Special education is specially designed instruction including related and supplementary aids and services as appropriate that address the unique needs of students with disabilities.  Related services such as special transportation, Occupational Therapy, or Physical Therapy enable a child to benefit from his or her special education program.  Supplementary aids and services are additional accommodations and supports such as behavior management plans and assistive technology that enable the child to access the general education curriculum. 

Eligibility for services may be determined under one of 13 exceptionalities:

1. Autism
2. Deaf-Blindness
3. Developmental Delay
4. Emotional Disability
5. Hearing Impairment
6. Intellectual Disability
7. Multiple Disabilities
8. Orthopedic Impairment
9. Other Health Impairment
10. Specific Learning Disabilities
11. Speech and Language Impairment
12. Traumatic Brain Injury
13. Visual Impairment

If you think your child is not developing age-appropriate skills and would like to explore whether your child qualifies for Special Education services, please contact their teacher or Special Education personnel at the Central Office. An appointment will be scheduled to begin the referral process.

If your child has previously qualified for special education services at another school and was still eligible at the time of withdrawal, you will need to inform school personnel and provide contact information so that eligibility can be verified and records can be requested. A meeting will be scheduled to review your child's current IEP so that services can begin and permission for an evaluation can be obtained. This evaluation will determine if the student remains eligible under Alabama guidelines.

Following completion of the designated evaluations a team called the MEDC (Multidisciplinary Evaluation Determination Committee) meets again with the parents to review the results and determine eligibility for services.  Eligibility is determined by specific criteria that is based on federal regulations mandated by IDEA, state regulations, and is outlined in the Alabama Administrative Code.

Written consent for services must be obtained following the determination of eligibility for special education. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed by a team that includes parents, a general educator, special educator, and a representative of the local education agency (LEA representative). Other professionals may also be included as part of the team as appropriate to the child's needs.

The team works together to develop goals that address the child's unique educational needs and allow him to access the general education curriculum.

Madison City Schools provides evaluations and speech services for students attending a private school within the Madison City Schools district. If you or your child's teacher suspect a disability, please contact your school administrator or Special Education personnel at Central Office.  

Please share this information with your child's teacher and/or school administrator. Prescriptions alone do not dictate school based services. They may be considered as part of the evaluation process. All students must meet Alabama Administrative Code criteria for school based special education services.

Please provide this information to your child's teacher and/or administrator. A meeting will be scheduled to review all information and consider results of an independent evaluation. Diagnostic criteria are not the same as eligibility for special education services (as determined by the Alabama Administrative Code). Therefore, even if pieces of the private evaluation are accepted, additional information may still be needed to meet State eligibility requirements. 

If you live within the Madison City Schools district, please contact the Special Education Department at Central Office. 

Extended School Year services are services provided beyond the traditional school year calendar at no cost to the parent. Students must show a documented regression of critical skills over breaks (i.e., Spring Break, Summer, Christmas) that they cannot recoup within a reasonable period of reteaching (6 - 8 weeks). The purpose of extended school year services is to maintain critical skills, not to promote new learning. If you think your child qualifies for extended school year services, please contact your child's teacher.