Special Needs Preschool

This program serves children age three and up who have been identified through the preschool referral and evaluation process to be eligible for Special Education services.  If you have concerns that a child may not be developing appropriately in one or more of the following areas, he or she may be eligible for this program:

• Cognitive Development (Intellectual development)
• Language and Communication Development (Listening and speaking)
• Social and Emotional Development (Includes challenging behaviors)
• Physical Development (Includes large and fine motor skills)
• Adaptive Behavior Development (Self-help skills)

Children who are younger than three should be referred to Babies Can’t Wait (1-800-430-4212)

Do you know a young child who has any of the following issues? 

• Birth complications or a medical condition that interferes with development and/or learning
• Appears to have social/emotional or behavioral difficulties that interfere with his/her ability to learn
• Appears to learn more slowly than children his/her own age
• Has not met developmental milestones such as talking and walking
• Has speech that cannot be understood by others
• Has difficulty seeing or hearing

Do you know that there is help available? 

• There are programs available in Colquitt County to identify needs and provide services to children ages birth to 5.
• The earlier developmental delays and disabilities are discovered and identified, the more effectively they can be managed.
• Parents, grandparents, foster parents, physicians or healthcare workers, childcare providers, preschool teachers, etc. can easily refer a child that they are concerned about.

No matter what their problem or its severity, all children are entitled to an education.
For more information regarding any child (Ages 0 to 21) who is not receiving educational services, please contact Colquitt County Schools Program for Exceptional Children at 890-6192.

With parental consent, anyone may refer a child for this program, including:

• Concerned parents/guardians
• Physicians/Healthcare Providers
• Childcare Providers
• Preschool Providers/Head Start
• Early Intervention Programs/ Therapy Providers

To make a referral, call Colquitt County Preschool at 890-6194

• Certified Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• Proof of Residency
• Current Immunization Record (Form 3231)
• Passed Hearing and Vision Screening within one year (Our school nurse is available to screen children by appointment only- call 890-6194.)

The parent/guardian will be interviewed by the Preschool Referral Coordinator and Special Education Resource Teacher to document concerns and background information, begin working on strategies to help the child, and begin data collection to monitor progress. Once all required documents are received and hearing and vision are cleared, the child may be evaluated by the Preschool Psychologist and Speech Pathologist, if indicated. An eligibility meeting will occur to discuss evaluation results and determine if child is eligible for Special Needs Preschool services. Based on the child’s individual needs, the IEP committee will determine how the child will receive services.
Services will be provided in the child’s least restrictive environment, which may include: preschools, childcare centers, Head Start, or in a separate class for students with disabilities.