Services and Supports

Students meeting eligibility criteria for a disability according to Bulletin 1508, the Pupil Appraisal Handbook will have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) developed by a team, which includes the parent. The IEP  will  determine instructional goals to address the needs outlined in the evaluation.  It will also identify the least restrictive environment for a student to be served, which may be in the regular education classroom, special education classroom or a combination of both.  

For any concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's special education teacher and/or school administrators. 

Teacher Link: SER 

Teacher Link: ELA Curriculum Resources

Louisiana Autism Spectrum and Related Disabilities (LASaRD): Facebook Page

Speech Therapy services are available to students in aged 3 years through high school.  Speech Language Pathologists service students in regular classes, resource classes, pull out services and self-contained classes. Any child meeting the eligibility criteria for Speech or Language Impairment, according to Bulletin 1508, the Louisiana Pupil Appraisal Handbook, may receive speech and/or language therapy.

For any speech concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's speech/language pathologist and/or school administrators. 

Occupational Therapy(OT) is a related service provided to eligible students with disabilities to allow them to participate in and benefit from their special education program.  Eligibility for services is determined through Bulletin 1508 and the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Occupational therapists in the school setting address developmental motor skills (fine motor, self-care, visual-motor skills),  motor function (neuromuscular or orthopedic limitations), and sensorimotor skills that affect their school performance.  Occupational therapists  work closely with teachers and other school personnel to ensure that students are able to engage in school activities to the best of their abilities.

For any occupational concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's occupational therapist, special education teacher, and/or school administrators. 

Physical Therapy (PT) is a related service provided to eligible students with disabilities in order to optimize their participation in their special education program.  Eligibility for services is determined through Bulletin 1508 and the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).  Physical Therapists in the school setting address developmental gross motor skills to include mobility throughout the classroom and the school campus along with assisting with recommendations for student’s gross motor programs.  Other services provided include providing individualized staff training on how to safely assist students with all transfers, positioning, and mobility, ensuring that students with disabilities are properly positioned throughout the school day by assessing for and providing students with adaptive equipment as needed at school, addressing any campus accessibility issues, and providing support and resources for parents as needed to address gross motor progression.

For any physical therapy concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's physical therapist, special education teacher, and/or school administrators. 

Physical education is an essential part of the basic educational program and contributes to the development of the total individual. Adapted Physical Education (APE) is a direct service to accommodate students with disabilities, ages 3-21, who meet the requirements according to criteria established by Bulletin 1508. It is a specifically designed physical education program for students with disabilities who are unable to participate and benefit fully in regular physical education. APE services may include instructional programs focused on functional mobility skills, motor and physical fitness, life time leisure activities, age-appropriate gross motor competencies and safety and social development within the physical education setting. The APE program utilizes a curriculum aligned with Louisiana Physical Education Standards. Based on the student’s individual needs, the student’s individualized program may include consultation, support, modifications or inclusion in the regular PE class, OR self-contained Adapted PE instruction, OR a combination of regular and adapted physical education.

For any APE concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's APE teacher, special education teacher, and/or school administrators. 

Special Needs Counseling (SNC) services are provided to special education students who have social or behavioral concerns that directly impact their functioning in the school setting.  Particular situations that may be indicators that a student may require direct services include, but are not limited to:

• Behavior referrals
• Out of/in school suspension(s)
• An increase in behavior problems at school
• social deficits that impact learning 
• Mental health concerns 

SNC services include both direct and indirect services.  Direct services include individual counseling, group counseling, social skills lessons.  Indirect services would include teacher support, classroom observations, behavior interventions and review of behavior data.

If a student is in need of Special Needs Counseling services, a referral can be made through the student's special education teacher or LEAD teacher. Eligibility will be determined by the IEP team after review of required behavior documentation.

For those interested in counseling services in the community, you can call, text or chat 211 for resources in your area.

Ascension Parish School System has worked diligently to provide Assistive Technology (AT) services and devices for our students. The parish has an Assistive Technology Facilitator and an Assistive Technology Assistant who work with school personnel to provide assistive technology services and devices to identified students with disabilities in need of this accommodation. The team works collaboratively with parents, teachers, and all related service providers to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities who are not able to address their academic curriculum due to emotional, physical, neurological, and/or cognitive disabilities. The team provides professional development, job embedded training, consultations and technical assistance on various AT tools/strategies that help eliminate identified barriers that interfere with academic progress.  

If a student is in need of assistive technology services, a referral can be made through the student's special education teacher or LEAD teacher.  Consultations, device trials and evaluations are completed to determine students' needs for assistive technology devices.  The team will work in a collaborative manner with all evaluation/IEP teams to determine the best solutions to address individual student needs. 

The assistive technology team and lab are located at the LeBlanc Special Services Center.  The lab provides an environment that showcases AT tools, provides hands-on training and a workspace to customize materials for our students with disabilities.

The Audiology Department serves the students of Ascension Parish by providing educationally related diagnostic hearing evaluations, consultations, and support for students with hearing related needs. The audiologist also works with parents, teachers, and other staff to provide the required classroom modifications and/or amplification to assist with student's hearing in the classroom. The audiologist also assists deaf and hard of hearing students with hearing assistance technology at school. 

Parents with concerns regarding their child’s hearing should contact our audiologist, Dr. Michelle Smith.

Services are available to Deaf/Hard of Hearing students aged 3 years through high school. Deaf Education teachers service students across all settings within our school system.

For any concerns regarding your child's Deaf/ Hard of Hearing programming, please contact your child's special education teacher and/or school administrators. 

The Ascension Parish Public School System provides services to visually impaired students through both itinerant and classroom programs. Visually impaired students whose IEPs indicate the need for orientation & mobility (O&M) may receive those services from an orientation & mobility specialist. Braille and large print books are available to students needing this service. Instruction in Braille is also provided to students as necessary.

For any visual impairment concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's special education teacher and/or school administrators. 

The Special Education Behavior (SPED) Team support staff, students, and families of Ascension Public Schools in navigating special education discipline and behavior support. Each school in our district has a designated lead teacher who serves as a liaison between LeBlanc Special Services Center and their respective school. Our department has developed a Special Education Behavior Support Process that is implemented to ensure that all students with an IEP are supported in a systematic manner when there is a behavior concern. 

We provide ongoing support and training in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention through the Crisis Prevention Institute for primary caregivers, educators and human service professionals who directly intervene in crisis situations, teaching staff-de-escalation techniques as well as restrictive and nonrestrictive interventions.

Our district team also facilitates workshops and provides on-site coaching to assist staff with supporting students on a case by case basis.

For any behavioral concerns regarding your child's programming, please contact your child's special education teacher and/or school administrators.