Special Services

The purpose of the Marion County School District Department of Special Services is to complement the general education curriculum so that students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and educate, prepare, and inspire students to be productive citizens in a changing global society.

The Office of Special Services currently serves students in Marion County School District through various programs. Programs administered through the Office of Special Services include:

Students who receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants all children from ages 3 to 21, whose disabilities require specialized services, the right to a free, public, appropriate education. There are 13 identified disabilities under the IDEA which include:

• Autism
• Specific Learning Disability (Including Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Auditory Processing Disorders, and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities)
• Intellectual Disabilities (Mild, Moderate, and Severe)
• Other Health Impairments (to include attention deficit disorders and seizure disorders)
• Emotional Disabilities
• Hearing Impairments
• Visual Impairments
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Deaf-Blindness
• Developmental Delay (identification ends at age 10)
• Speech Language Impairments
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairments

Students who meet state criteria for identification with one of these disabilities may be eligible to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed.  The purpose of an IEP is to provide specialized instruction to bridge academic and functional gaps in learning between students with disabilities and same aged peers.

For more information about any of these programs, please contact:

(843) 423-1811