In order for a student to qualify for special education services and instruction, the student must meet the eligibility criteria for at least one of the thirteen disabilities defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  The student must also exhibit an academic need for the services.  The thirteen disabilities defined under IDEA are:

• Auditory Impairment
• Autism
• Deaf–Blind
• Emotional Disturbance
• Intellectual Disability
• Multiple Disabilities
• Non–categorical Early Childhood
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Other Health Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech or Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

Under the federal law, state laws, and district policy the Special Education Program must provide a continuum of services in order to provide for the needs of special education students.  At United ISD we strive to provide for the least restrictive environment in the general education classroom to the extent appropriate for each individual student.  When the student is better served by removing them from the general education setting, United ISD has a number of settings where the students’ needs can be met.  The following are some of the more common options for placement for meeting these students’ needs:

• Specialized Units
• Resource Classrooms
• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Services from itinerant teachers for the Visually Impaired
• Homebound Services
• Residential Placement
• Physical Therapy
• Psychological Services
• Adaptive Physical Education
• In-class support within the general education setting
• Co-teaching model within the general education setting

The specialized units that United ISD has are as follows:

• Early Child Special Education (ESCE) Units: These units generally serve students in grades EC–1st with various disabilities.
• Special Education (SE) Units: These units generally serve school–age upper-grade students requiring an alternate curriculum.
• Early Childhood Motivational Learning Center (EC–MLC) Units: These units generally serve students 3–5 years of age with behavioral issues and emotional disorders.
• Motivational Learning Center (MLC) Units: These units generally serve school–age upper-grade students with emotional disorders and behavioral issues.

The Special Education Program is divided into four separate groups that work together for the same purpose and mission.  The four separate groups are:

• Budget, Itinerant Staff, Compliance and Contracted Services.
• Instructional Improvement and State Assessment.
• Psychological and Behavioral Services
• Vocational Training and Specialized Unit Center: The Cherish Center