Special Education

Personal Economics/Math Essentials 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed for students with significant disabilities and addresses basic functional math skills aligned to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Emphasis is on increasing and refining math skills necessary for independent living. 

Literacy Essentials 1-8   Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed for students with significant disabilities and addresses basic reading and written language skills aligned to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Emphasis is on increasing and refining reading and writing skills necessary for independent living. 

Science Essentials 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed to address the basic health and science skills of students with significant disabilities and aligned to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Students will actively use the scientific process to understand the content and make connections to real life. Emphasis is on promoting healthy independent living skills that help students approach responsible decision making, exercise and physical fitness, nutrition principles, personal care and appearance, mental and emotional health, stress management, and first-aid. 

Occupational Preparation 1-8 (Essentials)   Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and designed to address the basic workplace skills of students with significant disabilities. The focus of Occupational Preparation is on prerequisite career development skills. Students will complete activities that focus on work readiness such as effective oral, written, and listening communication skills. Students will also complete activities that focus on decision-making in school or the workplace. This course is aligned with the Arizona Workplace Standard. 

Adaptive Physical Education Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course requires a doctor's written recommendation or IEP for the student to enroll. The course is designed to provide students who cannot participate in the regular physical education program for an extended period of time, an opportunity to engage in appropriate physical education activities. The course activities will be designed to meet the individual needs of each student. This course may be repeated for credit. 

Social Studies Essentials 1-8

 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite: Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is designed to support students with moderate intellectual disabilities in developing a foundational understanding of World and U.S. History, Government, and Economics and is aligned to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Students will explore major historical events, basic civic responsibilities, and fundamental economic concepts through hands-on activities, adapted materials, and project-based learning. The course focuses on promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and social skills while encouraging students to understand their role within their local and global communities. 

Math Fundamentals 1-12+ Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed for students with mild to moderate disabilities and addresses mathematics skills aligned to Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Emphasis is on increasing and refining the math skills necessary for independent living. 

English Fundamentals 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed for students with disabilities and provides explicit, systematic, research-based reading and writing instruction aligned to the Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards. Emphasis is on increasing reading comprehension and writing skills while establishing skills in phonemic awareness and phonics, word recognition and spelling, vocabulary and morphology, and written language. 

Science Fundamentals 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

Course Description:

Science Fundamentals is a specialty designed science course tailored for high school students with intellectual disabilities.  Aligned to the Arizona Science Standards and guided by the principles of the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this course supports students in developing foundational science knowledge, skills and habits of mind.

Students explore real-world science topics through hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences, visual supports, and functional applications that encourage active participation and critical thinking.  Instruction emphasizes the use of scientific and engineering practices to help students investigate, observe, describe, and explain the natural world around them.  Content areas are adapted from core science disciplines including Integrated Science, Biology & Environmental Science.

Social Studies Fundamentals 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

Social Studies Fundamentals is a specially designed course for high school students with intellectual disabilities.  Rooted in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and aligned to the Arizona History and Social Science Standards, this course builds foundational knowledge of historical, civic, geographic and economic concepts through accessible, engaging and functional instruction.

Students explore major events, people, systems and cultures that have shaped the United States and the world.  Instruction emphasizes practical application, decision-making and community engagement to help students make meaningful connections between past events, present-day life and their role as informed citizens.  Core content ares include:  World and US History, and Government/Economics. 

Occupational Preparation 1-8 (Fundamentals) Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and designed to address the basic reading and written language skills of students with mild to moderate disabilities. The focus of Occupational Preparation is on prerequisite career development skills. Students will complete activities that focus on work readiness such as effective oral, written, and listening communication skills. Students will also complete activities that focus on decision-making in school or the workplace. This course is aligned to the Arizona Workplace Standards. 

Careers Fundamentals 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and designed to address the basic reading and written language skills of students with mild to moderate disabilities. The focus of this course is on the development of work readiness skills for post high school employment. Students complete activities that focus on selecting and planning occupational choices, exhibiting appropriate work habits and behavior, and seeking and securing employment. This course is aligned to the Arizona Workplace Standards. 

Math Reasoning 1-2 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and course placement test. 

This course is designed for students who demonstrate the need for instruction on foundational number sense by building number concepts and problem-solving skills. The course builds the necessary skills for successful entry into Algebra. Placement in this course is based on skill level and IEP goals and objectives. 

Math Reasoning 3-4 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and course placement test. 

This course is designed for students showing proficiency in basic number sense skills, but who need further instruction in working with rational numbers. The course builds the necessary skills for successful entry into Algebra. Placement in this course is based on skill level and IEP goals and objectives. 

Math Strategies 1-8 (Supplemental) Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is designed to specifically target students who need instruction in math strategies and skills development. This course will focus on strengthening students’ problem-solving and computational skills that will be applied to all levels of mathematics. 

Algebraic Reasoning Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

Algebra Skills is designed to target and reinforce algebraic skills and concepts necessary for students to be successful in the Algebra 1 curriculum. Students enrolled in this course must be placed by IEP team decision and have not completed Algebra 1 or higher math courses. 

English Fundamentals 180 1-8 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is designed for students with disabilities and provides explicit, systematic, research-based reading and writing instruction aligned to the Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards. Emphasis is on increasing reading comprehension and writing skills while establishing skills in phonemic awareness and phonics, word recognition and spelling, vocabulary and morphology, and written language. 

Literacy Strategies 1-8 (Supplemental) Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is designed to target students who need improvement in both basic reading and writing skills and is a combination of both the reading and writing strategies courses. 

Strategies for Success 1-2 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

This course is designed to teach skills in organization, reading, note-taking, test-taking, study skills, time management skills, communication, and self-advocacy with an emphasis on the application of strategies to content areas. 

Personal Skills Development 1-2 Grades 9-12 2 Semesters 1 Credit

Prerequisite:  Determined by student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

The focus of this course is on transition activities as required in each student’s IEP. Transition activities may include but are not limited to the following: self-advocacy skills, development of a course of study, identification of needed inter-agency links, completion of career occupational searches, completion of postsecondary school searches, understanding banking procedures, understanding transportation options, understanding voter registration and selective service procedures, and an introduction to types of social/recreation programs in the community. This course is aligned with the transition requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.