Department of Special Education

The Department of Special Education serves students of the Jackson County School District with diverse learning needs and abilities through a continuum of services in the least restrictive environment in partnership with parents, teachers, and administrators.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act):  Entitles every student to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) through their local school district from age 3 to age 21.  To ensure a FAPE, a team of professionals from the local educational agency meets with the student's parents to identify the student's unique educational needs, to develop annual goals for the student, and to determine the placement, program modification, testing accommodations, counseling, and other special services to meet the student needs. An Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is developed and implemented to address the student needs and meets the guidelines of federal and state educational agencies. The following are disabilities identified under IDEA:

• Autism
• Specific Learning Disability
• Intellectual Disability
• Other Health Impairments
• Emotional Disabilities
• Hearing Impairments
• Visual Impairments
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Deaf-Blindness
• Developmental Delays
• Speech-Language Impairments
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairments

Students who meet state criteria for identification with one of the above-listed disabilities may be eligible to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed.  The purpose of an IEP is to provide specialized instruction to bridge academic and functional gaps in learning between students with disabilities and same-aged peers.

Please be advised the Public Meeting to review FY23 will be held on November 1, 2022, at 4:30 P.M. This Meeting will be held in the Jackson County District Office Board Room.