Fort Buchanan  Exceptional Family Member Program

The IDEA requires that all states and territories provide special education and related services to eligible children between the ages of 3 through 21. Each local school district has a special education director, and each school should have an individualized education program, or IEP, team or school-based committee that supports students with special education needs.

The IDEA requires that if a child transfers to a different district in the same state, the new school must provide a free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, until the previously held IEP is adopted or a new one is developed and implemented. If a child transfers to another state, the receiving district must provide comparable services until the receiving district completes an evaluation and creates a new IEP, if appropriate.

If you are moving and your child receives special education and related services, you should hand-carry all pertinent school and medical documents, including the IEP and current evaluation reports. Hand-carrying these documents ensures that they are not lost and allows the new school district to begin the process as soon as you move.

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, offers the Parent Center Hub – also known as the Center for Parent Information and Resources – which has collections of links to serve families and adults with special needs from birth through age 26. They assist families in getting appropriate education and services for their children, work to improve education services for all children, train and inform parents and professionals, resolve problems between families and schools or other agencies and connect those with disabilities to community resources. Find your local parenting center and more by visiting their website.

You can also try these resources from Military OneSource:

• EFMP & Me digital tool
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit download
• Special needs resources 
• Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• Exceptional Family Member Program videos 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, requires all states and territories to provide early intervention services to children from birth through 3 years of age who have, or are at risk for having, developmental delays. 

Local school districts or health departments often provide these early intervention services. The program is called different names in different areas, but it is often referred to as Part C because it is the section of the law that pertains to early intervention. The national Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center provides a list of State Part C coordinators and funded programs on their website. 

When moving, you should hand-carry copies of your child's individual family service plan, or IFSP, and the most current evaluation reports to your new home to ensure they are not lost.

Parents of children enrolled in special education should hand-carry all pertinent school and medical documents to include their children’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) and current testing and evaluation reports to provide to the new school.

DDESS Puerto Rico District
Superintendent's Office
Instructional Systems Specialist
Pupil Personnel Services Coordinator
218 Brooks Street
Building 566
Fort Buchanan, PR  00734

787-707-4631
Fax: 787-707-4618
Email

Services are provided to students with all types and levels of disabilities within a variety of settings. Due to the small nature of the school system and geographical location, there may be some specialized services for students that may be contracted to the local public school or another agency. There has been difficulty at times finding some specific services, such as a vision specialist, to provide services in this area.

Four Year Old Preschool Program:  Antilles Elementary School also provides a universal four year old preschool program for all children who meet the housing requirement for attending the school and who are four years old by October 16th of the current school year. This is a half-day preschool program provided at no cost to the parents.

If you have a child who requires a specialized service and/or equipment (for example large print books, an FM trainer or Braille services), it is recommended that you call the District Superintendent’s Office (787) 707-4623 / 4621 to obtain specific information about services and to help facilitate a smooth transition to the Antilles Complex Schools.

School Age Children (3-21 years)

DDESS provides special education to school aged children with a disability. In some locations, DDESS has an agreement with the local community school districts to provide special education services.

The Antilles School Complex (Antilles Elementary, Antilles Intermediate, Antilles Middle, Antilles High, and Ramey Elementary/High Schools) provides special education to children from 3 through 21 years of age who meet the housing eligibility requirements for attending a stateside DDESS school and meet the Department of Defense criteria for special education services.