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Pike County Special Education
The Special Education department serves students ages 3-21 years considered to have a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students being served must meet the eligibility criteria in any of the following areas: autism, deaf/blind, emotional and behavioral disorder, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, orthopedic, other health impairment, severe emotional and behavioral disorder, specific learning disability, significant development delay, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment. Pike County’s students with disabilities are provided specialized instruction and related services. Teachers and paraprofessionals work collaboratively with school staff and parents to assure that students with disabilities are provided appropriate learning experiences and opportunities.
What is Child Find?
The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate children and youth, birth to age 21, who are suspected of, or have a disability or developmental delay. Pike County Schools serve children ages 3 through 21 with identified special education needs.
How can children be referred?
A referral may be made by anyone who has a concern about a child’s development. All referrals are considered confidential. The parent retains the right to refuse services. Children may be referred by any of the following:
- Parents/legal guardians/foster parents
- Physicians/health care providers
- Preschool programs
- School system personnel
- Community agencies
- Private school personnel
When should a child be referred to Child Find?
A child should be referred when:
- A health or medical disorder interferes with development or learning.
- A child seems to have difficulty seeing or hearing.
- A child appears to have social, emotional or behavioral difficulties that affect his/her ability to learn.
- A child has diagnosed progressive or degenerative condition that will eventually impair or impede the child’s ability to learn.
- A child seems to have difficulty understanding directions like others that are his/her age.
- A child’s speech is not understandable to family or friends.
- A child has difficulty with reading, math, or other school subjects.
Annual Child Find and Proportionate Share Meeting
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that local school systems locate and provide consultation to parents of students who have a disability or parents who suspect their child may have a disability, who attend parentally placed private schools (in the local school system’s district) or who are home schooled (and reside in Pike County). This consultation is also to be provided to administrators of any private school located in Pike County. Therefore, the Pike County School System is hosting a “Child Find” meeting on Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM. The meeting will take place at the Pike County Board of Education Office, which is located at 7454 HWY 19 South Zebulon, GA. The Director of Special Education will be there to provide information on special education services, evaluation procedures, and proportionate share. For more information call Jessica Thomka at 770-567-8489.
To request special education records, please contact Jill Starling at StarliJ@pike.k12.ga.us or by fax 678-359-9675.
Program Overview
The Preschool Special Education program is designed to provide early intervention services to children, ages 3 to 5, with identified disabilities. Students are provided support through specialized instruction in one or more of five developmental areas including speech/language, cognition, motor, adaptive, and personal/social.
Young children with disabilities are provided services by various professionals as outlined through Individualized Education Programs. Such services include but are not limited to, special education instruction, speech and language services, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
Accessing Services
Young children are referred to the program through Babies Can’t Wait transition or referral. Children are determined eligible for preschool special education services through an evaluation process. The evaluation process involves reviewing relevant information provided by parents and teachers, screening for hearing and vision, articulation and language, motor skills, cognitive skills, and adaptive/social skills.
If you believe that your child or a child in your care is exhibiting significant delays in one or more of the five developmental areas (speech/language, cognition, motor, adaptive, and personal/social), you can initiate a referral contacting Jennifer Patel at 770-567-8489 or email patelj@pike.k12.ga.us.
The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) program provides scholarships for qualifying Georgia public school students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan in specified areas during the previous school year who meet the requirements to qualify for an award. These scholarship funds may be used to offset the cost of attending a private school that participates in the scholarship program.
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship – Georgia Department of Education