Special Education

The mission of Joplin Schools' Special Education and Student Services department is to uphold excellence and high expectations with a commitment to all. We are committed to identifying and meeting the diverse needs of each student through individualized educational programming. It is our mission to work cooperatively with families, students, community, colleagues, and other professionals in order to promote each student's success and well being as he/she prepares for future endeavors.

IDEA Public Notice

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, children who live outside the district but are attending a private school within the district, highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children, children who are wards of the state, and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade.

Joplin Schools assures that it will provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under its jurisdiction. Disabilities include autism, deaf/blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairment and deafness, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment/blindness and young child with a developmental delay.

Joplin Schools assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri First Steps program.

Joplin Schools assures that personally identifiable information collected, used, or maintained by the agency for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Joplin Schools has developed a Local Compliance Plan for the implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This plan contains the agency’s policies and procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the agency’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with the General Education Provision Act (GEPA). This plan may be reviewed Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:30 am -4:30 pm at Joplin Schools Student Services Office 310 West 8th Street, Joplin, MO 64801.

This notice will be provided in native languages as appropriate.

Disclaimer:
Every type of special education program and service mentioned on the website may not be available at every school site. However Joplin Schools will provide or arrange to provide all programming and services determined to be appropriate to meet the educational needs of its students with disabilities.

The information provided on the website is intended to serve as a guide for parents and educators. Parents should consult an education professional at their child’s school with questions about the information provided or to discuss appropriate educational services for their child.

Joplin Schools has made every reasonable attempt to ensure that our web pages and any linked pages are educationally sound and do not contain links to any questionable material or anything that can be deemed in violation of the district's electronic communication policy. The accuracy and quality of information cannot be guaranteed. The district will not be responsible for any information that maybe lost, damaged or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties.

Contact Us

Sandra Cantwell
Director of Student Services
Special Education Administrator
sandracantwell@joplinschools.org
417-625-5200