Special Education

Special education is specially designed instruction that addresses the unique needs of a student eligible to receive special education services. Special education services are provided at no cost to parents and include the related services a student needs to access his or her educational program.

The State of Arkansas must ensure that all children with disabilities, from three (3) years of age until the end of the school year in which the child turns twenty-one (21) years of age, residing in the State have the right to and availability of FAPE, including children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from school. [MORE]

Smackover-Norphlet School Districts provides specially-designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. This includes adapting as necessary to meet the appropriate needs of an eligible student, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the student's unique needs and ensuring access of the child to the general curriculum.

PARENT RIGHTS

Your school district must give you written notice (provide certain information in writing) whenever it:

1. Proposes to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of, or the provision of free and appropriate education (FAPE) to your child, or:
2. Refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of your child, of the FAPE to your child. [READ MORE INFORMATION]

SECTION 504

Section 504 covers qualified students with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment, or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

• Smackover Elementary School 504 Designee: Amber Holloway: (870) 725- 1211 
• Norphlet Middle School 504 Designee: Heath Murry: (870)725-1023 
• Smackover High School 504 Designee: Vincent Mills: (870) 725-1223
• Special Education Coordinator: Staci Stafford: (870)725-1202

CHILD FIND

Smackover-Norphlet School District offers Child Find screening to locate, identify, and evaluate all children who may have a disability. If you know a child who has a disability or one you suspect may have difficulty with learning, communication, vision, hearing, behavior, or motor control and coordination, please contact the special education department at your local public school district or the charter school the student attends.

Smackover-Norphlet School District screens children from ages 3 through 21. All Child Find referrals are considered confidential and services are provided at no cost to the family.

Contact Arkansas First Connections (1-800-643-8258) for assistance with children ages birth to 3 who may have disabilities. First Connections is the Arkansas Early Intervention Program for evaluation and services.

For more information concerning Child Find screening, contact the principal or counselor of your local school or call Staci Stafford at (870)725-1202.