Special Education
The special education department at PACT is a team of specialized professionals dedicated to assuring a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Our team serves children in grades K-12.
To qualify for special education services, a student must be evaluated and meet the criteria for a specific disability area outlined by the Minnesota Department of Education. In addition, the student needs to show that their disability impacts their academic achievement that requires a need for support. For example, some students will have a medical diagnosis but not demonstrate an educational need and would not qualify. In addition, some students will be eligible for an educational diagnosis but will not have a medical diagnosis.
To qualify for special education services, a student must be evaluated and meet the criteria for a specific disability area outlined by the Minnesota Department of Education. In addition, the student needs to show that their disability impacts their academic achievement that requires a need for support. For example, some students will have a medical diagnosis but not demonstrate an educational need and would not qualify. In addition, some students will be eligible for an educational diagnosis but will not have a medical diagnosis.
Student Support Services
Disabilities which may qualify for support services are defined below:
Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
A large difference or discrepancy between a student’s intellectual ability and her/his achievement in the areas of reading, math, written expression, oral expression, and/or listening comprehension; severe underachievement in academic work and severe difficulty in processing information.
Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD)
Speech or Language Impairment (S/LI)
Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (Mild to moderate or severe to profound)
Visually Impaired (VI)
Physical Impairment (PI)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Other Health Disability (OHD)
Developmental Disabilities (DD) (Early Childhood Special Education)
Deaf - Hard of Hearing (DHH)
Deaf Blind (D-B)
Severe Multiple Impairment (SMI)
