Special+Education+Services

PCS Continuum of Special Education Services The following are descriptions of the specialized continuum of services provided to special education students’ age’s three to twenty-two. Should you have questions about any of the services described below, please contact the Director of Student Services, or any of our special education staff. **__Preschool Special Education Services:__** Piqua City Schools provides services to preschool students (ages 3 to 5) with disabilities through the Miami County Educational Service Center (MCESC). The MCESC provides Itinerant and Center - Based preschool services. Preschool Itinerant services are provided by preschool special education teachers in two different methods of service: 1) Services delivered in the home environment. 2) Services delivered to a child attending a public or private preschool. Center based services are provided in a classroom setting where typically developing peers and special needs students are led by a preschool special education teacher(s). Related Services are available to children in either setting who qualify in one of the following areas: communication, hearing, vision, social-emotional/behavioral functioning, motor functioning, adaptive behavior, and cognitive ability. The MCESC holds several screening sessions throughout the school year. If you believe your child may have a disability and would benefit from services please contact the MCESC for screening dates and times at 937-339-5100.

__**School Age Special Education Services:**__ Piqua City Schools provides services to school age students (ages 5 to 22) with disabilities. Our special education staff creates and implements appropriate academic and behavioral Individual Education Plans for each disabled student. Our students are served in the most appropriate setting given their own unique set of skills. Our teaching staff is trained to provide services to students whether in an inclusive or resource room setting.
 * // __Inclusion in the General Education Setting:__ // Most of our special education students receive the specialized services they need in the general education inclusionary setting. Our inclusionary setting is comprised of a co-teaching team which includes the general education teacher and special education. Services may also include the use of educational aides, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and school psychologists.
 * //__Resource Room Setting__//: Some of our special education students receive some of their specialized services in a resource room setting. This is comprised of a special education teacher and/or educational aide. The team will provide any services that may need to be presented in a smaller group environment. Services may also include the use of educational aides, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and school psychologists.
 * // __Specially Designed Resource Room:__ // For those students who require more support for an extended period of the day, we provide a specially designed resource program. This program can range from working with students on a more functional academic curriculum, life skills and/ or emotional and behavioral supports. Each program is specially designed to meet the needs of the students. Services may also include the use of educational aides, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and school psychologists. The general education curriculum along with other programming options is included in these resource rooms. Several different teaching methodologies may be incorporated into each classroom depending on the needs of the population.


 * __MCESC Consortium Programs__**: For those students who receive academic and behavioral supports in specially designed resource rooms, the Piqua City School District contracts with the Miami County Educational Center and the other local schools districts in Miami County in order to provide the highest level of service possible to our students. These resource rooms are currently all housed in our school buildings with the exception of our self contained unit at Staunton School.

**__Vocational Programs__:** Once our special education students reach the high school level, we offer some vocational programming to meet the needs of our students. Piqua City Schools offers many vocational options on our campus and through the Upper Valley Joint Vocational School program. Each of these vocational programs enhances the student’s ability to continue with their education after high school or to enter the world of work and become self-supporting citizens. The student’s special education teacher, general education teachers, guidance counselor, parents and other professionals (as needed) work together to prepare each students tranisiton plan so they can reach the goals they have set for themselves in order to reach their maximum potential.

****__Transitional Services:__**** (a) For each child with a disability, beginning at age fourteen (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), the IEP shall include a statement, updated annually, of the transition service needs of the child under the applicable components of the child's IEP that focuses on the child's courses of study (such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a vocational education program.) (b) Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns sixteen, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include: (i) Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and (ii) The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.