The Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Special Education Department provides support, technical assistance and service to schools, staff, students, families and community stakeholders to ensure all scholars of all abilities can learn and thrive.
Our team is committed to partnering with caregivers and schools to ensure the fidelity of specialized instruction, inclusion opportunities, professional learning and rigorous outcomes for students with disabilities.
Parents and caregivers of students with disabilities are encouraged to join the parent-run Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC).
For educational purposes, a disabling condition is characterized by significant delays, impairments, or limitations in the student’s capacity. To make this determination, the Team should consider all of the following as indicative of limited, impaired, or delayed capacity:
a pattern of difficulty that persists beyond age expectations;
a pattern of difficulty across settings;
a pattern of difficulty that is not solely the result of cultural, linguistic, or socioeconomic differences; and
a pattern of difficulty that persists despite instructional support activities.
Autism
Developmental Delay
Intellectual Impairment
Sensory Impairment
Neurological Impairment
Emotional Impairment
Communication Impairment
Physical Impairment
Health Impairment
Specific Learning Disability
Massachusetts Special Education Regulations provide these Disability Definitions at 603 C.M.R. 28.02(7).
For general inquiries, please call the Special Education Department at 508-799-3055.
Mailing Address: 20 Irving St., Worcester, MA 01609
