Special Education Programs

The Shoreline School District offers a full range of school placement options to serve all district students with disabilities ages three to 21. The district’s philosophy is to provide an individualized program for each student in the least restrictive environment. Every school in the district has at least one special education teacher. Programs cover the full continuum of options including support in the regular classroom, resource rooms and self-contained classes for students who need more support.

Access to all special education programs is through a formal team assessment process initiated at the student’s home school. Once the student is determined eligible as a special education student, the assessment team develops individual goals and makes a placement recommendation. The student’s disabling condition does not dictate program placement. Each student’s placement is based on the student’s individual needs.

A variety of special education programs are designed to meet the needs of individual students. Typical programs may include:

  • Resource Rooms in each school with at least one special education-trained teacher.
  • Self-Contained Programs for the Mildly, Mild/Moderate, Severely and Severely Multiple Disabled with programs based on the assessed individual needs of each student.
  • Programs for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders help students learn to manage their behavior and develop appropriate pro-social skills.
  • Work Study, Pre-Vocational Programs, and Independent Living Skills at the secondary level are community based and geared to move students toward functional independence.
  • Inclusion, in which the student is educated in the regular classroom with specially designed instruction and additional support as necessary.

For additional information, call the school psychologist or the Student Services Office, at 206.368.4117.

Any application and any required policies, procedures, and reports relating to the district's special education program are available for public review through the district's Student Services offices. The district welcomes public participation and input regarding the planning and operating of the district's special education program. For further information, please contact us at 206.368.4117.

Preschool Programs for the Developmentally Delayed

This early intervention program provides half-day sessions for developmentally delayed three to five year olds. Individual goals are set for every child in each qualifying area of development. Needed support services are provided by occupational/physical therapists, vision, hearing/audiology, speech and language pathologists, and the school nurse.

For additional information, call Meridian Park School, at 206.361.4250.

Child Find (Ages three to five)

In an effort to plan for students with special needs, all preschool children in the Shoreline School District, ages three to five, are offered a screening which provides the school district and parents with information on a child's development. The purpose of the screening is to identify any disability that may affect a child’s success in school. This screening will not indicate readiness for kindergarten. The screening, which is offered monthly, includes vision, hearing, motor coordination, language and learning skills.

For additional information, call Meridian Park School, at 206.361.4250.

Child Find (Ages five to 21)

Child Find for students ages five to twenty-one is ongoing in consultation with local pediatricians, the state Department of Social and Health Services and parents. For additional information, call the school psychologist or the student services office at 206.368.4117.

Related Services

Shoreline Public Schools provide a wide range of services that allow disabled students to benefit from special programs. These related services include audiology/hearing impaired, vision/orientation, and mobility, physical and occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, psychological/social work services, transportation and school nurse services.

All related services are provided to students as part of an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) developed annually by each disabled student’s teacher, parent and therapists. The IEP ensures that special services are an integral part of the student’s overall school life and properly support the efforts of the classroom teacher. Any parent who feels that their child is in need of a related service in order to make progress toward goals developed as part of the IEP is encouraged to discuss that need as part of an IEP review.

Often, a child’s only disability will be in the areas of speech or language. If a parent feels that speech or language therapy is needed for a child to be successful in school, the parent should contact the building principal and discuss the possible need for a referral to the speech and language pathologists.

For additional information, call the building principal or the Student Services Office, at 206.368.4117.