Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Carthage Schools Department of Special Education Services to identify the strengths and challenges of students in need of specialized instruction and to provide supports and services that will prepare each student to contribute and compete as a responsible individual in school and beyond.

Our goal is to ensure that all students with disabilities are provided valuable daily educational experiences that will prepare each student for a lifetime of meaningful and purposeful living.

Carthage School District provides instruction specifically designed to address the educational and related developmental needs of its students with disabilities. This includes early intervention services for infants and toddlers, preschool for students starting at age three, services for school-age students in grades K-12, and transition services for eligible students up to age 22. The District's Department of Special Education Services can assist with referral procedures, parent and child rights under federal and state laws, identification procedures for students with exceptional needs, and the continuum of services available to students who meet eligibility criteria.

The goal of special education is to help students with disabilities become as independent as possible throughout their academic career and to assist each student with disabilities in becoming employable, if possible, upon leaving the educational setting. This may include pursuing post-secondary education opportunities. Each program and service provided through special education is dedicated to achieving these goals.

Eligibility and services are based on students' needs. Children enrolled in private schools, home schools, and public schools may also be eligible to receive special education services. Children who have suspected or identified disabilities in the areas listed below may be eligible for special education services at no cost to parents in the least restrictive environment to the maximum extent appropriate:

Carthage offers a continuum of special education services and program options that ensure its students with disabilities are educated alongside their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible and have access to the general education curriculum in accordance with their individual needs.

IEP Process

Procedural Safeguards

Special Education Flowchart

Child Find

Least Restrictive Environment