Specialized Services
At Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), the Department of Specialized Services provides access to psychological, social, and nursing services for all students—and supports the needs of students with disabilities, including providing behavioral and academic intervention services.
MPS is dedicated to identifying, locating, and evaluating students with suspected special education needs from the ages of three to 21. Eligible students with disabilities are provided with a free and appropriate public education consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Programs and Services
- Assistive Technology (AT)
- Audiology and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Services
- Autism Programming
- Behavioral Support
- Early Childhood Services
- Home and Hospital Instruction Program
- Nursing and Health Services
- Occupational and Physical Therapy Services
- Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program
- Psychological Services
- School-to-Work Transition Program
- School Social Work
- Speech and Language Services
- Vision Services
Learn More About Our Programs and Services
Support from Community Managers
If you have questions or concerns about your child's special education services and have already consulted with their IEP team, please contact the specialized services community manager for your child's school. Schools are broken up by learning community, so first find your learning community in order to determine who the correct manager is. Please note that Learning Communities 1 and 3 both have two managers, so click the tabs below to see which one is responsible for your school.
Contact Information
| Learning Community | Specialized Services Community Manager(s) |
|---|---|
| 1* | Bryan Banasik | banasibj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 438-3535 Paul Zajichek | zajichpt@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8884 |
| 2 | Bryan Banasik | banasibj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 438-3535 |
| 3** | Afrika Hughes | millerak@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8550 Cheryl Moseley | moseleca@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8451 |
| 4 | Afrika Hughes | millerak@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8550 |
| 5 | Cheryl Moseley | moseleca@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8451 |
| 6 | Paul Zajichek | zajichpt@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8884 |
| 7 | Mary Spidell | spidelmm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8598 |
| 8 | Irene Borenstein | borensir@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8452 |
| 9 | Tracy Wozniak | tyczkotl@milwaukee.k12.wi.us | (414) 475-8082 |
Parents/guardians, school staff, or community members may make a referral for consideration of special education needs by contacting their school's office, the appropriate staff member listed above, or Child Find at childfindreferrals@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or (414) 874-8493. (If you are concerned about the development or academic achievement of a student who does not currently attend an MPS school, Child Find can help.)
For special education students who are city of Milwaukee residents attending non-MPS schools through open enrollment, IEP activities can be scheduled by emailing Michael Spidell, enrollment manager, at spidelmg@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
More Information and Resources
- Homeless Education Program
- Section 504
- Services Plans for Non-MPS Students
- Special Education Liaison for Families (SELF) Program
- Wisconsin's Informational Guidebook on Dyslexia and Related Conditions
If you have any additional questions about specialized services, please contact Dr. Travis Pinter, senior director, at pinterte@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or (414) 438-3648.