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) 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 Regional Supervisory Special Education ISS (Instructional Systems Specialist) Gary Cummins in Sembach, Germany via e-mail at gary.cummins@dodea.edu.

DoDEA-Europe, West
Instructional Systems Specialist - Special Education
Department of Defence Education Activity

DSN: 314-597-9028 COMM: +32-22-80-9028

E-mail: joseph.laurenzi@dodea.edu

DoDEA UK Field Office
Jonathan Daniels

DSO Unit 5185, Box 470, APO AE 09461-5470

E-mail: jonathan.daniels@dodea.edu

DSN: 314-226-7234 COMM: +44-1638-52-7234

In this community, services may vary by school. If your child requires specialized services, contact the district superintendent's office before accepting housing to insure that you live in the appropriate catchment area, if possible. For example, Lakenheath Elementary School has a preschool program for children with disabilities whereas Feltwell Elementary School does not.

The Lakenheath Schools Complex includes Lakenheath ES, Lakenheath HS, Lakenheath MS, Liberty Intermediate School and Feltwell ES. While Feltwell ES is part of the Lakenheath Complex, it is approximately 7.6 miles from RAF Lakenheath. Services at Feltwell ES are not at the same level as those at Lakenheath ES. Parents with children on IEPs should contact the schools prior to securing housing.

In the Lakenheath Complex, DoDEA provides the following level of services:

Preschool for Children with Disabilities (PSCD) (3-5 years of age):  Services are available at Lakenheath ES in developmental preschool classroom settings for children with significant developmental delays and/or other disabilities. Extended preschool services are available to meet children's individual needs.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):  The schools provide direct instruction in the regular classroom or in a resource room. This location would not be appropriate for children with the diagnosis of autism who require individual support or more intensive special education service.

Communication/Speech Impaired:  Services are available to provide comprehensive speech and language interventions in individual, small group, and/or general education classroom settings. Additionally, services are available to provide student and general education teacher training in the use of augmentative communication devices and/or alternate communication systems and/or FM systems in individual, small group, and classroom settings.

Emotionally Impaired:  Children with a diagnosis of emotional impairment may receive instruction, behavior modification, and counseling in a self-contained classroom for the emotionally impaired. This placement would not be appropriate for children coming out of a residential placement and/or an alternative education setting.

Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation):  Services are available for children who have moderate to severe mental retardation and require a specialized environment for the majority of the school day. A specialized curriculum, including training in activities of daily living and pre-vocational support are available.

Specific Learning Disability:  Services are available to provide the majority of individualized instruction in a resource room setting (75% of the day or more).

Hearing Impaired:  Consultative services on an as-needed basis are available for students with hearing impairments who can be served in the general education classroom. This is not an appropriate location for children who are deaf or who require the services of an interpreter, but would be appropriate for children whose hearing disability is typically corrected with hearing aids. Minor environmental modifications and some special materials are available.

Visually Impaired:  Consultation services are provided on an as-needed-basis to support children with low vision who can be served in a general education classroom. The Visually Impaired Specialist is not located within the school complex and on-site visits may be limited. Support may include equipment for providing magnification and high contrast, large print books, and environmental modifications for light control and/or preferential seating. This is not an appropriate location for children who are blind and require pre-Braille or Braille instruction or orientation and mobility training.

Services at Feltwell Elementary School

At Feltwell Elementary School, DoDEA provides the following level of services:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):  At this location, direct instruction is provided in the regular classroom or in a resource room. This location would not be appropriate for children with the diagnosis of autism who require individual support or more intensive special education service.

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

Emotionally Impaired:  Children with a diagnosis of emotional impairment may receive instruction, behavior modification, and counseling in a resource room setting. There is no self-contained classroom for the emotionally impaired. This placement would not be appropriate for children coming out of a residential placement and/or an alternative educational setting.

Intellectual Disability :  Services are available for children who have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and who require major curriculum modifications to receive instruction in the general education classroom (approximately 50% or greater). The majority of instruction may be in a resource room setting.

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).