Education Resources for Families With Special Needs

Find and share helpful information to support military families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program.

Policy, information and resources for families with special needs

Building the Legacy: A Training Curriculum on Part B of Individuals With Disabilities Act 2004 (Updated 2020) The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities created this resource for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs. The curriculum is intended to help all those involved with children with disabilities understand and implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.

Center for Parent Information and Resources The U.S. Department of Education funded this center, which serves as a central resource of information and products to the community of Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers. This allows them to focus their efforts on serving families of children with disabilities.

Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services This office supports programs that help educate children and youth with disabilities, provides for the rehabilitation of youth and adults with disabilities and supports research to improve lives of individuals with disabilities. The website provides information on programs and initiatives, contact information, reports and resources, and news.

Early intervention services

Directory of Early Intervention, Special Education and Related Services in OCONUS Communities This directory is intended to assist medical and educational assignment coordinators with identifying military communities outside the continental United States that have preestablished programs or services for children with special needs. Note: The OCONUS directory does not identify preestablished programs or services for special medical needs.

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center This center, which receives funding from the Office of Special Education Programs, works to improve state early intervention and early childhood special education service systems, increase the implementation of effective practices and enhance the outcomes of these programs for young children and their families.

Educational and Developmental Intervention Services The military medical departments provide early intervention services to infants and toddlers from birth up to 3 years of age who are eligible to attend a Department of War school. The military medical departments also provide related services to eligible children in OCONUS locations where the Department of War Education Activity is responsible for educational services. Find your installation’s Educational and Development Intervention Service using MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.

School transitions and installation services

School Liaison Program The School Liaison Program offers an array of services and resources to support children, parents, installation leadership, schools and the surrounding community.

Many installations now have a school liaison to serve as a bridge and facilitator between schools and military families. Watch this video to learn how school liaisons can assist with education concerns for students pre-K-12.
School liaisons work with schools to minimize negative consequences of transitions and inform school personnel and installation command about issues related to the education of military youth, including special education.
Parents who are having difficulties working in partnership with school personnel should receive referral to the installation school liaison. Find contact information for local school liaisons on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.
Service providers and leaders can access the School Liaison flyer to share with parents.

Military Interstate Children’ Compact Commission, or MIC3 MIC3 informs parents about legal protections for their children in the school system as they PCS to new installations and schools. Watch this video to learn how MIC3 and its leaders work to ensure military moves don’t impact students’ access to quality and equal opportunities in learning.

MilitaryINSTALLATIONS This online information directory provides contact information for programs and services, maps and directions, links to comprehensive location overviews and community points of interest for military installations worldwide.

Education Directory for Children With Special Needs

The Education Directory for Children With Special Needs provides useful information for military families about national and local resources for early intervention (infants and toddlers) and special education (school-age children) services. The directory provides:

Brief summaries of national and state policies and evidence-based practices related to autism spectrum disorders, behavioral and emotional disorders, and intellectual disabilities
Profiles and contact information for districts that serve military installations in the selected states
A representative list of effective resources
Suggestions and resources to assist families during the educational transition of their child with a disability

DoWEA and overseas support programs

Department of War Education Activity DoWEA’s instructional program provides a comprehensive curriculum for prekindergarten through 12th grade that is dedicated to attaining the highest student achievement for all students. DoWEA is globally positioned, with schools in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico (to include the virtual school).

Department of War Education Activity Special Education This website provides an overview of course descriptions, programs and services available to students with special needs and includes information on eligibility categories.

Department of State, Office of Overseas Schools The Office of Overseas Schools promotes quality educational opportunities at the elementary and secondary level for dependents of American citizens carrying out the programs and interests of the U.S. government abroad. The website provides information on overseas schools’ advisory councils, educational assistance programs, regional education associations and resources for special needs.

Transitioning to adulthood support services

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Transition Activities The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services provides support for transition programs and services for youth and disabled adults. OSERS’ transition steering committee, the “Transition Tigers,” zeros in on the services, needs and outcomes of youth with disabilities as they transition into post-education and employment.

Students With Special Needs: Transitioning to Adulthood This article provides information about transition planning and transition services available to military families with special needs.