SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

All students of our member districts are eligible to receive special education services provided by or through GCED (listed below). These services provided to member districts are determined by students' identified needs.

• Autism Consultant: Licensed autism teacher/consultant supports teachers who work with individuals who meet educational criteria for autism. The consultant is available to assist with evaluations, individual education programs, program and family supports, strategies, behavior challenges and general consultation.
  
• Blind/Visual Impairment: Provide functional vision assessment; direct specialized skills teacher, adaptation of classroom materials, and consultation to parents, students and teachers.
• District Special Education Coordinators (DSEC): Provide day-to-day support to member districts special/general education staff and administrators regarding State/Federal Due Process laws and procedures, special education programs and services, and collaboration between GCED and other State and Federal agencies in Goodhue County.
• Early Childhood Special Education: ECSE Coordinator assists in planning and coordinating, screening, assessment, consultation, and direct services provided to school districts for children aged birth to seven years; provides inservices/workshops relevant to early childhood special education; directs instruction to children birth to age four.
• Educational Audiology: Provide support to staff and students to ensure optimal use of hearing in the educational environment; provide consultation and inservice on hearing impairment, intervention strategies and use of amplification.
• Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Provide education for students with emotional or behavioral difficulties. Assist in program planning, inservice and student assessment, intervention, and consultation services provided to students, parents, and teachers.
• Hearing Impaired: Provide speech/language assessments for hearing impaired students; direct teaching of language, specialized skills and academics; consult with students, parents and teachers; and coordinate and employ interpreters to support students with severe hearing impairments.

• Instructional Coaches: Increase the capacity of teachers to plan and implement effective instructional practices and to increase student achievement.
  
• Nursing Services: Promote the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of students by providing comprehensive health services.
• Occupational Therapy: Provide assessment and services that prevent or minimize disability; relieve pain; develop and improve sensory and motor function, controls, postural deviations; and establish and maintain maximum performance within the student's capabilities.
• Physical and Health Disabilities (PHD) Assistive Technology (AT): Provide assessment, consultation, and direct services to building teams and students who have special education or special equipment needs due to physical handicaps and/or health problems.
• Physical Therapy: Provide evaluation and services that prevent or minimize disability, relieve plan, develop and improve sensory motor function, control postural deviations, and establish and maintain maximum performance with the student's capabilities.
• School Psychology: Assessment, intervention, and consultation services provided to special education programs of member school districts.
• Speech/Language Therapy: Identify student communication needs and develop and implement programs to re-mediate and/or prevent communication disorders.