PHILOSOPHY:

in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), IDEA Amendments of 1997, and the statutory requirements added by Public Law 105-17

• High expectations for students with disabilities
• Providing appropriate special education and related services and aids and supports in the general classroom to such children, whenever appropriate
• Strengthening the role of parents to help students succeed
• Access to the general curriculum for students with disabilities to the maximum extent possible
• Supporting and providing targeted professional development for all personnel who work with students to ensure they have the skills and knowledge necessary
• Accountability for student achievement

Some of the Special Education services offered through the Hardin County ESC:

• Aide Services
• Assistive Technology Team
• Occupational Therapy Services
• Physical Therapy Services
• Preschool Disability Services
• School Psychological Services
• Services for Students with Severe/Intensive Disabilities
• Speech and Language Services
• Supervisory Services
• Transition to Work

RESOURCES:

Please click on any of the following resource links, you will be directed to their web site.

• Ohio Department of Education
• State Support Team Region 6
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Intervention Central
• You Can Handle Them All
• STARS Registration Website
  • How to "Guide for successful STARS registration"

SERVICES:

The ESC employs program assistants to maintain records, coordinate evaluation meetings and administer academic assessments.

In addition to the school psychologists and program assistants who work through the ESC, Kenton City School district employs one full time school psychologist, one part time school psychologist, and Ada Exempted Village Schools has one part time school psychologist.

Aide Services:

• Provides assistance to students with disabilities who need additional modifications

Assistive Technology Team:

• Consists of early childhood and school age staff who assist building personnel in the SETT process for determining assistive technology needs for students with disabilities (form for requesting meeting of team)
• Provide assistance to district personnel with regard to the SETT process for determining assistive technology needs for students with disabilities

Occupational Therapy Services:

• Observe Students and consult with school staff as requested by the building Intervention Assistance Team
• Assess students for fine motor skills as part of a multifactored evaluation
• Consult with school staff and parents regarding fine motor needs of students with disabilities

Physical Therapy Services:

• Agreement with Hardin County MRDD to provide physical therapy services for the students in the schools of Hardin County
• Observe students and consult with school staff as requested by the building Intervention Assistance Team
• Assess students for gross motor skills as part of a multifactored evaluation
• Consult with school staff and parents regarding gross motor needs of students with disabilities

Preschool Disability Services:
         (click here for more information on Early Childhood)

• Provide specialized instruction for preschoolers ages 3-5 who are identified with a disability
• Provide services at various sites (home, Head Start, schools, preschool settings) throughout Hardin County

School Psychological Services:

• Facilitate intervention assistance teams in devising strategies to help students become more successful
• Consult with parents and teachers regarding issues that affect student performance
• Provide and interpret psycho-educational evaluations as part of a multifactored evaluation
• Assess student ability, achievement, learning style, behavior, and social-emotional status
• Consult with district intervention specialists to coordinate services for students with disabilities
• Consult with school staff and parents on such topics as the following: behavioral, crisis management, mental health, and safety/security issues.

Specialized Instruction

• Specialized instruction provided in each school district for students with disabilities
• Specialized instruction provided by Intervention Specialists in classrooms or resource rooms for students with disabilities
• Intervention Specialists consult with general education teachers regarding modifications and adaptations needed for access to the academic content standards

Services for Students with Severe/Intensive Disabilities:

• Provide specialized instruction by licensed Intervention Specialists who are located in Kenton City Schools for students who need more intensive services
• Provide instruction and experience based opportunities in the community to learn job and daily living skills for successfully participating in the community

Speech and Language Services: (click here fore more information on Speech)

• Provides speech language pathologists who serve in the schools of Hardin (note: this field is experiencing a scarcity at the present time)
• Participate in school's Intervention Assistance Teams as requested
• Provide services in the area of understanding and expressing language, development of sounds, appropriate voice quality and fluency to students who have communication disorders
• Help school teams understand the link between language and curriculum
• Provide support for children with disabilities with augmentative communication systems

Supervisory Services:

• Provides consultation to school staff regarding students with disabilities
• Provide technical assistance to school staff with regard to Operating Standards for Ohio's Schools serving Children with Disabilities (adopted 7-2002)
• Provide information to school staff regarding current issues regarding students with disabilities
• Assists school districts in assessing needed services for students with disabilities
• Assists parents of students with disabilities in navigating needed services

Transition To Work:

Transition to work is a service available to students that are receiving services on an IEP.

The program assists in the development of:

• Positive work behaviors
• Positive attitudes about work
• Money management skills
• Long range transition planning

Students may participate in:

• Career awareness
• Career readiness
• Actual work experiences in school or the community

Credits earned are as follows:

• Freshman 1/4 credit
• Sophomore 1/2 credit
• Junior 1 credit
• Senior 2 credits

*Additional credits may be granted with the mutual consent of the supervisor of transition to work services, guidance counselor, and administration.

REFERRAL Process for Special Education Services:

Please contact your building principal for a Request for Assistance form (located in each school building office) if a student is having difficulty or you suspect your child or a student in your classroom has a disability. The building principal will invite you to become a member of the intervention Assistance Team which is a building level team that will begin to problem solve the area of concern. Interventions are suggested and implemented prior to a referral for special education services.

Once interventions are tried, documented, and a disability is suspected, then a referral for special education is initiated. Team members will conduct a multifactored evaluation and if eligibility is determined will write an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for special education services.

The school districts, with support from the Hardin County ESC, provides special education services to the six school districts in Hardin County.