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), current testing and evaluation reports.

If your child requires specialized equipment (for example large print books, an FM trainer, or Braille services) contact the Area Special Education Coordinator in NY/VA DDESS at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

School Age (3-21 years)

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) provides special education to children from 3 through 21 years of age who have a disability. Various grade level services are available at different installations.

• Developmental Screenings- to assist you with determining if your child is meeting his/her developmental milestones.
• Developmental Evaluations- using standardized testing tools to determine if your child has delays in development and is eligible for early intervention services from EDIS.
• Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)- for eligible children a plan developed with the family that identifies what they want to work on with the support of an early intervention team.
• Early Intervention Services- to support you with reaching the IFSP goals that you have for your child and family.
• Transition- assistance provided to help you and your child move on to another program as he/she turns three years of age, or to help you access services at another duty location.

Preschool (3-5 years of age): At least one elementary school per site in NY/VA DDESS has a preschool program for children with developmental delays or identified disabilities.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): The schools in NY/VA DDESS can provide services for students with the diagnosis of autism who require a minimal level of service, individual support or more intensive special education services. The schools provide direct instruction in the general education classroom or in a resource room in accordance with a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Communication/Speech Impaired: The schools can provide comprehensive speech and language services in individual, small group, and/or general education classroom settings.

Emotionally Impaired: Part time services are available on an as-needed basis to support children in the general education classroom or resource room setting. Comprehensive services to address all of a student's needs may not be available within the schools. In a few instances, special education and related services that address all of a student's needs may not be able to be provided with the DoDEA schools. When such an occurrence arises, the Case Study Committee must locate an appropriate educational setting outside of the installation within surrounding jurisdictions that can address all of a student's needs, including transportation, at no cost to the parent.

Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation): The schools in NY/VA DDESS located at West Point and Quantico can provide services for students with moderate to severe mental retardation who 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 at these two sites. Students with moderate to severe mental retardation enrolled at Dahlgren School may be recommended for an off-site placement.

Specific Learning Disability: The schools in NY/VA DDESS can provide services for students with learning disabilities who might need to be in a resource room up to the majority of the day.

Hearing Impaired: Students with deafness who require services of a Teacher of Hearing Impaired (HI) within a HI program are likely to be recommended for placement in one of the surrounding jurisdictions as there is no Teacher of HI on staff at any of the sites in NY/VA DDESS. For students with milder hearing impairments, a variety of support services including interpreter services, HI Teacher consultative services (both of these services require a 4-6 week turn-around time to obtain contracts), classroom accommodations and/or modifications, and speech/language therapy services are available in the schools.

Visually Impaired: There is no Teacher of Visual Impairment on staff at any of the sites in NY/VA DDESS. Students with blindness/visual impairments who require comprehensive VI services may receive these services in the NY/VA DDESS; however, there is a 4-6 week turn-around time to contract for this service and for orientation and mobility services. Ongoing support is provided for students with low vision in a general education classroom with accommodations/modifications such as large print books, magnified texts, environmental modifications for light control and/or preferential seating.

The NY/VA DDESS District provides services to students with disabilities in three separate geographic locations in the following grade levels:

Grades PK – 12 at Marine Corps Base Quantico – Quantico, VA

Grades PK – 8 at Dahlgren School – Dahlgren, VA

Grades PK – 8 at the United States Military Academy – West Point, NY

The Department of Defense has two programs that provide services to children with developmental delays and disabilities, in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Infants and Toddlers (Birth -3 years old)

Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers from birth until three years of age and their families. Early intervention supports families by providing educational services that are designed to help parents and other caregivers encourage children’s learning during their typical day-to-day activities.  Services are provided in locations where children and families spend their time.  This could be at home, in a daycare center, or other community setting.

Installation Specific Information

Special education and related services are provided at all of the base schools to address the needs of all students in grades PK – 8 who meet DoDEA eligibility criteria. Students must reside in base housing to enroll in the base schools and to be considered for eligibility to receive special education services. In most cases, services are provided in the DoDEA schools located on the military installation. This service delivery model is in support of the inclusive philosophy held by DoDEA in which students are educated to the maximum extent possible with non-disabled peers in their neighborhood schools. Students with disabilities may receive special education support services in general education settings. In some instances, students with disabilities may receive individual and/or small group instruction in general education or resource room settings.

In a few instances, special education and related services that address all of a student’s needs may not be able to be provided within the DoDEA schools. When such an occurrence arises, the Case Study Committee must locate an appropriate educational setting outside of the installation that can address all of a student’s needs, including transportation, at no cost to the parent.

For students with milder hearing impairments whose needs may be addressed in the post schools, a variety of support services including interpreter services (requires a 4-6 week turn-around time to contract for this service), classroom accommodations and/or modifications, and speech/language therapy services are available in the schools. There is no Teacher of Hearing Impaired on staff at the West Point Schools. There could be a 4-6 week turn-around time to contract for this service.

Students with visual impairments are served in the post schools; however, there could be a 4-6 week turn-around time to contract for this service as there is no Teacher of Visual Impairment on staff at the West Point Schools.

Pre-School

Universal preschool services are available for all four year olds who meet the district age requirement. Preschool Services for Children with Disabilities (PSCD) are available to children ages 3-5 with developmental delays and disabilities. There is a wide range of services provided to children in the PSCD programs to promote a continuum that includes services with non-disabled peers in the schools and/or the community. In some individual cases, services are provided in the home setting.

Pupil Personnel Services Coordinator
New York/Virginia DDESS District
MCB Quantico - PPS Office
3308 John Quick Road
Quantico, VA 22134

Phone: 703-432-0281
Fax: 703-432-1130