Edison's Director
Welcome to the Special Education Department!!!
This web page is offered to provide an introduction to the special education programs offered by the Edison Local School District. Our goal is to connect families with resources that will assist their children who may be in need of special education.
An appropriate education is required !
Meeting the needs of individual children within the school environment is important to Edison Local. District schools comply with federal regulations and the State Board of Education’s rules for the education of handicapped children, and takes an active role in identifying children who might have disabilities. If you know a child, from birth to 21 years of age, who may have a disability, and who is not receiving services, please contact the Edison Local School District central office at (740) 282-0065 or (330) 532-3199.
What is Special Education?
Special Education is an educational program designed to fit the needs of your child. It may be just some extra help once a day or it may be in a self contained, specially designed, classroom that has children with similar disabilities. There are as many types of special education as there are students because each program addresses the individual needs of each student. Approximately 350 students receive special education in the Edison Local Schools each year.
Intervention Assistance Teams
The Intervention Assistance Team is a school-based problem-solving group. Its primary purpose is to design useful interventions to help children succeed in school. The school psychologist, intervention specialists, guidance counselors, and other staff as needed consult with general education teachers, students, and parents who may be in need of assistance concerning the learning or behavior of a child.
The Multi-factored Evaluation
When comprehensive academic and behavioral interventions do not have the intended effect on school improvement, students may be referred for additional testing to determine if a disability exists. This multi-factored evaluation requires parent permission and is conducted by a team of professionals with parent input. While a student is served in a special education program, the multi-factored evaluation is repeated every three years. There is no cost to the parent for these evaluations.
Special Education Programs
The State of Ohio presently describes 14 areas in which a child may be eligible to receive special education. Special Education is defined as specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. Special Education programs are not always a classroom or place within the school building. Special Education is a support system to move students with disabilities through the general curriculum using research based interventions. Like any of Edison Local’s educational programs, special education uses a framework that:
- identifies and targets students’ strengths and weaknesses through meaningful assessment; - designs and implements early/ongoing interventions;- individualizes and guides instruction; and - monitors student progress.
The Individualized Education Program
The Individualized Education Program (I.E.P.) is a written plan of measurable, annual goals developed to meet a child’s needs according to federal and state regulations. Parents and students help write this plan. It can be reviewed and revised at any time, but it is reviewed and revised at least one time per year. The I.E.P. team, including the parent, will think about the most appropriate and least restrictive place to serve the child’s needs. That place could be:
- a general education classroom with supportive services;
- a special school;
- a hospital, or at home, if the child cannot physically attend school; or
- at home, a Head Start Center, or community facility if the child is age 3 to 5.
Comprehensive Services
The Edison Local School District provides Comprehensive programming (Pre K-12) to any student who qualifies for special education. Additionally, eligible students are also provided related services such as transportation, speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy to name a few. These services are identified on children’s individual education plans as being necessary to assist those children to benefit from special education. Also see Work Study Program
PreSchool Special Needs
The State of Ohio requires all school districts to provide programs for children between the ages of 3 and 5 years who have developmental delays. Edison Local provides half-day programs at two sites within the district. If a special needs child is not able to attend a school based program, home based (itinerant) services may be provided. To assist families to understand their preschooler’s development, a district-wide summer screening is conducted.
Section 504 Plans
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, any person who has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (learning) is considered a person with a disability. A 504 plan is designed to help students with special physical, mental, and/or psychological needs to feel comfortable with the general learning environment. This is done so by providing reasonable accommodations within the general education program. Typically, children covered under section 504 either have less severe disabilities than those covered under special education or do not fit under the 14 areas identified by the Ohio Department of Education.
