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Preschool-Bridge Builder Program

Preschool Services for Children with Disabilities

Alabama Administrative Code (AAC), Rule 290-3-1-.02(1)(f) was created in respect to the Seclusion and Restraint for ALL Students. In compliance with this rule, Dothan City Schools has provided this policy regarding seclusion and restraint. Dothan City Schools believes that schools should provide a safe and healthy environment in which children can learn, develop, and participate in instructional programs that promote optimum levels of academic achievement.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students and staff are safe in school, and that students who may have behavior crises are free from inappropriate use of seclusion or restraint. The use of seclusion or restraint shall directly follow guidelines and abide by all definitions set forth in the Alabama Administrative Code. Seclusion or restraint shall not be used as routine school safety measures. They shall only be implemented in situations where a child’s behavior or action poses imminent danger of physical harm to self or others and not as routine strategies to address instructional problems or inappropriate behavior (e.g., disrespect, noncompliance, or as a convenience). Any use of either seclusion or restraint shall be supervised, short in duration, and used only for the purposes of de-escalating the behavior.

What is the preschool special education program?
The preschool special education program is part of a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  The IDEA states that children with disabilities or developmental delays have the right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).  The law provides services for children ages 0-3 through Early Intervention, ages 3-5 through preschool special education, and ages 5-21 through school-age special education.

When is my child eligible for preschool special education?
If your child qualifies for services after the evaluations necessary, then your child can receive services after the IEP is written and when he/she is 3 years old.  Some children may already be receiving services through the Early Intervention (EI) program, which serves children ages 0-3 with developmental delays or disabilities.  If you want your child to receive special education services after EI ends, you need to refer your child to DCEEC.  Most often, DCEEC will receive the referral through EI coordinators.  Services will not continue automatically, so a referral for evaluations has to take place through DCS.

How do I get preschool special education services for child?
There are four steps in the preschool special education process.

1.       Referral:  You should contact DCEEC at 334-794-1420 ext. 332030 to speak to the Early Intervention Preschool Coordinator.  You may also contact via mail at DCEEC, 1665 Honeysuckle Road, Dothan, AL 36305.

2.       Evaluations: Once you make the referral, a team of members, including you, the parent, will meet to determine if the referral is necessary to move forward with evaluations.  At that time, you all will discuss how these evaluations will take place.

3.       Development of the IEP:  After the evaluations are done, the DCEEC team will schedule a meeting with you to discuss evaluation results and to determine whether your child is eligible for preschool special education services.  If your child is eligible, the team will create an individualized educational plan (IEP), which states the special education services that your child has the right to receive to meet your child’s needs.  The team will decide whether your child needs a special education class, instruction from a special education teacher, related services, or another type of program.

4.       Starting IEP Services:  After the IEP meeting, services can begin if school is in session and your child is 3 or older.
 

Referral

How do I make a referral?
Contact Dothan City Early Education Center at 334-794-1420 ext. 332030 to speak to the Early Intervention Preschool Coordinator.  You may also contact Dothan City Schools Department of Exceptional Student Services at 334-793-1397, extension 242 to speak with the Special Education Director.

What should I say or write when making the referral?
You should state that you are concerned about your child’s development and are requesting a preschool education referral. Describe any specific areas of concern, and state any services your child has received in the past.  You should provide your full contact information, including an address and telephone number where DCEEC can reach you.  If you speak a language other than English, you should state your preferred language. 

If your child is currently receiving Early Intervention services, you can ask your EI service coordinator to help you make this referral. 

Once Dothan City Schools receives your referral, DCEEC will contact you to schedule a meeting to discuss the referral for evaluations.  The team will guide you through the next steps, if the team determines your child is in need of evaluations.

 

What evaluations will my child receive?

The team will provide you with information regarding the types of tests that can be conducted and ask for your input.  If you have concerns about a particular area of your child’s development, you should let the team know at the referral meeting.  Evaluations may include medical information you provide from your child’s doctor, record reviews, developmental tests, intelligence testing, behavior rating scales, interviews and observations, evaluations for related services, etc.  You may submit evaluations you have already obtained from a doctor.  The team will consider these and decide whether they will accept them depending on what all they include, validity, and reliability.

What happens after my child has been evaluated?

After your child has been evaluated, the evaluations will be discussed with you, as part of the team, at an Eligibility Meeting. DCEEC will schedule a meeting with you.

Your child will be found eligible if he/she meets the criteria set forth by the Alabama Administrative Code for students with disabilities.  This Code is in conjunction with IDEA law.  Your child will be eligible for preschool special education services if he/she meets one of the following classifications of disability under the law that affect the child’s educational performance:  autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, developmentally delayed, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability (unusual for preschool), speech language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment. Not all children who struggle qualify for services, because the severity may not exist. The process will end here if your child is not found eligible for services; however, the team can recommend interventions for you to help your child prepare for Kindergarten.

 

Individualized Education Plan

 

If my child is found eligible for preschool special education services, what will the IEP include?

If the team decides at the eligibility meeting that your child is eligible for preschool special education services, the team will create an IEP that includes the following:

·         A description of your child’s current abilities, needs, and evaluation results in the five domains of development. 

·         Annual, measurable goals.  Short-term measurable goals may be included as benchmarks for your child’s progress.

·         A description of how and when you will receive reports on your child’s progress.

·         Information about the preschool special education class, services, and/or support your child will receive.

 

When will my child’s IEP be reviewed?

DCS must hold an IEP meeting at least once every year while your child is receiving special education services.  A special education case manager will contact you to schedule the annual review meeting. At the meeting, the team will discuss your child’s progress and decide whether your child’s program or services should be changed.

In addition to this annual review meeting, you have the right to request a new IEP meeting at any time.  For example, you can ask for an IEP meeting if you feel that your child is not making adequate progress with his or her current IEP services.  You can also request a new evaluation as long as it has been more than one year since your child’s last evaluation.

 

Starting IEP Services

 

After the team develops your child’s IEP, DCS is responsible for starting all the services that are recommended on the IEP.  The IEP is a legal document, and your child has a right to receive all of the services in it.  If your child is found eligible to receive preschool special education services, then you would be asked to sign a consent to allow DCS to provide those services. Your child cannot receive services unless you give consent by signing the form. 

If you decide that you do not want your child to receive any special education services, then you should write on the form that you do not want your child to receive any services.  DCEEC will close your child’s case at that time.  If you change your mind later, you can ask for a new referral.

How will my child receive related services?

It is the responsibility of DCS to arrange all related services at DCEEC.  For those who choose to attend private daycare facilities, the District LEA plan states that we will provide these children speech/language therapies only either at the daycare or at DCEEC. 

Will my child receive transportation to DCEEC? 

If your child is enrolled with DCEEC and attends class with other children his/her age, special transportation will be provided as a related service.  Otherwise, if your child is only eligible for speech/language therapies, your child may be brought to DCEEC or receive his/her speech/language therapy at the daycare he/she already attends.

Can I end my child’s preschool education services?

Yes.  You have the right to end special education services for your child at any time.  To end preschool special education services, you should make your child’s case manager aware that you would like to do this. The case manager will meet with you to discuss the Revocation of Services form and explain what all it entails before you sign. DCEEC will no longer perform evaluations or hold IEP meetings for your child, and your child will no longer receive preschool special education services.  If you end your child’s special education services and later change your mind, you may refer your child again to DCEEC, and your child may be reevaluated.

 

Dothan City Schools looks forward to serving you and your child through preschool special education if your child is in need of these services.

Dothan City Early Education Typical Peer Program

What is the Typical Peer Program?

The Dothan City Early Education Typical Peer Program was mandated by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) to integrate peers with no disabilities with peers in a special education classroom setting that do have one or more disability. The Typical Peer Program is under the guidance of Bridge Builders Special Education Program that is located at Dothan City Early Education Center. Typical peers must demonstrate appropriate learning behaviors that can be modeled to their disabled peers. Typical peers are also taught the preschool curriculum and assessed on pre-literacy skills throughout the school year.

What are the requirements for the program?

In order for a child to qualify for the program, he/she must be three years of age by September 1st of the new school year. He/she must not receive any private services such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, ABA therapy, or exhibit any inappropriate behaviors. He/she must be potty-trained, communicates verbally with others, and can feed himself/herself. Your child must go through a screening process that is administered by the Bridge Builders Special Education Teachers.

 How do I apply for the Typical Peer Program?

You can apply on the Dothan City Early Education Center website in January of every year. Or, you can apply on the Dothan City Early Education Facebook Page.

 When will I be notified if my child was accepted into the program?

Parents will be notified in March if their child has been selected to be screened for the Typical Peer Program. At that time, you will be scheduled to bring your child in for a two hour “mock” school day. Your child will be screened in the five domain areas of development as outlined by the ALSDE:

·         Cognitive (thinking and learning)

·         Communication (understanding and using language)

·         Physical/Motor (vision, hearing, and movement)

·         Social/Emotional (getting along with other peers)

·         Adaptive/Self-help (independent living skills, such as toileting, eating, and dressing)

Who should I contact for more information regarding the Typical Peer Program?

For more information on the Typical Peer Program, you can contact Preschool Special Education Bridge Builders at 794-1420 ext. 332030.