In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), special education and related services are provided at no cost to eligible students with disabilities aged 2 through 21. A multidisciplinary team, including the parents, guardians and/or the student, determines eligibility for services based on evaluations conducted by the school division and appropriate outside agencies.
Disabilities include Autism, Deafness, Deaf-Blindness, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairment, Orthopedic Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech-Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury and Visual Impairment including Blindness.
If your child was identified for special education in another locality or another state, please provide the school with that information either upon enrollment or as soon as possible. For more information about special education and the services provided, contact either your school Principal or the Director of Special Education and Federal Programs at 804-758-2277. To make a referral for special education consideration, please contact your school Principal or Assistant Principal.
The Early Childhood Special Education Preschool
The Early Childhood Special Education Program (ECSE) is Part B of IDEA in Virginia and provides services for children from age two to Kindergarten age who qualify according to state and federal law. The ECSE Program provides early intervention services for children who have delayed functioning; manifest atypical development or behavior; or have behavioral disorders that interfere with the acquisition of developmental skills. Preschoolers may be found eligible for ECSE services under one or more of the 14 disability categories, which are defined in federal and state regulations. The goals, accommodations, setting, and related services that are needed to assist identified children’s development are individualized. School personnel working collaboratively with the child’s family develop an individualized plan with goals and objectives to meet the child’s developmental needs.
Special Education Advisory Committee
The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) advises and assists Middlesex County Public Schools in various aspects related to special education services. Regularly scheduled meetings are posted on the school division website and newspaper. Parents are encouraged to attend meetings and to share information on issues and concerns regarding special education in Middlesex County. Each meeting includes a public comment period. For information about this committee, contact the Director of Special Education and Federal Programs at 804-758-2277.