The Culpeper County Public Schools’ Office of Special Education is committed to the personal and intellectual success of each and every student. We recognize the uniqueness and individuality of each child and share a vision of preparing students to live productive and fulfilled lives in a diverse and competitive world.

We believe:

	All students merit high standards for achievement.
	Communication and collaboration among parents, students, educational professionals, and community partners are essential components to supporting student growth and recognizing areas of strength as well as areas of social/emotional and academic need.
	Students deserve high quality instructional programs.
	Data collection and teacher effectiveness are key to student progress.
	Ongoing professional development is necessary for teachers to access research-validated methods that promote student progress and to stay informed of procedures that reflect adherence to the federal, state, and local mandates governing special education.

Child Find

Culpeper County Public School complies with the federal requirement to identify, locate and evaluate children who are birth to age 21, inclusive, who are in need of special education related services.

Children Between the Ages of Birth and Five (Preschool)

Culpeper County Public Schools participates in the Rappahannock/Rapidan Community Services Board which oversees the requirements found in Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. If you suspect that your child between the ages of birth and 2 may have a disability or you are concerned that your child is not meeting his/her developmental milestones, please contact the Infant & Toddler Connection of the Rappahannock/Rapidan Community Services Board at (540) 829-7480.

If your preschool child is between the ages of 2 and 5, please call the Office of Special Services at (540) 825-3677, ext. 3134 to schedule a free developmental screening. A teacher will screen your child’s speech-language skills, motor skills, social development and knowledge of readiness concepts. A hearing screening will also be conducted free of charge.

The developmental screening takes approximately one hour and is designed to be an enjoyable, educational experience for your child. Depending on the outcome of the screening, further testing will be recommended to determine whether preschool special education services are needed.

School Age Children

If you suspect that your school age child (kindergarten through 12th grade) has a disability that requires special education services, please contact the principal or special education designee of the CCPS school your child attends, or would attend in the case of a child who is attending a private school. You may also contact the Office of Special Education at (540) 825-3677, ext. 3134 and you will be directed to the appropriate school employee.

For more information about the Child Find process, please contact the Office of Special Education at (540) 825-3677, ext. 3134 or the Parent/Teacher Resource Center (PTRC) at (540) 937-2934. The PTRC is available to Culpeper County families, teachers, and others concerned with the care and education of children with learning differences and disabilities.

The PTRC provides newsletters to inform families of current issues in special education and available resources, a lending library of books, newsletters, videos and other training materials, support through listening and problem solving with families, and workshops for parents and educators on special education and parenting topics.