Service Options

Audiological (Hearing) Services.  Delayed speech or language skills or an inability to follow directions may be related to a hearing problem.  If this is a concern, your child’s classroom teacher can refer you to the audiologist.  The audiologist may conduct a hearing screen to detect problems, followed by comprehensive testing if irregularities are found. 

Early Childhood Program.  The district provides a pre-school program for 3-5-year-old children who have marked developmental delays in speech, language, adaptive, motor, and/or cognitive development.  The program provides speech and language readiness skills, occupational and physical therapy, psychological evaluations, and counseling.

Speech/Language Services.  Speech and language therapists evaluate a wide range of communication disorder intervention strategies for students who demonstrate auditory processing difficulties (i.e. the student hears properly, but has difficulty making sense of what was heard) or a referral for medical intervention or hearing aids.   Parent/teacher consultation and monitoring of student progress that affect the way a child talks and understands.  Some children have problems talking clearly, while others may be unable to use speech or language to communicate.  If you are concerned about your child’s ability to communicate and be understood, consult your child’s teacher, who may refer you to the speech pathologist.  If the pathologist determines that your child’s language skills fall outside of the normal limits, your child may qualify for small group or individual speech/language therapy. 

Occupational/Physical Therapy.  Students exhibiting significant motor problems that interfere with school performance may be eligible for occupational/physical therapy services.  You may request consultation services if you notice that your child has difficulty chewing, swallowing, or eating; needs assistance standing, sitting, or walking, has difficulty with eye/hand coordination, breathing, or moving around school grounds.   Specific motor remediation programs will be designed for qualifying students.

Consulting teachers. Angie Gilbert, Sasha Anderson, Ashqua Bliss, and Meghan Egbert  support other teachers in meeting the needs of students with identified learning, social, or behavioral delays.  This support includes identifying effective teaching and assessment techniques, appropriate instructional materials, instructional strategies for students with disabilities, and assistance in the development of Individual Education Plans.

Paraprofessionals.  Under the direction of a special education teacher, paraprofessionals are used in resource and alternative programs to aid in delivering instructional programs to individual students.  These may work in the regular classroom, in a resource program, or in one of the self-contained or alternative programs.

School Social Workers.  Children with social/emotional or behavioral problems may benefit from the assistance of a school social worker.  Serving as a liaison between the school, student, home, and community, social workers assist in identifying resources to meet child and family needs.   These resources may include short-term counseling or referral services. 

Psychological services.  For students with adjustment, behavioral, or learning difficulties, psychological services are available.   Screening may include classroom observation, parent interviews to obtain developmental information, individual student evaluation, or techniques to assess the level of student need.  Based on the evaluation, services may include special education or gifted and talented programs, individual or group counseling, and parent consultation services.  Counseling may be short- or long-term and is available to parents to address family issues that may hinder a child/s progress in school.

Alternative programs. 

●  Skills Management and Behavior Management for students with emotional disturbances.  This is a program that is separate from the home school.  Students are taught news skills via a level point system. 

●  Extended Resource Classroom for students with severe and profound disabilities.

The Gifted and Talented Program.  Gifted and talented students have exceptional academic, intellectual, creative, leadership, and/or visual/performing arts abilities.  The Gifted and Talented Program identifies and provides direct and/or indirect services to qualifying students.  Student eligibility (K-12) is based on a selection process that includes comprehensive multi-data assessments.  The district coordinator consults with classroom teachers on ways to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of high-ability students. Click here to view the TFSD Gifted/Talented 3-Year Plan.