Special Education

Special Education and related services are provided to eligible students with disabilities from birth to age 21. These services are embedded within our schools and designed to meet each student’s unique educational needs as identified in their Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Education Program (IEP). Every effort is made to maintain students in their neighborhood settings with their age-appropriate peers in the least restrictive environment. Special Education in the Rapid City Area School District is determined by your child's team at their building level and, if they qualify, they will receive specialized instruction or related services which enable our students to make progress towards their educational and/or behavioral goals. Parents are active participants in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Behavior Support Plan (BSP) as we work together to provide the best educational setting possible. If you are moving to the Rapid City Area School District and have a child who has received special education services in their previous district, please bring these records with you when registering your child(ren).This will help our team verify services your child received, identify the steps to determine continued eligibility for special education, and, if appropriate, develop a plan to meet the unique learning needs of your child.