Alachua County’s Exceptional Education Department helps schools meet the needs of over 7,000 exceptional students from preschool through 22 years of age who qualify for special services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and gifted students.  Our goal is to provide every exceptional student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE), help them progress in school, access the general curriculum, and prepare them for life after school. 

The Exceptional Student Education Department enhances the instructional program of every school by helping students with diverse needs succeed in school.  The Alachua County ESE Department, under the direction of Kathy Black, Executive Director of ESE/Student Services, is staffed by ESE Supervisors, Specialists, and Teachers on Special Assignment to assist schools and parents with providing programming needs for their children. The ESE Department has over 200 teachers that participate in in-service training throughout the year to insure continued success for the children and young adults that they serve.

Once a student becomes eligible for ESE services under at least one of the exceptionalities, a continuum of services is provided for each of the exceptionalities. Each student eligible for services under IDEA has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), which is reviewed and revised at least annually with the parents.  Additional support services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, mental health counseling, assistive technology and audiological evaluations are provided to the students as needed. Transition programs are also available to those students who are graduating with a special diploma so that they may become functional adults within their society.

For more information regarding our various programs, please visit the district’s Exceptional Student Education links.  If you have any questions or need additional information, please call the ESE District Office at (352) 955-7676 and a secretary will direct your concerns to the appropriate person.

Do you have an ESE student in Alachua County Public Schools? Please help us by completing the Annual FLDOE Parent Survey!