Special Education
The Prior Lake-Savage Special Education Department serves more than 1,100 special needs students from birth to 21 years of age.
PLSAS provides a comprehensive program for students with disabilities. All buildings in our District provide special education services. All schools have licensed special education teachers and offer intervention supports, evaluations and special education instruction.
Special Education is specially-designed instruction and related services that enable a student with a disability to access and benefit from their program of education. The focus of special education is to insure a Free & Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for eligible students identified to have a disability and who are in need of individualized and specialized instruction. Special education addresses the individual needs of the child that arise from a disability and is provided at no cost to the parents. Specially-designed instruction means adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction (i.e. what we teach and how we teach it) to address the student’s unique needs that arise as a result of their disability, and to ensure access to the general education curriculum. Children must meet specific criteria set by the State of Minnesota and the Federal Government to receive special education services. Special Education is an instructional service, not a place.
We offer a continuum of service delivery models. Most students receive services in their neighborhood school. Service models include home-based services for infants and toddlers, 1:1 instruction, small group instruction, instruction in the general education classroom, center-based programming, and off-site instruction as determined by the student's individual education planning (IEP) team.
- Child Find and Identification for Special Education Services
- PLSAS Total Special Education System (TSES)
- Related Services
- Who can receive Special Education services?
Child Find and Identification for Special Education Services
PLSAS Total Special Education System (TSES)
Related Services
Who can receive Special Education services?
Contact Us
Michelle Cuka
Director of Student Support Services
(952) 226-0033
Emily Virant
Assistant Director of Special Education - Hidden Oaks, Twin Oaks, Glendale, Jeffers Pond and Redtail Ridge
(952) 226-0073
Kristen Laffe-Thao
Assistant Director of Special Education - PLHS, Bridges ALC, Five Hawks, Hamilton Ridge and La ola del lago
(952) 226-0034
Lori Parker
Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator - Edgewood (ECSE) & WestWood
(952) 226-0986
Cheri Anderson
Special Education Program Specialist
(952) 226-0815
Linda Freemark
Administrative Assistant to Student Support Services
(952) 226-0032