Special Education Services

A student who is experiencing difficulties in school may be referred to the school review team by a parent, teacher, family member, principal or other concerned person.

Learn more about our referral process

If your live outside the boundaries of TPS and you want to attend a school in TPS, you must request a release of attendance from your neighborhood district and then complete the new student enrollment form. Learn more about the non-resident enrollment process.

After your student is enrolled, student services will determine a placement and you will receive a phone call from a district representative to inform you of your student's start date and school placement.

If you want to attend a school other than your neighborhood school, complete the non-neighborhood choice enrollment application. Student services will look at your students’ IEP to make sure your school of choice meets specific criteria and has program availability to accommodate your student.

If your student’s IEP includes special education transportation, please contact our transportation office at 253-571-1855 or by email at transportation@tacoma.k12.wa.us.

Learn more about bus transportation in TPS

When student services receive your students’ educational records, we will work with school staff at your child’s school to make sure your student has the appropriate staff support.  

Enroll in the closest school or the school you were last enrolled in. Your student will receive transportation to and from their school or origin school and your student will receive the same educational services other students with disabilities receive.

Talk with the school's counselor to complete an intake form which will identify your student's needs and any community resources available to you.

Learn more about McKinney-Vento and homeless student assistance

A student who is experiencing difficulties in school may be referred to the school review team by a teacher, parent, principal or other concerned person. The team reviews referral information and works with the classroom teacher to develop intervention strategies designed to help the student succeed in his or her current classroom. These interventions may be immediately implemented.

Parents are invited to their child’s team meeting. These teams may also determine the need for special education evaluation. The team will provide parents with written notification regarding its recommendations on whether or not to pursue an evaluation. Written parental consent must be obtained before an initial evaluation begins.

Upon completion of the evaluation, parents are invited to a formal conference with the team. At this meeting, parents will have the opportunity to review the evaluation results and discuss their student's eligibility for special education services. Recommendations regarding eligibility are made by a consensus of members of the team based on the data obtained through the evaluation process.

To qualify for special education, the following criteria must be met: 

1. The student must have a disability, and
2. the disability must have a significant negative impact on the student’s education, and
3. the impact can only be addressed through specially designed instruction. 

If a student is eligible for special education services, an Individual Education Program is developed.

Additional Resources

• OSPI Special Education - The OSPI website is dedicated to providing students and families with information about special education, to ensuring that students and families know about their rights, and to answer questions they may have about how the process works. This resources provides a complete and clear picture of the entire special education process.