What Are Special Education Services?
Special education is a service, not a place. It is designed to bring tailored support directly to your child
so they can learn, grow, and thrive alongside their peers.
Specially Designed Instruction
Every student learns differently. Based on your child’s unique strengths and evaluation results, our team creates an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This plan outlines customized instruction built specifically around how your child learns best.
Support & Related Services
To help your child succeed with their learning plan, our team may recommend additional support services. Depending on your child's needs, these can include:
- Therapy & Communication: Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy (OT), and Physical Therapy (PT)
- Counseling & Wellbeing: School Psychology, Social Work, and Health Services
- Specialized Consultations: Behavior Support, Autism Services, Assistive Technology, and Hearing Support
- Future Planning (Upon the age of 14): Vocational/Career Transition and Transportation
Where Services Happen
Most services are provided right inside the regular classroom so students stay connected with their classmates. When specialized or quiet instruction is needed, services may also take place in a dedicated support room.
How Special Education Works in Our Schools
Every child learns differently, and our special education services are built around your child’s unique strengths and needs.
We work closely with you to provide the right support in the best environment.
How the Process Works:
- Getting Started: Before a special education referral, our teachers use classroom strategies, extra help (like reading/math intervention or student support teams), and classroom performance to see how your child responds to different learning tools and differentiation.
- Evaluation: With parent input, the team may or may not determine that additional information is needed to determine if your child has a disability that requires specialized instruction. If so, the team will design an evaluation specific to the concerns of the team.
- Building the Plan: Together at a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting, the team will determine if your child qualifies for services. If so, we partner with you to create a personalized Individualized Education Program (IEP).
- Learning Together: We ensure students receive their support in the Least Restrictive Environment—meaning they stay in general education classrooms alongside their peers as much as possible.
Our teachers and specialists use Connecticut’s secure online IEP system (CT-SEDS)
to connect your child’s personalized goals directly to grade-level classroom learning.