Special Education
At OHDELA, students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. The department is guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and the policies and procedures set forth by the Ohio Department of Education.
OHDELA provides a range of special education services that may include:
- Related Services
- Specially Designed Instruction
- Consultative Services
- Curriculum accommodations and/or modifications
- Psychoeducational Assessments
Child Find
Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying children with disabilities who may need special education and related services. OHDELA is committed to the location, identification, and provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 22. Anyone with knowledge of the child may initiate the location and referral of children suspected of having a disability.
Child Find’s purpose is to notify parents, professionals, and the public about children who may have special needs. Its goal is to ensure that school districts identify children who may have disabilities and who may not have been noticed otherwise. Another benefit is enabling eligible children to receive the special education and related services needed and promoting public awareness of disabilities.
As part of the child find process, the school district will ask for information about the child, asking such questions as: What is the area of concern? What interventions have been implemented to address the area of concern? What background information is available? This information may be collected in several ways, including interviews, observations, screening, and testing. This information may be obtained from parents and the student or other agencies with information about the student. This information will be used to help determine whether the child has a disability and needs special services.
If a disability is suspected, the School will contact the child’s parents/guardians to discuss the next steps in the evaluation and identification process, including obtaining consent for any potential evaluation of the child. This process is provided at no cost to the family. If a child qualifies for services, appropriate special education and related services will be provided during the school day.
Procedural Safeguards
In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirement that all educational agencies provide parents of students with disabilities notice containing a full explanation of the procedural safeguards available under the IDEA and U.S. Department of Education regulations, , please review A Guide to Parent Rights in Special Education {PDF}
The Jon Peterson Special Needs (JPSN) Scholarship
The Jon Peterson Special Needs (JPSN) Scholarship Program provides scholarships to students who are eligible to attend kindergarten through 12th grade and have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) from their district. For more information visit the Ohio Department of Education website or click directly on the link provided: Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Information
The Autism Scholarship Program (ASP)
The Autism Scholarship Program (ASP) gives the parents of children with autism who qualify for a scholarship the choice to send the child to a special education program other than the one operated by the school district of residence to receive their education and the services outlined in the child’s individualized education program (IEP). Any student who has been identified by their district as a child with autism and for whom the district has created an individualized education plan (IEP) qualifies for the Autism Scholarship program. For more information visit the Ohio Department of Education website or click directly on the link provided: Autism Scholarship Program Information
Policies, Practices, and Procedures (PPP)
Best Practice for Addressing Not Meeting the Graduation Threshold for Students with Disabilities: Download Document
In compliance with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) monitoring requirements, this document outlines the district’s Policies, Practices, and Procedures (PPP) for improving graduation outcomes for students with disabilities.
Contact Us
| Lynn Ross – Director of Special Education | Email: lross@accelschools.com Phone: 330-614-7221 |
| Christyn Lantz – Assistant Director of Special Education | Email: clantz@accelschools.com Phone: 330-752-7737 |
