay

IDEA contains definitions for each of these disability terms.

What Parents Need To Know:

Parents should recognize that a diability label should open doors for their children, allowing them access to services-not limiting them. When schools assign a child a disability category , it is being done only to ensure that a student is eligible to receive special education or related services. A student's disability category should not take away from his or her individual gifts and talents or lower expectations.

For More Information:
Please view the link Missouri State Plan for Special Education

Grant Money Used For Professional Development

The district received a special education improvement grant this spring. The majority of the funds are being used for professional development of all instructional staff in the area of Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instruction is an instructional concept that maximizes learning for all students regardless of skill level or background. It's based on the fact that in a typical classroom, students vary in their academic abilities, learning styles, personalities, interests, background knowledge, experiences, and levels of motivation for learning. When a teacher differentiates instruction, they use the best teaching practices and strategies to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners. Our first workshop was held on August 15th. Keep checking for new posts regarding Differentiated Instruction.

How To Make A Special Education Referral

If you suspect that your child has a disability, please contact me to make a referral. A team, including special educators, general educators, counselors, administrators, and the parent will review existing data (grades, attendance, testing scores, etc.) to determine if an evaluation is necessary. If it is found that an evaluation is necessary, a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted to determine if your child has a disability.

Welcome to Mrs. James's Special Services Corner!

Welcome back!! I'm looking forward to the 08-09 school year. I will be posting special services information and updates for you to view in a convenient manner.