Early Childhood Special Education

The Preschool Reception and Diagnostic Services office serves as the central point of entry for all special education referrals for children ages 2-5 who have not yet entered kindergarten. Our team includes an Instructional Compliance Coordinator,  Developmental Diagnostician, Speech and Language Therapists, School Social Workers, Audiologist, and School Psychologist.  When appropriate, the team may also include additional specialized service providers.

The purpose of the Preschool Reception and Diagnostic Services office is to determine if the student’s significant delays are having an impact on their educational performance and meet the criteria of a category of a disability.

When a child is found eligible for special education services, an individualized education program is developed to support their learning and academic needs. Special education is specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. Specially designed instruction means adapting the content, methodology or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the student that result from the child's disability; and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards that apply to all children. Services and placement as well as goals/objectives for learning are addressed in the IEP. The ECSE program provides a variety of service delivery options to educate children 2-5 years of age who have a delay or disability.

Students found eligible for Early Childhood Special Education(ECSE) and who will continue to attend a parent privately placed preschool will receive special education through an integrative service delivery model. This model is designed to allow students with special needs to be supported in a community-based classroom. ECSE teachers providing these services work with students within their respective preschool centers and give strategies to classroom personnel.

Home-based:
When there is a medical need or the parent feels the student is too young to attend school, home-based services is an option to receive educational support and to monitor progress. Home-based services can also be considered for students who are attending preschool/daycare centers outside of the Richmond Public School district. The school team will develop an ISP so that the student can receive services through an integrative services model with an ECSE teacher.

Self-Contained:
Students found eligible for ECSE services and who have more significant needs shall receive academic support in a self-contained classroom. These classes consist of a low teacher to student ratio with a full-time instructional assistant. Students receive all services within this setting including related services. These students have opportunities to interact with typically developing peers, not only during recess, meals and assemblies, but also during scheduled visits to a general education preschool classrooms for academic support or for social interactions with typically developing peers.

Preschool Inclusion:
An ECSE student placed in an inclusive setting, whether in RPS Head Start, RPS VPI or in a community-based preschool will receive classroom services from a special teacher collaborating within a general education classroom or from an integrative services teacher. The student’s IEP will influence the service delivery and outline the educational needs. Both the general and special educators share the responsibility of ensuring the student has equal access to every opportunity given to their general education peers.

Integrative Services in RPS placement/classroom:
Students found eligible for specially designed instruction who will continue to attend a parent privately placed preschool will receive special education through an integrative service delivery model. This model is designed to allow students with special needs to be supported in a community-based classroom. ECSE teachers providing these services work with students within their respective preschool centers and give strategies to classroom personnel. Students receiving integrative services will not have an IEP, but an ISP, outlining their educational needs.

Individual Service Plan:
Similar to an IEP, an ISP outlines the academic needs and supports for a student who is placed in an alternate, parent private placement. The ISP allows the RPS student to receive special education support in a different educational setting but services are limited.