Welcome!
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Seattle Public Schools
provides special education and related services to eligible
children and youth with disabilities, from birth through 21. We
offer services in all schools and at various community and agency
sites. In some cases, we provide services through other school
districts or by approved outside agencies through inter-local
service agreements.
Preschoolers and
students are identified and provided appropriate special education
services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004. The student's parent(s) and a
team of professionals together develop an Individualized Education
Program (IEP). We then place students in the program best suited to
deliver the services specified in their IEP. Children and youth
with IEPs mayreceive specially designed instruction and related
services such as speech or physical therapy if needed.
We
believe in educating students with disabilities in the least
restrictive environment. Each student has access to an appropriate
learning environment and an opportunity for education with non
disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate at his or her
chosen school or at a site as close as possible to his or her
neighborhood school.
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Current Topics
Special Education 2009-10 Assignment
Information:
For students requiring Resource services or Integrated
Comprehensive Services: The Open Reassignment period
begins June 15, and continues through September 30. During this
time, your child can be reassigned to any school with space
available and/or change to a different school's waiting list upon
request. (When changing to a new waiting list, the student is added
to the end of the new list, and the previous waiting list spot
is dropped and cannot be reinstituted.)
Although Enrollment Services accepts both faxed and mailed
applications to change a student's assignment and/or waiting list
school, applying in person is strongly recommended. If you
fax an application based on information we give you over the phone,
the situation is likely to be different by the time your
application gets processed.
Note: If, on a given day, more than one student is placed on a
waiting list for the same school, grade, and program, then
tiebreakers will apply to those students for that date
only.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have not
already applied for the 2009-2010 school year, you may submit an
application at any time.
For students requiring Contained Services or other
assignments made through the Special Education Department:
Students assigned by the Special Education Department have needs
that exceed the levels of service that are typically available in
all District schools. In these circumstances the location of where
the services can be provided is at the discretion of the District.
In most cases assignment of the student is to a classroom located
closest to the student’s home that is able to provide the
necessary services. Because a student’s Individualized
Education Program (IEP) outlines the service levels a student needs
to be successful in their academic program, changes to a
child’s program would need to occur through the IEP process.
Lateral transfers (self-contained to self-contained) will be
considered based on space available.
PLEASE NOTE: Please be sure to involve the
appropriate special education supervisor to assist you with any
requests for assignment changes for students who were placed
through the Department.
Risers - Special
Education and Open Enrollment -
Parents of Special
Education Risers should complete the enrollment process at anytime
during the open enrollment period, through the enrollment office.
In addition, for families with special education risers, there will
be a special enrollment opportunity on Saturday, March 21, 2009
between 1:00 - 3:30 at the central office. Enrollment staff and
special education supervisors will be available to address specific
questions that parents have about their child's school selection
for the 2009-2010 school year. Please look
here for additional Riser - Open Enrollment information for the
2009-2010 school year
Special Education Parent Communicator
- February, 2009 - This document was put together to help
provide information about the anticipated changes for the 2009-10
school year. The question and answer section of this document may
help clarify changes that are being implemented for the 2009-10
school year. If you have additional questions, please feel free to
contact the special education office at
252-0058.
Building
Closures and Special Education Services
Please
click here for a message from Carla Santorno, Chief Academic
Officer, and Fred Row, Interim Executive Director Special
Education/Special Education Consultant. Please click here for the
link to the capapcity management web site: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/capacity/index.dxml
Special Education
Review
Seattle Public Schools
continues to review what is working and what needs to be improved
across our system.
As part of that process, the district commissioned a series of
external program and services reviews, including services for
students with special needs. The goal of the review,
conducted by an expert national group, The Urban Special
Education Leadership Collaborative Education Development
Center, was to recommend ways to increase academic achievement,
graduation rates, and other outcomes for students who receive
special education services. For information about the
report:
Special Education
Review Report Overview and Highlights
Special Education
Review Report - Full document
SEAAC
The Special Education Advisory and Advocacy Council (SEAAC) is a
district-recognized forum with a primary responsibility to provide
Seattle Public Schools with parental and community
agencyperspectives on special education programming. Membership
includes parents, Seattle Public School staff and community agency
professionals. The council addresses such topics as programs and
services, staff professional development, procedures, and prgram
goals. Key issues for 2008-2009 school year will include:
- The Special Education Program Review
- Student Transiitons from school to school
- Program Placement
- Transparency in communicating special education services
The Council will be meeting the second Thursday of each month at
the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence in room 2776
from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Meeting dates are as follows:Sept. 11th,
Oct. 9th, Nov. 13th, Jan. 8th, Feb. 12, March 12th, April 9th, May
14 and June 11th (if needed)
The Seattle Special Education PTSA advocates for all students
(birth to 21) with disabilities. For more information, please check
the website at www.SeattleSpecialEdPTSA.org
or contact at seattlespedptsa@gmail.com
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