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The 2023-2024 ESE Parent Survey
Each year, the FDOE surveys parents of students with an individual educational plan to determine how well districts and schools are partnering with parents and promoting parent involvement in their student’s education. All states must collect these data for reporting on their State Performance Plan, as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Additionally, survey results will be used to help schools and districts improve services and outcomes for students with disabilities. The survey is open to all parents of students with an IEP receiving ESE services from preschool age to grade
12. While demographic information must be collected in compliance with federal requirements, individual responses are confidential.The ESE Parent Survey is offered in web-based and paper-based formats.
The survey will be open through June 30, 2024.
To access the survey click here: 2024 ESE Parent Survey.
The ESE Parent Survey is translated into 11 languages using the web-based format.
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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Learning Ally Free Professional Learning Opportunities
Learning Ally is happy to announce our no-cost professional learning opportunities. There two
opportunities to choose from as follows:
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SPOD (Spotlight on Dyslexia) Conference will be on June 5-6, 2024. Florida educators will have an exclusive access code for no-cost access to the complete Florida track approved to support the state standards and benchmarks. Use the link or the QR code to receive the registration page and code for your no-cost complete access ticket. Let us “Teach, Transform and Triumph.”
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Brain Based Learning Instruction based on the Science of Reading is a self-paced asynchronous course made of five units: Unpacking Brain-Based Reading Instruction, Building Reader’s Word Recognition, Strengthening Language Comprehension, Developing Vocabulary Rich Instruction, and Interweaving the Reading Rope for Fluent Reading.
Choose one or both of the no-cost opportunities by going to Learning Ally Free Professional Learning Opportunities for Florida or using the following QR code:
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.STEM Academy for High School Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Regional STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] Center invites Florida high school students who are deaf or hard of hearing and aged 15 through 21, to apply for the STEM Academy. Students can choose to attend from June 9 to 29, 2024, or from July 7 to 27, 2024. This engaging academic program is designed to prepare students for their transition to college. Students who participate receive a laptop and a $5,000 scholarship to the NTID. The STEM Academy is offered at no cost to participants. This includes covering all expenses such as travel, accommodations, meals and recreational activities. To learn more about the program and read the frequently asked questions, go to the STEM Academy web page. Check out highlights from past programs. Download a brochure to share (Spanish) with students and families. For more information or questions, contact Cara Wilmot at wilmot.cara@aidb.org or 256-368-7208._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Exceptional Student Education (ESE) District Advisory Council (DAC)
The next ESE DAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 25 at the Aquilina Howell Building.
3955 West Pensacola St
6:00-7:30
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. See link below.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________FUN COMING SOON from the Autism Society of FloridaFor Teachers: Sessions of #art classes for children w #autism will begin on January 16, 2024 and will be on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:00 PMFor Students: #minecraft online class for kids. This starts on January 10 and will be on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM. The gamer must have Java for PC version.If you’re not a member of the Autism Society of Florida, you can sign up for membership here:To register, email info@autismfl.orgExceptional 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.
Nondiscrimination Notice
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“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.netWallace 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.netA 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
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Telephone:(850) 487-7160Fax:(850) 487-7823Address:3955 W. Pensacola Street,Tallahassee, FL 32304Cathy Shields, Director IICompliance, Operationsand Districtwide Programs850-487-7160Brooke Brunner, Director IIEarly Childhood ProgramsK-12 ESE Curriculum850-922-2099Melissa Barton, CoordinatorCompliance850-487-7160Jennifer Benton, Program SpecialistSection 504850-487-7160Christy Fulater, CoordinatorESE and Gifted Instructional Supports850-488-1652Jenni Jenkins, CoordinatorBehavior Services850-487-7160Kristy Ward, Assistant Principal forDistrictwide Transition Services and the ACE Transition Program850-717-2020