Special Services

The Petal School District Special Services Department is responsible for all student educational needs relating to the areas of Special Education, Section 504 and Gifted Education.

The Petal School District Special Services Department (SSD) participates with the Mississippi Department of Education to identify, locate, and evaluate children through ages 21 who have health impairments or physical, mental, communicative and/or emotional disabilities. The SSD serves children ages three-21 with identified disabilities through a continuum of services at each grade level and school. Currently, the SSD has 71 teachers including seven speech-language pathologists serving approximately 890 students. Services include a developmentally delayed preschool program, resource and inclusion teachers, self-contained classes, community-based programs, transition/behavior classes, community-based programs, multi-disabled classes and homebound services.

Petal High School offers three diploma options for special needs students: a traditional high school diploma, an alternative diploma and a certificate of attendance. The middle school has a behavioral health counselor who offers individual and group counseling. In addition, the Petal School District employs four full-time behavior specialists. Meeting individual student needs is the goal of the SSD.

Students with qualifying disabilities may be eligible for 504 plans. Please contact the SSD for questions regarding Section 504.

• Gifted Studies
• Special Education