Early Childhood Special Education
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is a program for all children that have been evaluated, meet educational disability criteria and qualify for special education services. ECSE provides services for children from birth through five years of age.
In additional to teaching staff, services are offered by speech/language clinicians, occupational therapists, physical therapists and a school psychologist. ECSE provides many opportunities for children to interact with same age peers at the CLC and also other programs within the Austin community. Children can be referred for Special Education evaluation by parents, preschool teachers, physicians and day care providers.
The staff in ECSE provides services for children birth through 2 within their home environment. When children reach age three or are determined ready for a preschool classroom they receive services in a school based environment such as the Community Learning Center.
Developmental Screening is offered monthly for parents of children ages 3 to 5 years old that have significant concerns regarding the development of their child including things such as delays in language development (use of words, clarity of words), motor skills (coloring, cutting, hopping, jumping, running) adaptive skills (dressing self, saying when hungry or thirsty, getting needs met) and cognitive skills (matching, identifying colors, objects, etc).
For additional information please contact Karen Erickson, the Special Education Supervisor at the Community Learning Center, at karen.erickson@austin.k12.mn.us.
