Program Overview

The Preschool Specialist Program provides special education services for children ages three through five.

We Believe:

• Early education works!
• Early education services build on family concerns, priorities, and resources.
• Early education services respect family diversity in structure, coping styles, values, culture, race, and religion.
• Early education respects family choice about level of involvement in services.
• Early education services should be provided whenever appropriate in natural environments.
• Early education requires a community collaborative effort from referral through service provision.
• Early education uses transdisciplinary teams.
• Early education provides teaching through developmentally appropriate activities that are meaningful and useful to the child and family.
• All families should have the opportunity for parent-to-parent support.
• Children's health influences learning.
• The parent and family are the child's primary teachers.
• Ongoing training for staff and families strengthens services.
• Ongoing program evaluation maintains high standards.
• Legal, political, and financial awareness and advocacy strengthens community access to and services for children with special needs and their families.

Services

Preschool Specialists provide assessments, direct individual instruction, inclusive instruction, family support, and preschool instructional consultation in homes, Head Start centers, preschool sites, and day care settings.

Eligibility

Children have a mild to moderate disabling condition or established medical disability and need specially designed instruction in order to participate in typical early childhood activities and environments. Determination of a child's eligibility for services is made by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team after appropriate assessments have been completed. Parents must give their written permission for testing and are included on the IEP team as the most important members.

Referral

Any parent, friend, relative, or professional may make a referral by calling the listed phone number.