6.2 Support Services

The purpose of academic support is to provide an educational support system that facilitates a student’s success within our academically challenging program taking into account each student’s specific learning strengths and needs. The services and programs include:

• classroom accommodations and support for students with documented learning differences through Support Services
• curriculum modification for students with documented learning differences, also through Support Services
• learning support for students in need within the regular ASFG program (ie. school wide intervention program)
• supervision of tutoring services

Support Services

Support Services offers a continuum of basic to more intensive interventions to students with potential or diagnosed learning differences. Parent support of the students and program must be demonstrated to initiate and continue Support Services. A parental permission is requested before students may receive extended help from Support Service teachers.

In some cases, the school requests a formal psychoeducational evaluation beyond preliminary academic screenings. A list of professionals who conduct such evaluations and with whom the school maintains a close working relationship is available through the section counselors. Communication between these professionals and ASFG is essential. Additional fees will be charged by the professional providing these testing services.

Any student receiving support services beyond 1st grade must have a full psycho-educational evaluation or other documentation from a professional. This evaluation would need to be repeated after a period of 3 years to continue receiving this support.

Psychoeducational evaluations revealing a specific learning difference lead to the student receiving designated accommodations within the regular classroom (Please see Guidelines for Documentation of a Learning Difference). Additional instruction from a support services teacher may be provided in the elementary and middle school sections (Please note that such instruction is available in grades pre-1st through 8th). Support services is not offered in Spanish because external support options in Spanish are readily available in the city.

Sometimes a student may benefit from specialized classes or therapy from an outside professional within the regular school day. If a student requires such additional support, parents must first seek principal’s approval. Parents pay the cost of this service directly to the outside professional.

Modified Program: Some evaluations recommend more significant modifications be provided based on the documented learning difference. These modifications change the curriculum significantly, lowering the grade level content and performance expectations for the student. Curriculum modifications include instruction on material below the student’s grade level, assessment using a different learning objective than his or her classmates, and exemption from certain assignments. This modified program will be noted on ASFG report cards and transcripts.

Students with strong academic or social needs may be asked to contract a monitor to assist them in the classroom on a full time basis. The school section provides monitor guidelines to parents when a monitor is required.

Elementary School

Students with a modified curriculum and/or who perform 1.5 or more years below grade level as judged by a comprehensive system of assessment may not be permitted to re-enroll for a subsequent school year at any point in their academic career depending on factors like progress in their IASP goals, socio-emotional status, behavior, parental support, and/or level of English language.

The status of a student in 4th grade whose academic achievement is 1.5 or more years below level will be evaluated by an assessment team to determine whether he or she may continue on to middle school. The re-enrollment of any 4th grade student that does not have English language proficiency similar to that of his/her peers will be reviewed to determine if ASFG is the best school option for this student.

Except for the few students enrolled in the Cognitive Advancement program, modified curriculum and monitors are not allowed beyond grade 4.

Middle School

It is expected that students in fifth grade and beyond are able to access the regular academic program with minor accommodations when necessary. These accommodations may include homework assistance or extended exam time in a quiet and supervised environment. Middle school support service teachers continue to provide inclusion support for those students having a documented learning difference. Parents or legal guardians will be expected to provide any additional support deemed necessary by the section administrator.

High School Program: Extended Time for Completion of Studies

The high school program may be extended from the usual four year time frame to five years for students who have documented learning differences, extended illnesses, or who participate in external co-curricular activities, e.g., national and international travel and/or competitions. To apply for the extended time program the following is required: all ASFG curriculum must be covered, inscription and tuition payments must be paid for each of the five years, strong commitment from both the student and parents must be evident, and individual programs must be approved by the Director General.

The following guidelines list the information that the school considers essential in determining whether a student is eligible for academic support and accommodations based on a learning difference and which accommodations appropriately meet the student’s individual identified needs. In order for a student to qualify for academic support services and accommodations, documentation must be provided which:

• Is current
• States the specific diagnosis (when appropriate, it should refer to the applicable professional standards such as those from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, DSM-5)
• Establishes the professional credentials of the evaluator, i.e. licensure, certification, area of specialization
• States relevant educational, developmental, and medical history
• Describes the comprehensive assessment and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis, including test results with subtest scores (standard or scaled scores)
• Provides clear description of the functional limitations, i.e. possible limitations to learning caused by the diagnosed learning difference, together with the corresponding specific accommodations

In order to qualify for support and accommodations, a previous evaluation may be considered if it took place within three years of the request for such support.

Please contact your section counselor if you have any questions or concerns regarding these guidelines.

In order to ensure success for every child, students who have not met the minimum proficiency levels for any subject or class, may be assigned to intervention classes by the section administration. These classes are held before, after, or during the school day. Intervention classes are free of charge and attendance is obligatory.