Program Overview
Tri-County Special Education Interlocal #607 is an interlocal agency that provides special education and related services to eligible students in seven school districts in southeast Kansas. Those school districts are: Caney, Cherryvale, Coffeyville, Fredonia, Independence, Neodesha, and Parsons. Our agency works collaboratively with area Birth to Three programs to provide effective transition services beginning at age three, as well as Vocation Rehabilitation and area adult agencies to plan for a smooth transition of services at graduation and/or age 21.

Program Administration
Tri-County is an interlocal governed by its own Board of Education. We employ a director, an assistant director, and three area coordinators. These coordinators supervise the various community programs, services, and personnel.

Early Childhood Services
Tri-County Special Education Interlocal #607 has an early childhood special education program. The Kids FIRST Early Intervention Program provides special education and related services to eligible children, ages three to five, within the school districts served by Tri-County Special Education Interlocal #607. These services may be provided in the home or a local community setting and may include: physical or occupational therapy, speech/language development, early intervention education, vision and hearing services, transportation, transition planning, school psychological services, nursing, and assistive technology.

We have 18 children with special needs in community preschools in Independence, 17 in Coffeyville, and 6 in Caney. We use the consultative/collaborative model. In these classrooms the ECSE teacher observes in the classroom and primarily delivers services through consultation with the community program teacher. .

Public Relations
The Kids FIRST Early Intervention Program has cultivated positive working relationships with various community agencies over the years. It is through these relationships that many families area referred to our program. We work collaboratively with: local physicians and area hospitals, public health agencies, social security offices, mental health agencies, community child/preschool facilities, local public an private schools, and other agencies that target resource planning. we are active in the local Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council. We provide brochures for distribution at local stores, medical offices,dentists offices, restaurants, child/preschool facilities, social security offices, mental health agencies, etc. Our staff is always available to speak to community organizations and has provided numerous inservice opportunities for local child care/preschool programs.

District Demographics
Total student enrollment for 1997/98:

• Coffeyville: 2,449
• Independence: 2284
• Caney: 914

Early childhood special education enrollment:

• Coffeyville: 17
• Independence: 18
• Caney: 6

Total number of school buildings:

• Coffeyville: 7
• Independence: 5
• Caney: 2

Number of elementary buildings:

• Coffeyville: 4
• Independence: 3
• Caney: 1

Number of ECSE classrooms operated by the district in district buildings:

• Coffeyville:
• Independence:
• Caney:

Number of community programs approximately:

• Coffeyville: 9 plus home sites
• Independence: 11 plus home sites
• Caney: 1

Number of ECSE staff:

• Coffeyville: 5.5
• Independence: 4.75
• Caney: 2