• *Editor's note: Information from the 2018-19 school year
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    gm 19 Question: What is special education?
    Answer: Special education is not a place; it is a compilation of services designed to meet the needs of students who have disabilities. There are 13 disability categories that students can have – and they can have a combination of those – and they receive service around their disability area to accommodate that while they’re in public school.

    *The 13 disability categories are autism; deaf and blindness; deafnessemotional disturbancehearing impairmentintellectual disabilitymultiple disabilitiesorthopedic impairmentother health impairmentspecific learning disabilityspeech or language impairmenttraumatic brain injury; and visual impairment, including blindness.

    More questions are answered during a conversation with MacFalls and district Director of Public Relations Brit Milazzo. Learn more in the drop-down menus for questions and answers regarding all things special ed. You may also learn more in a feature from Red Raider magazine, here: Part 1 and Part 2

  • How are students identified for special needs?

  • From what I understand, special education isn’t necessarily just for those with disabilities, but also who are considered ‘gifted.’ What is that?

  • Who can be contacted about getting more information about special education?

  • How does the department help with other support?

  • What is the percentage of students in the district who are in special education?

  • What’s the goal of the department?

  • How many staff members are part of the special ed team?

  • Talk a little bit about the staff.

  • As the director, what are your responsibilities?

  • What else should people know about special education at Bellefonte Area School District?