Special Education

 

The Special Education Department at Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV (MIU IV) provides a full complement of programs and services for students with disabilities in Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties. Whether a child requires the high level of intervention and support that an IU-operated classroom can provide, or needs occasional support from our itinerant staff, MIU IV is able to meet those needs.

If professional development is required for district faculty and staff, MIU IV can also provide that support through its Training and Consultation (TaC) staff. MIU IV’s trained professionals have knowledge and experience received through their years of service in education, and through in-depth training that they have received at both PDE and PaTTAN. Whether your focus is meeting the needs of particular children, or updating your staff’s knowledge of federal and state initiatives, like IDEA and Chapter 14 regulations, TaC can help to put all of the pieces in place.

Related Services

It can be cost-prohibitive for local school districts to employ or contract for related service professionals. MIU IV retains licensed therapists and certified professional staff who are able to provide services to students in all grade levels. These professionals serve as members of the IEP team providing direct services and consultation to students.  MIU IV’s related services include:

• Audiological Support
• Counseling Services
• Occupational Therapy
• Orientation & Mobility
• Physical Therapy
• Psychological Services
• Social Work Services
• Speech or Language Therapy

Training and Consultation

Training and Consultation (TaC) services are a specialized resource for school districts. These highly skilled Educational Consultants provide technical assistance, on-site consultation, guided practice, professional development and professional learning communities in the following Pennsylvania state-mandated special education initiatives:

• Autism
• Assistive Technology
• Least Restrictive Environment/Inclusive Practices
• Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) formerly known as Response to Instruction and Intervention
• Positive Behavior Support
• Secondary Transition/Interagency Coordination
• Beyond the required initiatives, TaC staff provides consultation and professional development in other areas related to special education such as IEPs, co-teaching, disability awareness, procedural safeguards, parent engagement, paraeducator training, and compliance monitoring.

Special Education Classroom Programs

MIU IV operates special education classrooms for students with a variety of disabilities.  These classrooms can be organized in the Least Restrictive Environment of the local school district.  Services in such classrooms are provided not only by a highly qualified, certificated teacher, but also include special education supervisors, school psychologists, and trained paraprofessionals. All of these individuals are there to support the classroom students as well as the related service personnel. IU staff work with the local school district to coordinate the development and implementation of IEPs, complete evaluations, and reevaluations, as well as providing the necessary curriculum, materials, and supplies to help students experience success.

MIU IV currently operates the following classrooms:

• Autistic Support
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Early Intervention (ages 3-5)
• Emotional Support
• Multi-disabilities Support
• Partial Hospitalization

Itinerant Support Services

MIU IV can provide a solution to a district’s itinerant special education needs. Our staff will travel and provide the required level of support in the child’s home school building. These services can range from a consultation model to an intensive level requiring daily direct instruction. Our itinerant staff members complete evaluations and function as members of the IEP team playing an integral role in the provision of specially designed instruction. We provide itinerant support in the following areas:

• Adapted Physical Education
• Autistic Support
• Community-Based Vocational Training
• Hearing Impaired Support
• Inclusion Support
• Instruction in the Home
• Vision Support
• Speech and Language Support

Additional Services

School districts frequently need additional supports and services to meet the needs of their students. The following services are available to offer this support:

• Complex Functional Behavior Assessments
• Extended School Year Services
• Psychological Evaluations
• Safety Care for School-Age or Small Children
• Special Education Supervision

MIU IV can provide services to meet your student’s needs from start to finish. Our experienced staff will deliver quality programs and services to students and educational staff.