Eligibility Guidelines for Special Education Services

Who qualifies? Children ages 3 through 21 who are determined to be eligible within one or more of 13 specific categories of disability and who need special education and related services. Categories include autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, hearing impairments, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.

Special education is "specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique educational needs of the child with a disability." Related services are provided to assist your child to benefit from special education and include, but are not limited to the following: Transportation, Hearing Services, Vision Services, Counseling Services, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and/or Language Therapy, and Assistive Technology Services.

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