Exceptional Child Education
Meet Our Team
Cynthia York, Director of Special Programs
Dan Belding, School Psychologist
Logan Brooks, Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Molly Caswell, Special Programs Teacher Consultant
Ann Epperson, School Psychologist
Christa Middleton, Special Programs Teacher Consultant
Sondra Reece, Teacher for the Visually Impaired
Jamie Riley, Administrative Assistant
Bridget Wilfert, School Psychologist
What is Special Education?
Special education is instruction that is specially designed and uniquely tailored to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Public schools must provide special education and related services (e.g. Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech) to eligible students with disabilities at no cost to the parents. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the law that gives qualified children with disabilities the right to receive special and related services in public schools. The IDEA applies to children from ages three to 21.
The Kentucky Parent Guide for Special Education provides families and other stakeholders with information on the special education process and services provided to students throughout the state.
Is my child able to receive special education services?
Many parents wonder if their child might have a disability and if they would be eligible for special education services. The Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) follows a process to determine if a student qualifies for special education services. This process involves several steps and may look different depending on the individual child.
In Kentucky, an ARC may determine that a student qualifies for special education and related services in one or more categories.
These include:
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Autism (AUT)
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Deaf-Blindness (DB)
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Developmental Delay (DD) three through age eight
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Emotional-Behavioral Disability (EBD)
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Functional Mental Disability (FMD)
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Speech-Language Impairment (SLI)
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Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Mild Mental Disability (MMD)
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Multiple Disabilities (MD)
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Visual Impairment (VI)
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Orthopedic Impairment (OI)
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Hearing Impairment (HI)
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Other Health Impairment (OHI)
Additional Resources:
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Hoja De Datos: Eligibilidad Para Educación Especial (Spanish)
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HOJA DE DATOS: Evaluación y necesidad de servicios (Spanish)
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Questions often asked by parents about Special Education Services from the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)
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Preguntas Comunes de los Padres sobre la Educación Especial (CPIR)
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KY-SPIN Webinar: Referrals and Evaluations for Special Education and Related Services -2020
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Evaluation and Eligibility Forms - Evaluation and Eligibility (webpage)
What is an Individual Education Program (IEP)?
An IEP is a written, individualized program that outlines the services and supports the school and district will provide to students who qualify for special education and related services. IEPs help ensure students can access the general education curriculum. The Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) is the team responsible for developing a student’s IEP. Parents are a vital member of their child’s ARC. The ARC will review the student’s IEP at least once a year to be sure it continues to meet the unique educational needs of the student.
Additional resources:
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Fact Sheet: IEP (English) and Hoja De Datos: IEP (Spanish)
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KY-SPIN’s Myth Busters: Timeline for Initial Evaluation to be Completed
What is the Admissions and Release Committee (ARC)?
The ARC is a specialized team that works together to ensure students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) have equitable access to curriculum, instruction and other school-based services. The ARC has several duties including, but not limited to, designing an IEP that meets the student’s disability-specific needs and allows the student to make progress in the general education curriculum.
The ARC is made up of several members. Members include (707 KAR 1:320, Section 3):
(a) The parents or legal guardians of the child;
(b) Not less than one (1) regular education teacher;
(c) Not less than one (1) special education teacher;
(d) A representative of the school/district who is qualified to provide or supervise special education services and has knowledge of available resources;
(e) An individual who can understand and explain the results of evaluations;
(f) Other individuals (invited by the parent/guardian or school) with knowledge and expertise of the child;
(g) Related services providers (e.g. Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy);
(h) The child (if appropriate); and
(i) With parental consent, the school must also invite representatives from any other agencies that are likely to be responsible for paying for or providing transition services (for transition-aged students).
Families are not only essential partners in the education and schooling of their child but full members of an ARC team. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the 2008 Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR) on Special Education Programs outline the roles and responsibilities of parents and school districts regarding ARC meetings and IEP development.
Additional Resources:
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Preparing for the ARC: This document helps parents and families think through questions or concerns they may have when preparing to attend an ARC meeting. It can be printed out and taken to the ARC.
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IEP Team: This document provides information on the ARC from the Center for Parent Involvement and Resources (CPIR)
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Parents on the IEP Team (English) and Más Sobre el Equipo del IEP (Spanish) from CPIR
What do all these letters mean?
Acronyms seem to be everywhere in the world of Special Education. Sometimes school staff will use acronyms in conversation. Every so often they forget that these acronyms are unfamiliar to parents and families. The resources below provide information on what the acronyms mean so families can have a better understanding of the terms used. Keep in mind that this is often an unintended mistake, so parents should feel comfortable asking the speaker to clarify acronyms at any time.
Additional Resources:
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KY-SPIN, Inc. Information Sheet Series: Special Education Glossary of Terms
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Disability and Special Education Acronyms from the Center for Parent Involvement and Resources (CPIR)
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EDFacts Acronym List from Office of Special Education (OSEP)
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The OSEP Spanish Glossary Project: English and Spanish Acronyms
What if my child has a disability but does not qualify for an IEP?
If a child has been diagnosed with a disability that seems to be impacting their learning and behavior but does not qualify for an IEP, families and staff may want to consider a Section 504 plan. A 504 plan addresses the unique learning needs of a student with a disability and provides reasonable accommodations. More information about Section 504 plans is in the Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools.
Additional Resources:
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The Office of Civil Rights: Protecting Students with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities
Parent Resources
Documents
- District Autism Team Support
- EBP (Evidence Based Practices) Definitions
Definitions of Evidence Based Practices
- The Big 5
The Big 5 Evidence Based Practices for Students with Autism
- EBP Matrix
Matrix of Evidence Based Practices by Outcome and Age
- Intervention Ziggurat
Provides a process and framework for designing individualized, comprehensive intervention plans for individuals with ASD.
- KDE Autism Guidance Document
guidance for educators regarding identification, interventions and the provision of special education services for students with Autism between the ages of 3 and 21 in Kentucky’s public schools.
- Initial Meeting Guidance Document
Documents what is to take place at the initial meeting after the Request for Assistance (referral) to the District Autism Team
- Tiers of Support
Three tiers of support offered to teachers and students of Barren County schools.
- EBP (Evidence Based Practices) Definitions
- Transition for High School Students
- A Transition Guide
A Transition Guide to Post-Secondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
- A Transition Guide
- Due Process Forms
Links
- District Autism Team Support
- Initial Phase - Evidence Based Practices
Use this form to document Evidence Based Practices that have been used with the student by the general education teacher after consultation with the ECE teacher.
- Formal Support - Referral/Request for Assistance
Complete this form after implementing evidence-based practices with consistency and fidelity, when the student and/or general education teacher need additional support.
- Formal Support - Autism Team Initial Consultation
District Autism Team member will complete this form once the referral for assistance is submitted.
- Formal Support - Individual Strengths and Skills Inventory
Documentation of student strengths completed by District Autism Team member during initial consultation.
- Formal Support - 4-Step Problem-Solving Model for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
To be completed by members of the District Autism Team after the initial consultation, taking all data collected at the initial consultation into consideration.
- Intense Support Documentation
Members of the District Autism Team will complete this form when intensive support is needed for a student with autism.
- Intense Support - Behavior Support Plan Summary for Students with Autism
This form is to be completed by members of the District Autism Team in collaboration with all stakeholders following the initial consultation.
- Initial Phase - Evidence Based Practices
- Co-Teaching Support Links
- Co-Teaching in High Schools
US News & World Report Article
- Co-Teach Model Video
5 Minute YouTube Video of Various Models of Co-Teaching
- KDE Co-Teaching Resources
CT4GC and Other Co-Teaching Resources
- KDE Novice Reduction
General Information About the Novice Reduction Initiative
- Co-Teaching in High Schools
- Preschool Websites
- Transition Services
- Vocational Rehab - What to Expect
An explanation of Vocational Rehabilitation services offered to you and your child.
- ILP Information
Individual Learning Plans for students in grades 6-12. A great transition and planning resource!
- Transition Assessments
- Barber College of South Central Kentucky
- Bowling Green Technical College
- Community & Junior Colleges in Kentucky
- Carl D. Perkins Vocational Training Center
- WKU Services for Students with Disabilities
- Automotive College
- PJ's College of Cosmetology
- KY Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Area Technology Center
- Vocational Rehab - What to Expect
- ECE Websites
- Autism Speaks
- Encouraging Empathy: How to Teach Apologies to Children on the Autism Spectrum
- Autism Teaching Strategies
Focus on Social Skills
- Kentucky Partnership for Families and Children, Inc.
Parent Info and Trainings
- Kentucky Autism Training Center
- Intervention Central
- Cindy's Autistic Support
- Education.com
- National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.
- Teacher Resources
- Common Core Math Practice
- Evidence-Based Practice Facts Sheets
- http://wonderopolis.org/
Wonderopolis - Question of the Day
- Teaching Channel - Inspirational Teacher Videos
- Writing Resources
- The World's Largest Whiteboard Community
- Educreations
- National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
- The Quantile Framework for Math
- Alternate Assessment
- Ipad Apps
- Due Process Forms
- Other Resources