Early Childhood Special Education
Early Childhood Special Education is a program provided by the public school system which offers services to preschool children ages 3-5 years of age with significant developmental delays.
Areas of delay may include: Cognitive Development, Adaptive Behavior Development, Communication Development, Physical Development, and Social/Emotional Development.
Eligibility:
Children ages 3-5 within the Aurora Public School District may qualify for services which are provided at no cost to families. Eligibility is determined following a multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluation. A child’s development must be significantly delayed in one or more of the following areas: cognitive development; adaptive behavior development; communication development; physical development; social/emotional development.
Services Provided Include:
Complete Diagnostic Evaluation: parent interview, observations, standardized testing to determine eligibility for the program.
Early Childhood Belief Statements:
- Young children with disabilities should successfully participate with non-disabled peers in a variety of community and school settings.
- All preschool children should have the opportunity to develop relationships and friendships with their peers.
- Young children with disabilities and their families should experience smooth transitions into new environments within the community and school.
The Aurora R-8 Early Childhood Staff is made up of the following:
- 2 Early Childhood Instructors
- Speech/Language Pathologists
- Occupational Therapist
- Physical Therapist
- Classroom Paraprofessionals
- Counselor
- Diagnosticians
- Program Coordinator
- Secretary
Settings Available:
Early Childhood Setting: Services may be provided in a group educational experience of similar ages and developmental levels.
Early Childhood Special Education Setting: Allows young children with significant developmental delays to receive services in a classroom designed for 3, 4, and 5 year olds.
Itinerant Services Outside the Home: Services may be provided in an elementary school, Head Start Center, community preschool, or daycare.
Home: Services may be provided in the home dependent upon severity of student needs.