Special Services

The Special Services Department is committed to meeting the educational needs of all students. The office of Special Services is responsible for determining eligibility for special education services and for coordinating special education and related services. Special education services include specially designed instruction, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

If you have questions please call the Special Services office at 330-325-4144.

Child Find

Child Find is the process of identifying, locating, and evaluating children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services. Both State and local educational agencies are given the responsibility by federal and state laws to conduct child find activities so that children who need special services have the opportunity to receive those services.

For age Birth to 3

An established condition known to result in delay, or documented developmental delay.

For ages 3 through 21

Identification of one or more of the following conditions: autism, developmental disability, deaf-blindness, hearing impairment, including deafness, cognitive disabilities (mental retardation), multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and/or visual impairment including blindness.

If a need is identified, the child can begin receiving the appropriate special education and related services. In addition, though a child may not be eligible for special education or related services under IDEA he or she may qualify for Section 504 services, accommodations, and/or modifications if he or she has a physical, or mental impairment that currently substantially limits some major life activity which causes the student’s ability to access the school environment or school activities to be substantially limited. Free assessments are available to families to determine whether or not a disability exists.

School districts are dedicated to meeting the needs of children with disabilities. If you have or know of a child who may have a disability, contact Joyeanna Jones, the Director of Special Services of the Rootstown Local School District for more information at 330-325-2010 or jjones@roversk12.org.

Autism and Jon Peterson Scholarships

Your child may be eligible for a scholarship under the Autism Scholarship Program or the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program to attend a special education program that implements the child’s individualized education program and that is operated by an alternative public provider or by a registered private provider. For additional information you can contact the Ohio Department of Education at 1-877-644-6338 or via the ODE’s website at www.education.ohio.gov. From there select the link “School Options” and from the drop down menu select “Scholarship Programs – Other.”