Special Education - Education for All       The Saint Clair Area School District is dedicated to providing each student with a comprehensive and complete education.  For most children, the regular classroom activities provide the challenge necessary for academic growth.  Other children may need individualized education to help them become more successful.     There are various types of exceptionalities.  The term exceptional includes children with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities and even those who are gifted.  You may think your child is exceptional because you have noticed him/her having trouble talking, hearing, understanding or that your child has special, gifted ability.  If you suspect that your child is exceptional you should contact the school guidance counselor.     The PA Department of Education special education standards and regulations state that each elementary aged student who experiences academic difficulty will have access to instructional support in regular education.  The Instructional Support Team is an innovative program whose goals are to maximize individual student success in the regular classroom.  IST is a positive, success-oriented program which uses specific assessment and intervention techniques to help remove educational, behavioral, or affective stumbling blocks for all students in regular education. Students are identified for IST services by the classroom teacher, other educators, or parents.     If the interventions provided by IST does not help show improvement in the child in the regular classroom setting at the end of 30 days, the student may be referred for a multidisciplinary evaluation (MDE).  The multidisciplinary team may recommend special education services.     Currently, Saint Clair Area has the following types of special education programs in operation:         -gifted support classes        -learning support classes         -hearing impaired support classes         -itinerant support classes    -occupational therapy             -instructional support services         -speech/language support classes     An exceptional child is entitled to an appropriate program of special education training which is designed to meet his/her individual needs.     This is only a brief description of the special education process.  If you desire additional information or if you have a question, please contact the school guidance counselor, or support teacher.  They can provide you with literature to explain the programs and your rights under special education.  Remember, education is a team effort, and when the home and school work together, child success is the result. The Saint Clair Area School District notifies parents of all children in all Title I schools of their right to request, and receive, timely information regarding the professional qualifications of their children's classroom teachers.  If there are any questions concerning the qualifications, parents may contact the Title I Coordinator or the building principal.