Special Education
The goal of the Exceptional Student Services Department (Special Education) is to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all students with disabilities. A wide continuum of services covering all areas of exceptionality, within the least restrictive environment, is available for students in grades K-12 (up to 22 years of age).
Students receiving special education are supported by a team of professionals who develop individual education program goals and provide specially designed instruction with related services such as educational evaluations, speech pathology, and occupational and physical therapy aligned to individualized needs.
Services are delivered in the student’s least restrictive environment, at no cost to the family, based on needs determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP).
The District also provides an integrated inclusive licensed preschool providing the highest quality education during the school year to children with identified learning challenges and their non-disabled peers, three years of age until eligible for Kindergarten.
Understanding Special Education
Who to contact if you are concerned about the progress your child is making or your child’s developmental level.
The ESS Screening Process and Referral for Evaluation for students about whom there is a concern.
Special programs are provided to students identified as having disabilities in any of the following areas:
How your child begins to receive special education and related services following an evaluation.
If your child qualifies for Special Education Services, you and a team of school staff will help to write an IEP.
A summary of parental rights & responsibilities, and the Procedural Safeguards Notice download.
According to the Arizona Department of Education, the following is a definition of categories of disabilities:
The purpose and determination of special education and/or related services beyond the normal school year.
To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities should be educated with non-disabled students.
Provided distict-wide to assist students and increase safety in accessing the educational environment.
Certain standards need to be met regarding wheelchairs and all students who ride school buses.
Stripping the terms “mental retardation” & "mentally retarded” from federal health, education & labor policy.
The current destruction date for when special education data and information on students is destroyed.
Section 504 is often referred to as the first federal civil rights act protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
MUSD does not discriminate in enrollment, access to any programs, or our hiring or employment practices.
SPED News
![Marana Educators at Regional Gifted Parent-Teacher Institute]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1726695277/maranausdorg/umz3vjejwifvhqivg7lm/UpcloseImage.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1726695277/maranausdorg/umz3vjejwifvhqivg7lm/UpcloseImage.jpg","width":300}])
On Saturday, September 7, 2024, Marana Gifted Education teachers were excited to join parents and gifted educators from across Southern Arizona at the Regional Gifted Parent-Teacher Institute, an annual event hosted by the Southern Arizona Gifted Network.
![Sunglasses, Sandles, and towel on beach]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1720890528/maranausdorg/ruj0ya7u5phzz4v08pjb/70443351_512x512.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1720890528/maranausdorg/ruj0ya7u5phzz4v08pjb/70443351_512x512.jpg","width":300}])
June 25th marks the middle of Summer Break, and we hope that all of our students are having a wonderful summer enjoying the time off, and fun activities with their families. Mark your calendars for August 5th, when we welcome you back to PAL (and get some new students too!) on the first day of school!
More Info
Please contact:
Disabilities
Students with disabilities are children who have been evaluated as having:
- Autism (A)
- Emotional Disability (ED)
- Developmental Delay (DD)
- Hearing Impairments (HI)
- Other Health Impairments (OHI)
- Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
- Intellectual Disability
- Multiple Disabilities (MD)
- Orthopedic Impairment (OI)
- Preschool Moderate Delay (PMD)
- Preschool Severe Delay (PSD)
- Preschool Speech/Language Delay (PLS)
- Speech/Language Impairment (SLI)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Visual Impairment (VI)