Based at the Whitfield County Student Services Center, the Department for Exceptional Student Services includes Children’s Assessment and Preschool Services (CAPS), school psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing, assistive technology, professionally qualified teachers serving all exceptionalities, paraprofessionals, special needs transportation staff, due process facilitator/diagnostician, behavior specialist, records clerk, parent mentor, and Coordinators for Exceptional Students.

All students with disabilities, ages three through 22, residing in Whitfield County, are offered a free and appropriate public education designed to meet their unique educational needs. While the entire continuum of services outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is available to students with disabilities in Whitfield County, services are delivered in the general education setting to the maximum possible extent. This requires general and special education teachers to work closely together, using effective coteaching models. In many cases, it also requires the instructional support of our paraprofessional staff members.

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with goals to address areas of weakness are developed for each eligible child and require the participation of the entire IEP team in order to help students make progress and ultimately be prepared for graduation, employment, post-secondary education, and independent living.  

In compliance with the Georgia Records Act, the Whitfield County Schools Exceptional Student Services retention schedule, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regulations on destruction of data collected, maintained or used in the provision of a free and appropriate public education of students with disabilities in the District’s schools, the Special Education Department announces its intention to destroy special education record when a student reaches 22 years of age and are no longer needed for educational purposes. 

A student or a parent may need these records for Social Security or other reasons.  If you, as a former student or a parent of a former special education student, wish to obtain these records prior to destruction, you should contact the Special Education Records Department at:  

Student Services Center
201 E. Tyler St,
Dalton, GA  30721

For more information, contact the Special Education Records Department at 706-876-3948, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.  Positive identification will be required before the records will be released to the individual.