Special Education Disability Categories
The State of Minnesota, in response to Federal Law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), develops eligibility criteria for the thirteen categories listed below plus Developmental Disability for Early Childhood Special Education Services (age birth to 5 years). Before a student may be considered for special education services, she/he must meet the eligibility requirements in one or more of the disability categories. Teachers and education assistants provide services to students in these categories:

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD): Students have significantly low achievement in verbal expression, listening, mathematics, reading or writing compared to their intellectual ability.

Speech Impaired (SP): Students experience difficulty understanding speech or verbally expressing themselves.

Emotionally/Behaviorally Disordered (E/BD): Students experience significant behavioral and/or emotional problems that interfere with their own or others ability to learn.

Developmental Cognitive Disability Mild/Moderate Severe (DC-MM, SP): Students have significantly below average intellectual ability and adaptive skills such as self-care, interpersonal relations, academic and vocational skills.

Physically and/or Other Health Impaired (PI)(OHI): Students have health or physical disabilities that significantly interfere with learning.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH): Students have hearing loss that affects the use or understanding of spoken English.

Vision Impaired (VI): Students are blind or have vision difficulties that significantly interfere with learning. Students receive services such as Braille instruction, educational support, orientation/mobility and vocational training in our district.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Students have a developmental disorder that significantly effects interaction with others and communication.

Deaf-Blind (DB): Students have hearing and visual impairments that cause such severe communications, developmental and educational needs that cannot be accommodated through programs for students with only deafness or blindness.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Students have an acquired injury to the brain that adversely affects educational performance.

Severe and Multiply Impaired (SMI): Students have severe learning and development problems resulting from two or more disability conditions.

Other Services:​
Assistive Technology
School Social Worker
Orientation and Mobility​​​​
​​​​Student Health Services
School Psychologist
Special Transportation

Executive Director
Cherie Johnson
Goodhue County Education DIstrict
395 Guernsey Lane
Red Wing, MN 55066
651-388-4441

Director of Special Education
TBA
Goodhue County Education DIstrict
395 Guernsey Lane
Red Wing, MN 55066
651-388-4441

Colvill Family Center Director/ECFE Coordinator
Brittni Kuehl
Colvill Family Center
269 East Fifth Street
Red Wing, MN 55066
651-385-8000

Colvill Birth-3 Coordinator
Min MartinOakes
Colvill Family Center
269 East Fifth Street
Red Wing, MN 55066
651-385-8000

The Red Wing School District provides special education services in collaboration with the Goodhue County Education District (GCED).
These coordinated services include the following:

• Setting IV programs for students with behavioral disabilities - River Bluff Education Center
• A transition program for students after high school (STEP)
• Staff development and training
• Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC): The purpose of the Special Education Advisory Council, SEAC, is to provide advice to the Goodhue County Education District and its member school district (Cannon Falls, Goodhue, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Red Wing and Zumbrota-Mazeppa) on their special education programs. The SEAC is made up of a majority of parents of students with disabilities and member school district staff.  The SEAC meets four times a year to discuss special education services, establish yearly goals, and develop parent support activities. Printed newsletters are provided for parents after these meetings. 

 Other Collaboratives
The Red Wing School District collaborates with these other agencies to provide services for students with disabilities:

Resources 

Section 504 is part of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is a civil rights act that protects the rights of people with disabilities. The last states that no person with a disability can be excluded from or denied benefits of any program provided by public schools. Congress requires that school districts make their programs and activities accessible as well as usable to all individuals with disabilities.

Section 504 regulations require school districts to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to each qualified person with a disability. Section 504 is the responsibility of general education and is not a special education program. No state or federal funding is provided to assist in the complying with Section 504.

Section 504 defines a person as disabled if he or she has (or is perceived to have) a mental or physical impairment, which substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, and other activities.

In order to determine eligibility for services and accommodations, a team of individuals who are knowledgeable about the student must evaluate the student and the results must be shared at a team meeting in which parents and the student are involved. If it is determined that a student has a disability under Section 504, the school district must develop and implement a plan that details the needed services and/or accommodations.

Responsibilities of the School District

Provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE)

Provide assurance of nondiscrimination

Provide a written plan developed annually

Provide grievance procedures to resolve complaints

Annually identify and notify all qualified students with disabilities and parents of the district's Section 504 responsibilities

Provide accessible services or facilities

Services

Determined by a group of persons knowledgeable about the student and the impact of disabilities on learning. This can include the principal, classroom teachers, school psychologist, other educators, parents and students;

Services are to be documented in an annual 504 plan and reviewed periodically to determine needed modifications in academic requirements, instruction and supports that will enable the student to participate in the general education program.

Identify needed accommodations for participation in state and local district testing.

Adjust physical supports or remove barriers

Modify schedules, assignments, tests and other items as needed

Building 504 Contact Person

The contact person in each school building is the building principal, dean or general education teacher assigned by the building principal. Please contact them if you have concerns about your child.

Additional Resources

Contact the Red Wing District 504 Coordinator - Cherie Johnson

Call 651-388-4441 or write at Goodhue County Education District, 601 Buchanan Street, Red Wing, MN 55066

504 US Web Site

Disability Nondiscrimination Statement

The Red Wing School District #256 shall not discriminate against qualified individuals because of disabilities in employment, or educational services. ISD #256 shall make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental disabilities of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability unless the accommodations would impose undue hardship on the operation of the business of ISD #256. Disabled students are protected from disability discrimination and may be eligible for services under the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 even though they do not require or are eligible for IEP services as described under federal law known as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA.