What do I do if my child is not being successful in the general education classroom?

If your child is having difficulty in the classroom you should contact your child’s teacher or school principal and ask for a Student Support Team meeting. Sometimes additional support can be provided in the general education classroom that will help your child be more successful.  

A learning difference can can present as a difficulty with:

• Communication such as verbally expressing themselves or understanding others.
• Reading, writing, number work, or comprehension.
• Making friends or relating to adults.
• Organizing themselves.
• Behaving appropriately in school.

If your child continues to need more support in order to be successful, you or the Student Support Team can request an evaluation for special education.

What  makes a child eligible for Special Education Services?

Special education services are provided to individuals with disabilities who need support when learning.  Some learning differences are evident from an early age, but in other cases the difficulties may not be noticed until the child starts attending school.  

A child becomes eligible for special education services when they receive a qualifying diagnosis which causes them to need special education services.  A few examples of qualifying diagnoses are Autism, Deaf/Blindness, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, and Specific Learning Disabilities. 

The process for determining if an individual with exceptional needs qualifies for special education services begins with a request for an evaluation for special education services.