Lee County schools work to improve ESE programs

As parents prepare their children for the coming school year, some wonder if the specific needs of their kids will be met.

We spoke to Lee County school officials about what they’re doing to improve programs for students with special needs in the coming years.

Jennifer Armiger wants her son to receive the same education all Lee County students are promised, but she worries the district isn’t meeting his special needs through ESE programs.

“Even though they’re six years of age, seven years of age, they’re not cognitively that age so a lot of them take more one on one attention. They need more structure, they need more hands on equipment,” Armiger said.

The district says they’re working to improve ESE programs and Superintendent Gregory Adkins said it’s something they’ve really focused on this year.

While training staff to better understand different disabilities and types of learning, Adkins says specific schools are recommended when a student enrolls, “So that they’re landing in a school that they have staff that are really knowledge and meeting that child’s needs.”

And the district is incorporating new ways to teach students who may learn differently, “For example, our middle schools have learning labs that allow our special education students to have access to additional support during the school day” Adkins said.

Armiger hopes growing ESE classrooms continue to make improvements.