Special Education

  • The Special Education Department at the Tempe Union High School District oversees many special services for students in our seven high schools.

    Our staff work throughout the District and collaborate with students, families, and other school personnel to ensure support for students with unique needs and circumstances. Services within the Special Education Department include the provision of special education, maintaining special education records, transition services such as WorkBridge, 504 accommodations for students with disabilities, homebound services and assistance for students who are homeless. We take pride in providing comprehensive, thoughtful, and individualized supports.

     
    Tempe Union High School District has approximately 1,300 students eligible for Special Education Services. Because special education is NOT a "place," eligible students are provided services on a continuum, which includes a variety of delivery options. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) considers the unique individual strengths, needs, and outcome preferences to determine the appropriate service needs of each student. Therefore, services range across a continuum of placement options as directed by federal and state statute and regulations. Decisions regarding education in various environments are made in partnership with regular and special education resources, parents and family, and the community.

    Our Mission

    The mission of the Special Education Department is to provide "exceptional" education and opportunities to students with disabilities by:
    • Complying with the statutes, rules, and regulations that govern special education
    • Providing a wide variety of services and programs to meet the varying needs of our students
    • Providing transition services and programs to facilitate the student moving from public education to post-secondary opportunities
    • Partnering with the family and the community to educate students
    • Providing appropriate support services per IEP for a student with identified disabilities, and empowering the student to succeed in high school
    • Adapting and developing programs as needed for our student population 

    Our Programs

    • Alternatives to Long-term Suspension
    • Autism Program - Tempe High School
    • Bridge to Success - District Office
    • Educational Health Service Program - Desert Vista High School
    • Emotional Disability Self-Contained - McClintock High School and Mountain Pointe High School
    • Homebound Instruction - District Office
    • S.E.L.F., Student Empowered Learning Facility - Compadre Academy and McClintock High School
    • Severe/Profound Program - Desert Vista High School and Tempe High School
    • TSW, Transition from School to Work - All Schools

    Categories of Special Education eligibility at the high school level include:

    • Autism (A)
    • Emotional Disability (ED)
    • Hearing Impairment (HI)
    • Other Health Impaired (OHI)
    • Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
    • Mild Mental Retardation (MIMR)
    • Moderate Mental Retardation (MOMR)
    • Severe Mental Retardation (SMR)
    • Multiple Disabilities (MD)
    • Multiple Disabilities & Severe Sensory Impairment (MDSSI)
    • Orthopedic Impairment (OI)
    • Speech/Language Impairment (SLI)
    • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
    • Visual Impairment (VI) 

    Related Services: (list is not all inclusive)

    • Speech and Language
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Physical Therapy
    • Assistive Technology
    • Hearing Services
    • Vision Services
    • Audiological Services
    • Orientation/Mobility
    • Specialized Transportation
    • School Health Services
    • Counseling Services

    Transition Services:

    • Life Skills
    • Community Based Experiences
    • Linkages to Community Agencies
    • Vocational Assessment
    • Vocational Rehabilitation - Transition from School to Work (TSW)

Special Education Contacts

  • Katherine Minard
    Director of Special Education
    (480) 839-0292 x12032
     
    Dr. Lisa Merrin
    Lead Psychologist
    (480) 839-0292 x12034 
     
    Jesus Contreras
    Data and Compliance Analyst
    (480) 839-0292 x12033
     
    Rachel Hampton
    Administrative Assistant
    (480) 839-0292 x12031
      
    Douglas Prentice
    Transition Coordinator
    (480) 839-0292 x12035
    Special Education Department Fax: 
    (480) 345-3775