Special Education

If you know of a child or suspect a child may have a disability who resides in Centerville City Schools district, please contact the Director of Special Education at 937-433-8841.

Public schools are required by federal and state law to find all children with disabilities, ages birth through 21, and provide special education services for ages 3-21 for any child identified as disabled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). Disabilities under IDEIA include speech and language, hearing impairments, visual impairments, specific learning disability, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, intellectual disabilities, other health impairments, orthopedic disability, autism, traumatic brain injury, and developmental delay. If after an evaluation, a child is determined to have a disability under IDEIA, the child is eligible to receive special education services through the school district.

All information related to the referral, evaluation, identification, and special education services is confidential information. Parents retain specific rights related to confidentiality, review of records, release of information, and accuracy of records for any child referred to special education, identified as special education, or who receives special education services.

For additional information please contact the Director of Special Education, 111 Virginia Ave., Centerville, OH 45458 or call the Special Education office at 937-433-8841.

More information can also be found in the A Guide to Parent's Rights in Special Education.

The eligibility process for special education services is determined through the completion of an Evaluation Team Report (ETR), conducted by a school psychologist and a multidisciplinary team, including the child's family. To qualify, a student must demonstrate the need for specially designed instruction and/or related services due to a disability that adversely impacts their ability to access and participate in their educational program.

Once a request for evaluation is submitted, the district has up to 30 days to review and respond. The team will either agree to proceed with the evaluation or issue a Prior Written Notice explaining the reasons for not conducting an evaluation. This decision is typically made through a team meeting. If the evaluation proceeds, the district has 60 days from the date of parental consent to complete the assessment and determine eligibility.

The team follows a process as outlined in the Evaluation Roadmap provided by the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce shows the timeline of the entire evaluation process.

If a student is found eligible for special education services, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed.

For more information about the evaluation process, please contact the Special Education Coordinator assigned to your child's building of attendance or the Director of Special Education.

The Basics of an Evaluation Team Report (ETR)

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally required document developed for students with disabilities who qualify for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IEP outlines a student’s unique learning needs, current levels of performance, and specific goals designed to support their academic and functional progress.

In order for a student to have an IEP, a team must determine them eligible following the evaluation process, as stated above. Once a child is found eligible for special education, an IEP is created through a collaborative process involving parents, teachers, school staff, and, when appropriate, the student. It details the specialized instruction, accommodations, modifications, and related services necessary to help the student succeed in the least restrictive environment (LRE) alongside their peers.

At Centerville City Schools, we are committed to developing meaningful, individualized plans that empower students, promote success, and ensure access to a high-quality education.

If you have questions about your child's IEP please contact your child's case manager and/or assigned Special Education Coordinator.

The Basics of an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) provides for a free appropriate public education for all individuals with disabilities between the ages of 3-21 in the least restrictive environment. Centerville's Department of Special Education oversees and provides a continuum of special education programs and services for all students grades K-12.

We are committed to providing children with disabilities the best conditions for learning, while keeping in compliance with federal and state regulations. Our department fosters alignment with Ohio’s Operating Standards, Content Standards, and Performance Standards for Ohio’s Schools.

The Special Education programs in Centerville ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free and appropriate public education that emphasizes specially-designed instruction to meet their unique needs. We offer a continuum of services for students who have been determined eligible for specially designed instruction.

Continuum of Services

General Education

A student with a disability receiving all instruction in a general education classroom without an intervention specialist present. Students do not need full special education support to access the curriculum but may need accommodations and check-ins from an intervention specialist. The general education teacher consults with an intervention specialist to provide the necessary accommodations to support the student's learning needs and access to the general education curriculum. The intervention specialist may provide push-in services for a student's specially designed instruction.

General Education Classes with Intervention Specialist Support or Co-Teaching

Students receive all special education services in the general education classroom and fully participate in the same learning environment as their peers. Special education services are integrated into the general education setting, where specialized support is provided through collaboration between general education teachers and special education professionals. This inclusive approach allows for individualized instruction, accommodations, and modifications within the the classroom, ensuring all students can access the curriculum and benefit from a rich, diverse educational experience.

Resource Rooms

The Resource Room is a small group instructional setting for core instruction or pull-out services. The setting is designed to provide pre-teaching, re-teaching, and specially designed instruction in a small group setting for short periods of time out of the general education classroom provided by an intervention specialist. All instruction follows Ohio's Learning Standards for a student's specific grade level. 

Program Classrooms

Centerville offers three additional classrooms for students who have more intense needs that cannot be met in the general education setting. These program classrooms are a more restrictive setting where students spend more than 40% of their school day in these classrooms. The program are staffed with an intervention specialist, at least one paraprofessional and a behavior technician. Students in these program classrooms may attend general education classes when appropriate and all allow for time with their same aged peers in non core academic periods of the school day. The three program classes that we offer are as follows:

• ACE (Adapt, Connect, and Empower) Program
  • This program supports students with mental health and behavior needs by fostering resilience, emotional intelligence, and adaptive coping strategies. This program is designed to adapt and focus on behavior management, social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, coping skills, behavior regulation, academics, and trauma-informed practices. 
• SKILLS (Supporting Knowledge and Inclusive Learning for Lifelong Success) Program
  • This program offers cross-categorical classes that are academically tailored to Ohio's Learning Standards at a pace adjusted to each student's needs. The program provides opportunities to for core instruction within general education settings, ensuring comprehensive academic growth and preparing students for lifelong success.
• LIFE (Life-skills, Independence, and Functional Education) Program
  • This program provides specialized learning environments for students with multiple disabilities and Autism. This program provides individualized instruction that addresses a student' academic and functional needs. It emphasizes essential skills to promote independence through practical, hands-on learning experiences. 

Separate Facility

Separate facility placements are specialized educational settings located outside of Centerville City Schools, designed exclusively for students with disabilities who require a highly structured, intensive learning environment. These programs provide individualized support in a smaller, more focused setting to meet the unique needs of each student. Placement in a separate facility is determined by the IEP team based on the student’s specific educational and behavioral needs.

Home Instruction

This is a highly individualized education program provided at home to a child with a disability that prevents the child from attending a regular or special program even with special education supports.

Centerville City Schools offers a wide variety of related services to qualifying students:

• Adapted physical education services
• Audiological services
• Behavior Consultant Services
• Deaf and/or Hard-of-Hearing Services
• Interpreter services
• Mental health services
• Occupational therapy services
• Orientation & mobility services
• Physical therapy services
• School psychological services
• Specialized transportation
• Speech and language services
• Transition services
• Vision Services

Planning a child's transition from adolescence to adult life is one of the most important activities that will be done to prepare that child for a successful future. In Ohio, transition planning begins when a child with a disability is 14 years of age or earlier if needed.

Centerville City Schools facilitates integration of students with disabilities into their school and community by providing a variety of opportunities that support individual needs, interests and strengths. Through the transition planning process, families and students are introduced to resources that may be important as students move from school to post school activities. Transition services are coordinated by IEP team members to assist families and students in developing a transition plan that will move students toward their postsecondary education, employment and independent living/community integration goals. 

Transition services include:

• Consultative services for future planning
• Job training internship opportunities
• Career and technical education exploration
• Postsecondary program exploration
• Agency referral assistance

Transition Resources

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT)

Ohio Employment First

• Transition Toolkit
• Transition Assessments

Secondary Transition and Workforce Development for Students with Disabilities

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

 

The Parent Mentor of Centerville/Oakwood is a parent of a child with a disability. The mentor is employed by a district to provide training, support, and information to families of students with disabilities. Click here for more information from the Parent Mentor.

Dawn Millhouse
Parent Mentor
Phone: 937-433-8841, Ext. 2037
Email Ms. Millhouse

Centerville City Schools Special Education Policies and Procedures

We are excited to introduce the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), a newly formed group composed of parents, intervention specialists, and administrators from across the district. This council will serve as a collaborative forum for sharing insights and enhancing special education services. We look forward to hosting our first parent engagement opportunity in the Fall of 2025 to share more about our initiatives and gather valuable feedback.