There was a time when many people thought of special education as a place, but special education is not a place or a specific classroom. Special education instead refers to services that are utilized to meet the specific learning needs of students with disabilities.  IDEA Section §300.39 defines special education as specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of the child.

The Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee works as a team to develop the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), which includes educational placement and service decisions. Placement and services refers to the amount of time in each school day that a student spends in general education and special education. Each school district is required to have a range of placements where students can be taught, including in the general education classroom.

The ARD committee must ensure each student spends as much of their school day as appropriate with children who do not have disabilities. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is part of IDEA that refers to the setting where a child with a disability can receive an appropriate education designed to meet his or her educational needs, alongside peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.  FAPE (Free and Appropriate Education) is part of IDEA that states each eligible child with a disability is entitled to a free and appropriate education that emphasizes special education and a range of services designed to meet the child’s unique needs.

Winnsboro ISD provides a continuum of services and service delivery models to ensure specially designed instruction is provided to students with disabilities in our community and school.

Additional Resources:

• Continuum of Services Chart

• Parent Center Hub - Placement

• ECSE Continuum of Services PDF