Department of Special Education

Mrs. Melissa Charbonnet
Director of Special Education
301-475-5511 ext 220

The Department of Special Education is responsible for providing a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities from birth through the age of 21 regardless of the severity of their disability. To the maximum extent appropriate, students receive instruction in the general education classroom with the necessary accommodations and adaptations provided by the general education and special education staff. St. Mary's County Public Schools provides a full continuum of services for students with disabilities with adherence to the requirements of serving students in their home schools and in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as determined by the student IEPs.

Primary Responsibilities

The Director of Special Education oversees the primary responsibilities of the department and works collaboratively with other departments to effectively provide services to students with disabilities. The Director of Special Education is responsible for developing and supporting specialized programs, monitoring compliance of IDEA, recruitment, retention and training of staff and responding to parent and school inquires and concerns.

Please refer to the following school assignment list. If parents have questions about their child's specific IEP, they are encouraged to contact the school administrator and/or IEP Chairperson. Parents may also contact the assigned Special Education Supervisor regarding their child's IEP implementation.

Please refer to the Program Descriptions link on the left side of this page for Department of Special Education programs and contact information within the Department of Special Education.