Special Education Personnel
Mrs. Robin Blair, Director of Special Education & 504 Coordinator
Michael Hopkins, Ph.D., NCSP, School Psychologist
Ms. Ashley Helton, Special Education Diagnostician and Child Find Coordinator
Ms. Rita Coe, Speech-Language Diagnostician
Mrs. Clary Aaron, District Behavior Interventionist
Mrs. Ashley Fields, TN Pulse Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Holly Denton, Administrative Assistant
To contact the special education department, please call 423-652-9578
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LRE: Least Restrictive Environment
Children with disabilities must be educated in the school they would normally attend, unless the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires otherwise. Children should not be removed from their home or zoned school if needed services can be provided in that location. Any potential harmful effect on the child or on the quality of services must be considered in placement decisions. After determining a child's need for special education services, the IEP team is responsible for developing an IEP designed specifically to meet the identified needs of the child. Least restrictive environment should be the foremost principle in guiding IEP teams in programming services for children. All programs and services must be considered in terms of what is least restrictive for each student. The general education classroom should always be the first consideration.
Special Education Services
Bristol Tennessee City Schools offers a wide range of services to meet each child's need. These services include:
- Academic Services (Consultation, Inclusion, Direct Services, and Comprehensive Development Class)
- Intervention (Basic Reading, Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, Math Calculations, Math Problem Solving, Written Expression)
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
Students ages 3 - 21 could be eligible for these services. For students younger than 3 years of age, contact our local Tennessee Early Intervention Services (TEIS) at 423-434-4401.
504
Section 504, part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ensures that students with disabilities are protected from discrimination. It mandates that these students receive accommodations that meet their needs comparably to their non-disabled peers within the general education program. To qualify under Section 504, a student must have a disability—physical or mental—that significantly limits a major life activity. Eligible students are entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and have specific legal protections. For more information on the Section 504 process, please refer to the provided documents:
- Parental Overview
- Parental and Student Rights
If you have any questions about 504 eligibility or services, please reach out to your school’s 504 coordinator or Robin Blair, Director of Special Education and 504 Coordinator [email protected].