Early Childhood Special Education
Consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all school districts have an obligation to identify and serve children with disabilities, aged 3 and older. The Billings Public Schools offers a full continuum of educational services for children with disabilities, aged 3-5, as part of an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program.
Eligibility for ECSE services is determined through an evaluation process to determine whether a child meets state and federal criteria as a child with a disability and shows a need for specially designed instruction. A child must be found eligible under one or more of the follow areas:
- Developmental Delay
- Autism
- Deafness
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Emotional Disturbance
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Specific Learning Disability
- Cognitive Disability
- Speech/Language impairment
- Other Health Impairment
In conjunction with our Child Find obligation, developmental screenings for children ages 3-5 are scheduled quarterly. Additional screenings for 3-5 year olds, with suspected disabilities, may be scheduled at any time in the school year. Screening information, along with developmental history and other parent-provided information are then used to determine the need for a comprehensive eligibility evaluation.
For more information on Early Childhood Special Education screening and services, please contact Rimrock Learning Center at 406-601-1800.