Special Education

Who is eligible to receive Special Education Services?

Any student living within the geographic boundary of the Oshkosh Area School District is entitled to special education services if the student meets the eligibility requirements and has an educational need for services in one or more of the following areas:

• Intellectual Disability
• Emotional Behavioral Disability
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Autism
• Hearing Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other Health Impairment
• Speech or Language Impairment
• Visual Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability
• Significant Developmental Delay

Who can refer a student for Special Education Services?

Federal and state special education laws allow any person to refer a student with exceptional learning needs for evaluation for entrance into a special education program. 

How to make a referral for Special Education Services:

The first step in the referral process is to complete the Referral Form for Special Education and Related Services. Contact the Special Education Office at 920.424.0112 to obtain the necessary form.

What happens after the referral is submitted?

The referral will be reviewed by central office staff and an evaluation team will be assigned. An evaluation will be conducted to assess areas of concern. When all assessments are completed, an IEP (Individual Education Plan) team (which consists of the student’s parents, the student, special education teacher, regular education teacher, related service providers, and LEA (local education agency representative) will meet to discuss the findings. If the student is found to have a disability and is eligible for special education services, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is created. The IEP is a legal document that outlines the specifically designed instruction and services for each student with a disability. 
 

Assistive Technology

The Oshkosh Area School District’s Assistive Technology Team ensures students in Special Education have access to curriculum and learning through the use of appropriate AT tools and services. The team is committed to opening doors for students to be active in their learning and socially connected in their school and community. 

What is Assistive Technology?

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA 2004), an assistive technology device is any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. 

Assistive Technology Examples

AT tools can be low or high tech. Examples of low tech are pencil grips, picture communication boards, adapted utensils, and hand-held magnifiers. Examples of high tech include text to speech software, keyboard/mouse alternatives, speech generated devices, and speech recognition and word prediction programs.

For more information:

Contact the Special Education Office at 920.424.0112

Special Education Rights for Parents and Children

The following procedural safeguards notice is based on a model developed by the United States Department of Education, with adaptations for use by Wisconsin School districts and other local education agencies. Click the link below to view this notice, which is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction- Special Education Rights for Parents and Children

Special Education Records Requests from Educational Agencies

***This is for special education records requests only. All other records requests please contact the school the student last attended.
 

All requests for special education records (evaluations and/or IEPs) should be emailed to mailto:spedrecordsrequests@oshkosh.k12.wi.us or faxed to (920) 424-2090. All requests must be in writing. 

 

Parents/Guardians and Students over 18 requesting special education records - Please provide the following information in the request:

• Student name
• Student date of birth
• Student current grade level
• First and Last name of the person making the request and relationship to the student
• Phone number of the person making the request
• If you prefer to have the records mailed, please indicate that in the email request and include the address you want the records to be sent

 

For questions please contact:
OASD Special Education Dept
(920) 424-0112
 

Adapted Physical Education

The Oshkosh Area School District is committed to providing Adapted Physical Education services and extracurricular sport opportunities for students with disabilities. Learn more about the resources and opportunities available. 

For more information contact:

Marshall Morrin, OASD Adapted Physical Education Specialist

marshall.morrin@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

Adapted Physical Education Resources for Staff

Referring Students for APE services

Observation Request for Adapted PE services (click to complete Google Form)
Formal OASD Physical Education Observation Form (click for attachment)

Instructional Videos:

www.uwlax.edu/center/cdhapa/adapted-physical-education-instructional-videos/

Person-First Language:

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/pdf/disabilityposter_photos.pdf

Adapted Physical Education Resources for Parents

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

www.wrightslaw.com/info/ape.pa.elig.crit.pdf

• Learn more about the eligibility/criteria for best supports

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):

www.wrightslaw.com/info/pe.index.htm

• Learn more about the IDEA laws in regards to PE and Adapted PE

Instructional Videos - Physical Education Classroom and At Home:

www.uwlax.edu/center/cdhapa/adapted-physical-education-instructional-videos/

ExerciseBuddy App:

http://www.exercisebuddy.com/about.html

• Does your son or daughter enjoy working with an Ipad? Help them engage in exercise by using the ExerciseBuddy App. 
• NOTE: Exercise Connection uses an app that ANYONE can purchase for $29.99/year to engage in exercise using verbal and visual prompting through videos of children with Autism engaging in exercise. 

Adapted Sports League (ASL) provides North and West high school students with disabilities the opportunity to engage in athletics.

Students have the option to participate in soccer, floor hockey, and wiffle ball during the school year.

To become involved, please contact:

Marshall Morrin, Oshkosh Adapted Sports League Coordinator

marshall.morrin@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

The Oshkosh Area School District and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Physical Education Department are working together to offer the Adapted Motor Development Program (AMDP) - a new, motor development program for elementary and middle school students with disabilities.

The AMDP will support meaningful physical activity, enhance motor development skills, and increase students' knowledge of ways to be active with their peers outside of school. Students in the UW-Oshkosh Physical Education Department will be lesson planning, working 1:1 with OASD students on individualized goals, and teaching small group and large group activities. Not only will this be a great opportunity for OASD students, it will help foster the skills of future educators for when they are the physical education teachers within our communities. This will be a great learning opportunity for the UWO students to work with students with disabilities and gain hands-on experience through the field of adapted physical education.

HOW DO I SIGN-UP? 

• STEP 1: Complete the Application
  • CLICK HERE for downloadable application
• STEP 2: Return completed application to Korey Kleinhans, OASD Adapted Physical Education Specialist
  • Email to: korey.kleinhans@oshkosh.k12.wi.us
  • Mail to: Oaklawn Elementary School - Attn: Korey K. | 112 Viola Avenue | Oshkosh, WI 54901

QUESTIONS: Contact Korey Kleinhans, OASD Adapted Physical Education Specialist, for more information (email korey.kleinhans@oshkosh.k12.wi.us).