Special Education

The Special Education Department of the East Tallahatchie School District offers a wide range of programs to meet the individual needs of students. Eligible students are served from age three through twenty-one. Our schools provide programs designed for students who require extended instructional time in special education settings.

The following resource programs are offered in all of our schools:

Speech therapy
Occupational therapy
Physical therapy

Student identification procedures, achievement testing, instructional programming, and flexible scheduling require the participation of all school personnel. As the district strives to recognize and enhance the potential of all students with disabilities, it is essential not only to identify unserved students but also to maintain program continuity and coordination with regular education to provide appropriate instruction.

PUBLIC NOTICE: The East Tallahatchie School District is participating in an ongoing effort to identify, locate and evaluate children birth through twenty-one years of age who may have disabilities and need early intervention, special education, and/ or related services. Child find is an ongoing process of public awareness activities and evaluations to ensure children with special needs can receive the help they need to succeed as early as possible.

Anyone concerned about a child’s speech, learning, behavior, or development can make a Child Find request. A multidisciplinary evaluation team will meet with the family within 14 days to decide if an evaluation is needed. If so, written permission from the child’s parent is required before an evaluation is conducted.

A multidisciplinary evaluation is individualized to the child’s needs. The evaluation could involve a series of observations and tests with the child and interviews with parents, teachers, and/or caregivers. Evaluations for special education and/or related services will be conducted by two or more specialists such as a speech language pathologist, psychometrist, school psychologist, or special educator. A written summary of this evaluation will be provided to the family and a meeting will be held to determine if the child needs special education and/or related services.

For children birth through two years of age, contact the Tallahatchie County Health Department at 662-647-3404. For a child three to twenty-one years of age, contact

Lori Criswell
District Psychometrist & Case Manager
662-647-3720

Information received through the Child Find process is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The Child Find mandate, part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires school districts to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities ages 3–21.

Anyone who knows a child ages 3–21 who may have a disability — including challenges with behavior, development, hearing, or vision — can contact the Tallahatchie County Health Department to request an evaluation. Our team can complete a full evaluation to determine the child’s needs and the services that can support their education.

Contact the ETSD Special Education Department at 662-647-5524.

If you know a child under age 3 who may need special services, please contact the Tallahatchie County Health Department at 662-647-3404.

To be eligible for special education services, a student must meet the eligibility criteria specified in the Mississippi State Policies Regarding Children with Individual Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 (State Board Policy 74.19) and require specialized instruction and/or related services.

The thirteen disability categories include:

Autism
Deaf-Blind
Developmental Delay
Emotional Disability
Hearing Impairment
Language/Speech Impairment
Intellectual Disability
Multiple Disability
Orthopedic Impairment
Other Health Impairment
Specific Learning disability
Traumatic Brain Injury
Visual Impairment

Procedures	PDF Version
Volume I: Child Find / Evaluation and Eligibility
Volume II: Free Appropriate Public Education / Individualized Education Program / Least Restrictive Environment / Extended School Year Services
Volume III: Procedural Safeguards / Dispute Resolution / Confidentiality
Volume IV: Discipline
Volume V: Secondary Transition

The Department of Exceptional Children

Meet Our Team

Child Find Process

How To Refer A Child

Eligibility for Services

Policies and Procedures