In a New York Lutheran High School, a student with a reading disability achieves honor roll status with the support of the resource room teacher. In Illinois, a child diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and his classroom teacher receive support from the on-site consultant special education teacher. In California, a little girl with a math disability works three days a week with a special education teacher building her skills. In Michigan, a child with a hearing impairment receives special instruction toward confirmation. A preschool staff in Indiana attends a workshop about how to include a child with special needs in their school. In Minnesota, a child with a writing disability receives special instruction on the writing process and keyboarding lessons from the special education teacher.

Lutheran schools have a reputation for providing a quality education for children, which includes knowing about their Lord and Savior. Today, more and more, Lutheran schools are opening their doors and their hearts a little wider to include children with special learning needs. Lutheran Special Education Ministries is providing the services for many Christian schools across the nation to keep their doors open.

Special education services are costly, which is the reason many Lutheran schools do not provide them. Lutheran Special Education Ministries, located in five regions of the U. S., is one organization which is helping Lutheran and other Christian schools open their doors to children with special learning needs. The Lutheran Special Education Ministries mission statement is “to enable children with special needs to receive a Christian education.” Lutheran Special Education Ministries began in Detroit, Michigan as a school for the deaf over 100 years ago. In the 1970’s, Lutheran Special Education Ministries broadened their focus to include children with other special needs. Today, many of the children Lutheran Special Education Ministries serves are considered “learning disabled”. Lutheran Special Education Ministries teachers are trained to provide children with strategies, methods, and the extra practice necessary to build their skills and achieve academic success.

Lutheran Special Education Ministries also provides, through its Resource Center, consultation and materials to any Christian church that needs support to educate a child with special needs. Each year, more and more children with special education needs are included into Christian schools and churches. This gives all God’s children the opportunity to learn, not only academics, but how to become Christian leaders in our communities.

Back to Fall 2001 Index