What is Early Childhood Special Education 

Special education is defined as specially designed instruction, to meet the unique needs of children with  delays and/or disabilities.

Special education and related services for pre-school age students is referred to as early childhood special education (ECSE).

The Ferguson-Florissant Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program provides services to children 3-5 years old, who qualify for special education services in the following areas:

Communication development (speech and language)

Cognitive development

Physical development

Social or emotional development

Adaptive development

The program goals, curriculum and materials are developmentally appropriate and geared to the differing ability levels of each child.  

Where Does Early Childhood Special Education take place

Ferguson-Florissant early childhood special education professionals and related services personnel provide specialized educational services to children with disabilities in a variety of settings such as early childhood, preschool, child care, Head Start and other early childhood settings to meet the developmental learning needs of these children.

Early Childhood Special Education settings are located in the district's PreK-2 buildings with half-day (morning or afternoon) classes, Monday through Thursday. 

Who Do I Contact for more Information

Parents of children who are three to five years old or approaching age three who suspect their child may have a developmental delay or disabling condition that may affect them educationally, can contact Ferguson Florissant Early Childhood Special Education program at (314)824-2073 to request a referral for evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services.

ECSE services are supported by federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as well as state general revenue funds. ​ There is no cost to parents for special education services identified in a child's Individualized Education Program (IEP).

For more information about Early Childhood Special Education please contact our office at (314)824-2073

 or email Kelsey Busby at kbusby@fergflor.org

What Does It All Mean

The process of entering special education can be overwhelming.  We will try our hardest to make it smooth and understandable for you.  If at any time you have questions, please ask your diagnostician, case manager, or the Early Education Director.  They will be glad to help.  In the meantime, here are some of the unfamiliar terms that you may encounter.  

• Diagnosis-For a child to receive special education services, he/she must first qualify for service.  Services are determined by the testing conducted by the diagnostic team as well as input from any current service providers.  Diagnoses range from broad terms covering multiple areas of need to categorical terms that indicate services in one or two areas.  This diagnosis is not medical-it only applies to educational needs.
• Evaluation Report-This is the report compiled by the diagnostic team based on the information gathered. You will receive a copy of this report once the evaluation testing is completed and the report has been written. 
• Procedural Safeguards-You will be provided with a copy of your procedural safeguards at the time of referral or on request.  These safeguards are a written explanation of your legal rights as a parent/guardian in the special education process. 
• Individualized Education Program (IEP)-This is the main form that is mandated by state and federal laws governing special education.  The IEP is a method for outlining the services that a child will receive through special education.
• IEP Team-The IEP team is made up of everyone directly involved in providing special education services to a child.  This includes parents, teachers, therapists and any other professional invited by the parents or the school. 
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)-By law, we are required to consider the least restrictive environment for children.  This is the most natural setting for children possible to meet their needs.