If your child is not already in school, the first step is to talk with the Special Education Department in your parish or city's public school system.
Who do I contact?
To get support services, you'll work with your local school system. They are required to help students with disabilities succeed in school.
The department in charge of this may be called:
Here's what you can do:
1. Identify your areas of concern. What kinds of issues is your child having trouble with?
2. Find your school district's Special Education or ESS Department.
- Click here to see a List of School Districts in Louisiana. (It will open in a new tab on your screen.)
3. Call and talk to the director. Tell them about your child, and ask how you start the process.
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Don't be scared by the term Special Education! It only means that your child will get special services to help them learn in school. It does not mean they are any less smart than others, just that they need some support at this time.
You might hear these terms:
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Local Education Agency (LEA): your school system or district
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SPED: Special Education program in your school district
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School Building Level Committee (SBLC): this is a group that meets to talk about students who seem to be having trouble in school with academics or behavior
The next step is to get an evaluation. Read that section to learn all about it!
Source: LA DOE