The purpose of special education is to provide equal access to education for children age’s birth through 21, by providing specialized services that will lead to school success in the general curriculum. If your child’s health care provider, teacher, other interested party or you suspect that your child may be eligible for special education services, it is helpful to know what to expect and where to begin. The following information is an outline of the special education process and brief descriptions of its elements.

With excitement and hope, the parent carefully plans and encourages their young child to get ready for school where many new life opportunities will be explored. The parent recognizes that this new environment will present many new challenges along with the opportunities.

One of the last things that most parents want to hear is that their child may need added supports to assist his/her individual achievement in school, and that their child has a disability which requires special education services. The parent may feel panicked when you presented with the overwhelming amount of information that the school may now be sharing.  As difficult as it seem, try not to worry. Although there is a lot to learn, and then to appreciate about your child’s unique learning needs, the following information is for you the parent or guardian who wishes   a basic understanding of the special education process.

The information that follows will hopefully be an important guide of your journey into the world of special education. Here you will find information about identification, assessments, laws, interventions and specialized academic support and services. Start slowly. As you begin to understand the process, you will feel more comfortable to contact the school and begin collaborative discussions with school administration and special education support staff.