Programs & Services

Spokane Public Schools offers a continuum of services for students in special education.

Birth to 3: We contract services with the Spokane Regional Health District to enroll children with disabilities who reside within SPS boundaries and are up to 3 years old. Services are monitored by the Family Resource Coordinator.

Preschool Programs: Assist 3-5-year-old children with mild to severe disabilities to prepare for kindergarten or other elementary Special Education programs. The preschool curriculum focuses on increasing cognitive, communication, social, behavior, and motor skills. The district collaborates with Head Start and ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Programs).

Resource Programs: Provide specially designed instruction in reading, math, writing, and behavior/social skills in both inclusive and self-contained classrooms. Programs are available in each elementary, middle school, high school and alternative settings. Career Technical Education and transition services are provided to high school-level students.

Behavior Intervention Programs (BI): Serve students with IEP’s who have severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. Students accessing a Behavior Intervention program require intensive interventions related to social, and emotional behaviors in addition to academic support.

Designed Instruction (DI) Programs: Provide a small classroom setting for students who have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and delays in adaptive behavior. The curriculum focuses on functional skills in: communication, daily living, social and functional academics. Community access, vocational and transition skills are provided at the high school level.

Multiple Disabilities/Orthopedically Impaired Programs: Serve students with severe to profound intellectual disabilities and significant physical impairments. These programs focus on functional communication, cognitive development, and motor skill development. Students are involved in a wide variety of school programs and activities.

Homebound Program for Medically Fragile Students: Serves students ages 3-21 who qualify for special education and have a medical condition that prohibits them from attending school on a regular basis. The Special Education teacher tailors and designs a program for each student and implements the program in the student’s home. In addition to providing direct services, the team also collaborates with families, the physician, private nurses and outside agencies to assist in meeting the needs of the student.

Vision Services: Provided to students who have significant visual impairments or who are blind and require instruction in Braille and Orientation/Mobility training. Students with visual impairments may be served in their neighborhood schools, general education settings or in other special education programs.

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services: Provided to students who are D/HH with specialized instruction, sign language, interpreters, amplification sound systems, cochlear implant support and audiology services. Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing have the option to attend schools within the Deaf Education program with other D/HH students or attend their home schools with individualized support services from a Teacher of the Deaf.

Transition Programs: Designed to assist students with intellectual disabilities ages 19 through 21 in developing vocational and personal independence so that they will be successful upon graduation from high school. All three programs work closely with adult community agencies.

STEP Secondary Transition Education Program provides intensive supported services for access to instructional and vocational activities in the community, supporting the final years of transition.

IMAGES program is located on the Spokane Community College campus and provides a community-based learning environment for students who have intellectual disabilities ages 19 through 21. Students enrolled in this program take PACE classes on campus and work independently as part of their educational program.

Project SEARCH provides vocational opportunities immersed and integrated at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. This is a one-year transition program serving students in their final year. Students participate in internships in 2-3 vocational rotations.

Communication Disorder-Only: For students who receive Speech and Language Therapy services provided by a Speech and Language Pathologist. Students receive services in their neighborhood school determined by their eligibility for services. Speech and Language Pathologists (SLP) are in each school building.

Physical and/or Occupational Therapy Only: For students who require gross and/or fine motor skill development exclusively for their involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. Physical Therapists (PT) and Occupational Therapists (OT) are itinerant service providers and may serve students in all schools.