Special Education/EIS

All states and territories must provide early intervention services to children who have, or are at risk for having, developmental delays, from birth to their third birthday.

Most CONUS locations, local school districts or health departments provide these early intervention services. The program is called different names in different areas, but it is often referred to as Part C because that is the section of the law that pertains to early intervention. The Education Directory for Children with Special Needs has a list of resources specific to each state to help you determine who you should contact. Your installation EFMP Family Support provider can also answer your questions.

If you are moving OCONUS or to a CONUS location with a DODEA school (and you live on installation), your child will receive EIS through the Defense Department’s Educational and Developmental Intervention Services, or EDIS, program.

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

All states and territories provide special education and related services to eligible children between the ages of 3 through 21.

When 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. When a child transfers to another state, the receiving school must provide comparable services until an IEP review can determine if a new evaluation or IEP is appropriate.

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

• Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• EFMP & Me digital tool
• Individualized Education Program & Moving
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit
• Special Needs Resources
• Exceptional Family Member Program videos

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) (only suitable for children ages 3-21), and current testing and evaluation reports.

If your child requires specialized equipment (for example large print books, an FM trainer, or Braille services) contact the District Special Education Coordinator at the New York - Virginia - Puerto Rico-DoDDS Cuba District.

Medical Records

3-6 Months Before PCS

• Obtain your child or adult dependent’s medical records, including shot records, prescriptions and dosages.
• Connect with your TRICARE provider if you are changing TRICARE regions to facilitate an easy transition.
• Review Medicare, Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, information available at your new location, as appropriate.

As You Leave Current Duty Station

• Collect any supplies that your child or adult dependent may need upon arrival at your new duty station, including medication refills and supplies — for example, hearing aid batteries.
• Talk to your medical provider about securing necessary prescriptions and medications for your transition.
• Hand-carry a copy of your child or adult dependent’s medical records, as applicable.

As You Arrive at Your New Duty Station

• Connect with your new TRICARE provider to communicate your family’s medical needs.
• Schedule appointments with your family’s primary care providers and specialists.
• Connect with a legal representative to reestablish conservatorship.
• Call ahead to ensure availability of TRICARE PLUS for dependents, as applicable.

Educational Records

3-6 Months Before PCS

• Connect with your local school liaison to ask for a warm handoff to the school liaison at the new installation and inquire about the possibility of preregistration.
• Notify your school or early intervention agency of your impending move and request a copy of your child’s records, including transcripts and assessments.
• Request your child’s latest Individualized Education Program, or IEP, or Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP, including IEP and IFSP meeting minutes and the most recent progress report.

As You Leave Current Duty Station

• Hand-carry hard copies and thumb drives of any educational information, including IEP, IFSP and 504 Plan.
• Keep contact information of your child’s current teacher or early intervention specialist in case there are questions at your new school or your new early intervention agency.
• Provide the staff at your child’s current school with the contact information for the special education staff at your child’s new school to speed the transfer of information.

As You Arrive at Your New Duty Station

• Take the hand-carried educational information, including immunization records, with you to enroll your child in the local school.
• Notify the new school of your child’s educational needs, and sign appropriate releases so they can request copies of your child’s records, if applicable.
• Connect with your new local EFMP Family Support staff and school liaison.
• Visit your state education website and the Office of Special Education Programs for timelines and for additional information.

Guantanamo Bay is an isolated community with limited special education services. At W.T. Sampson Elementary/High School, DoDEA provides the following level of services:

Communication/Speech Impaired: Services are available to provide comprehensive speech and language interventions in individual, small group, and/or general education classroom settings.

Specific Learning Disability: Services are available to provide individualized instruction in the general education classroom with resource room support (up to 50% of the day).

Guantanamo Bay may not be an appropriate location for children with a diagnosis of:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Emotional Impairment
Intellectual Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Visually Impairment
Other Health Impairment (Medical)

Guantanamo Bay is not an appropriate location for children that need school based related services other than speech (e.g., nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, vision, hearing etc.). 

For additional information, contact W.T. Sampson's Special Education Department at 757-458-3500.