Office for Exceptional Children

Provisions for identification and evaluation of children with disabilities

The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that assures children and youth with disabilities a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The Niles City School District provides a continuum of special education programs and services for preschool and school age students with disabilities.

CHILD FIND is the process of identifying, locating and evaluating all children from age three to twenty-one who may have a disability and be in need of special education and related services, regardless of severity of the disability. The district seeks to identify, through child find, all children in the Niles City School District who attend a public or non-public school in the district or who are homeless or wards of the state who may be in need of special education and related services.

Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees, and concerned citizens are asked to help the Niles City School District find any child who may have a disability and need special education and related services. If you are aware of a child who may have special needs, please notify the Special Education Office at (330) 989-5095.

Autism/Jon Peterson Scholarship Information

Your child may be eligible for a scholarship under the Austism 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.

Information on scholarship programs are available from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) web site at www.education.ohio.gov .

For the information on the Autism Scholarship Program, search Autism Scholarship Program.

For information on the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program, search Jon Peterson Scholarship.

For additional information or questions on these scholarship programs, contact:

Office of Nonpublic Educational Options

(614) 466-5743

Toll-free (877) 644-6338

Email: [email protected]

Carolyn Rinehart, Supervisor for the Office for Exceptional Children
[email protected]
330.989.5095, ext. 4012

Derricka Hawout, Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
330.989.5095, ext. 4012