keast@k12.wv.us
(304)436-8441
Pre-K Special Needs Services
Special Education and related services are provided by West Virginia county school systems in accordance with federal and state guidelines to eligible children age three to five. Children are determined eligible through a multidisciplinary evaluation process. Once eligible, an individualized education plan is developed with goals and services needed to meet your child’s educational needs.
Criteria for Special Needs Eligibility
The child must have a delay in two or more of the following areas:
Cognition;
Physical development including gross motor and/or fine motor skills;
Communication;
Social/Emotional/Affective Development; and/or
Self-help skills
Inclusive Environments
Learning environments must be conducive to all children in the classroom, including those with varied backgrounds and abilities. Inclusive practices goes beyond supports for children with identified special education needs. Inclusive and diverse environments must incorporate information and materials that avoid stereotypes and provide accurate information. There are several key strategies that programs can employ to support inclusion and diversity in pre-k.
Include provisions to assess environments for barriers in participation for enrolled children. This includes not only classrooms, but also playgrounds and any other areas where children are engaged;
Include families to support inclusive and diverse environments;
Provide training and resources for classroom staff that address:
A shared meaning of diversity, as related to developmentally appropriate practices,
Understanding how inclusive and diversity practices must be represented by the groups of children enrolled to support an understanding of self and others,
Understanding that diversity is an approach rather than an event, holiday, or lesson plan,
Supporting families with English as a second language, and
Seeking Information and supports to ensure that accurate information about disabilities and cultural groups in their community is accessible;
Supports on implementing a wide range of materials and activities;
Supports for children to view themselves as a part of a larger community; and
Environments and interactions that respond to individual children’s interests, strengths, and needs through the ongoing child assessment process.
For more information in regards to Special Education Services, please contact:
