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Special Education – What You Need to Know

When children are struggling in school, it’s important to find out why. It may be that a disability is affecting a child’s educational performance. If so, the child may be eligible for special education and related services that can help.

Prior to referring a child for special education services, a teacher may first try a variety of classroom interventions or accommodations. An example of this is moving a child who is easily distracted closer to the teacher’s desk. If the interventions or modifications are not successful, the teacher may refer the child for special education evaluation.

What is Special Education?

Special education is “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.” It is range of supports services that can be provided in different ways and in different settings. It is not a cookie cutter approach to educating a child with a disability. The support and services that a child receives is to be individualized to meet their needs.

Each of these children receives instruction that is specially designed:

  • to meet his or her unique needs (that result from having a disability); and
  • to help the child learn the information and skills that other children are learning in the general education curriculum.

Special education is not a place, not a subject, not an identity. As a matter of fact, the law requires that children who receive special education services are to be educated alongside their non-disabled peers wherever possible.

In order for a child to receive special education they must first be found eligible.

10 Steps of The Special Education Process Video Series

Navigating the special education process can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Missouri Parents Act (MPACT) created this 10-part video series to help families understand each key step of the special education journey under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Each short video breaks down a specific part of the process. From evaluation and eligibility to IEP meetings and progress tracking—so you can become a confident partner in your child’s education.

Watch the full series below to learn how to advocate effectively and ensure your child receives the support they need to thrive in school.

MPACT: 10 Steps of The Special Education Process

9 Videos

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