Education opens doors for all children, a fact that motivates school districts to seek out those who may have disabilities and offer help.

The Disabilities Education Act, the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Board of Education require school districts across Ohio to identify, locate and evaluate these children.

Many children with disabilities function outside the community’s mainstream. These children may be homeless, or part of migrant families. Many unidentified children with disabilities are preschoolers.

Also, a parent may not be aware of his or her child’s disability and many not know about available programs and services.

Some conditions that may go unidentified are hearing, visual, speech or language impairments; specific learning disabilities; emotional disturbance; multiple disabilities; cognitive disabilities; other health impairments; physical impairments; autism; and traumatic brain injury.

If you know of a child between birth and age 21 who may fit one of these descriptions, please contact Bexley Schools’ director of special education, Frances Bauer Morrow, at (614) 231-7611.

Once our school district is notified, we work with parents to collect information. We also let them know about programs and services that are available to provide for the needs of the child.

We maintain confidentiality and help parents develop an education plan at no cost to the parents.

If you have questions about this process or Bexley’s Special Education Department, please feel free to call Ms. Morrow or me at (614) 231-7611.

Dr. Laura Lipsett is the director of curriculum for Bexley City Schools.