As a parent or guardian, you have an essential role to play as your child’s first teacher. And, as a parent or guardian of a young child with special needs, you are also an important advocate for your child’s education. We are your partner as you and your family start on this journey of learning and growth with your child.
City Schools offers special education programs and services for young children with Individualized Education Programs (IEP). There are many options, with programs designed for children with a range of developmental, language, behavioral, or medical requirements.
You can learn all about the programs to find the one that best meets your child's needs by downloading this brochure (also available in Spanish) or scrolling down.
For students with and without IEPs:
Let’s Grow Half-Day
Children with and without IEPs work together, learning in a language-rich environment with teaching strategies designed to help them meet developmental milestones. The curriculum focuses on social skills and developmentally appropriate skills of concentration, coordination, and independence.
For: 3- and 4-year-olds (who are too young for pre-k)
When: 2.5 hours, 5 days per week
Where: For the 2021-22 school year, this program is offered at the following schools. Space is limited. If your child does not have an IEP and you're interested in enrolling, please contact the school you're interested in.
Armistead Gardens Elementary School: 5001 East Eager St.,410-396-9090
Callaway Elementary/Middle School: 3701 Fernhill Ave., 410-396-0604
Cecil Elementary School: 2000 Cecil Ave., 410-396-6385
Dorothy I. Height Elementary School: 2011 Linden Ave., 410-396-0837
Federal Hill Preparatory Academy: 1040 William St., 410-396-1207
James Mosher Elementary School: 2400 W Mosher St., 410-396-0506
Lakewood Elementary School: 2625 Federal St., 410-396-9158
These schools offer the same program independently. Contact the school for more information:
Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School: 1600 Guilford Ave., 410-528-5393
For students with IEPs:
Itinerant Services
Parents bring their child to their neighborhood school to receive services such as speech and language therapy.
For: 3- and 4-year-olds
Services at Head Start
Children who attend Head Start can receive services at their program sites.
For: 3- to 5-year-olds
Services in Pre-k or Kindergarten
City Schools’ students in general education pre-k or kindergarten programs receive special instruction or related services during the school day. IEP goals and objectives become part of daily classroom routines and instruction. Services are provided in or outside the regular classroom, in accordance with each child’s IEP. General educators can receive support with IEP implementation through the Collaborative Consultation Model.
For: Pre-k and kindergarten students
When: Full day, 5 days a week
Citywide Preschool Special Education Programs
Partners Program
This program offers a full-inclusion setting for pre-k and kindergarten children with disabilities who show emerging social, communication, and academic skills. Students participate in a general education classroom for most of the day and receive additional support for part of the day through a special education co-teaching model. Children with and without IEPs receive grade-appropriate instruction in a highly structured, routines-based classroom that uses visual and sensory supports.
For: Pre-k and kindergarten students
When: Full day, 5 days per week
Let’s Grow Full-Day
Children with IEPs work in small group settings outside of the general education setting for approximately half of the school day. Children join a general education class for the other half of the day, where they work with their peers to develop social skills while learning academic content.
For: Pre-k and kindergarten students
When: Full day, 5 days per week
Early Learning Environment (ELE)
Children with developmental delays who need more intensive specialized instruction learn in a separate classroom for most of the day. It is a highly structured, routines-based classroom that uses a multisensory approach to learning and gives children many opportunities to practice new skills.
For: 3- and 4-year-olds (who are too young for pre-k)
When: 2.5 hours, 5 days per week
For: Pre-k and kindergarten students
When: Full day, 5 days per week
Early Therapeutic Environment (ETE)
This program offers a small, separate class for children whose social, emotional, or behavioral needs cannot be met in the general education setting. Instructional strategies within the grade-appropriate curriculum include specialized class wide behavior management, clear and consistent rules and routines,
positive behavior supports, crisis intervention, and therapeutic support from full-time behavioral specialists.
For: Pre-k and kindergarten students
When: Full day, 5 days per week
Early Learning Environment–Auditory/Oral
This full-day program provides a language-rich environment, where children experience an academic curriculum while concentrating on communication and
thinking skills. Teachers are specialists in working with hearing-impaired children and make use of ear-level frequency modulation (FM) systems that help students develop speech, language, and auditory skills.
For: 3- and 4-year-olds and pre-k and kindergarten students with hearing aids/cochlear implants
When: Full day, 5 days per week