The Special Education Department of Marion County Schools will be conducting hearing, speech/language, and vision screening during the 2022-2023 school year. Students enrolled in Marion County Universal Pre-K and students enrolled in kindergarten will participate if previous screening results are not available. Referrals from teachers and parents, students entering West Virginia schools for the first time, and children failing previous screening will also be screened. The purpose of the screening is for early identification of possible hearing, speech/language, and/or vision problems that could adversely affect a child academic progress.
Following screening, parents will be informed of the results as quickly as possible. If further assessment is necessary, testing results and recommendations will be sent to the parents within 30 days.
Hearing screening will consist of pure tone testing (assessment of auditory acuity) and impedance testing (assessment of middle ear function). Procedures for the pure tone test will consist of a child listening to three frequencies in each ear and responding by raising his/her hand upon hearing the sound. Impedance tests require no response from the child because all measurements of middle ear function will be made by instruments.
Speech/language screening will consist of naming pictures, following directions, and answering questions.
Vision screening will consist of HOTV for distance acuity and PlusOptix digital screening machine.
Parents who object to their child being screened for hearing, speech/language, or vision problems during the 2022-2023 school year should notify, in writing, Gia Deasy, Administrative Assistant, Special Services Marion County Schools, 1516 Mary Lou Retton Dr., Fairmont, WV 26554, within 10 days of the publication.