Continuum of Services

The ultimate goal for students receiving special education services is to provide them with the appropriate accommodations, modifications and/or services as we teach them strategies they can independently use or access. Through this process, as they become more independent, it is in the best interest of the student to decrease the accommodations, modification, and or services. 

Appropriate special education and related services is based on a student’s individualized needs, the Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee develops an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and then identifies the placement in which those services can be provided in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).  

The following document can provide guidance to ARD committees who are considering a change of placement for a student. This document includes class descriptions, specialized curriculum, specialized instruction, curriculum standards, state assessment, adaptive needs, disability related needs, and other considerations to assist the ARD committees. This is a guiding document, all decisions should be individualized for the student. 

Specialized Instructional Supports

Accommodations and Modifications

Accommodations and modifications are adopted by the ARD committee and documented in the IEP for classroom and/or assessment use.  Accommodations allow a student access to the curriculum by providing slight changes to the setting, timing, presentation, or method of response without changing what the student needs to know.  A modification changes the curriculum, expectation, or level of instruction.  Accommodations change how instruction is given whereas modifications change what is being taught or expected.

Collaborative Teaching

This provides specialized instruction in the general education classroom for a specific amount of time and for a specific content area as determined by the ARD committee.  Collaborative teaching delivery can vary based on a student’s needs. It may be the delivery of direct reteaching opportunities by the special education teacher. It may be accommodation support provided by the special education teacher or special education paraprofessional. It may be in consultation with the student and/or general education teacher if the ARD committee determines the student is able to access the curriculum more independently. Collaborative teaching is not provided based on specific events, but rather determined by the instructional goals/objectives within the student’s IEP.

Resource (including Dyslexia Services)

Specialized Supports takes place in a special education setting for special education students who are currently functioning well below grade level, academically. These supports can be added to the student’s schedule of services by the ARD committee. The goal of Specialized Supports is to provide intensive instruction needed to build the foundational academic areas missing needed to access grade level standards.  These supports are a supplemental service provided in coordination with instruction being provided in the general education classroom.

Traditional Resource 

Traditional Resource is for students needing modified curriculum through IEP goals and objectives.  When used as a full block Resource setting, the special education teacher becomes the teacher of record and is directly responsible for the instruction and monitoring of grades and IEP progress.     

Adapted Physical Education

Adapted PE is a direct service provided for students with disabilities who demonstrate a need for adapted or modified physical education instruction.  Adaptive PE is physical education that has been modified or accommodated for students with disabilities so that it is as appropriate for the student. 

Vision Instruction

Vision instruction is a direct service which provides students with visual impairments access to academic instruction. Certified teachers of students with visual impairments assist students in learning how to use tools and resources as well as assistive technology. VI teachers provide instruction in braille, abacus, and low vision aids and assistive technology specifically designed for visually impaired students.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Instruction (Previously known as Auditory Impairment) 

DHH instruction is a direct service which provides students with DHH Impairments access to academic instruction. Certified teachers of students with DHH impairments assist students in learning how to use tools and resources and assistive technology, if needed. 

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is provided to students based on current identified communication needs. The frequency, duration and location of speech therapy services are determined by the ARD committee based on student need.  

Once the ARD committee has established that the student requires an instructional service to master the agreed-upon IEP goals, the student is eligible for related services provided through special education. These services do require additional evaluations to determine the need. 

Related Services Include, but are not limited to:

• Occupational Therapy

• Physical Therapy

• Orientation and Mobility

• Music Therapy

• Special Education Counseling 

• Special Education Transportation

• Personal Care Services

• In-Home and Community Training

• Parent Training 

• Nursing

• School Health Services 

The Difference Between Educational  and Medical Models for Speech Therapy and Related Services

The Educational Model focuses on the skills impacting educational performance in all subject areas. Deficits are addressed through an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that is agreed upon by the school-age child’s educational team. A child’s IEP in this model will focus solely on the outcome that enables a child to benefit from his/her educational program. Therefore, the school therapist(s) will direct therapy so the child will gain skills to maximize his/her opportunities within the school environment. Therapy services are provided in school and most often within a group setting.

The Medical Model generally focuses on the impairment regardless of severity level to ensure that the child can successfully perform the basic activities of daily living (i.e., putting on their clothes, feeding themselves, speaking clearly their wants and needs, walking). Services are performed on a one-on-one basis in an outpatient clinic.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

Bearcat CUBS: Creating Unique Bedrock Skills 

Bearcat CUBS serves children ages 3 through 5 years, in a self-contained setting, who have been identified as having a disability, and determined to be at risk of not achieving academic and activities of daily living skills without intervention and specialized instruction. Services for children include daily structured activities to develop language, cognitive, social/emotional, motor (fine and gross motor), and self-help skills. 

Bearcat PAWS: Promoting Academics With Socialization

Bearcat PAWS provides students with disabilities instruction with general education peers. Students in this program require additional support from special education and related services staff in order to access age appropriate activities.  Students placed in ECSE Inclusion have been determined to be at risk of not achieving academic, communication and/or social skills without intervention and specialized instruction.

Preschool Articulation and Language Services (PALS)

This program is designed to support students who have normal receptive language skills but significant deficits in expressive language and articulation deficits in phonological areas.  These students typically are average in all other developmental areas, such as cognitive, adaptive, and social.  

Walk-In Speech Therapy 

This is a service recommended for students who would benefit from one on one or small group therapy sessions and who do not meet criteria for other placements for preschool age students. 

Centralized Programs for School-Age Students

Functional Academics (FA)

The Functional Academics classroom provides support services primarily for special education students with intellectual disabilities that need specialized instruction in a blend of foundational academics, social, self–help, employability and daily living skills.  Students in the functional living skills classroom have identified adaptive skill needs in the areas of self-help, social skills, academics, daily living skills, communication, use of community resources, self-direction, work, leisure, health and/or safety.  The mission of the Functional Living Skills program is to help students become productive members of their own communities to the fullest extent possible.

Proactive Responses Increasing Desired Engagement (PRIDE) 

The Bearcat P.R.I.D.E. program provides highly structured support to increase participation and engagement in mainstream settings for students with social, emotional and/or behavioral deficits that significantly impact the educational environment. All efforts must be made to support students in a less restrictive environment before consideration should be given to placing a student in the Bearcat P.R.I.D.E. program.

Structured Learning Class (SLC)

The SLC  is a highly structured environment for students whose social and sensory needs are such that they are unable to find success in the general education classroom setting. These students also have significant pragmatic language deficits that inhibit their ability to communicate effectively with peers. Students served through the SLC demonstrate significant social skills deficits that impeded their learning to the point that direct instruction is required daily to weekly. The primary goal of SLC is to increase self-regulation and social skills and support the generalization of those skills into the general education setting. Students served through SLC receive grade-level or modified curriculum as outlined by the TEKS and participate in the general state assessment (STAAR). 

Homebound Services

Homebound services are provided when students are: 

• Expected to be confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of four weeks (the weeks need not be consecutive). 

• Confined at home or hospital bedside for medical reasons only. 

• The student’s medical condition is documented by a physician licensed to practice in the United States.  

Transition Cats 

Foundation Cats

Adult students in this program have a focus on independent living, recreation and leisure, and self help skills. They require a higher level of support and do not have employment goals due to the needed level of support. Community training for these students, if appropriate, is linked to specific post- secondary goals for volunteer opportunities. They may receive assistance with agency linkages,  transportation support, related services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.) as appropriate, and instruction in independent living/ self help skills.

Service Cats

Adult students in this program have post secondary goals for supported employment, and working toward competitive employment, if appropriate. These students may have had employment/community based learning experiences in high school, and need assistance in finding the best vocational match and gaining skills to obtain/maintain employment. They may receive assistance with agency linkages, transportation support, travel training, connections to post secondary education/training, and instruction in independent living skills. Students have flexible schedules and spend most of their day in the community, and supported employment, with minimal time on campus. 

Working Cats 

Adult students in this program have post secondary goals for competitive employment. These students have had employment/community based learning experiences in high school, or prior to transitioning to this pathway, and need assistance in finding the best vocational match and gaining skills to obtain/maintain employment. They may receive assistance with agency linkages, transportation support, travel training, connections to post secondary education/training, and instruction in independent living skills. Students have flexible schedules and spend most of their day in the community, and  employment, with minimal time learning within a classroom setting.