What are signs my child may need more help at school?

If your child is having trouble learning at school, they may need more or different support. Your child may be eligible for special education services if they:

• Do not have academic skills that match their grade level
• Struggle with subjects such as reading or math more than other children
• Have health needs or issues with their behavior, attention span, speech, vision, hearing, or motor skills that seem to interfere with their learning

Who can get special education services?

In Minnesota, there are 13 disability categories that qualify a student for special education. Just having a medical diagnosis is not enough. Each category has its own checklist that a student has to meet. The 13 categories are:

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Blind-visually impaired
• Deaf-blind
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• Developmental cognitive disabilities
• Developmental delay
• Emotional or behavioral disorders
• Other health disabilities
• Physically impaired
• Severely multiply impaired
• Specific learning disabilities
• Speech or language impairments
• Traumatic brain injury

To find out if your child is eligible for special education services under one of the 13 categories, you should ask your school in writing for a special education evaluation.

When does special education stop?

At least once every three years, the school will conduct a new evaluation to make sure your child is still eligible. Special education services stop if:

• The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decides your child no longer qualifies after a re-evaluation.
• Your child graduates and accepts a regular high school diploma.
• Your child turns 22 years old.