Huron School District

Special Education

2008-2009 Annual Report

A full range of Special Education Services is provided educationally handicapped students in the Huron School District.  The goal of all of the special programs and services is to support the education of all handicapped students so they may participate as fully as possible in our schools and community. 

The following special education staff are available for students, parents, and teachers: special education director, school psychologist, school social worker, teacher consultants, speech and language pathologists, special education classroom teachers, and instructional aides. In addition, specialized staff such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, and consultants for visually, physically or hearing impaired students are also available through County Center Programs.

Students receive special education services through the Individual Educational Planning Team process.  This process begins with parents being involved with planning the components of the remedial instruction and if necessary, evaluation.  Written permission from parents to proceed with an evaluation is then obtained.  A psycho-educational evaluation is conducted and a meeting of the student’s parents, regular education teachers, and special education diagnostic personnel reviews the student’s educational progress.  The results of the remedial interventions, evaluations, classroom observations, and other information are used to generate educational recommendations for teachers and parents.  Individualized special education services are provided eligible handicapped students.  These services are detailed in each student’s written Individual Education Plan (IEP).  IEPs are reviewed and updated at least annually.

Three hundred thirty students currently receive special education classroom instruction in their neighborhood schools.  Speech and language services are provided one hundred eighty three students.  Seventy-one Huron students receive intensive special instruction through the Cooperative for Special Education Services.  The Cooperative is a partnership among Huron, Huron, Huron and Huron School Districts that provides specialized classrooms for students with serious handicaps requiring the majority of instruction in special education.  Sixty- eight Huron students attend programs or receive services from County Center Programs for low incident handicapped students.  These programs include: severe cognitive impairment programs, programs for students with emotional, hearing, visual, physical, or other health impairments, homebound services, severe multiple impaired programs, early childhood programs and services and programs for students with autism spectrum disorder.  They also include outreach services in all specialty areas provided in the students’ neighborhood school.