Special Education

662.449.7258

The Department of Special Education of the DeSoto County School District offers a wide range of programs to meet the individual needs of students. Eligible students are served as young as three and up to twenty-one years of age. Our schools offer programs to serve students who need extended instructional time in a special education setting. Resource programs, as well as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy are offered in all schools. Some special district-wide classes have been established to serve students with low incidence disabilities.  

Student identification procedures, achievement testing, programming, instructions and flexible scheduling require the participation of all school personnel. As the district strives to recognize and enhance the potential of all students with disabilities, it becomes necessary not only to identify unserved students but also to maintain program continuity and coordination with regular education in order to provide appropriate instruction.

The goal of the Department of Special Education is to provide support to the students and the schools by working on levels of specialized instruction to enhance educational opportunity in the general curriculum. Prescribed programs for students with disabilities are implemented to keep the students near the least restrictive environment with the general education classroom being the ultimate goal.

It is the responsibility of the DeSoto County School District to provide education services to all students with a disability that meet their unique needs. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities be provided with a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).  Our goal is to uphold FAPE standards by providing educational benefit to students with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).