Nelson County Public Schools are committed to providing all children opportunities to benefit from public education. Special education programs and services are available to county residents who have children with special education needs. These programs and services are provided for children with disabilities whose second birthday falls on or before September 30 through the age of 21. Each student receives special education services designed to meet his or her individual needs. These programs are discussed and planned by school personnel, parents, and the student involved. Often, instruction is carried out both in regular and special education classrooms.

Each special education student's progress is reviewed at least yearly and his/her need for special services is reassessed at a minimum of every three years. Special education programs and services are provided by trained personnel in the following areas as defined by federal and state law: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, developmental delay, hearing impairment, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury or visual impairment including blindness.

Who Can Make Referrals?

Referrals can be made by anyone concerned with the child’s educational performance, including the parent, child’s teacher, community agency, or a school official. However, parental consent is required for any evaluations to be conducted.

To PARENTS of Children with Sensory Disabilities such as Visual Impairments or Hearing Impairments: The following information from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) describes the educational and other services available through the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, and the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired to students who are identified as hearing impaired or visually impaired. Please follow this link, and then click on the relevant disability for more information.

By age 2:

• Drinks from a cup

• Refers to self by name

• Uses a spoon with some spilling

• Asks for desired items by name

• Uses two-word phrases such as, “Mommy go.”

By age 3:

• Holds a crayon and imitates circles and straight lines

• Can demonstrate the number concepts one and two

• Can identify big and little

• Responds to “put in the box,” “take out of the box”

• Identifies objects by their use, such as, “What do you wear on your feet?

• Asks questions

• Uses three and four-word phrases

By age 4:

• Copies a circle and cross

• Draws a person with three parts

• Matches six colors

• Counts to five

• Listens to a story for five minutes

• Responds to two-step directions

• Answers “if,” “what,” and “when” questions