The Scioto County
Board of Developmental Disabilities (SCBDD) is redesigning how early childhood
education services are provided to children with disabilities.
“Beginning next
school year, only children identified as having intensive needs due to their
developmental disability, as determined by the Individualized Education Program
(IEP) team, will be served at the Carousel Center Preschool,” said Julie
Monroe, superintendent at SCBDD. “This will allow us to focus more on students
with more severe developmental disabilities and better serve their individual
needs.”
Currently, the
Carousel Center, operated by the SCBDD, offers preschool programming to both
typically developing children as well as children with developmental delays.
According to Monroe, the change will help instructors target specific
educational needs for children who need the extra help the most.
According to Monroe,
an IEP team, consisting of the child’s parents/guardians, representatives from
the local school district and other professionals, must evaluate the needs of a
child to determine if a placement is the “least restrictive environment”
according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. Local school districts are now required to
assure preschool services are available to children with developmental
disabilities. Locally, there are
preschool units throughout the county that serve children with developmental
disabilities operated through the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center
(SCOESC) that represent the majority of public school districts in Scioto
County, and the Portsmouth City School District.
“In order to reach
those who need our services the most we had to rethink our service model. We
have entered into an agreement with the SCOESC and Portsmouth City School
District to make sure the children who have been identified as being most
appropriate for our specialized preschool services, are referred to the
Carousel Center. Our model includes a smaller environment with more one-on-one
interaction, on-site access to needed therapies including speech, OT/PT and
Behavior Support”, said Monroe.
Monroe explained that
while children without developmental disabilities will no longer be served by
the Carousel Center Preschool program every effort will be made to provide
integrated social experiences for the children enrolled. “The change will result in our downsizing by
one classroom, and we are currently working to get that room filled by another
preschool provider. Our goal is to
arrange opportunities for socialization through joint activities with typically
developing peers”, said Monroe.
Another significant
change occurring next program year is the addition of a kindergarten unit at
Vern Riffe School for children with intensive needs.
“The local school
districts are pleased to see that there will be an option for kindergarten
services at Vern Riffe School” said Lowell Howard, Superintendent of
SCOESC. “This will ensure a continuum of
service for those children who transition from the Carousel Center Preschool to
Vern Riffe School.”
“We are continually
striving to meet the needs of families and individuals. We feel these changes
will be positive and will continue to provide excellence in all we do,” said
Monroe.