Missouri Special Needs Resources

Missouri schools offer a continuum of services, from consultation and collaboration in regular classrooms to specialized schools for students with intensive needs. Most students receive services in their neighborhood school, even if they need significant support.

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decides what services your child needs and where they'll receive them. This includes related services like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling. Missouri also covers services you might not expect, like assistive technology assessments and training.

For students with significant disabilities, Missouri provides specialized instructional programs. These might be located in specific schools within your district or through regional programs that serve multiple districts. The state also approves private special education schools for students whose needs can't be met in public programs. Missouri has a robust system of Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs) that support special education programming.

Transition planning starts by age 16 in Missouri, following federal requirements. However, many districts begin earlier. This means the IEP team begins discussing your child's goals for after high school and what instruction and services will help them get there.

The special education process in Missouri follows federal IDEA requirements with some state-specific elements. When a child is referred for evaluation, the district must complete the evaluation and hold an IEP meeting within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent. The IEP team includes you as the parent, regular education teachers, special education teachers, a district representative, and others who have knowledge about your child or can interpret evaluation results.

Missouri uses an IEP that must include all federally required components: present levels of performance, measurable annual goals, special education and related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and an explanation of the extent to which your child will not participate with nondisabled children. Missouri requires transition planning to begin no later than the first IEP in effect when your child turns 16.

For students with significant cognitive disabilities, Missouri offers an alternate assessment aligned with alternate achievement standards. The state also has something called Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (MoSW-PBS), which is Missouri's approach to Response to Intervention and behavior support. This framework helps schools provide support to all struggling students, not just those identified for special education. If you need help understanding Missouri's system or advocating for your child, MPACT offers workshops, phone consultations, and can even attend meetings with you.