VISION STATEMENT
We will be an inclusive school community that supports an environment for individual excellence while building a sense of belonging which is accessible to all.
Cumberland County Public Schools is committed to providing all children with disabilities a broad spectrum of educational opportunities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that all students ages 2-21 with disabilities be afforded a free and appropriate public education. Educational services must be provided in the student's least restrictive environment. This means that to the greatest extent possible, given the educational needs of a child, each child with a disability will be educated and participate in other school activities with their non-disabled peers. Special education is specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent(s), to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. Cumberland County Public Schools provides individualized instruction to eligible children that address the unique needs of the child resulting from the child's disability. Cumberland County Public Schools provides access of the child to the general curriculum, ensuring that the child has an opportunity to meet or exceed the educational standards.
A child may be found eligible for special education services in the following areas: Autism, Deafness, Deaf-Blindness, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Hearing Impairment, including Deafness, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment, including Blindness.
SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL PROCESS
The special education process begins with a referral. A referral can be made by a parent, guardian, teacher, or other school-based team. The following steps are involved in the special education process:
Identification and referral
Evaluation
Determination of eligibility
Development of an individualized education plan (IEP) and determination of services
Reevaluation
JOHN VERGA
Special Education Teacher, CMS/CHS Master Teacher
Cumberland High School
804-492-4212
SHALETHA WATSON
Special Education Teacher, CCES Master Teacher
Cumberland Elementary School
804-492-4212
