Special Education

Special Education in the Racine Unified School District has a tradition of innovative programs. Continually ahead of most school districts, we provide educational needs for children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21. There are excellent facilities, and over 350 staff trained for orthopedically impaired, hearing and/or vision impaired, speech and language, emotional/behavioral disability, cognitive disability, specific learning disability, autism, traumatic brain injuries, other health impaired, and significant developmental delay.

For information on Special Education in our district, please call (262) 631-7151.

Philosophy

Special Education Services in Racine Unified School District will offer the following to students with disabilities and their parents:

• A free appropriate public education to all students with disabilities enrolled in the district.
• special education in the Least Restrictive Environment (L.R.E.). Students with disabilities are educated with non-disabled students to an extent that will appropriately meet each student’s unique needs.
• A continuum of services will be available to students enrolled in a special program, including participation in physical education, art, library and music.
• An individualized education program is developed for each student determined to have special needs by a team of related personnel, parents, and students when appropriate. The Individual Education Program will be reviewed at least annually at the team meeting.
• The student’s parents are consulted on a regular basis regarding student’s needs.
• Student education records are maintained in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
• Staff development includes regular inservice training for staff providing educational services to students with disabilities.

Services Offered

The goal of special education is to help students become independent learners, to teach learning strategies to prepare them to be successful in their regular classes, and to prepare them for high school and post-secondary experiences. This goal is achieved through a partnership between student, home and school.
Specialists serving our students with disabilities include special education certified teachers, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, service support, sign language interpreters, and assistants trained to serve students who are at least three through twenty-one who have at least one of the following conditions:

1. cognitive disabilities;
2. hearing impairments;
3. speech or language impairments;
4. visual impairments;
5. emotional behavioral disability;
6. orthopedic impairments;
7. autism;
8. traumatic brain injury;
9. other health impairments; and/or
10. learning disabilities