Panther Creek Office for Exceptional Children is committed to meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities by offering a continuum of services as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2023. PCHS offers free and appropriate public education to children ages 14-19 that meet special education eligibility requirements in one of thirteen disability categories in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.
Child Find
The WHHS Staff team is in the process of locating, identifying, and evaluating all children with disabilities, birth through 21 years of age, who may be in need of special education and related services who reside in our district.
For preschoolers and school-age children, a disability means having one or more conditions defined by federal regulations and state standards. These disabilities include autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment (including blindness), and developmental delay.
Special Education Process
A child’s eligibility for special education services is based on whether or not a qualified team of professionals determines the presence of a disability, the need for specially designed instruction and/or related services, and an adverse effect on the child’s education as part of an Evaluation Team Report (i.e., ETR). An evaluation team consists of parents/guardians, general education teachers, an intervention specialist, district representative, and school psychologist. Evaluation teams may also include support staff, such as a speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or adaptive physical education teacher.
An Individualized Education Plan (i.e., IEP) will be developed by a team of trained professionals that outlines the child’s special education services in the event that a child is identified with a disability.
