The Ohio Department of Children and Youth, which focuses on developmentally appropriate services and supports for children, answered questions about how families who have preschoolers with special needs can start the process to get educational support in their first years of school.
1. What do parents do if they are concerned about their preschoolers’ educational progress?
If a parent thinks their child may have special needs, they will start by contacting the special education department in the school district where they live.
In Ohio, the school district of residence is responsible for evaluation and services for preschool children with disabilities. Most school district websites provide telephone and email contact information for the special education staff. The parent should call or email the district and request a preschool evaluation for special education services.
Preschool special education services are provided in a way that connects to the preschool curriculum and standards, and services are not solely medical or therapeutic.
2. For parents of preschoolers who have special needs, what is the IEP process?
An IEP or Individualized Education Program is a legal document that defines how the district plans to meet a child’s unique educational needs that result from a disability. The IEP is the foundation of a child’s special education program. After the school district has conducted an evaluation and the evaluation team has found the child to be eligible for special education, the school district will hold a meeting to develop an initial IEP. By law, the parent must be included in this meeting and the parent can invite anyone they would like to attend.
A copy of the IEP should be provided to the parent in their native language or other mode of communication, which makes the information accessible to the parent. Once the parent signs the initial IEP, the district is required to provide the parent with a Prior Written Notice document, which describes how the district will begin providing services for the child based upon their individual needs.
3. What type of preschool program might my child with special needs attend?
The IEP team (which includes the parents) makes the placement decision. While the district of residence is responsible, it is possible that the child’s placement may be in a community preschool or chartered non-public preschool, and so the school district of residence may provide itinerant services or contract with the other setting to provide the services as outlined in the IEP.
4. How can parents with children who have special needs help their kids get ready for preschool?
Identifying objects, social interactions, sorting, counting, singing, running and climbing, exploring and creating are just some ways play engages a child in developing/practicing critical thinking skills, motor skills, and appropriate behavioral skills.
By reading books with children, the child can make connections that words in print have meaning, can understand story concepts such as beginning, middle, end, learn new vocabulary, engage in identifying objects in the book (illustrations), and many more benefits.
Listening to your child helps them to build confidence in their communication, creates positive self-confidence, and allows a child to be more inquisitive and ask questions about the world around them. Knowing that they are heard makes a child feel safe to explore meanings and share feelings.
5. What is the transition process for preschoolers with special needs to kindergarten?
The IEP team that includes the local school district staff and the parents should plan for the preschool child’s transition to kindergarten. Any special supports a child may need in order to transition smoothly should be considered and included within the IEP, if necessary. The team should discuss how goals will be implemented in a kindergarten environment. Parents could check with school district staff to find about such things as possible kindergarten classroom locations and enrollment procedures.
Additional Resources for Parents
Department of Children and Youth. Many topics pertaining to preschool special education are
provided by the Preschool Special Education Team. childrenandyouth.ohio.gov or education.ohio.gov
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities. It has been funded since 1984 to serve as the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) for the state of Ohio from the federal government, U.S. Dept of Education, Office for Special Education Programs. ocecd.org
Transitions to Kindergarten. pacer.org
