Special Education
Special Education & Section 504
At Sturgis Public Schools, we believe every student has unique strengths, abilities, and potential. Our Special Education and 504 team partners with families, teachers, and support staff to provide individualized services that help students learn, grow, and thrive.
We are committed to creating inclusive learning environments where students receive the support they need to reach their educational goals. Whether your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), receives Section 504 accommodations, or you are exploring services for the first time, our team is here to guide and support you every step of the way.
Special Education Resources
Every child learns differently, and we're here to help. Sturgis Public Schools provides a continuum of special education services designed to support students throughout their educational journey. Services are determined through a comprehensive evaluation and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, ensuring each student receives support based on their unique strengths and needs.
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It is the responsibility of the district to identify persons between the ages of birth and 26 who are suspected of having a disability that may affect their educational performance.
Parents or guardians who have a concern about their child’s progress in school, suspect that their child may have a disability or may need Special Education services should contact their building principal in writing to request interventions as designed by the building scholar success team, or a special education evaluation.
Any scholar suspected of having a disability shall be evaluated by a Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team as defined in the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE) at R 340.1701b (b). In addition to the requirements in R 340.1705 to R 340.1717, the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team shall do the following:
- Complete a full and individual evaluation.
- Make a recommendation of eligibility and prepare a written report to be presented to the Individualized Education Program Team by the designated Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team member who can explain the instructional implication of evaluation results. The report shall include information needed by the Individualized Education Program Team to determine all of the following:
- Eligibility
- A scholar’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance
- The educational needs of the scholar
- Eligibility
Special Education personnel who are authorized to conduct evaluations of scholars suspected of having a disability may provide consultation to general education personnel for the purpose of prevention and intervention.
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An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan for a scholar with a disability who requires special education programs and/or services to make progress in the general education curriculum. Instruction may be provided within the general education classroom with or without accommodations and/or in a classroom with a general education teacher with a special education teacher providing support. Additionally, some scholars receive instruction in a categorical special education classroom where core content instruction is delivered by the special education teacher as determined by the IEP with parent’s input.
All courses that earn credit towards graduation follow the Michigan Merit Curriculum and sequence with appropriate modifications and accommodations per the scholar’s IEP or personal curriculum.
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Pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) the district assumes the legal responsibilities to locate, identify, and evaluate all children residing within the district boundaries who may have a disability.This process is known as Child Find. Parents or guardians who suspect their child has a disability have the right to request an evaluation at no cost to the family.
If a disability is suspected, contact the following based on your child’s age:
- Birth - age 3: Contact Early On at (269) 467-5400
- Ages 3 - 5: Contact Early Childhood at (269) 467-5400
- Ages 5 - 17 (Grades K-12): Contact the building principal
- Ages 18 - 26: Contact Pamela Keeslar, Special Education Coordinator at (269) 659-1525
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Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE): Preschool programming that supports scholars ages 3 to 5 with significant developmental delays that focuses on learning readiness.
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Programming with an emphasis on adaptive skills, functional academics, and communication. An alternate curriculum is used for instructional delivery.
Resource: Programming typically provided in the general education classroom in a push-in or pull-out model depending upon the level of support required to make progress in the general education curriculum.
Section 504 Information
As required by the Office of Civil Rights, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("Section 504"), Sturgis Public Schools must notify staff of the OCR-approved Section 504 policies and procedures, publish them on the District’s website, and notify parents, students, and staff how to obtain hard copies.
Sturgis Public Schools has a District Section 504 Coordinator whose responsibility is to oversee implementation and ensure compliance with Section 504 records, forms, and procedures; plan and present staff training as needed; and consult with district personnel and parents on Section 504.
If you have questions about Section 504 or would like the district to provide you with a copy of Section 504 Policy, you may contact our District Section 504 Coordinator as listed below.
Pamela Keesler
Special Education Coordinator
Email Pamela