Special Education

Director of Special Education

Greg Bodrie
gbodrie@fruitportschools.net
231.865.4012

Ravenna is a member of the Eastern Service Unit.

The Eastern Service Unit (ESU) serves students in four school districts with handicapping conditions as determined through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Constituent members of the ESU include Fruitport, Oakridge, Orchard View, and Ravenna school districts. Special education services and facilities are available for students from birth through age 26.

MEDICAID FUNDS NOW AVAILABLE

Through an Act of Congress, public schools have the opportunity to use Medicaid funds to help pay for some special education services.

As a results of this Act, some services provided to Ravenna students may appear on monthly Medicaid statements under the heading of Muskegon Area Intermediate School District.  The MAISD will reimburse Ravenna Public Schools.

A few services Medicaid may help pay for are:  occupational, physical and speech therapy, social work services, nursing services, and diagnostic evaluations.

This will not change the delivery of services of Ravenna students, but is a way to offset the increasing cost of services provided by the district.

Our goal remains to provide the most appropriate, highest quality services available.  

Learning Disabilities Eligibility Determination - For Phase 1 - Nov. 2010:

Each school district and public school academy in Michigan is required to publicly post the process it uses to determine the existence of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) for Special Education eligibility. Consistent with the requirement, the Ravenna School District reports the following:

For determination of a SLD, a Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) is currently used in all buildings, at all grade levels. In order for a child to be eligible, s/he must meet the following criterion as part of the determination process:

Exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age, Michigan grade-level standards or intellectual development, that is determined to be relevant to the identification of a specific learning disability.

Assessment that addresses each of the areas above must be conducted to meet the federal requirement for a full and individual evaluation.

For further information, please review the following:

MAISD's Students with Learning Disabilities: Criteria for Identification and select the Special Education Eligibility tab.