(New Orleans – March 30, 2023) –NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) is proud to unveil the updated 2023 Special Education Resource Guide for families, students, and community members to better access the abundance of resources that exist across the city.
The Special Education Resource Guide is a living document that contains more than 20 areas of assistance, boasting more than 170 organizations and providers. Resources to assist families obtain housing, extra-curricular activities, financial aid, transportation, and employment opportunities are just a few of the categories the Guide contains. The 2023 resource guide also includes information about summer camps for students with exceptionalities as well as sensory-friendly events that happen across the metropolitan area.
The organizations listed in the Guide are specifically for families, students, and community members, so they can be more aware of the different groups and programs that exist. Parents will find useful information on support groups, advocacy organizations, and enrichment programs, including enrichment opportunities & after-school programs.
"Helping ensure that families and community members can better access resources are top priorities for our District, and the resource guide is another way we seek to help families locate the best-suited resources and programs for their scholars," said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams. "With access to such information online, not only can families find organizations and programs more efficiently, but they can also be sure to find more resources that match the individualized needs of their child."
To celebrate the release of the 2023 NOLA-PS Special Education Resource Guide, the school district will also host a Community Resource Fair for families, community members, and school teams. There will be over 20 organizations participating in the Community Resource Fair, including Louisiana Children's Museum (LCM), Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans (FHF), Special Olympics Louisiana, and LOOP NOLA. This event will be held on Wednesday, April 5th from 9:00am-3:00pm at Mahalia Jackson Elementary School, which is located at 2405 Jackson Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70113. Please note that there is only off-street parking and a photo ID is needed for entry.
NOLA-PS is excited to release the updated version of the Special Education Resource Guide to ensure that there is more access and awareness of the variety of resources that exist in the city.
To access the guide online, click here. To access the read aloud version of the resource guide, click here.
Should families or community members have any questions about the Special Education Resource Guide or Community Resource Fair, please reach out to Justin Allison at jallison@nolapublicschools.com.
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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB). NOLA-PS currently oversees 72 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams, the first woman in the District's 181 years to serve as its permanent superintendent.
For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.