Special Education at Saint Paul Public Schools is high quality and effective. We recognize and support the importance of designing an educational experience to meet the unique needs of each student with a disability, from birth to age 21.

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team – which includes parents – focuses on helping students develop academic, functional and social skills by providing them with the skills necessary to become self sufficient, contributing members of society.

If you have a child with special education, health-related, or accessibility needs, please contact the Office of Specialized Services at 651-767-8321 before submitting a school application, or contact the principal at your school of choice to find out whether appropriate services are available at the school.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services are available for students from birth to the age of 7. Services are provided at home, in community daycare and preschool sites, at Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), Head Start, and in SPPS Pre-K classrooms. Specialized classrooms for students ages 3-5 years old are located in every Area within elementary school buildings. For information on special education programs for preschool children, please call 651-744-8094.

Note: Every student who meets state eligibility criteria for special education is entitled to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004).

Special Education Services

All schools have some special education and related services; however, not all specialized services are available at every school. The following is a list of specialized services that are available in every elementary, middle and senior high school in SPPS:

• Specific Learning Disabilities

• Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH)

• Visually Impaired (VI)

• Classroom support for students with less severe Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD)

• Speech and languages services

• Consultation for Other Health Disability/Traumatic Brain Injury/Physical Impairment (special and general education teachers work with district-wide staff to provide appropriate services for individual students)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The Autism program is designed for students who need support social interaction, communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviors, interests and activities. For more information about this program, visit the Special Education website.

Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD) Resource Room

Emotional behavioral disorder program for students who are withdrawn, have anxiety, have aggression or disordered thought patterns. Our Resource Room is designed for students that need additional support in their General Education classroom. Students receive indirect consultation from a specially licensed Special Education teacher, paraprofessional or in a co-taught instructional model. For more information about this program, visit the Special Education website.