Special Services

Turner Unified School District staff members strive to ensure that all students have the assistance and accommodations needed to support learning. Special services are provided to eligible students with disabilities ages 3 to 21 and to students who qualify for gifted services Kindergarten to grade 12.

Health Services

For information on student health services and our school nurse information, visit the health services webpage.

special education

Since the mid 1970's, students with disabilities all across America, including those enrolled in the Turner School District, have been given a promise by the U.S. Congress that they will:

• Have full access to a free appropriate public education;
• be protected from discrimination;
• have available resources so that educational progress is made;
• be prepared to lead independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.

Special education in the Turner School District is seen as specially and individually designed instruction so that students make continuous progress in school. Special education should not be seen as a place within our schools, but rather the educational services provided in the least restrictive environment. Although not every student can be successfully educated in the general education classroom, it is our intent to place and serve students identified as needing special education with age appropriate peers whenever possible. We refer to this as responsible inclusion that requires input from all members of the Individual Education Team (IEP) , including parents, so that thorough and creative decision-making leads to effective decisions at each and every IEP meeting.

The Turner School District's Special Services Office also has made a promise that we believe you should have access to information needed to make good IEP decisions. Please be assured we will answer each question thoroughly or if needed, find someone who can answer the question for you. We invite you to contact the Special Services Office at (913) 288-4181. If the Director of Special Services is not personally available when you call, please feel free to leave a message on the secure voice message system.

gifted education

In the state of Kansas gifted education is part of Special Education. A student must be found to be eligible to receive gifted services. An Individualized Education program (IEP) will be written once a student has been identified as gifted.

Please contact the Special Services Department at (913)288-4181 if you feel you child may need to receive gifted services, or if you have questions about your students gifted program.

child find

Child Find in Kansas involves a screening process for children from ages 3 to 5, and a general education intervention process for children from kindergarten through age 21. Schools, in conjunction with parents, use these processes to locate, evaluate and identify children who may need special education and related services. Children in need of special education services should be identified as young as possible, and also as soon as possible after the concern is noted. The earliest possible identification of education or behavioral concerns will diminish the impact of the concerns on the child's education. 

Child Find dates for 23 - 24: September 6, October 4, November 1, December 6, January 10, February 7, March 6, April 3, May 1

If you are resident of the Turner School District and have a child between the ages of 3 and 5 that you have concerns about progress, you may call Special Services at (913) 288-4182 to schedule and appointment.