North Union’s Special Education Department is committed to providing high quality, comprehensive support services to meet the unique learning, behavior, social, and emotional needs of all students. The District offers a continuum of educational placement options for children with learning and/or behavioral disabilities ages 3-21

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in each school assists programming teams and parents in providing assessment, evaluation and interventions to address student needs in the general education classroom. Student needs are supported to the greatest extent possible in the general education classroom. Students needing specialized instruction and support are provided an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and programming according to their needs in a wide variety of setting

If you have questions or concerns regarding the MTSS process please contact your building guidance counselor:

Elementary - Tammy Borders - [email protected]

Elementary - Madison Neel - [email protected]

Middle School - Amanda Mariucci - [email protected]

High School - Jennifer Willis - [email protected] 

North Union Local Schools offers quality, comprehensive preschool services for eligible students ages 3-5. North Union Elementary is currently the recipient of a 5-star rating through Step Up To Quality (SUTQ). Our program is licensed through the Ohio Department of Education and adheres to a developmentally appropriate philosophy and curriculum. Each year North Union conducts a registration and screening to determine class rosters. If you have a child or know of a child you believe would qualify for services please contact our office to arrange for a screening appointment. Our program also screens children as a part of our peer program in the Preschool Program, additional information is available through the Special Education Department.

If you have questions please contact Tom Montgomery, Elementary Principal or Darlene Allison, Director of Special Education.

Section 504 prohibits discrimination against disabled persons, including both students and staff members, by school districts receiving federal, financial assistance. Included in the U.S. Department of Education regulations for Section 504 is the requirement that disabled students be provided with free appropriate public education (FAPE). These regulations require identification, evaluation, the provisions of appropriate services and procedural safeguards.

With respect to most disabled students, many aspects of Section 504 regulations concerning FAPE parallel the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In those areas, by fulfilling responsibilities under IDEA and state law a district is also meeting the standards of the Section 504 regulations.

The IDEA defines as eligible only students who have certain specified types of impairments and who, because of one of those conditions, need special education. Section 504, on the other hand, protects all disabled students, defined as those having any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (including learning). Section 504 covers all students who meet this definition, even if they do not qualify under IDEA as needing a special education program.

The determination of what services are needed must be made by a group of persons knowledgeable about the student. The group should review the nature of the disability, how it affects the students education, whether special services are needed and if so what those services are. The decision about Section 504 eligibility and services must be documented in the student’s file and reviewed periodically.

In summary, it is important to keep in mind that some students who have a physical or mental condition that limits their ability to participate in the education program are entitled to rights under Section 504 even though they may not fall into IDEA categories and may not be covered by the law.

If you have questions regarding Section 504 please contact Thomas Lish-Brown, Director of Special Education and the districts Section 504 Compliance Coordinator.