Special Services - Special Education & 504

The Special Services Department includes:

• Special Education
• Section 504
• Gifted Education

At Columbia Public Schools, we sometimes call it "Special Services" instead of "Special Education." These terms can mean the same thing. Special Services is a wider term, but it still covers everything that is part of Special Education. So, you may hear school staff use either term when talking about the support and help students get.

If you have a question, concern, or need help, please follow these steps in order. Note: To find contact information for specific staff members, call your child’s school or visit the school's website. Look for the "Contacts" icon on the school's homepage. This icon will take you to the staff directory, where you can find names and email addresses.

1. Talk to your student’s case manager
   They know your child’s IEP best and are your first point of contact.

2. Contact the special education department chair at your child’s school
   (Especially important at middle and high schools)

3. Speak with the school’s principal or assistant principal

4. Reach out to the district support staff

   • The Effective Practices Process Coordinator for your child’s school OR

   • The District Support Coordinator

5. Contact the Executive Director or Director of Special Services

6. Reach out to the Chief Academic Officer

7. Contact the Superintendent

Case Manager
Your student’s main contact for their IEP (Individualized Education Program). They help make sure your child’s plan is followed and keep in touch with teachers and families.  The case manager is also almost always one of your child's special education teacher.

Special Education Teacher (also referred to as Learning Specialist)
Teacher who provides special education services. May provide instruction in a small group, a special classroom, or in the general education classroom.

Department Chair
A teacher leader who supports the special education team at the school. They help with questions, scheduling, and making sure services are working well. Each of our buildings have a special education department chair.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
Works with students who need help with talking, listening, understanding language, or social communication.

School Psychologist
Helps evaluate students to see if they qualify for special education. They also help teams develop plans to support students with emotional or behavioral needs.

Educational Diagnostician
They give academic tests to help the IEP team understand the student's strengths and challenges in areas like reading, writing and math.  This information helps teachers and families make good decisions about the student's learning plan.

Occupational Therapist (OT)
Supports students who need help with fine motor skills (like writing or using tools), sensory needs, or everyday school tasks.

Physical Therapist (PT)
Helps students with movement, balance, and getting around school safely and independently.

Paraprofessional
A support staff member who works under a teacher’s guidance to help students with learning, behavior, or physical needs.

Behavior Support Staff
Helps school teams develop and execute plans to support students to manage behavior, make good choices, and succeed in school.

Effective Practices Process Coordinator
Supports schools in using good teaching practices and making sure IEPs are developed and revised correctly.

District Classroom Coordinator
Supports special education teachers in district-level classrooms by helping them meet the instructional and learning needs of their students. They also assist families who have questions about their child's education and services.

Executive Director / Director of Special Services
Leads the district’s special services department. They make sure the district is meeting student needs and following special education laws.

• 1 Residential Facility
• 2 Private Day Placement for students with intensive needs
• 2 Specialized Buildings for students with intensive needs (Roseta & Bethel)
• 21 Elementary Schools
• 4 High Schools
• 7 Middle Schools
• Homebound Sites
• Juvenile Justice Center

To obtain a copy of your child's IEP or 504, please contact the Special Services office at 573-214-3459 or email sped@cpsk12.org.

If you think your child may need special education services, the first step is to talk to someone at your child’s school. You can reach out to:

• Your child’s teacher

• The school counselor

• The school principal

They can help you understand the process and connect you with the right staff. You can also ask to speak directly with the school’s special education department chair.  

If your child is not yet in school or you are unsure who to contact, you can call the district’s Special Services office at 573.214.3459 or email sped@cpsk12.org. We're here to help!

To learn more about special education, click on the “Special Education Process” tab. On a computer, it’s on the left side of the Special Services page. On a phone or tablet, it may be at the top of the page.

 

🧩 Special Education Process in Missouri

(From Referral to IEP Meeting — Simple Steps for Families)

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🔍 Step 1: Referral for Evaluation

➡ A parent or the school thinks a student might need special help to learn.
📌 This is called a “referral.”
📝 The referral can be written or presented verbally to any school official.

📆 Your procedural safeguards will be provided within 5 days of making the referral.  This document outlines your rights as a parent.

Who to Contact: You can give your request to any school official. Each school has a psychologist, an educational diagnostician, and a special education department chair. These team members know a lot about evaluation questions. If you don’t know who they are at your child's school, just contact the school office. They will help you connect with the right people.

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📅 Step 2: School Reviews Referral

➡ Within 30 days, the school team will look at all relevant records, including from parents, to decide what to do next. 
They can:
✅ Decide to move forward with testing, OR
❌ Decide testing is not needed (and give a written explanation).

Who to Contact: The building School Psychologist/Psych examiner or Educational Diagnostician

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✍️ Step 3: Consent to Test

➡ If the team decides to test, the school will ask for a parent’s written permission.
📆 For an initial evaluation, testing cannot start until the parent signs and returns the form.

Who to Contact: The building School Psychologist/Psych examiner or Educational Diagnostician

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🧪 Step 4: Evaluation

➡ After permission is given, the school has 60 days to test the student.

 These tests help find out:

• How the student learns
• What support the student might need

Who to Contact: The building School Psychologist/Psych examiner or Educational Diagnostician

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 ✅ Step 5: Evaluation Meeting

➡ Within 60 days of parent consent to test (signature), the team meets to discuss the test results.
➡ They decide if the student qualifies for special education services.
📄 The school shares a written report with the parent within 20 days after the meeting. A parent can request a draft report of the evaluation within 2 days prior to the meeting. The team will try to share a draft of the findings.

Who to Contact: The building School Psychologist/Psych examiner or Educational Diagnostician

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🤝 Step 6: IEP Meeting (If Eligible)

➡ If the student qualifies, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is written.
➡ This happens within 30 days of the eligibility decision.
📚 The IEP is a learning plan made just for the student.

Who to Contact: The building special education department chair or the special education case manager newly assigned to the student

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Common Roles in the Evaluation and IEP Process

• School Psychologist
  Does testing to help decide if a student qualifies for special education. Focuses on how a student thinks and behaves.
• Educational Diagnostician
  Does testing to find out how well a student is doing with reading, writing, and math.
• Special Education Department Chair (Building Level)
  Helps organize and lead the special education program in the school building.
• Case Manager
  Coordinates the student’s special education plan. This person is the main contact for the family.
• Special Education Teacher (also called Learning Specialist)
  Works with the student to provide the services listed in the IEP.
• Related Service Providers
  Test students if there are concerns in their area and provide services if the IEP team determines they are needed. These may include:
  • Speech-Language Pathologist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physical Therapist
  • Vision Specialist
  • Orientation and Mobility
  • Hearing Specialist or Audiologist

How do IEPs and 504s differ:

• Both an IEP and a 504 Plan help children who need support in school because of a disability, but they are different in how they help.
• An IEP is for students who have one or more of the 13 educational disabilities described in IDEA (e.g. autism, ADHD, or a specific learning disability) and need special education, like instruction from a special education teacher.
• A 504 Plan is for students who do not need special education but still need changes at school to help them learn - like more time on tests, sitting in a quiet area, or using a computer - these are called “accommodations.” The student must have a physical or mental condition that greatly limits a major life activity (but it does not have to be one of the 13 types described in IDEA)
• Here is a resource with more details: The difference between IEPs and 504 plans

How do schools decide whether to evaluate under IDEA (IEP) or Section 504 ?

An evaluation happens when the school team thinks a student might have a disability as described in IDEA or Section 504. They decide this by looking at information like any medical conditions the student has, how the student is doing in school compared to other kids the same age, and how fast the student is making progress toward learning what they are expected to at their grade level.

A medical diagnosis can help the school understand a student’s needs, but it does not automatically mean they will get an IEP or a 504 Plan. The school team decides by looking at how the condition affects the student’s learning and progress in school.