Student Services

• Connecticut IEP Manual - CT State Department of Education 
• Region 15 Special Education Procedures and Practices Manual

• A Parent's Guide to Special Education 2021 (ct.gov)

• Una guía de educación especial para los padres de Connecticut

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), the federal law concerning the education of students with disabilities, requires schools to provide you, the parent, with a notice containing a full explanation of the procedural safeguards available under the IDEA and IDEA regulations. A copy of this notice must be given to you one time a year and also when the following occurs:

• The first time you or the school district asks for an evaluation.
• You ask for a copy of these procedural safeguards.
• The first time in a school year you request a due process hearing or file a state complaint.
• A decision is made to take a disciplinary action against your child that is a change in placement.

Quick links:

Bureau of Special Education Resources

• CT State Department of Education Special Education

Procedural safeguards

• English
• Spanish

Seclusion and Restraint

• English
• Spanish

Transition Bill of Rights

• English
• Spanish

Request for Mediation

• Electronic Form
• Printable form

Here you will find the most recent and up-to-date CT State laws and regulations pertaining to Special Education:

• CT State Department of Education Special Education
• Resources for Families and Students
• Connecticut Assistive Technology Guidelines
• CT SERC
• CT State Department of Developmental Services

The Connecticut State Department of Education is excited to share CT-SEDS, a statewide special education data system, for educators and parents. The CT-SEDS Parent Portal enables parents to view and sign documents (IEP, Section 504, Services Plans) for their child.

CT-SEDS Parent Portal Quick Guide

• A Handbook for Students and Family Members to Help with Preparation for Life After High School - Revised 2009
• Listing of CT Transition Programs (Rev Jan 2024)
• Easing-Into-Secondary-Transition--A-Comprehensive-Guide-to-Resources-and-Services-in-Connecticut
• Easing Into Secondary Transition A Comprehensive Guide to Resources and Services Connecticut Contacts

Helpful Connecticut Resources for Families

• School personnel may make a referral requesting that the student be evaluated to determine eligibility for special education.
• As a parent, you can make a referral in writing by contacting your school administrator. If you make a verbal request, it will be confirmed in writing.

• A referral to special education is the first step in the process of determining if your child has a disability and is eligible to receive special education services.
• You will receive written notice of this referral and will be asked to participate in a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting.
• If the members of the PPT suspect that your child may have a disability, the team will recommend that an initial multidisciplinary evaluation be conducted (parental consent required).
• After the evaluation is completed, another meeting will be held and the results of the evaluation will be discussed. At the PPT, the team will decide, based on your child’s current performance and evaluations results, if your child meets the criteria for a disability and if they require special education services.

 If your child is between the ages of 3 and 5 years old, and you believe that they may have a disability, you may refer your child for an evaluation by contacting the PreSchool Program (203) 758-8259 extension 2

• A PPT is a Planning and Placement Team meeting that will generally take place in the student's school during the regular school day.
• A Planning and Placement Team reviews the student’s referral to Special Education, determines if the student needs to be evaluated, decides which evaluations will be given to the student, and determines whether the student is eligible for special education services.
• The members of the PPT must include you (the parent), someone to chair the meeting (usually an administrator), a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a related service provider (usually speech, psychology, guidance or social work) and whenever possible, the student.

• The school is required to hold a PPT meeting every year to review the student's Individualized Education Program and develop a new one.
• At any time during the school year, the parent or school can request an IEP Team meeting to discuss making revisions to a current IEP.
• Oftentimes, parent questions and concerns can be addressed at parent-teacher meetings and do not require a formal meeting.

Region 15 Guidelines for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE)

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes the educational program that has been designed to meet the student's unique needs. Teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students work as a team to design and implement a student's IEP.

Once the student is determined to be eligible for special education, part of the process includes the following:

• Initial Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting
• Student's Annual Review Meeting
• Triennial Review Meeting
• Program Review Meeting(s) as requested by the team

• Once the student has been identified as eligible for special education, a PPT meeting is held to develop an IEP (this may also be completed at the eligibility meeting).
• Members of the PPT will develop the components of the IEP with input from the student, the parents, general and special education teachers and related service providers.
• At least once per year, the PPT evaluates progress and mastery of IEP goals and objectives at a meeting referred to as the “annual review”.
• The PPT can reconvene at any time throughout the school year to review, and possibly amend, the student's IEP.

• The student's continued eligibility for special education must be determined at an IEP Team meeting once every three years.
• The Triennial Evaluation Report is used in order to determine the student’s continued eligibly for Special Education services.

In Connecticut, parents have the legal right to receive written notice at least 5 school days before a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting. You can choose to waive this 5-day wait period so that meetings or changes to your child's special education can start sooner.

Region 15 5-Day Notice Waiver

The Special Education Resource Program is designed to provide academic support to students in grades K-12 who have special education needs. Due to identified learning disabilities, emotional needs, or other identified disabilities, these students require support in one or more academic area in order to be successful in the regular classroom. There are multiple models of service delivery for special education.

LC I classes are designed to provide programs for moderately, severely, and profoundly intellectually disabled and/or multi-disabled students. These students are provided functional academic education, communication, self-help, social, emotional, fine & gross motor, and pre-vocational/vocational programs to help them develop their skills in all of these areas.

Students are included in regular homeroom activities and other regular classes as deemed appropriate for the individual student by the PPT.

Homebound instruction is available to students who are absent from school for three weeks or more (due to a health condition) may receive homebound instruction. Appropriate documentation, including a physician note,  is required. Homebound instruction may also be recommended through the Planning and Placement Team process.

Students demonstrating a communication disorder which adversely affects his or her educational performance are provided service in either individual and/or small group settings. The Speech and Language Pathologist in each building works closely with classroom teachers and other staff involved with the student in an effort to facilitate communication skills and promote academic success.

Every school in the Region has both a School Psychologist and at least one Guidance Counselor who are active members of the PPT. Individual and/or group counseling is provided by them based on the individual student's needs. School Psychologists are also instrumental in the evaluation and diagnosis of students with disabilities. These staff members also work as the liaison between the school and other community agencies working with the students and their families.

The Learning Center Program is designed for those students with identified disabilities who require considerably more than support help in order to be successful in their school programs. Students receive direct instruction in as many academic areas as deemed necessary by the PPT, based on the individual student's needs. The goal of the Learning Center Program is to provide an intensive academic program and transition students back into the regular classroom as soon as they indicate they will be able to do so successfully. 

The Alternative Education Program is a specialized high school program designed to offer selected students recommended by Pomperaug High School (PHS) Planning and Placement Team (PPT) an optimal learning environment off campus, to facilitate their academic progress, social-emotional growth and development and assist them in meeting the requirements for graduation from PHS.

A Pre-Primary Learning Center is available for students from 3-6 years of age. These students have developmental delays (intellectual, physical, social, emotional, or language) which will significantly impair their progress and adjustment in school when they enter Kindergarten. The children are given special instruction in order to develop their cognitive, perceptual, speech and language skills, as well as their self-help, social skills, and fine/gross motor coordination

Some students with disabilities may require physical and/or occupational therapy services to enable them to benefit from their special education program. These therapies are provided by fully-trained and licensed physical and/or occupational therapists. A prescription specifically written for each student must be approved by the student's attending physician before these services can be provided.

The Health Offices in Region 15 are supervised by Registered Nurses who are the primary health care providers in the schools. The school nurse provides care for a student with emergency injuries and illnesses. If further care is required, the student is sent home and/or referred to their personal physicians. The school nurse also provides nursing care for students with special health care needs while at school, conducts state-mandated health screenings, monitors and provides appropriate nursing interventions for communicable diseases and maintains health information on all students in the school.

Extended school year (ESY) are services provided beyond the length of the regular school year as described in the IEP and is provided at no cost to the parents. Eligibility for ESY must be determined each year for individual students who may be eligible to receive these services.

Student support services, also known as "student services" or "pupil services," include prevention, intervention, transition and follow-up services for students and families. Student support service professionals provide direct services for all children and youth, especially those who are experiencing problems that create barriers to learning. Direct services are provided by means such as education, counseling, consultation and individual assessment. In addition, student support services personnel provide in-service training, parent education, community collaboration and carry out student service program management. Student support services are a vital part of comprehensive school program success.

Every school has a school psychologist who provides mental health support and services to students. This appears through mandated and as-need individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention, and IEP development. They conduct classroom observations and use data to support behavior plans and various research-based interventions. Additionally, they are responsible for managing and conducting psychological evaluations to classified students and attend planning and placement team (PPT) meetings for both special education and general education students. The psychologist works closely with guidance counselors, social workers, teachers, and administrators to ensure the social and behavioral needs of all students. They offer parent workshops and communicate with outside providers in order to provide consistent, appropriate services to each individualized student.

All Region 15 students have access to the services provided by the district's social workers.

They work closely with families, school counselors, psychologists, teachers, and administrators to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

Social Workers are members of crisis teams and mental health service teams; they offer counseling individually, in small groups, and through classroom instruction.

At the secondary level, social workers also work closely with the guidance counselor and administrators.  They support students in accessing the curriculum,  working towards resolution of personal and interpersonal concern, and plan for beyond high school.

The social workers and other mental health service providers in the district work closely with families and community organizations.  Through these partnerships, they ensure a comprehensive and individualized approach to the social emotional well-being of all students.

Each student in our district's secondary schools is assigned a School Counselor who works with them throughout grades 6-8 and 9-12. The counselors offer a variety of special and general services to all students. Through individual advisement, small group counseling, classroom activities, and presentations to staff and parent communities, the school counselors support each student's academic, college, career, personal and interpersonal development.

School counselors also function as a facilitator between parents, teachers and the student in matters concerning the student's goals, abilities, and any areas needing improvement. Our counselors are a key school resource in helping students to structure post-high school plans and encouraging them to take advantage of the opportunities and supports available in school and in the community.

School health services are coordinated, comprehensive healthcare services provided by qualified health professionals to students enrolled in primary or secondary education. These services aim to promote, protect, and maintain student well-being, ensuring they can remain safe, healthy, and ready to learn. 

School health services encompass a wide array of preventive and responsive measures: 

• Preventive Care: Includes routine health, vision, and hearing screenings, as well as the administration of medications.
• Acute and Emergency Care: On-site first aid, CPR, and management of sudden injuries or acute illnesses during the school day.
• Chronic Disease Management: Coordination of care for students managing conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy.
• Mental Health Support: Counseling, psychological services, and social-emotional support to bolster overall well-being

Click here for information about the Region 15 Early Childhood Intervention (PreSchool) Program and Friends Together program.

If your child is between the ages of 3 and 5, and you have concerns about their development in any of the following areas, we encourage you to participate in Region 15's Preschool Screening:

• Speech and language
• Fine or gross motor skills
• Self-help skills
• Play and social skills
• Cognitive development

During the screening, you will have the opportunity to discuss your concerns with a member of our preschool team while your child participates in a simulated preschool environment. Screenings are conducted by a multidisciplinary team that may include speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

Preschool Screening Information