Group of smiling students wearing backpacks pose together in a hallway
Group of smiling students wearing backpacks pose together in a hallway
Slide One
FAMILIES
Slide One
Slide One
FAMILIES
Slide One

NOLA Public Schools believes in putting children first. Every child. We can bring them to their fullest potential by meeting their unique needs, enriching their academic lives, and providing comprehensive equitable services. This resource page aims to provide you with an overview of the special education programs, policies, and procedures our schools.

 

If your child attends one of the following schools, the school district maintains more specific information on the special education program at that school. See below for that information. If your child does not attend one of the schools below, use the school directory to contact your child’s school for more information.

  • Ben Franklin Elementary Mathematics and Science School
  • Elan Academy
  • Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary Charter
  • The Delores Taylor Arthur School For Young Men
  • Travis Hill Schools

If you have any questions or are looking for information on schools with programs that may fit the specialized needs of your student, please review the Program Guide.

The Special Education Resource Guide is a living document that contains more than 20 areas of assistance, boasting more than 170 organizations and providers. Resources to assist families obtain housing, extra-curricular activities, financial aid, transportation, and employment opportunities are just a few of the categories the Guide contains. Please review the 2023 Special Education Resource Guide for helpful resources.  

The following are different versions of the 2023 Special Education Resource Guide:

Google Slides Version

PDF Version

Read Aloud Version

Spanish Version

Vietnamese Version

 

The purpose of the NOLA Public Schools Transitions Resource Guide is to connect students with disabilities and their families, as well other educators and professionals, with the range of programs, supports, and services that are available as individuals prepare for adulthood. Areas covered include employment, community access, housing, independent living, financial planning and legal rights. The guide  will provide critical information about supportive programs to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or 504 accommodations as well as their families, employers, and support providers.

View All Program Descriptions

View All Program Descriptions

Child Search

Our Child Search Office conducts screenings and/or multidisciplinary evaluations for children, ages 3-5, suspected of having a disability. This service is provided to all children within Orleans Parish, at no cost to the family. To access the Child Search Scheduling System, please click the button below, or call 504-304-4988 to schedule an appointment.

Request a Child Search Appointment

Administrative Reviews of Private Evaluations

If your child has a current evaluation (within one year of today’s date) from a private vendor, please bring a copy of the complete evaluation and the Request for Administrative Review Form to the attention of the Assistant Director of ECS, at 2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 2060, New Orleans, Louisiana 70114 , or email a copy to ecs@opsb.us.

Request for Administrative Review

If your child attends one of the following schools, the school district maintains more specific information on the special education program at that school. See below for that information. If your child does not attend one of the schools below, use the school directory to contact your child’s school for more information.

  • Ben Franklin Elementary Mathematics and Science School
  • Elan Academy
  • Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary Charter

  • The Delores Taylor Arthur School For Young Men
  • Travis Hill Schools

Section 504 Grievance Procedures

See above for specific schools

These procedures were designed to provide an orderly process for the resolution of student and parent/guardian complaints related to the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination against a person with a disability solely on the basis of that disability in programs, activities or employment practices. An equitable resolution of such complaints should be secured at the most immediate administrative level as fairly and expeditiously as possible

Section 504 Grievance Protocol

Special Education Complaint Protocol (LEA ONLY)

See above for specific schools

If your child has an IEP and attends a school under the jurisdiction of the Orleans Parish School Board, and you would like to submit a complaint, please use the Online Complaint Submission Form.

You are not required to use this form to file a complaint with the Orleans Parish School Board. You may send a letter or e-mail instead of this form; however, the letter or e-mail must include the information identified in this form. All complaints are received and reviewed by Kathryn Elichman, Director of ECS and/or Joni Lastrapes, Director of ECS. They may be reached via the following mediums: 2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 2060, New Orleans, Louisiana 70114; ecs@opsb.us; 504-304-4935; or 504-304-4995.

Submit Complaint Online

NOLA-PS Special Education Advisory Council's Annual Reports

Contact

Report Fraud

Department of Children and Family Services

Call 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) to report child abuse and neglect.

Report Abuse

Hotline Number for Parents
504-527-KIDS

School-based issues or concerns from parents

24-hour Hotline Number for Community
504-522-HELP

School and District based concerns, feedback, & inquiries from school staff or community members

External Resources

NOLA Public Schools. Every Child. Every School. Every Day.

2401 Westbend Parkway
New Orleans, Louisiana 70114

Phone: 504-304-5612

Phone: 504-304-3520

Hotline Number for Parents
504-527-KIDS

School-based issues or concerns from parents

24-hour Hotline Number for Community
504-522-HELP
District based community concerns, feedback, & inquiries from school staff or community members