Special education support for pre-schoolers expands next month in the district’s Community Learning Center.

The program will add three classes and two teachers in January to meet a growing demand for services.

They currently serve 108 special education students, 40 of which are new students this year.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is a part of the Austin Public Schools system, providing service and programming to families with children, from birth to kindergarten entrance, with developmental or physical delays or disabilities.

“The purpose really is early intervention. Research shows that if you have a delay, we can get you where you need to be the earlier we catch you,” said early childhood coordinator Shanna Knutson.

The district’s special education pre-school services apply to students with all types of needs, including kids with minor developmental delays or autism.

Each special education student in ECSE has an Individual Education Program (IEP), a program planned by their parents and a team in the school that specifies the student’s academic goals.

Some students at the CLC are in a “Resource Center” classroom, where they receive maximum support and attention. Other special education kids are integrated into traditional pre-school classrooms in the CLC’s Early Childhood Education wing, with special support staff. Some students are in special education students-only classes for parts of the day and integrated into classrooms with other pre-schoolers for parts of the day. Other students are placed in pre-school classes at the YMCA and in community pre-schools, depending on their need. Off-campus placement is paid for with ECSE funds.

“It all depends on their specific needs and what is best for them. We do try to integrate them whenever we can,” Knutson said.

Teachers visit kids who are under 3-years-old in their own homes, because it is best for students that age to learn in a natural environment, Knutson added.

The CLC will house an additional Resource Center classroom in January, which will have one special education teacher, and one special education paraprofessional to foster one-on-one learning. Another classroom will be added for special education students who will spend some time in the Kids Korner program at the CLC, doing activities together with those students. The third new class will be an integrated class for special education pre-school kids and kids enrolled in the CLC’s Family Education pre-school.

The program has hired one special education teacher to share with Woodson Kindergarten Center, and are currently posting for another special education teacher. These two teachers join a staff of seven special education educaters.

Knutson credits the increase in enrollment to growing awareness of the programs.

“It is a really good problem to have. This means we are doing our job, by getting the word out there and finding children with needs,” she said.

The ECSE partners with the county’s Inter-Agency Intervention Center and other pre-schools in the community to find students who would benefit from special education placements.

Special education pre-school is a year-round free service, and transportation is provided. Students can begin the referral process at any time and there is no waiting list, as the city is obligated by the state to serve all students in need.

It is often doctors, teachers, parents or relatives who refer students to receive services.

Students can be referred for services by contacting the Early Childhood Special Education Program at 460-1705. Go to www.austin.k12.mn.us/se3bin/clientschool.cgi for more information.