Special Education

Special Education Preschool Continuum of Programs

The IUSD Special Education Preschool, provides a continuum of quality early intervention programs and services designed to meet the unique educational needs of children through individualized educational programming. We work collaboratively with families, colleagues and other professionals to create learning environments that support the development of language, social emotional, pre-academic and physical skills necessary for the school readiness of children with exceptional needs.

Our Special Education Preschool program is staffed with highly qualified instructional staff, including Education Specialists, SLPs, OTs, PTs, an APE teacher, Psychologists, a Nurse, and an ABA Supervisor who provide designated instruction and services that supports and complements the classroom program, and meets the unique educational needs of our children as determined through the IEP process. These services are either provided within (“push-in”) the classroom or in a separate (“pull-out”) classroom. As needed, itinerant staff is available to consult with parents. Parents are encouraged to attend the ECLC parent trainings and support groups offered throughout the year by the ECLC Preschool Program staff. Progress on goals and objectives are shared via progress reports throughout the school year.

When considering a program placement for special education preschool students, we consider the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and how to best support a student's unique educational needs. When determining the least restrictive setting, the IEP team considers the continuum of programs, the specific skills and unique needs of the child to determine the LRE in which the child is likely to be most successful. LRE is determined when children are educated within an appropriate setting that supports their unique needs, in an environment that supports them in making progress on goals and objectives, and able to meaningfully benefit from the educational setting.

The continuum of IUSD preschool programs designed to meet the unique educational needs of children who are eligible for special education preschool services are described below.

• ECLC General Education Preschool
  This program is designed to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities in the LRE. The IEP Team determines if supplementary support services and/or consultation with special education staff is needed for the child to meaningfully benefit from this educational setting.
• Speech and Language Clinic
  The Speech and Language Preschool Clinic is designed to meet the educational needs of children with speech and/or language delays in the LRE. The speech and language clinic provides therapy to students that have mild to moderate articulation, oral motor, fluency, voice, language and/or pragmatic delays.
• Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI-2) Self-Contained
  SAI classes are available to those children whose IEP Team recommends a more individualized, supportive and intensive program than can be provided solely within the general education preschool setting. SAI provides small and/or whole group instruction in a mild-moderate non-categorical preschool program (various disabilities are grouped together, i.e.: speech and language impaired, autism, etc.).
• Learning Play & Language Clinic
  The Learning Play & Language Clinic provides Designated Instructional Service (DIS) in a moderately structured naturalistic play and social environment that supports children in learning language, play, social and self-help skills. The Learning Play & Language Clinic is designed for children who demonstrate moderate communication and social impairments often related to Autism and who demonstrate significant delays in learning and/or playing incidentally through peers.
• Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI-2) Self-Contained – Transition
  The Transition class provides a moderately structured environment and daily routine that supports evidence based practices to address the core impairments of Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or other identified disabilities. This class is supported by highly trained staff with specific training in ABA methodologies and designed for children who demonstrate moderate communication, behavioral and social impairments and require small group instruction and support.
• Learning 2 Learn Clinic
  The Learning 2 Learn (L2L) Clinic provides a highly structured and predictable environment and daily routine that supports evidence based ABA methodologies, such as PECS, PRT, positive behavioral support, structured teaching, functional communication, and DTT to address the core impairments of Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or other identified disabilities.
• IUSD - Special Education
• Special Education CAC website