ESE Preschool Overview

A preschool child qualifies for the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program if he/she has a speech-language, sensory, physical, cognitive, or social-emotional delay, which meets the criteria for enrollment established by the State Board of Education Rule

The Broward County Public Schools have Preschool ESE programs for children (ages 3-5 years) with the following exceptionalities:

• Autism Spectrum
• DisorderDeaf/ Hard of Hearing
• Developmentally Delayed
• Dual Sensory Impaired
• Orthopedically Impaired
• Other Health Impaired
• Intellectual Disability
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech Impaired
• Language Impaired
• Traumatic Brain Injured
• Visually Impaired

Once a preschool aged child is found eligible for Exceptional Student Education, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting is held.  The IEP team will determine where the student is currently functioning and what the child’s needs are.  Next, the IEP team will determine which services the child requires and which Preschool ESE program will best suit his/her needs.  The county offers several different programs based on the needs of each individual child.