SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Local school districts are required by federal and state laws to find children who may need special education services and related services (Child Find) and then to provide those services free of charge (Free Appropriate Public Education).
What is Child Find?
Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services.
What is a disability?
For children ages birth to 3 – A physical or mental condition that may result in a developmental delay
Please contact Becki Walter at Erie County’s Help Me Grow 1-419-502-4139 or by email at [email protected]
For children ages 3 through 5 – A documented deficit in one or more of the following developmental areas: communication, vision, hearing, motor skills, social emotional/behavioral functioning, self-help skills, and/or cognitive skills
For children ages 5 through 21 – Identification of one or more of the following conditions: multiple disabilities, deaf-blindness, deafness (hearing impairment), visual impairment, speech or language impairment, orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance, cognitive disability, specific learning disability, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment (Major or Minor).
What is the purpose of Child Find?
To alert parents, professionals, and the public to children who may have special needs
To guarantee that school districts find children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to their attention
To enable eligible children to receive the special education and related services that are needed
To promote public awareness of disabilities
What is Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)?
Free appropriate public education or FAPE means special education and related services that—
Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge;
Meet the standards of the state education agency
Include an appropriate preschool, elementary school or secondary school education in the State involved
Are provided in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP)
RESOURCES
Section 504 Information
Whose IDEA
Ohio Department of Education Students with Disabilities
State Support Team Region 2 (Lorain, Erie & Huron Counties)
Homeless information
Vision Notification
Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarship Programs:
Parent Resource Packet
United Way 2-1-1 is a free, confidential and anonymous, non-emergency information and referral service that connects Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, Erie, and Hancock county residents to the health and human services they need. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week as well as during disasters. Available by telephone and online, 2-1-1 provides callers and web visitors with detailed information on community resources for help and assistance in a range of areas.
Home School Information: contact Northpoint Educational Service Center; 180 Milan Avenue, Suite 6; Norwalk, OH 44857; Phone: 419.627.3900 (Press 5); FAX: 419.627.3998
Counseling Services and/or Private Psychologist (Huron City Schools offers these names as a resource – not necessarily as an endorsement)