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    Our Mission

    It is the mission of the Exceptional Student Education Department to ensure that schools provide opportunities and programs that encourage students to develop academic and social skills commensurate with their abilities. The commitment of the ESE Department is to assist all school personnel in the appropriate identification, placement, and programming for exceptional students. It is recognized that parent training, community awareness, and services to families are essential to student success. This website is designed to give you an overview of the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Department of the Leon County School District in Tallahassee, Florida, and the many services available to students that qualify for ESE programs. If you are new to Leon County, information is included that will facilitate your child's entrance into our district and, if applicable, into an appropriate exceptional program. A brief description of each exceptional program and its eligibility requirements is provided as well as other valuable information regarding your child's Individual Education Plan (IEP).

     The Exceptional Student Education Department is committed to giving exceptional students the means of achieving their annual goals as specified in each student's Individual Education Plan while educating them in the least restrictive environment.

     If you have any questions, please contact the counselor at your child's school, the ESE Program Specialist assigned to your child's school (listed on ESE District Staff to the left), or the Exceptional Student Education office at 850-487-7160.

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    Click here for ESE Parent Survey:  https://fldoepaads.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_881xTFo6E6C6ZJI

    QR Code for ESE Parent Survey:

     

    Upcoming Trainings and Support For ESE Teachers: 

                    

    IEP Labs:

    8:00-3:00

    Howell Building Meeting Room

    March 26

    April 23

     

     

    Para-to-Teacher Support Program

    Do you know paraprofessionals who would make great exceptional student education teachers? The para-to-teacher support program will hold a virtual question-and answer session on November 14, 2024, at 6 p.m. EST. Dr. Keri Fogle, program director, will discuss funding opportunities for paraprofessionals with an associate degree, the equivalent number of college credit hours, or a bachelor’s degree in a non-education field. The para-to-teacher support program is an individuals with disabilities educational act (idea)-funded state project whose grant program has supported nearly 300 paraprofessionals to earn their degrees to become special education teachers throughout florida. For further information, requirements, and colleges or universities where paraprofessionals can receive financial support while earning their initial certification in special education, please visit the para to teacher tuition support for exceptional student educators website. to request the zoom link for the virtual session, contact paratoteach@uwf.edu. 

     

     

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    Arts4All Webinars

     

    Arts4All programs

     

     

     

    University of North Florida’s Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Deaf Education University of North Florida’s online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Deaf Education program is designed for professionals (e.g., teachers, paraprofessionals and interpreters) who are currently working with or aspire to work with deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) students and have not yet completed the FDOE K-12 Deaf or Hard of Hearing Professional Certificate. In order to enroll in the program, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree (education degree not required). The content in the Certificate in Deaf Education program, is designed to help post-baccalaureate students prepare for the Florida Teacher Certification Examination Deaf or Hard of Hearing K-12 exam. The certificate program contains only five online courses, four deaf education courses and one elective. The program can be completed in one year; however, students can choose to move through the program more slowly. The certificate program has
    rolling admission, meaning students can join the program during any semester. For more information about the program, go to  Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Deaf Education or contact deafeducation@unf.edu.

     

     
     
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    Exceptional Student Education (ESE) District Advisory Council (DAC) 

    The dates for ESE DAC meetings for the 24-25 school year are:

    September 12th
    November 14th
    February 13th
    April 17th 

    6:00 pm at the Aquilina Howell Building 

    3955 West Pensacola St

     

    Stay connected with what is happening in the ESE world and connect with other parents of students with disabilities to share resources and engage in supportive dialogue through the LCS DAC Facebook page 

      

     
     
     
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    Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Endorsement Tuition Support Program

    Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Endorsement Tuition Support Program The ESE Endorsement Tuition Support Program provides financial assistance to ESE educators or speech-language pathologists who are teaching students identified as having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Prekindergarten (PreK)/ESE in Florida public schools. Information about this endorsement tuition support program is being disseminated to assist teachers seeking an endorsement in ASD or PreK/ESE. Please include announcements of this ESE Endorsement Tuition Support Program in regional notices, listservs or newsletters for teachers. To view the application, go to https://florida-ese.org/tuition-support. For further assistance, contact Melanie Morales at ESESupport@fiu.edu.

     

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  • Para-to-Teacher Tuition Support Program Live Recruitment Zoom Session If you are a paraprofessional working with students with disabilities, now is the time to follow your passion for the classroom and earn a bachelor’s degree in exceptional student education (ESE). If you already have an Associate in Arts degree or equivalent college coursework, you can join a live recruitment Zoom session and learn more. Please join Dr. Keri Fogle and Russell Gremillion, co-directors of the state-funded Para-to-Teacher Tuition Support Program, on June 29, 2021, at 4 p.m. EDT. They will discuss the program’s requirements and the application process and then answer questions on earning your bachelor’s degree in ESE, deaf education or visual disabilities. For program information on the Para-to-Teacher Tuition Support Program, go to https://paratoteacherprogram.com. To receive a link to join the session, contact Dr. Keri Fogle at kerifogle@uwf.edu or Russell Gremillion at rgremillion@uwf.edu.
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  • The Special Education Innovation Network The Special Education Innovation Network is a newly formed national group of special education researchers, nonprofit organizations and assistive technology software developers. Each member of the network has developed an education technology tool with an award from the Small Business Innovation Research programs at the United States Department of Education’s (USDOE’s) Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation, and programs at the National Center for Special Education Research at IES and the Office of Special Education Programs at the USDOE. To view the directory of the tools titled, “READY NOW: Education Technology Resources to Support Special Education Practitioners and Children and Students with or At Risk for Disabilities,” go to http://signetwork.org/content_page_assets/content_page_3/Ready%20Now%20Special%20Educatio n%202020.pdf. For more information or questions, contact Peg Sullivan, director, Florida’s State Personnel Development Grant, and director, Working with the Experts for Occupational and Physical Therapists, at msulliva@fgcu.edu; or Mary Walsh, program specialist, Bureau of Exceptional Student Education, at Mary.Walsh@fldoe.org. 
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Nondiscrimination Notice

  • “No person shall on the basis of sex, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, color, pregnancy, disability, military status or genetic information be denied employment, receipt of services, access to or participation in school activities or programs if qualified to receive such services, or otherwise be discriminated against or placed in a hostile environment in any educational program or activity including those receiving federal financial assistance, except as provided by law.” No person shall deny equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, or any other youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society.

    An employee, student, parent, or applicant alleging discrimination with respect to employment, or any educational program or activity may contact:

    Tonja Fitzgerald, Divisional Director
    Equity Compliance Officer (Students)
    Leon County School District
    2757 West Pensacola Street
    Tallahassee, Florida 32304
    (850) 487-7309
    fitzgeraldt@leonschools.net

    Wallace Knight, Director
    Equity Compliance Officer (Employees)
    Title IX Compliance Officer
    Leon County School District
    2757 West Pensacola Street
    Tallahassee, Florida 32304
    (850) 487-7210
    knightwa@leonschools.net

    A student or parent alleging discrimination as it relates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act may contact:

    Jennifer Benton, 504 Specialist
    504 Specialist
    (850) 487-7317
    bentonj@leonschools.net

     

     

Contact

Last Modified on Thursday at 8:13 AM