Early Childhood Special Education

Step by Step Guidance

Early childhood education services are available for children who qualify as having an educational disability based on criteria outlined by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  Early Childhood Special Education services can provide early intervention for young children beginning on their 3rd birthday until they are eligible for Kindergarten.  Areas of development considered during an evaluation include speech and language, gross and fine motor skills, social and emotional behavior, cognitive, and functional skills.  For students with an educational disability, a multi-disciplinary team of parents and educators will work to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Step-by-step guidance for concerned parents:

Parents may call the ECSE Process Coordinator at the Early Childhood Center, 636-456-6950 ext 1616.  During the regular school year to request information and/or an evaluation for special education services.

Following a referral, the ECSE Process Coordinator will schedule a meeting with parents to gather data regarding the child’s strengths and areas of concern. During this meeting, the parent and the team will determine the need for further assessment to understand the child’s developmental needs.

If a formal evaluation is necessary to understand the child’s needs, the District will request written consent from parents.  

After the evaluation, the ECSE Process Coordinator will schedule a meeting to review the results of the evaluation.  At the meeting, the team will determine whether your child meets state eligibility criteria for Special Education Services and determine if he/she demonstrates a need for those services.

If the team determines that the child is eligible for Special Education Services, an additional meeting will be set to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to outline the child’s needs, goals, and services needed to allow the child to make progress on the established goals.

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