Barbara Boyce Special Education Director
barbara.boyce@pinebluffschools.org
The Pine Bluff School District's Special Education Department provides a variety of educational services to students in grades K-12, who have been identified as having a disability and requiring special education services. Special education is governed by federal and state law. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Special Education is defined as: "Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability."
Special education is in place to provide additional services, support, programs, specialized placements or environments to ensure that all students' educational needs are being met. Students qualifying for special education services have needs that will often require support that goes beyond what is normally offered or received in the regular classroom setting. A child suspected of needing special education support will usually be referred to the special education department. Parents, teachers, or both can make referrals for special education.
Pine Bluff School District offers a variety of least restrictive environments and services for students who qualify for special education services. The district utilizes Indirect Services, Resource Classroom Settings, and Self-Contained Classroom Settings. If a student needs off campus placement, several documents are reviewed such as the psychological evaluation, district assessments, behavioral records, medical records, mental health records, and any other relevant information shared by the parent or Mental Health Providers. The committee will make a decision on placement once all information is reviewed and discussed. Some of the related services that we offer include Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy.
Child Find is an ongoing cooperative effort that involves state and local education agencies, parents, the community, professionals, related organizations, and private schools. IDEA requires all states to have a "comprehensive Child Find system" to assure that all children who are in need of early intervention or special education are located, identified, and referred. Pine Bluff conducts Child Find Activities throughout the year.