About NCESD Special Education Support & Services
The North Central ESD offers a wide variety of services that include staff development training, technical assistance, and numerous resources for school districts and staff to assist with the educational program for students with disabilities. Many of these services are provided through a cooperative while others are fee for service.
Approximately 143,000 eligible students in Washington state receive special education and related services. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) fulfills the requirements of the federal individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures all children with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education.
Contact Us
For questions, please contact the Special Education department at (509) 665-2630 or reach out to one of the contacts below.
Itinerant Services
NCESD contracts with our local school districts to provide the following itinerant student support services:
Administrative Support
Our team support districts and schools with the day-to-day running of their special education programs by assisting with clerical and administrative processes.
Speech Language Pathology
Speech language pathologists work with students with speech and/or language disorders. Speech disorder refers to a problem with making sounds, while language disorder refers to a problem understanding or putting words together to communicate ideas. Therapists use a variety of strategies including language intervention activities, articulation therapy, and oral-motor/feeding and swallowing therapy.
Occupational Therapy
For children in schools, occupational therapy works to ensure that a student can participate in the full breadth of school activities — from paying attention in class; concentrating on the task at hand; holding a pencil, musical instrument, or book in the easiest way; or just behaving appropriately in class. Occupational therapy can boost a student’s self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
Physical Therapy
School-based physical therapists support a student’s ability to access their educational environment by assisting a student’s physical participation in a variety of settings throughout the school day. Physical therapists use a variety of treatments to help build strength, improve movement, and strengthen skills needed to complete daily activities.
Teacher of the Visually Impaired
The role of the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments is to provide direct and/or consultative special education services specific to vision loss. Our Teachers of the Visually Impaired work with the educational team by advising about ways of enhancing the student’s learning by adapting activities and materials to the student’s abilities.Â
Teacher of the Deaf
The role of the Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is to provide direct and/or consultative special education services specific to hearing loss. Our Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing works with the educational team by advising about ways of enhancing the student’s learning through pre-teaching and re-teaching content as well as building language using a variety of modes of communication.
Orientation and Mobility Specialists
Orientation and Mobility specialists teach children and adults with blindness or vision impairments critical skills to remain oriented in their environments as well as specific mobility skills in order to travel safely, efficiently and as independently as possible. Specialists typically work one-on-one with students and tailor instruction to each individual to include skills such as effective use of the individual’s remaining senses, concept development, orientation skills, problem-solving, use of a long cane or other mobility systems, instruction in the use of optical and/org electronic devices, and more.Â
School Psychologists
School psychologists use their expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth success academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school and the community.
Board Certified Behavior Analysts
Behavior Analysts work with students to overcome mental and social disabilities, often supporting students with autism and developmental disabilities. They assess and evaluate, then treat students with mental and social disabilities through techniques that allow them to analyze and customize treatment for each student.
Inclusion and Behavior Coaching
The behavior coach provides coaching for teachers to support both school-wide and classroom positive behavior interventions and supports. They focus on increasing the skills of the regular classroom teacher to better meet the needs of the student with behavioral and/or emotional issues.
Upcoming Professional Development for Student Supports
The North Central Educational Service District offers our districts the platform Professional Development Enroller (pdEnroller) to manage professional development opportunities. It is a mobile-friendly web service for event registration, payment, clock hour approval and clock hour recording.
Below is a list of our upcoming professional development events for Special Education staff. Click the event name or “Register” button for more details (it will take you to the pdEnroller website).
Inclusionary Practices Project Professional Learning
The AESD Inclusionary Practices Project (IPP) supports coordinated professional learning for school leadership teams. The project’s purpose is to support educators and school leaders with developing and implementing sustainable systems, structures, and practices that support all students with meaningful access and engagement in inclusive learning environments.
