Early Learning and School Readiness

Preschool Special Education

Preschool special education programs are provided to meet the needs of children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004).

Each school district must make a free appropriate public education (FAPE) available to each eligible child residing in the school district by the child's third birthday. School districts are responsible for providing services to a child transitioning from early intervention to preschool services who are eligible for preschool special education on the child's third birthday.

Eligibility:

Programs and services are offered to children who have been identified through a multifactored evaluation as having a disability using one of the following categories from IDEA:

• Autism

• Cognitive disability

• Deaf-blindness

• Deafness

• Developmental delay (only ages 3 through 5)

• Emotional disturbance
• Hearing impairment
• Multiple disabilities
• Orthopedic impairment
• Other health impairment
• Specific learning disability
• Speech or language impairment

• Traumatic brain injury
• Visual impairment

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