Fort Jackson  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 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.

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 

Parents of children enrolled in special education should hand-carry copies of 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.

It is helpful if parents call the Ft. Stewart/South Carolina Superintendent’s office in advance of their arrival so we can plan for a smooth transition to our schools.

South Carolina & Fort Stewart District
SC/FS District Superintendent’s Office
376 Davis Avenue, Bldg. 5605
Fort Stewart, GA 31315

912-408-6691

Ft Jackson has a very active Exceptional Family Member Program which works very closely with the School Liaison Office. School Districts provide educational services for special needs children. In addition the Columbia area has several special needs advocacy and support groups, e.g. Family Connections of South Carolina and the South Carolina Autism Society.

School Age Services (ages 3 through 21 years)

The Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) provides special education at Ft. Jackson.

Pierce Terrace Elementary School and Pinckney Elementary School provide special education services to all eligible students whose families meet the housing requirements for their children to attend a Department of Defense stateside school.

All types of educational disabilities are represented in the special education population. The schools provide services in a variety of settings to include self-contained life-skills classrooms, resource special education, speech therapy classrooms, and within the general education classrooms.

Due to the small nature of the school system and geographical location, some specialized services for students may be contracted to the local public school or another agency. There has been some difficulty at times finding specific services, such as a vision specialist, to provide services in this area.

Four Year Old Preschool Program

All four year old children are eligible to attend a universal preschool program that operates in Pierce Terrace Elementary School. This program is for all children who turn four years of age on or before the designated date of the respective school year. It is open to all eligible children whose families meet the housing eligibility requirements for their children to attend a Department of Defense stateside school. This is a half-day preschool program provided at no cost to the parents.