General Education

The general education classroom setting without personnel supports (may or may not require accommodations).

Consultation

The general education and special education team members collaborate on a regular basis as defined in the IEP to support the needs of the student and discuss progress.  Consultation services must be provided a minimum of 15 minutes, two times per month in order to generate a funding option in EdPlan/EasyIEP.  Additionally, the case manager must keep a log documenting consultation.  See sample template for documenting consultation services below.

Core Support 

Students with disabilities, supported in general education classes, receive specialized instruction and accommodations within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities.  Instruction provided in the general education setting is supported by special education personnel without removing the student from the classroom. 

Intervention 

Special education interventions are provided to students who require targeted and intensive instruction in specific skill areas. Students receive direct specialized instruction in a group that is smaller than the general education classroom sizes; located in a special education setting. Intervention specifically addresses identified skill deficits through the use of intensive research-based strategies. 

Comprehensive Development Classroom (CDC)

The comprehensive development classroom is designed to meet the diverse and extensive needs of students ages 5-21 with the most significant disabilities. Instruction is provided primarily in a self-contained special education setting, but with access to typically developing peers to the greatest extent possible for each student. Services are planned and implemented to support the student’s daily needs and lead to the attainment of individualized educational goals. The IEP team works together to maximize each student’s learning potential across all areas of development, including communication, self-help, personal-social, academic, and pre-vocational/vocational domains. A belief in each student’s potential to learn and grow into independent adults guides all decision-making and instruction. Modified content is provided to meet students’ needs. 

Preschool

Students with significant disabilities ages 3-5 may  receive instruction in a variety of highly structured early childhood environments, as determined by the IEP team. The preschool schedule is filled with engaging, educational activities designed to address all areas of development.  Students’ level of participation in the program is determined by the IEP team based on both age and educational need with the emphasis on keeping students in their regular environment (i.e. home, daycare, preschool etc.) and alongside typically developing peers to the maximum extent possible. 

Extended Behavior Services

Extended Behavior Services, available at the elementary and middle school levels, are services designed for students with significant behavioral, emotional, and/or mental health needs. Students are educated in a highly structured environment with social skills taught and reinforced at a high frequency. Referral to the program is contingent upon documentation of previous strategies addressing behaviors, implementation and revision of a behavior plan, and collaboration with the behavior consultant team. Student reentry into the previous environment is determined by successful reintegration with peers, with exit from the program being an IEP team decision. 

Gifted Services

CMCSS gifted education teachers serve students who are identified as Intellectually Gifted by Tennessee state standards. Determination of eligibility includes a variety of assessment sources, such as standardized academic testing, checklists of gifted characteristics, an individually administered test of cognitive ability, portfolios, and creativity rating scales. Students’ services are determined based upon their IEPs and can range from consultative support to weekly or daily direct instruction with intellectual peers.

Related Services

Occupational Therapy 

Occupational therapy is a related service that serves a supportive role in helping the student participate in and benefit from special education.  Services address skills necessary to access the student’s school environment as well as benefit from a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).  Educationally related OT services are provided within the context of the child’s educational program, with service delivery occurring in the school environment where the need occurs. The goal of intervention is to assist the child in accessing the school setting by adapting the environment, revising functional tasks, and/or promoting elements of sensorimotor development, with service delivery determined by the student’s IEP team. 

Physical Therapy 

Physical therapy is a related service that serves a supportive role in helping the student participate in and benefit from special education.  Educationally related PT services are provided within the context of the child’s educational program, with service delivery occurring in the school environment where the need occurs.  Interventions, strategies, and adaptations focus on promoting functional mobility, positioning, and safe and efficient participation in school activities and routines, with service delivery determined by the IEP team.

Speech/Language

Speech/language services are provided to students ages 3-22 who have significant communication delays which negatively impact their ability to access their educational program.  School-based speech/language services are provided only when the identified speech-language impairment directly impacts educational performance and requires the specialized expertise of a speech/language provider.  Licensed speech/language providers collaborate with teachers and families in order to support student communication skills in the classroom.  Speech and/or language services are available on a continuum and are provided as outlined in the student’s IEP.

Vision Services

Vision services are direct or consultation services for students who qualify based on a medical diagnosis of visual impairment, including those with additional disabilities.  The teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) is responsible for providing instruction to support students’ academic achievement in the existing curriculum and in the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), the body of knowledge and skills needed due to their unique disability-specific deficits.

Transportation

Students with disabilities are transported with students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.  It is the responsibility of the student’s IEP Team to determine whether special transportation as a related service is necessary in order for an eligible student to access appropriate services.  Special transportation is provided to students placed in a program that is not located at their zoned school or whose disability prevents them from riding a regular bus.

Assistive Technology

An assistive technology device is any item or piece of equipment that is used to increase or maintain the functional capabilities of students with disabilities.  The Assistive Technology Coordinator screens and/ or evaluates students referred by the IEP Team.  If it is determined the student requires assistive technology to receive an appropriate education the coordinator will procure the appropriate device and provide training or technical assistance to the student, family, and school personnel as needed.

Homebound

Student receives through our Student Services Department. Students must receive a minimum of 3 direct service hours to generate the appropriate funding option in EdPlan/EasyIEP.  The IEP team follows state and federal guidelines in the determination of how many hours are required to meet the student's individualized needs. 

Out-of-District

Student receives services in a special day school, residential, hospital, etc.

Informational Pamphlet