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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. 

To view the definitions of education disabilities the district must work within, please view the ADE Disability Categories site. 

ADE Disability Categories

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, inclusive Preschool program that focuses on child-directed, rather than teacher-directed, activities that help students grow and develop alongside their peers.

Related Services

Related services encompass specialized services from licensed professionals in particular domains. These related services are designed to support skill-building necessary for effective access to educational experiences within the life of the school and are provided to students who require this specialized intervention to access curriculum. 
 

Parents and Families Resources 

  • Special Education Process Flow Chart - Understanding Arizona’s special education process
  • Procedural Safeguards - Provides parents and families with an understanding of special education rights and procedures
  • Raising Special Kids - State programs and services for parents and families
  • Family Resources - Because part of our students’ success depends on their community's strength, we offer information on the following resources.
  • AZ Find - Locating, identifying, and evaluating all children with disabilities, aged birth through 21

District Contacts

Gianna Colonna

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL ED

Gail Gold

COORD OF SPECIAL ED

Special Education Records

Records Inquiries