LRE & HTSD Special Education Programming

1. LRE & HTSD Special Education Programming Presented by: Dr. Monique Mawhinney, Director of Pupil Services Dr. Jay Thornton, School Psychologist Dr. Amy McTighe, HS Life Skills Teacher Mrs. Lynn Stevwing, HS Learning Support Teacher Mr. Mike Zdinak, HS Emotional Support Teacher Mrs. JoAnn Haas, Middle School Learning Support Teacher Mrs. Cindy Imbarlina, Elementary Learning Support Teacher

2. IDEA • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was established by the government to ensure that children with disabilities have instruction that meets their unique needs. The Individuals with Disability Act is the federal law that requires public schools to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to children with disabilities.

3. Least Restrictive Environment: LRE • To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities... should be educated with children who are not disabled, and... special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment should occur only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5)(B)

4. Chapter 14 of the Pennsylvania School Code: Special Education Services and Programs • § 14.145 states students with disabilities shall be educated in the least restrictive environment. Each school entity shall ensure that: • (1) To the maximum extent appropriate, and as provided in the IEP, the student with a disability is educated with nondisabled peers • (2) Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of a student with a disability from the regular education class occur only when the nature and severity of the disability is such that education in the regular education class with the use of appropriate supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved

5. Chapter 14 LRE Continued: • (3) A student may not be determined to require separate education because the child cannot achieve at the same level as classmates who do not have disabilities if the child can, with the full range of supplementary aids and services, make meaningful progress in the goals included in the student’s IEP • (4) A student may not be removed from or determined to be ineligible for placement in a regular education classroom solely because of the nature or severity of the student’s disability, or solely because educating the student in the regular education classroom would necessitate additional costs or for administrative convenience • (5) School entities shall be required to provide access to a full continuum of placement options

6. Continuum of Placement • § 300.115 of IDEA states: • (a)Each public agency must ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities for special education and related services. • (b)The continuum required in paragraph (a) of this section must— • (1)Include the alternative placements listed in the definition of special education under Sec. 300.38 (instruction in regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions)

7. HTSD Continuum of Supports and Services • HTSD has always been a big proponent of inclusive settings for students with disabilities. The goal is to educate our students in the school setting; specifically the regular education classroom • HTSD makes every attempt to include students with disabilities in the regular education classroom with supplementary aids and services

8. Placement Decisions All placement decisions for students with disabilities are decided upon by the IEP team. One person cannot make that decision alone

9. Continuum Regular education classroom without supplementary aids and services ↓ Regular education classroom with supplementary aids and services ↓ Special Education Classroom (all HTSD Special Education teachers are highly qualified)

10. Continuum ↓ Itinerant → Supplemental → Full Time in special education classroom ↓ Approved Private Placements ↓ Homebound Instruction, Long term suspension/expulsion, Court order placements

11. HTSD Special Education Programs K-12

12. Elementary K-5 • The Special Education Program at all three elementary buildings service students with mixed disabilities through the learning support program. This program is designed to meet the needs of students based on their disability. The three elementary schools have one special education teacher and one speech & language therapist who service students with disabilities in grades K-5 • The elementary special education program consists of  Inclusion, co-teaching , pullout or a combination of all these programs

13. Middle School: Grades 6-8 • The Middle School Special Education Program services students with mixed disabilities through the learning support program. This program is designed to meet the needs of students based on their disability. Students with disabilities may receive instruction in the regular education setting through Inclusion or co-teaching, or may require direct instruction in the learning support classroom. The IEP team determines the least restrictive environment (LRE) for students

14. High School: Grades 9-12 The HHS Special Education Program consists of learning support, emotional support and life skills support

15. Learning Support (LS) • Learning support focuses on students' academic needs related to their learning disability. Four learning support teachers provide intense support for students in the academic regular education classes. Some classes provide the Inclusion/Co-teaching model • The learning support teachers at the high school provide back-up services on a pull-out basis (during a student's study hall) to address the student’s skill deficit(s), conduct progress monitoring of IEP goals or provide extra support with students' academic work. This happens when they are not sharing instruction in the co-taught classes

16. Learning Support Program • Main focus is on: • Academics • Transition • Standard-based IEP goals • Independence

17. Emotional Support (ES) • The emotional support program is designed to support students identified with an emotional disability. Part of their program is individualized to provide emotional support to students throughout the school day • The emotional support teacher co-teaches in several classes and also provides direct instruction for those students who need one-one or small group instruction. The emotional support teacher also provides back-up support for those students included in the regular education classroom

18. Life Skills Support (LSS) • The life skills program is designed for those students who require a functional approach to learning. A life skills teacher provides academic direct instruction, social skills instruction, community-based instruction, functional life skills instruction or employment instruction based on the student's individualized needs identified in their IEP • Students at the high school level who are part of the life skills program are included in regular education classes as decided upon by the IEP team

19. Additional Information • Some students participate in a combined program (ex: LS & LSS or ES & LSS) • All students, regardless of their disability, participate in the regular education classroom for special area classes, rotation classes and elective courses • As with all students with disabilities, the least restrictive environment (LRE) is decided by the IEP teams • Students at all levels (K-12) receive related services as outlined in their IEP (speech, PT, OT, etc.)

20. Discussion