Special Education
Child Find
The Pymatuning Valley Local School District is engaged in Child Find, which is an intensive campaign to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities who may need special education or related services. The purpose of Child Find is to:
- Promote public awareness of disabilities;
- Alert parents, professionals, and the general public to locate children who may have special needs;
- Assist school districts in finding children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to the district’s attention; and
- Enable children and families to receive the special education and related services that are needed.
If you are aware of a child age birth through 21 years residing within the boundaries of the PVLSD who may have a confirmed or suspected disability and are not being served by special education, please contact the Director of Pupil Services at (440) 293-6488.
Special Education Eligibility Process
Once a child is located, informed parent consent is required to initiate an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services. Parent participation is required and encouraged. To be eligible for special education services, students must meet the following three state-imposed eligibility criteria:
- The determining factor for the child’s poor performance is not due to a lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math or the child’s limited English proficiency. For the preschool-age child the determining factor for the child’s poor performance is not due to a lack of preschool pre-academics.
- The child meets the state criteria for having a disability (or continuing to have a disability).
- The child demonstrates an educational need that requires specially designed instruction.
Ohio's disability categories include Autism, Developmental Delay (for preschool-age children only), Intellectual Disability, Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment.
Provision of Services
The PVLSD educates approximately 150 students with disabilities each year through a continuum of supports and services in each child's least restrictive enviroment. These may include specially designed instruction, related services and therapies, classroom accommodations, curricular modifications, and assistive technology.
The PVLSD proudly employs 9 special education teachers, a speech-language pathologist, and school psychologist, and partners with the Ashtabula County Educational Service Center to provide additional speech-language, occupational, and physical therapies, as well as audiological and vision services, and preschool special education services.
If you have any concerns about your child's services, please contact you child's special educator or service provider, their school principal, or the Director of Pupil Services at (440) 293-6488.