Are You New To The District?

Getting Started

The Special Education Department delivers specially designed instruction and related services to educate students with disabilities. The program uses Child Find and other identification activities and provides appropriate services for students with disabilities. At Federal Way Public Schools, we have made a firm commitment to help all students get the instruction and help they need to be successful learners. We have a variety of programs to meet the needs of students with special learning needs, including:

• Special Education
• Birth to Three
• Preschool Special Education
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Health Services

Registering Your Child in Federal Way Public Schools

If you are new to our District, no doubt you have a lot of questions. How can you make sure your child is in the program, class, or school that appropriately meets his or her needs?

No matter what your child’s individual needs, you have an important role to play. A brief overview of the registration process and how to get started follows.

• Elementary schools serve preschool through 5th Grade students with exception of Nautilus and Woodmont (K-8).
• Middle schools serve 6th through 8th Grade students.
• High schools serve 9th through 12th Grade students.

If your child has been receiving special education services, here’s what to do.

If your child received special education services in the last district he or she attended, we ask that you fill out a Special Education Registration Packet at your neighborhood school.  If you have a preschooler who has an IEP, please register at the district's Special Education Department, located in the Educational Services Center, 33330 8th Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003.

• At your local school: Depending on the services your child needs, he or she may be assigned to attend a different school that has a program which most closely matches your child’s needs. However, all of your basic information can be taken at the local school and sent to the assigned school when a placement decision is made. You will not be asked to fill this paperwork out again even if your child is assigned to another school.
  • What to Bring
    • If your child has been enrolled in another school district, you will need to provide the name of the last school/district he or she attended. The address and telephone number of the school are helpful, but not required.
    • When registering for elementary school, be sure to bring your child’s immunization records. A list of immunizations your child needs before starting school is available on our website at: Enrollment Procedures. You can also pick up a list of immunizations needed from your school’s office or the health department. If you have never registered in any other school district, please bring your child’s birth certificate, too.
    • For a list of the forms you need to complete to register your child, and to download most of them, go to: Enrollment Procedures. Downloading and filling them out ahead of time will help speed up the process for you and the school.
• Special Education Registration Packet of information includes:
  • A registration form for special education,
  • A Medicaid consent form,
  • Authorization for exchange of confidential educational information,
  • A parent questionnaire for the transfer student, or
  • A Speech & Language Pathologist questionnaire if the student needs only speech/language services.

These forms will help us determine your child’s specific needs and how we can appropriately meet them. If your child is a transfer student, we will request records from his or her previous school. The psychologist will review the information you provide and the previous school’s records. You will be informed of school placement based on your child's needs.

If your child will be assigned to a school outside of your neighborhood for special education services, the District will provide transportation to that school. All records that you complete at the local school will be provided to the assigned school.