The Department of Special Education and Early Childhood Services




Port Huron Schools offers a full continuum of programs and services to eligible students.  Eligibility is based on meeting specific criteria for one or more disabilities and a determination of whether or not special education is necessary for the child to benefit from the educational program.  Despite the law requiring a student to have a disability label, the label does not determine the individual programs, services or placement for the student.  Programs and/or services are offered for students with the following fourteen areas:

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Otherwise Health Impaired (OHI)
  • Early Childhood Developmental Delayed (ECDD)
  • Speech and Language Impaired (SLI)
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH)
  • Visually Impaired (VI)
  • Emotionally Impaired (EI)
  • Severely Multiply Impaired (SXI)
  • Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI)
  • Mild Cognitive Impairment (MICI)
  • Moderate Cognitive Impairment (MOCI)
  • Traumatic Brain Impairment (TBI)
  • Physical Impairment (PI)
  • Learning Disabled (LD)


Port Huron Schools provides services in the least restrictive environment (LRE).  Whenever possible the student will attend their neighborhood school and be educated in the general education classroom with his or her peers.  Special education services are provided through various programs such as self-contained, resource room, co-taught and teacher consultant programs throughout the district.  Only when necessary to meet a student’s unique educational needs and goals will consideration be given to providing services in other locations. 

Following a comprehensive evaluation, a student’s individual education planning team will recommend how and where to best meet the student’s special needs.  With consideration of federal guidelines and state requirements, specific learning disability eligibility is evaluated using pattern of strengths and weaknesses.  'Pattern of strengths and weaknesses' method is based on both assessment and review of achievement scores and performance in a variety of academic areas, with documentation of a pattern of strengths in one or more areas as compared to other areas where the student demonstrates a pattern of significant academic weaknesses.  These recommendations may include one or more specialized instruction programs or related services.

In cooperation with the St. Clair County Regional Education Service Agency (SCC RESA) programs for students with disabilities are available for our students at the Woodlands Developmental Center.


Please refer to the following links for further information: 

Specific Learning Disability Certification Process
Programs and Services
Section 504
Staff
Early Childhood