The Behavior/Autism Specialist (BAS) serves all 13-member districts providing supports to students, staff and parents to assist students in meeting their potential in the home-school. The BAS assists with problem solving, implementation of preventative interventions, staff training, discrete trial instruction, behavior intervention plan development, and recommending evidenced based behavioral interventions and strategies.

Mid-State Special Education staff work collaboratively with early intervention providers, early childhood staff, and parents to screen, evaluate, recommend and provide services for student ages 3 – 5 who have an identified disability requiring special education and related services. Services are most typically provided in inclusive pre-k programs with non-disabled peers. Special Education services might include consultation, co-teaching, direct instruction, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech/language therapy, behavioral interventions, and/or discrete trial instruction.

The Deaf/Hard of Hearing Teacher develops individualized programs and services for students with an identified hearing impairment in our 13-member districts. She collaborates with staff and families, screens and evaluates students, develops and implements instructional outcomes, provides districts with needed resources, facilitates the use of specialized equipment, provides direct instruction, monitors student progress, and support staff and parents in working with students who have a hearing impairment.

Registered Occupational and Physical Therapists provide screening, assessment and special education evaluation to determine the need for OT and PT related services.  They collaborate with parents and teachers to ensure that student’s individual needs are being met in the school setting, that students are progressing toward IEP goals and objectives, and that necessary accommodations, specialized equipment, and materials are in place. Under the supervision of OTRs and RPTs, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) and Physical Therapy Assistants (PTAs) provide direct therapy and support to students addressing fine motor, gross motor, and sensory deficits that are negatively impacting progress in the general curriculum.

Mid-State Special Education professional staff including the director, assistant director, program coordinators, psychologists, social workers, and other service providers collaborate with member districts, parents, and teachers to ensure that needed special education services and supports are identified and delivered in accordance with individual education programs. This team provides on-going technical support ensuring that districts are fully aware of federal and state special education requirements, best practices for the use of evidenced-based instruction and interventions, and methods of monitoring student progress and improving programs.  These service providers also seek and/or provide professional development and improvement of instruction trainings.

School Psychologists utilize specialized knowledge and expertise regarding social, emotions, cognitive, physical, language, academic, and psychomotor development in children which affect the learning process. School Psychologists foster positive change for children through their services and work with children, parents, and school professionals through participation in problem solving and RtI teams, conducting screenings and evaluations, progress monitoring program and Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan development, consultation, direct intervention, and training.

School Social Workers (SSWs) provide supportive services that promote and strengthen the home-school-community partnerships and alleviate barriers to learning.  SSWs contribute to the development of  healthy, safe and caring environments by advancing the understanding of the emotional and social development of children and effective intervention strategies.  SSWs provide assessment, crisis intervention, home visits, conflict resolution, individual and group counseling, consultation, program and Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan development, and coordinate school and community services.

Speech/Language Pathologists (SLPs) screen, assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent speech, language, communication, voice, and fluency deficits. They consult with general education staff and parents, observe and interact with students, provide response to intervention services, evaluate the need for IEP services, develop goals and objectives, provide direct speech/language services, and monitor the progress of students who have an identified communication disability and meet the criteria.

A Teacher Consultation Team meets when a student is struggling to make expected progress academically, socially or behaviorally after RtI interventions have been attempted but found to be unsuccessful. This is a problem-solving team whose purpose is to support general education students and staff.

Transition Specialists work within the community and schools to assist students who have IEPs with their transition beyond high school. They work closely with special education teachers, families, and students to provide vocational and independent living assessment and training, facilitate employment experiences, design individualized programming, connect families with community supports, and implement services through our Secondary Transitional Experience Program (STEP).

The Vision Teacher develops individualized programs and services for students with an identified vision impairment in our 13-member districts. She meets the individual needs of students with visual impairments through consultation with staff and parents, screening and evaluating students, developing and implementing goals and objectives, providing resources to support students in the educational environment, facilitating the acquisition of equipment, providing direct instruction, monitoring student progress, and supporting staff and parents of students with visual impairments.