Gwinnett County Public Schools: Dec. 2 Is Special Education Day!

Press release from Gwinnett County Public Schools:

12.02.21

Families with children with disabilities (ages 3-21) who currently are not served by GCPS can learn more about available special education services by attending the Child Find event on Dec. 3 or contacting GCPS’ Office of Compliance at 678-301-7104.

GCPS’ team of special education staff members—teachers, paraprofessionals, physical and occupational therapists, behavioral support staff, speech-language pathologists, support staff for assistive technology, special education bus drivers and monitors, and others who support our students with disabilities—work together to ensure every student reaches his or her potential!

More than 23,000 students are served in GCPS’ Special Education and Psychological Services program, including students on the autism spectrum, children with specific learning disabilities, those with intellectual disabilities, students with orthopedic impairments, medically fragile children, students with visual or speech impairments, and children with significant developmental delays.

Special education staff members at the district and school levels work together to support the Individual Educational Programs (IEPs) of eligible students (ages 3-21), providing special education services on a continuum—from the least restrictive to more restrictive environments—based on the educational needs of each student. Parent Mentors help to provide information, guidance, and resources to families of children receiving special education services so that they can support their student at home, at school, and in the community.

We appreciate these caring and dedicated professionals who ensure that all students shine, adapting to meet each child’s specific learning needs and helping students develop life skills that foster independence.

Services for preschool children with special needs

Young children (ages 3-5) who have developmental delays, speech/language difficulties, physical or medical disabilities, attention or behavior issues, or hearing or vision impairments may qualify for the district’s Special Education Early Childhood Program. Eligibility is determined through evaluation by a team of specialists with input from the child’s family. Based on the qualifying child’s needs, services may be provided at home, at a preschool or daycare center, or in a special education preschool classroom in a Gwinnett school. Families who believe their child may be qualify for services should contact GCPS as soon as possible to schedule an evaluation. Children who qualify may be served as early as their 3rd birthday. To learn more, check out the Early Childhood Program page or call GCPS’ parent referral line at 678-301-7244.

This press release was produced by Gwinnett County Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.