Special Education Services
Plano Independent School District

PreSchool Program for Children with Disabilities
(PPCD)

The Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) provides educational and support services for children ages 3 to 5 with identified delays in one or more of the five developmental areas.  These developmental areas are: motor, social/emotional, self-help, communication, and pre-academic. Students are eligible for services on their third birthday, regardless of when the birthday falls within the school year.

Special education services through P.P.C.D. are offered at no cost to parents.

Learning Through Play

The P.P.C.D. classrooms  in Plano I.S.D. support and teach developmental skills through active play.  Play is an important vehicle for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development (Bradenkamp & Copple, 1997).  It is important to understand
that children are active constructors of knowledge and that development and learning
are the result of interactive processes.  Play gives children opportunities to understand the world, interact with others socially, express and control emotions, and develop early literacy skills. Children are able to practice newly acquired skills, attempt novel and challenging tasks, and solve complex problems through play. Play provides the  opportunity to explore the environment.  Teachers support this exploration in the environment by modeling language and appropriate play skills.  Child-initiated, teacher supported play is an essential component of developmentally appropriate service. 

Special education services are individualized for each student.  Instructional objectives and strategies are customized and are based on the information provided through assessment and observation. 

Plano I.S.D. uses a play-based assessment in order to determine eligibility. The transdisciplinary asssessment team consists of a teacher or educational diagnostician and a speech/language pathologist.  The assessment team will meet with the parents during a pre-assessment meeting to gather information and determine the need for assessment.  Other specialists, such as an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, and licensed specialist in school psychology, are added to the team as needed.  During the assessment, the child is observed interacting with one of the team members as he plays with materials designed to demonstrate his or her skills in all developmental areas.  Materials include typical preschool toys, adaptive devices, switch toys, and other special pieces of equipment. Parents are an integral part of their child's assessment. At the conclusion of the assessment, the team reviews the findings with the parents and proposes a course of action. 

What is the play-based assessment like?

The play-based assessment evaluates a child's abilities in each of the five developmental stages. Parents are present throughout the process.  One assessment specialist acts as the play facilitator and interacts with the child while the other assessment specialist acts as the parent facilitator and observes the child playing.  The parent facilitator will also communicate with the parents throughout the asessment to determine if the child is demonstrating typical behavior.  Parents may have the opportunity to play with their child while both assessment specialists observe.  A report is written and mailed to the parents upon completion of the assessment.  The report documents observations and makes recommendations. If the student appears to be eligible for special education services, an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) is scheduled. It is the A.R.D. committee who will review assessment data, discuss eligibility and determine educational need for special education services.

If the child speaks a language other than English, the play-based assessment is done with the use of an interpreter.

What preschool services are provided through P.P.C.D. in Plano?

The resources used by P.P.C.D. are as varied as are the student's needs.  The classrooms foster a team environment where specialists work together with parents to develop an Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.). Each classroom has a teacher, a speech/language pathologist, and a teaching assistant.  Related services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and music therapy are provided to the student as established by the I.E.P.
   

The P.P.C.D. team values parents as partners in their child's education. The team works collaboratively throughout the year with families in order to promote home/school partnerships. The Practical Parent Education maintains a book & video lending library that parents are encouraged to use.  Practical Parent Education is a unique partnership between the Plano community and Plano I.S.D. designed to provide a parent support network.

Where are the assessment centers?

The assessment centers and the neighborhood campuses that flow into them are listed below. Click on one of the following links to visit the school's website within the district.

Barron Early Childhood Center
Beaty Early Childhood Center
Pearson Early Childhood Center