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Beaverton School District
Beaverton School District

Beaverton Schools

Special Education

Student smiling at camera in Mountainside Special Education classroom

Special education services​ are available at each school within the Beaverton School District to serve students who have been identified as eligible for special education services.  Students identified as eligible for special education services must meet the following two requirements:

  • Federal and state eligibility requirements as having a disability in at least one of 11 handicapping condition categories
  • Need specially designed instruction

Transition services (ages 16 - 21) are available to special education students who graduate with a Modified Diploma, Extended Diploma, or Alternative Certificate. 

The Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD) provides educational services for eligible children birth to kindergarten.  For children younger than kindergarten, please telephone NWRESD at 503-614-1446.

Learn more about our Special Education process

If you think your child may require Special Education services, please reach out to your school counselor or Special Education team at your neighborhood school to share your concerns.

The Beaverton School District (BSD) is seeking assistance in locating children with disabilities (birth through age 21) who have not graduated from high school and currently are not attending nor receiving other special services from public schools.

Oregon and federal law mandate educational services for children with disabilities. BSD provides educational programs and services for eligible children from kindergarten through high school.  Services provided are appropriate to each child's disability.  

Parents, guardians, or anyone who knows of a child (ages 5 through 21) with a disability currently not receiving educational services are asked to notify the special education contact person in the child's home school or contact the District's Special Education Department at 503-356-3900.

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Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Section 504 Plans: What's the difference?

Commonly referred to as an IEP, an individualized education program is a written plan that is designed for any student who receives special education and related services. IEPs are required for every special education student under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The IEP describes the goals that are set for the student over the course of the school year and spells out any special supports needed to help achieve those goals. Parents/guardians are an important part of the IEP process.

Both students with IEPs and students with 504 plans have a documented disability or impairment. For students with an IEP, their disability has an adverse impact on their educational performance that requires the provision of specially designed instruction.  Students with 504 plans have a documented physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. The major life activity may or may not be directly related to learning (i.e., a physical impairment that impacts mobility, but not learning). Students with 504 plans require targeted accommodations so they are able to access their educational program to the same extent as their non-disabled peers. Both processes require an evaluation by a team prior to eligibility.  Students referred for a 504 evaluation may first be referred for a Special Education evaluation if it is suspected that they may have a disability that would qualify them for an IEP.

Learn more about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).