Marion County Public Schools Exceptional Student Education

Marion County has approximately 7,000 exceptional students enrolled in its public schools. An exceptional student is one who has special learning needs. The special assistance received in school is called Exceptional Student Education, or ESE. Our goal is to provide every exceptional student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE), help them progress in school, access the general curriculum, and prepare them for life after school.

The Marion County Public School System offers a continuum of services and programs to meet the individual needs of students requiring special education, ages 3 through 21. The degree to which services are provided is based individually on each child's Individual Education Plan (IEP) as set forth by a staffing committee. The continuum of services may be provided in a variety of settings, which include regular classrooms, resource rooms, hospital/homebound, separate day school, special class, and non-public school (contractual).



For more information, please call your child's school and speak with the School Counselor or ESE Specialist.