The Newport County Regional Special Education Program, serving the towns of Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton and Little Compton, is located in Middletown and teams with local educators to meet the federal and state mandates for special education services. The office is located at 26 Oliphant Lane, in a shared facility with the Middletown Public Schools Department in the former Oliphant Elementary School.
The Regional Special Education Program was established in 1979 for the local communities to join forces in providing the full continuum of special education services for children identified with disabilities.
The legal collaborative works with local school personnel to support the specialized instruction and services for students with disabilities and special needs. Parents are encouraged to work with their child's principal, guidance counselor, teachers and related service personnel throughout this process. If there is suspicion that a student has a disability which impacts his or her educational performance he or she may be eligible for special education services. The process toward referral includes:
- Response to Intervention Team – RTI
- Referral to the Eligibility Team with all necessary data and documentation – ETM
- Determination of Necessary Data and Evaluation Information
- Determination of Eligibility for Special Education Services-Case Conference
- If eligible, Development of an Individual Education Plan-IEP
For more information, please visit the Newport County Regional Special Education Program website.