Student Services
Charles J. Cicarella, Director
Dr. Dianibel Aviles, Coordinator
voice 203-488-5000
fax 203-315-3535
Department of Student Services 12 Melrose Avenue, Branford, CT 06405
Special Education services are provided to all qualified students in Branford from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. For Special Education students new to the town, they must first register at their appropriate school. A Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meeting is scheduled as soon as records are received from their prior school district to determine a child's needs and required services. Referrals for Special Education are accepted from teachers, parents, physicians, private mental health practitioners and anyone with an in-depth knowledge of the student and a concern for the individual's school functioning or success.
Branford adheres to Connecticut State and Federal laws and regulations regarding the identification and education of disabled students. Strong efforts are made to determine and implement pre-referral strategies and interventions as a means of providing relief and assistance to a student as well as to develop a database of important educational information that will determine the need for more extensive formal assessments and evaluations as warranted. A continuum of special services, occurring within the regular classroom as well as in special education resource rooms and clinician's offices (speech /language /school psychology /social work), are available in all schools. All decisions regarding a special education student are addressed by a team of school staff, parents, advocates and other relevant practitioners in a wholehearted attempt to understand and address the needs of the 'whole child' and to develop a plan for success that all can subscribe to.
For more detailed information regarding a child or about a specific schools program, the building principal should be contacted. For broader issues, please contact the Student Services Department (488-5000).
Parent Resources
Students with an individualized education program (IEP) have certain rights under both federal and state laws.
Please refer to the links below for information from both the Bureau of Special Education for the State of Connecticut and the CT State Department of Education.