Special Education
(Multiple Disabilities Program, Parent Mentor Program and Transition Services)

    The cornerstone of the Allen County Educational Service Center is providing quality, specialized educational services for students with special needs. We pride ourselves in being able to offer several programs at a reduced cost to districts through shared services.

Parent Mentor Program
     The Parent Mentor is the parent of a child with a disability who is available to help families and school districts by providing information, support and training. 

• Guide families through the special education process and explain parents’ rights and responsibilities.
• Listen and provide support to families and educators on an individual basis.
• Provide information and support to families including education laws, district programs and services and community resources.
• Attend Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings and other meetings at the request of parent or staff.
• Build collaborative partnerships between families, schools and agencies to benefit students with disabilities.

•  “I’m worried about my child moving from one school to the next.”
• “I feel alone and wish I could talk to another parent who understands my concerns.”
• “I have many questions about my child’s education, but I forgot to ask them at the school meetings.”
• “I would like to be more involved in planning my child’s education.”
• “I am worried about my child’s progress and don’t know what to do.”
• “I feel like nobody is listening to my concerns about my child.”
• “I would like to have someone attend and support me at an IEP and/or other meetings at school.”

Multiple Disabilities Program
     The Allen County ESC offers member school districts services for their students identified with Multiple Disabilities. We oversee and supervise  classroom throughout Allen County that offer specialized services that allow students access to the Ohio Academic Content Standards, by licensed professionals, which includes a classroom teacher and teaching assistant(s).

Multiple Disabilities Curriculum
     Unique Learning System is a complete, dynamic curriculum program provided monthly for students with special learning needs. ULS comes in five grade bands: Elementary, Intermediate, Middle School, High School and Transitional. Each month a new thematic unit contains all the materials needed, including leveled reading books. The units are centered on a science or social studies topic and incorporate reading, writing, math, science and history. There are 29 monthly lessons in grade bands Elementary – High School, and 15 monthly lessons in the Transitional grade band. These lessons are aligned with content standards and differentiated into three levels of participation: Level 1 students, who require maximum support; Level 2 students, who require some support; and Level 3 students, who show the potential to learn and have the greatest amount of independence. Student profiles can be created to guide instruction. Online progress monitoring and much more is provided in this curriculum.

Transition Services
     Transition services in Allen County are a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed to focus on academic and functional achievement to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities. These activities are designed on an individual basis taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences and interests.

     Transition Coordinators work with the child, parents and various individuals represented through many agencies listed below, to assist the child as he/she moves though high school and graduation. These activities may include:

• Vocational Education
• Adult Education
• Post-Secondary Education
• Integrated Employment
• Adult Services
• Community Experiences