Overview
The Exceptional Children’s Department ensures compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and North Carolina policies, providing quality services and support to students, staff, and families. Through direct service, resource allocation, professional learning, consultation, and collaboration, we help students succeed.
Exceptional Children’s Services, also known as special education, supports students identified with disabilities who experience an adverse effect on their education and require specially designed instruction. Eligibility is determined through a formal referral and evaluation process by an IEP team, which includes educators, parents, and other professionals.
The IEP (Individualized Education Program) is a legally binding document outlining a student’s strengths, needs, goals, and required accommodations. It must be reviewed annually and includes provisions for post-secondary planning starting at age 14. For more information, feel free to contact Ms. Hannah Hribar.
Section 504 Services
Section 504 is a civil rights law protecting individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education. It ensures that no qualified individual is excluded, denied benefits, or discriminated against due to a disability.
Enforced by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Section 504 requires schools to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to eligible students. This includes regular or special education and related services that meet their needs as effectively as those of nondisabled students.
At BMS, grade level counselors serve as 504 Coordinators. For more information, you can email Mrs. Aimee Meyer or Ms. Jennifer Harrell.