Welcome to IRESA Special Education Department

The Iosco Regional Educational Service Agency consists of five school districts serving a total of approximately 5,500 students; approximately 1,000 of these students are challenged by needs that make them eligible for special education. These needs arise from physical, mental or emotional disabilities making it difficult for the students to keep up with their peers. 

Because of the needs of the students with disabilities are so different and frequently require special attention, materials or equipment, we call our assistance for these students' special education services. The local and intermediate schools in Iosco County employ approximately 74 special education professionals and an estimated 70 support staff in the delivery of special education services. 

The IRESA takes pride in its ability to bring the best in education to students with such diverse needs. Services range from assistance to students within their own district classrooms to the operation of special services and programs. This assistance is far reaching and even extends to students who cannot attend school or a classroom setting. 

In General

Since it was established in 1962-63, the Iosco Intermediate School District had provided special education and general education services to the local school districts and communities of Hale, Oscoda, Tawas, Sunrise Education Center and Whittemore-Prescott. In 1995, the Iosco Intermediate School District, in cooperation with its local districts, committed itself to provide and expand the Career and Technical Education Program. The Iosco Intermediate School District became the Iosco Regional Educational Service Agency in 1998 to better distinguish its role of support to the local districts and communities it serves. Throughout its history, the Iosco RESA has provided classroom programs on behalf of Iosco County's local districts. Our classroom programs provide for students with; Cognitive Impairments: Severely Cognitive Impairments, Hearing Impairments and Early Childhood Special Education Programs (ECSEP). 

We also provide Special Education Services for children ages birth to three, which is coordinated at Iosco RESA's main office. Our programs specialize for students needs in various areas and provide instruction that emphasize:

• Social, emotional and intellectual skills
• Personal health habits, self-care and personal safety
• Environmental awareness
• Prevocational and vocational skills
• Job training and Transition Services
• Communication Skills
• Language Arts
• Functional math and reading
• Independent living skills
• Human growth and development
• Crafts ad recreation skills
• Community - based instruction
• Physical coordination (Special Olympics)
• Recreation and leisure skills
• Speech and language therapy
• Instruction in home-based or natural environments
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy

For more information on any of these programs, please contact Hannah Wanks, Director of Special Education at (989) 362-3006 ext. 1129 or her assistant Sharon Madagame at ext. 1134.

The Special Education Department of Iosco RESA provides services to students residing in the school districts of Iosco County. 

Administrative services are located in the IRESA Career and Technical Education Center and include:

• Supervision of center programs
• Coordination of education and human service agencies
• The collection of education and human service agencies
• The collection of student, personnel, and assessment data for the compilation of state and federal reports and provision of technical assistance to local districts
• Development of IRESA's Mandatory Plan for Special Education
• Monitoring and Compliance
• Technical assistance to local school districts and Public School Academies
• School-Based Services - Medicaid Program
• Administrative support to the IRESA Special Education Parent Advisory Committee
• Liaison to the Michigan Department of Education - Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services

Student training services and support include:

• Positive Behavioral Support professional development for staff
• Psychological evaluations
• Professional and paraprofessional staff development
• Teacher consultants for: autism spectrum disorder, behavior support, otherwise health impaired, physically impaired, transition services, visually impaired and transition services
• Vocational Assessment support