Special Education
About Us
Rochester Community Schools offers a variety of innovative special education programs and services for students birth through age 26. Our special education department consists of a large team of caring professionals including special education teachers, speech-language pathologists, social workers, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, and paraeducators. Services are provided in accordance with each student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and allow students to be taught alongside their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent possible.
Within the district, we have programs for students that qualify for special education support for a wide range of disabilities as defined by The Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education. They are as follows:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cognitive Impairment
- Deaf-Blindness
- Early Childhood Development Delay
- Emotional Impairment
- Hearing Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Physical Impairment
- Severe Multiple Impairment
- Specific Learning Disability
- Speech and Language Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
Approximately 97% of the students who are certified as disabled, and receive services in Rochester Community Schools, receive services in their neighborhood schools. Less than 3% attend satellite programs in selected elementary, middle and high schools. A very few students attend schools in neighboring districts in Oakland County. These students receive highly specialized programs that are designed to meet their specific needs.
Special Education Admin Team
Concetta Lewis, Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Tiffany Gauthier, Supervisor for Secondary Education
Genet Haise, Supervisor Post-Secondary and Basic Programs
Natashia Smith, Supervisor for Early Childhood and Elementary
Marie Ciavarro, Student Records
Grace Preston, Senior Bookkeeper
Amanda Farley, Secretary to the Assistant Superintendent Special Populations, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Amy Schuster, Training & Electronic Data Support
Emily Stadwick, Medicaid Billing
Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.
The Preamble to IDEA. Last modified on November 7, 2019