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Goshen Community Schools

Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow.

Special Education Department

Special Education Department

At Goshen Community Schools, we are committed to providing every student with the support they need to succeed. Our Special Education Department partners with families, teachers, and community agencies to ensure students with disabilities receive a high-quality education in the least restrictive environment.

Program Descriptions

We provide a range of services tailored to meet individual student needs:

  • Resource Room Support – Small-group instruction and intervention.
  • Inclusion/Co-Teaching – Support in the general education classroom.
  • Self-Contained Classrooms – Specialized instruction for students who need intensive support.
  • Related Services – Speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and more.
  • Assistive Technology – Tools to support access and independence.
  • Extended School Year (ESY) – Additional services beyond the school year when required by a student’s IEP.
  • The Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative (ECSEC) services for students with Autism are highly structured and focus on the academic, social, emotional, and vocational areas. Programs for these children are very individualized. Students are placed with their general education peers to the greatest extent possible. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time support.

  • The Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative provides services for individuals ages 3 through 21 with communication disabilities. These services include diagnostic evaluation and therapy for articulation, language, voice, fluency, and other severe communication deficits.

  • Programs for three, four, and five-year-olds with disabilities are offered throughout Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative. The focus of the early childhood program is social/emotional development, as well as communication, cognitive, adaptive, and physical development. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

  • The program for students who have emotional disabilities is highly structured and focuses on the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students, as well as academics. Students are taught to evaluate the effectiveness of their behaviors and to develop skills to meet their psychological needs. By developing more responsible coping behaviors they can have more control over their lives. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

  • ECSEC provides educational programs for students with hearing impairments aged 3 – 21. These programs focus on increasing student independence and communicative abilities in social/emotional development, physical development, and cognitive/academic learning. The programs are designed to implement teaching procedures that are individualized to the unique needs of each student while emphasizing academic, communication, and personal strengths. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

  • Students with learning disabilities are provided with a continuum of services available. An emphasis is placed on meeting student needs in the least restrictive environment.

  • Services for students with mild mental disabilities emphasize services in the least restrictive environment with a major focus on academics, social, behavioral, and vocational areas. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

    Services for students with moderate, multiple, and severe mental disabilities are located throughout Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative in age-appropriate public school settings. Emphasis at the elementary level is primarily focused on activities to support life skills.  The middle and high school level continues to emphasize life skills with an additional component of community-based instruction. Vocational activities help to promote a successful transition to the work environment. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

  • ECSEC provides services for students with orthopedic impairments that focus on academic, social, emotional, and vocational areas. Programs for these children are very individualized. Students are placed with their general education peers to the greatest extent possible. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.

  • ECSEC provides educational services for students with visual impairments ages 3 through 21. Emphasis is placed on increasing student independence in cognitive/academic learning, social/emotional development, physical development, and mobility. Services are designed to meet the individual needs of each student in the least restrictive environment. A continuum of services is offered ranging from consultation to full-time support.

Child Find & Refferal

Child Find is our responsibility to identify, locate, and evaluate children with suspected disabilities from birth through age 21.

If you believe your child may need special education services:

  1. Contact your child’s teacher, school counselor, or building administrator.
  2. Submit a written request for an evaluation.
  3. The school team will meet with you to review concerns and determine next steps.

For preschool children (ages 3–5), please contact [Early Childhood Coordinator, Theresa Elderidge, teldridge@goshenschools.org or 574-533-3151].

Parent Resources

Indiana IEP RC

INSOURCE Parent Support

Indiana DOE Special Education

Finder Seek

Contact Information

Cindy Berger

Director of Exceptional Learners
Cindy Berger
cberger@goshenschools.org
(574) 533-8631 ext. 12049
*If you encounter a problem accessing materials, information, or technologies at Goshen Community Schools or would like to provide feedback, please contact me.

Amy Yoder GCS

GCS Student Services Specialist
Amy Yoder
ajyoder@goshenschools.org
(574) 533-8631