Parents and guardians of students with Individualized Education Plans are encouraged to complete the Special Education Parent/Guardian Survey. Your feedback will help guide Greenbrier County Schools and the WV Department of Education to best meet the needs of all students. Thank you.

Special Education Parent/Guardian Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/mZwqwd0N65.

Welcome to the Department of Special Education for Greenbrier County Schools. Our goal is to provide a free appropriate public education to identified students with disabilities and gifted students according to Federal, State, and County policies and procedures.

Greenbrier County Schools offer a continuum of services to all identified exceptional students between the ages of three and twenty-one. Services are provided in the areas of Autism, Blindness and Low Vision, Deafblindness, Deafness, Developmental Delay, Emotional/Behavior Disorder, Gifted, Hard of Hearing, Intellectual Disability, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech/Language Impairment and Traumatic Brain Injury. We also offer physical therapy and occupational therapy services. Contractual services supplement those offered directly by school personnel. Contractual services include psychological, vocational and other assessments, audiological services, life skills teaching, and other special services.

A parent or any other interested person or agency may refer a student who is suspected of needing special education and related services. Referrals received from an outside source are forwarded to the student assistance team (SAT) at the student’s school for consideration. For preschool age children or home-schooled students, the referral is received and processed directly by the special education director or designee.

Policy 2419: Regulations for the Education of Exceptional Students is on file in each principal's office and the Greenbrier County Board of Education Office. It provides detailed information regarding provision of special education services and is published by the West Virginia Department of Education.

For more information contact the Greenbrier County Board of Education Special Education Department in Lewisburg, WV at 304-647-6463.

What is an IEP?

A written statement for an eligible student with an exceptionality that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with Policy 2419 and IDEA 2004.

What is a multidisciplinary evaluation?

Comprehensive procedures used to determine whether a student is exceptional and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the student needs. The term means procedures that are conducted by a team if individuals representing a variety of disciplines. These procedures are used selectively with an individual student and do not include basic tests administered to or procedures used with all students in a school, grade or class.

What is a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)?

Special education and related services which:

1. Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge to the parent

2. Meet the standards of the state education agency, including the requirements of these regulations

3. Include preschool, elementary school or secondary school education in the state, and

4. Are provided in conformity with an Individualized Education Program

How long does it take from the referral process to having the eligibility meeting?

From the date parental consent is received, the process takes up to 80 days.

How does a parent make a referral?

All parent referrals are to be made to the school principal who in turn will take the referral to the Student Assistant Team (SAT).

At what age can a child receive Special Education through the school system?

Children with special needs can be placed for services at the age of 3.

How often is an IEP updated?

Once per year, or as needed.

How does the SPL process affect referrals for special education services?

Support for Personalized Learning (SPL) is a process where all children are educated in the regular classroom through differentiated instruction. Once a child is identified as needing extra help or accommodations, those accommodations are made within or outside the regular classroom with extra time as needed for instruction.

Once a child goes through Targeted and Intensive Interventions to gather data, they can be referred for Special Education Services.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms that result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills, such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person's life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services.

What is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is not the same as math anxiety, but people with dyscalculia can react strongly to activities involving mathematics. For instance, they may get upset or frustrated when playing board games. Keep in mind that all people can occasionally struggle with math. Those with dyscalculia will struggle to a greater extent than their peers, and their difficulties will continue over time.

What is Dysgraphia?

Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterized by writing disabilities. Specifically, the disorder causes a person's writing to be distorted or incorrect. The disorder generally emerges in children when they are first introduced to writing.

Our staff is qualified to recognize and assess these issues. Please contact our special education team to learn more.