Special Education

Merced City School District provides preschool special education programs and services for all students who qualify according to federal and state laws and regulations. Preschool students attending any of the district’s preschools receive their assessments, programs, and services from site, district, and SELPA staff in the same manner as all other school-age students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Students in private preschools, county preschools, and those not in any preschool receive their assessment and services through the district Preschool Specialist Program (PSP). The district’s PSP office and classroom are located at Galen Clark Preschool. The district’s PSP is staffed with a preschool Specialist and Instructional Assistants, Speech Therapists, and Psychologists. Preschool students, suspected of a disabling condition, are considered through a Student Study Team process. Students not attending a district preschool would be referred to the district’s Preschool Student Assessment Team (PSAT) for consideration for assessment and services. 

The District provides Speech Therapy Services at each of the district’s eighteen school sites as well as to private schools within the district to help determine eligibility. Speech Therapists provide Speech and Language screening and consultative services as needed at the school sites for preschool through eighth grade. For students being considered for a Speech/Language Impairment such as articulation, voice fluency, or language disorders, therapists provide the assessments to determine eligibility. Therapy is provided according to the student’s Individual Education Plan for eligible students.

School Psychologists are assigned to all district schools. They provide individual education service plans for eligible students and direct educationally related mental health services. The school psychologists provide the sites with expertise in implementing special education laws and regulations. They work collaboratively with teachers, administrators, and parents to provide the best possible plans for students requiring academic and behavioral interventions and services.

Adaptive Physical Education (APE) services are provided by the Merced Office of Education to students who cannot safely or successfully participate in the vigorous activities of the general physical education program. Students who qualify for APE are served at their schools and most often within their regular physical education classes. The APE teacher provides both direct and consultative services depending on the student’s needs which may be individually, in small groups, or within an entire classroom setting.