Early Tiger Program
Serving Preschoolers Ages 3-5

Welcome to the Early Tiger Program
The Dawson County Schools "Early Tiger Program" is an early intervention program for students with developmental delays that qualify for special education services. We offer free screenings for children who are suspected of having developmental delays in one or more of the following areas: cognitive functioning, social-emotional development, adaptive functioning skills, speech & language development and development in gross and/or fine motor skills.
If you suspect a child under your care may be experiencing development delays, please contact:
Christine Pittman
Early Childhood Facilitator
phone: 706-265-3246 ext. 1046
Carolyn Wright
Preschool Diagnostician
phone: 706-265-3246 ext. 1022
Process for Qualifying for Special Education Services - Preschool Ages 3-5 years
1. Obtain a request for screening. Click HERE to download the request for screening, or contact Christine Pittman to pick one up.
2. Complete the request and return to the Preschool Department, located at Riverview Elementary School. You may also scan and email the packet to Christine Pittman.
3. The Preschool Department will contact you to set up a screening in all 5 areas of development: communication, motor, adaptive, emotional/social, and cognitive. Screenings can be completed at RVES or the Dawson County daycare/pre-k your child attends.
4. If the screening reveals a potential delay, you will be notified and asked to sign consent for a more comprehensive evaluation. You will be given an evaluation packet to complete. Once the packet is received, the evaluation will be scheduled and completed.
5. A report will be produced detailing the evaluation and the results. This report will be discussed at an eligibility meeting, and team members will include you (the parent), the evaluators, therapists, and teachers.
6. If your child qualifies, you will be asked to sign consent for placement in special education. Once that is signed, an IEP (Individualized Education Program) will be developed by the team. This document will include present levels of performance, goals, objectives, services, supports, and any other special factors that may apply.
Early Tiger Program- Preschool Classrooms
Some of our preschool classes are composed of both typically and atypically-developing preschool students. This is known as our "Typical Peer Preschool" program.
The typical peer preschool program allows children with developmental delays to interact with and be exposed to typical peer behavior and development. These opportunities provide valuable services and opportunities for students with disabilities. Research has shown that students learn from their peers. The biggest area of need our preschoolers have is in social skills and language development. By participating in a preschool classroom with typically-developing peers, students with disabilities have peer models for learning social interaction, imaginative play, social language, fine and gross motor skills, and preschool concepts. Many of our preschoolers have successfully transitioned into one of our GA Pre K classes, and then into general education kindergarten. We firmly believe that all children can succeed and that providing early intervention is key to closing the gap and addressing developmental delays.
Our typical peer preschool class provides a rich learning environment for our youngest Dawson County students to develop skills needed for success in school.
Check out this video that highlights the value of our typical peer preschool classrooms!