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Special Education

Andrea Hill smiling with Haley at the Unite & Thrive club.


Grand Island Public Schools offers a continuum of high-quality services to more than 1,600 students with disabilities from birth through the year in which the student turns 21. Parents and families work with school staff to develop an Individual Education Program (IEP) or an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) that addresses the student's needs. Special Education programs and services are available at each district building.
 

Special Education Department Mission:

To support students’ academic, social, and emotional achievement, and to ensure they have access to quality educational opportunities in their least restrictive environment as they develop skills to become independent and productive individuals.
 

Eligibility for Services

When a parent, educator, or other specialist expresses a concern about a student's educational and/or developmental progress, the school's Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team meets to develop problem-solving and intervention strategies to be implemented for the students to be successful in the school setting. Parents are informed of the interventions and strategies to be used. If these interventions and strategies do not adequately meet the needs of the student, a referral for a multidisciplinary evaluation (MDT) may be made. 

  • The parent must sign a written notice and consent for evaluation for the initial multidisciplinary evaluation (MDT).
  • The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is responsible for the assessment, analysis, and documentation of the educational and developmental needs of each student referred to. Parents participate throughout the process of gathering information as well.
  • The Multidisciplinary Team, which includes the parents, reviews the results of the evaluation and determines if the student has a disability according to federal and state guidelines.
  • The multidisciplinary evaluation report is used to develop present levels of performance for the Individual Educational Program (IEP). These educational needs determine the most appropriate program in which to implement the Individual Educational Program (IEP).
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  • To be eligible for special education services, a student must meet federal and state criteria.
     

For more information, please contact the Special Education Department at (308) 385-5900 (Ext. 201188).
 

If you have concerns regarding the development of your child who is between the ages of birth through five years old, please call the Early Development Network (EDN) at (308) 385-5900 (Ext. 201188).