Special Services

Special Education

Approximately 130,000 students in Washington state are qualified for Special Education Services. This fulfills the requirements of the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. For more information on special education at the Lopez island School District, please contact Mary Fordham, Special Services Director. 

Section 504

Federal and state law protect students from disability discrimination in public schools. These laws make sure that students with disabilities have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to students without disabilities. Under Section 504, students with disabilities can access the accommodations, aids, and services they need to access and benefit from education. Section 504 requires that public schools provide a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) to every student with a disability - regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. For more information on 504 accommodations, please contact Mary Fordham, Special Services Director

Highly Capable 

 The Highly Capable Program an provide instruction, activities and services that accelerate learning, and offer a unique academic challenge for young learners identified as highly capable.
 
Must a child excel in all areas to be referred to the highly capable program?
Children do not have to be gifted in multiple areas to be considered for the highly capable program.

Can a child have learning or physical disabilities and exhibit highly capable traits? Children can experience learning and physical disabilities and at the same time exhibit highly capable characteristics. This phenomenon is widely referred to as twice exceptional, dual exceptionality, gifted and learning disabled, and gifted learning disabled.

If you think your student is a highly capable student, please contact school counselor Robb Ellis. 

Child Find

Child Find seeks to locate all children with disabilities who would benefit from public services. Schools are required to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. The Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a State, including children who attend private schools and public schools, highly mobile children, migrant children, homeless children, and children who are wards of the state.

The Lopez Island School District offers free child development screenings for children aged birth to 5 years of age. Contact us at 360-468-2202 for more information.

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