Exceptional Student Education

The Exceptional Students Education (ESE) Department is part of Student Intervention Services. The department oversees the implementation of policies and procedures related to Florida statutes or State Board of Education rules affecting programs for exceptional students, including gifted students. Specifically, the department works with schools and parents to ensure that students with disabilities and gifted students receive the appropriate educational opportunities and related services through the IEP and/or EP process.

The ESE Parent Survey opens February 1 and will be available online until May 31, 2019. 
The web address for the survey is http://www.esesurvey.com.

FDLRS Early Childhood Training for Parents and Teachers

Links and Resources

• ESE Matriculation Process
• ESE Placement and Program Options
• Acronyms in Exceptional Student Education
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Gifted Students
• OCSD Response to FLDOE's On-Site Visit
• Student Intervention Services
• Transition Services
• Transportation Department

Informational Video Links

• Welcome
  • Please take this brief survey after watching the video
• Diploma Options
  • Please take this brief survey after watching the video
• Transition
  • Please take this brief survey after watching the video
• Child Find
  • Please take this brief survey after watching the video

Documents and Forms

• SP&P - ESE Student Policies and Procedures 2018-2019 through 2019-2020
• McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
• Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents of Students w/Disabilities
• Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents of Students w/Disabilities (Other Languages)
• Okaloosa BPIE
• Transportation Flyer
• Military Compact

Additional ESE Resources

• Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS)
• Autism
  • Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD)
  • FSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD)
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• Discretionary Project Blurbs for School Websites
• Florida Diagnostic Learning Resource System (FDLRS)
• Florida Inclusion Network (FIN)
• Florida School Choice
• Military Families
• Panhandle Area Education Consortium (PAEC)
• Parent Agency Book
• SED Network (SEDNET)

DEPARTMENT CONTACTS

Dr. Heather Willis-Doxsee, Director, ESE and Student Services
850.833.3164

Melody Sommer, Program Director, ESE
850.833.3164

Pat Dombrowski, Program Specialist, ESE
850.833.3164

Jo Grice, District Level Staffing Specialist
850.833.3164

Trisha Johnson, District Level Staffing Specialist
850.833.3164

Karen Sanders, District Level Staffing Specialist
850.833.3164

Ginny Wright, Administrative Assistant
850.833.3164

Debbie Stone, ESE Payroll
850.833.5899

Karen Carroll, ESE Bookkeeper/Records
850.833.5867