Special Education
Every learner is empowered for a lifetime of success.
The Special Education Team is committed to educating students ages 3 through 22 with identified educational disabilities. Individualized services are designed to meet each student’s unique needs within the least restrictive environment.
Programs
Screening Process
As students enter school, all must undergo an initial screening designed to identify any major areas of concern. These areas may include vision, hearing, speech, academics and/or behavior. As students progress through school, parents may request that staff members help solve behavioral problems.
Special Education Opportunities at Desert Shadows
At DSES, we house a special needs preschool as well as several self contained Communication Disorder classrooms for students enrolled in kindergarten through 6th grades. In addition, we have a certified team supporting all the programs needed for students that qualify: speech pathologists, OT, PT, reading, math, and resource specialists as well as a psychologist on staff. We also have a SUN (Serving Unique Needs) Kids preschool program which is a dedicated Preschool program that focuses on child-directed, rather than teacher-directed, activities that help students grow and develop alongside their peers.
Related Services
Parents and Families Resources
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Special Education Process Flow Chart - Understanding Arizona’s special education process
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Encircle Families- State programs and services for parents and families
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Family Resources - Because part of our students’ success depends on their community's strength, we offer information on the following resources.
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Child Find- Locating, identifying, and evaluating all children with disabilities, aged birth through 21
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Procedural Rights and Safeguards- Procedural safeguards in special education are legal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that ensure parents and students' rights