My Child Needs 'Special Ed.' What’s Next?

By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

Special education services at your child’s school are intended to provide children with disabilities equal access to education. If your child is eligible for special education services, you may be wondering how this will affect her daily routine at school. Here is some insight into the special education process that may help you and your child become accustomed to her new routine.

How does placement in Special Education work?

You have a right to be involved in the process of developing your child’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan). During the IEP meeting, if needed, ask questions about the data that the IEP team is using to develop your child’s plan. If you think the IEP needs modification, work with the IEP team to make improvements to the plan. The plan includes information about how the special education services will be delivered in the classroom.

When asked how placement works, Cathy Russell, a special education teacher with Muscogee County Schools, said, “When it is decided that a student needs special education services and all of the team agree to this decision, then we place them in the least restrictive environment based on test results and data that has been gathered. This could be in the general education room with support from a special education teacher, in a resource room where they get more specific lessons based on their needs for a few hours, or they can be placed in a classroom for the whole day.” You, as the parent, are a key part of the team. Ms. Russell says, ‘Nothing can be done without the permission of the parent.”

How does a Special Education classroom work?

Ms. Russell teaches in an inclusion classroom, which is a general education classroom where she works side-by-side with the homeroom teacher. When asked about the process for teaching in an inclusion classroom, Ms. Russell says, “My co-teacher and I differentiate our lessons based on the students’ needs. Stronger learners get activities that reinforce their learning while struggling learners have different activities that help them develop the skills we are working on. My groups are fluid and at no time during regular teaching, will you (or any onlooker) be able to distinguish between the students with an IEP and without one.”

We asked Taylor Bone, a special education teacher with Muscogee County Schools, how her Moderately Intellectually Disabled (MOID) classroom works, where the students spend the whole school day. Ms. Bone said, “I use station rotations and group the students based on ability levels. Each student is unique and has different abilities. The students tend to learn from each other as we go along.” Ms. Taylor spoke about the training teachers receive by saying, ‘The class I teach (MOID- for students with moderate intellectual disabilities) requires a different curriculum than that of a general education classroom. So the trainings I need are specific to the class I teach, and can vary depending on the students’ needs in that classroom.”

How can I help my child be successful?

Ms. Russell emphasized that the biggest help parents can give their special education teachers, “is to get their students to school on time. Often students fall behind because of a lack of instruction due to being absent and/or being tardy regularly. Most instruction takes place in the morning.” Ms Bone adds, “If my parents understand we are working as a team for their child, and are responsive to calls and messages, that’s all I can ask for! I’m here for the child and the parent- I’m on their side.”

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