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Special Education

Every student with a disability has a right to a free, appropriate program of instruction and supportive services designed to meet his or her individual needs. Special education services are provided to Scarborough students by certified and/or licensed professionals or supervised support staff at no cost to the parents. Students receiving special education are encouraged to participate in the regular school program wherever possible.

Resources

Special Education Parent Handbook
Procedural Safeguards 
Procedural Safeguards Companion

The Special Education Process

The special education process has several components. The first component involves screening all students to determine whether a student may have a disability that would require referral to Special Education. A second phase includes more individualized evaluations of each referred student and a discussion of the results by the Individual Education Program Team (I.E.P.), which is composed of school staff and parents. The I.E.P Team is then responsible for determining whether the student is a student with a disability in need of special education services, and what services are appropriate for the student's educational needs. Once these determinations are made, the I.E.P. Team writes an I.E.P. for the student. The I.E.P. is reviewed at least annually by the I.E.P. Team.

Students with Disabilities

A student with a disability is an individual who has a disability which requires the provision of special education in order that he or she can appropriately participate in an elementary or secondary educational program.

Identifying Children with Special Needs

The Scarborough School Department seeks to ensure that all children residing in the jurisdiction between the ages of 5 and 20 years who are in need of special education and related services, even if they are advancing from grade to grade, are identified, located and evaluated at public expense.

Teachers trained in special education provide instruction and supportive services to students with disabilities.

Supportive Services

Supportive services are those services which are required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education services. These services are provided to a student by certified and/or licensed professionals or supervised support staff at no cost to the student's parents.

Maine Special Education Regulations

Special Education Services are provided in accordance with the Maine Special Education Regulations, Chapter 101. Regulations are available from the Special Services office. 

Procedural Safeguards

Parents of a student who requires or may require special education services are guaranteed specific rights in accordance with State and Federal laws and regulations. Scarborough Schools provides information regarding these rights for parents. A copy of Parental Rights and Procedural Safeguards is available in the office of the special education director upon request. 

 

Special Services Office

Scarborough Municipal Building Upper Level, Room 319
259 U.S. Route 1 / P.O. Box 370
Scarborough, ME 04074-0370
Phone: (207) 730-4130
Fax: (207) 730-4104
 

Chris Rohde
Director of Special Services
Phone: (207) 730-4134
crohde@scarboroughschools.org

Nicole Benham
Assistant Director of 
Special Services

Phone: (207) 730-4133
nbenham@scarboroughschools.org

Michelle Newton
Administrative Assistant
Phone: (207) 730-4132
mnewton@scarboroughschools.org