In a playroom filled with colorful toddler toys, OCPS child development experts are helping parents get answers – and connecting their young children with help up to two years before kindergarten. This team of experts exists so preschool-age children can get evaluated early for possible developmental delays.

All that’s required is that the child be at least 3 years old, live in Orange County and not yet be in an OCPS kindergarten. Spanish-speaking evaluators and translation services are available. And it’s free.

These specialists include speech and language pathologists, educational diagnosticians, occupational and physical therapists, school social workers and psychologists. They are pros at identifying young children who may benefit from early intervention or special education services.

The team evaluated nearly 1,400 children last year, but gets most of its referrals from Head Start, day care centers and doctors. In recent years, fewer parents have come directly for evaluations before kindergarten, a trend that the department is trying to change through increased outreach.

“We want to catch everybody,” said Kathryn Anderson, the senior administrator for Preschool Diagnostic Intervention Services, or PDIS, as the OCPS department is called. “We want people to know there are resources, and not to wait until public school age,” she said.

Evaluations are completed at the PDIS headquarters, located in a brick building in front of Edgewater High School in Orlando. 

On a recent day, PDIS teams observed children in an open, social play area. As anxious parents watched, the specialists interacted with each child to see if they used words or phrases, followed directions, interacted with others and used toys as intended. The teams evaluate for possible delays or disabilities using standardized assessments that measure strengths and weaknesses.

As Ellen Kaak, a member of the preschool resource support team, explained, evaluators are looking at following skill areas: communication, motor, cognitive, personal/social and daily self-care (also known as adaptive skills).

The team includes parents at each step, and provides results and recommendations within two to three weeks. Depending on the child’s age, they may be eligible for free OCPS preschool programs to support them as they catch up or gain skills.

Sometimes, evaluations can bring peace of mind, Kaak said. That can particularly be the case for families whose children have struggled in day care. What a provider sees as defiance and refusal to follow directions “could be a receptive language delay,” she explained.

The PDIS resource team supports 131 special education preschool classes that serve about 1,600 children a year. The classes are available at no cost to parents in district elementary schools around the county. 

That support includes creating educational materials, observing teachers and paraprofessionals to provide suggestions and even helping with classroom setup. The resource team also supports parents, giving them tips, tricks and strategies to try at home. 

And that’s part of how the district prepares every student for life after graduation. “Every child deserves the chance to grow, learn and thrive,” Anderson said. 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about preschool evaluations and ESE preschool classes, visit Link to PDIS on district website, follow PDIS on Facebook or drop by at 3130 Edgewater Drive in Orlando from 7:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To request an evaluation call 407-317-3503 to request an application packet. After the information has been filled out and returned, it typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to get an appointment. 

Parents of children under 34 months should contact Early Steps for support. Head Start families can start the process with their child’s teacher.