A Special Service Provider (SSP) is a Colorado Department of Education licensed individual who is part of a student with disabilities Individual Education Program (IEP) and provides specific services to students. These itinerants often serve multiple schools and can provide support to students preschool, ages 3 - 5, through transition age 21.

Special Education Staff

Audiologist
An audiologist tests your child’s hearing to determine if making recommendations regarding appropriate instructional accommodations is adequate for learning. They also assists parents and teachers in managing hearing problems.

Occupational Therapist
An occupational therapist evaluates small muscle functions (fine motor skills) used in feeding, dressing, coordination and handwriting. They may work with students to help develop fine motor/perceptual motor skills and may assist through consultation in developing activities and adapting equipment to improve a student’s skills necessary for independent functioning.

Physical Therapist
A physical therapist evaluates large muscle functions (gross motor skills) such as sitting, standing, walking and overall whole body movement. They may work directly with a student as well as assist in developing activities and adapting equipment to improve muscle strength and normal movement abilities.

School Nurse
A school nurse evaluates student health by reviewing parent reported health history and current health status. They may provide information pertaining to community resources to meet health needs and may make recommendation in regard to managing certain health related problems that impact a students school performance.

School Psychologist
A school psychologist is involved in the evaluation of certain disabilities and makes educational recommendations to support achievement and resiliency. They provide direct and consultative services for students with academic, behavior and/or social needs.

School Social Worker
A social worker evaluates the social, emotional and cultural factors affecting student progress at school. They may work directly with the student or act as a consultant for parents, teachers and community agencies in order to improve student school performance.

Special Education Teacher
A special education teacher designs and implements instructional programming to meet individual student needs and monitor progress toward general education standards and special education goals. They are typically the contact person for the student, staff and parent and acts as a case manager for the overall educational programming of students.
 
Speech Language Pathologist
A speech language pathologist evaluates your child’s communication skills and provides direct and indirect services to students to improve speech, language and social communication skills. They may also assist teachers and parents in educational programming to improve functional communication skills.

Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
This person provides evaluation and special programming for students who have an educationally significant loss of hearing which would affect their ability to access the general education curriculum and/or communicate with others. They may provide direct or indirect services to support educational programming of a student with a hearing loss.

Teacher of Visually Impaired
This person provides evaluation and special programming for students who have an educationally significant loss of vision. They may provide direct services to students and consultative services to parents and teachers.

Transition Coordinator
This person assists in developing transition strategies/options that will be appropriate for students and their families as students prepare to enter into adulthood.