Glossary of Terms

    • Case Manager - A school district employee who coordinates meetings with you and appropriate school staff members. The case manager also serves as your contact when you have questions regarding your child’s special education program and services.
    • Child Study Team Evaluation - A way of collecting information about your child's special learning needs, strengths, and interests. An evaluation is used to help make decisions about whether your child is eligible for special education and related services. The evaluation will include administering individual tests, observing your child, a review of records, talking with you and your child. The evaluation may include the following: an educational assessment, health appraisal, psychological assessment, social assessment, a speech/language assessment, and any other pertinent medical evaluations.
    • Individualized Education Program (IEP) - This is a written plan that details what the child will be taught and documents what will actually be provided to the child through special education and related services.
    • Preschool Disabled - Children ages three to five, with an identified disabling condition and/or measurable developmental impairment, who require and would benefit from special education and related services.
    • Related Services - Services which children with educational disabilities require to benefit from their educational programs. Related services include the following: counseling the child, training the parents about the educational needs of their child, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, transportation or recreation, as well as other appropriate services which the child needs to benefit from an education as required by their IEP.
    • Special Education - Instruction and needed related services modified or designed, at no cost to parents/guardians, to meet individual needs of a child with disabilities, including instruction in classrooms, homes, hospitals, and other institutions.