Special Education

It is our goal at JHS 218 to ensure that the Special Education Students achieve at the highest level possible, to meet their full potential. We believe that it takes a team for any student to be successful.

The Special Education Department adheres to the philosophy that each individual with a disability is entitled to the support necessary to maximize his/her potential given the resources of the District. The Special Education staff, in conjunction with classroom teachers and other educational personnel, have a commitment to the following objectives:

  • To create an effective climate for learning by sharing all available information about a child's disability pertinent to the child's performance in an educational setting.

  • To provide and implement program and testing accommodations as stipulated on the IEP.

  • To facilitate each student's academic progress and social development by establishing appropriate goals and providing instruction.

  • To support and act as a resource for classroom teachers working with students with special needs.

  • To encourage students to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses so that they can become good advocates for themselves in all settings.

The Committee on Special Education (CSE)

The Committee on Special Education (CSE) services children from ages 5-21. Students may be referred by their parents; a designee of the school district in which the student resides, or the public school district the student legally attends or is eligible to attend; the commissioner or designee of a public agency with responsibility for the education of the student; and/or a designee of an education program affiliated with a child care institution with committee on special education responsibility. Evaluations are conducted by district staff. A parent/guardian may choose to have a child evaluated privately at their own cost. The district has the right to have a district staff member, certified in the area, review the evaluations and the reports. Throughout the process, parent permission and approval are needed in order to continue to the next step. Consent is always obtained in writing. A parent has the right to stop the process at any point by submitting a request in writing.

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS (IEP)

An Individual Educational Plan (IEP), which addresses the unique needs of the individual learner, is prepared for all children who have difficulties affecting their ability to learn. The IEP for every student is reviewed annually; the District conducts a comprehensive re-evaluation every three years.

Teachers understand that students with learning disabilities need a variety of accommodations and they teach with differentiated instruction to meet the needs of the students, according to their IEP. Special Education students that are on an Individual Education Plan (IEP) are on a continuum of services, based on their specific needs as documented in their IEP's.

RELATED SERVICES

Related Services are those services provided in a public school that are related to the educational needs of students, and address deficiencies that directly affect functional performance related to school tasks. Special Education Related Services include Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Details of these services may be accessed by selecting a link from the menu bar on the left.

504 Accommodation Plan

What is a 504 plan?

A 504 plan is based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 , a civil rights law that ensures all children have equal access to an education. The 504 plan is a legal document. It is designed to provide modifications, accommodations or related services to assist students with special needs who are in a regular education setting. A 504 plan is not an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) as is required for special education students.

How is a Student considered for a 504 plan?

Students can be considered for a 504 plan if they have a physical or emotional disability, or if they have an impairment that restricts one or more major life activities. These plans are developed through individual school building committees.

What are examples of “major life activities”?

Major life activities include but are not limited to caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, and learning.

What is the process?

There are essentially four steps:

1) A student is referred to the Special Education department by a teacher, support staff, parent/guardian, physician, or therapist. On occasion, a student may initiate a self-referral.

2) A 504 plan meeting is held including the general education teacher, psychologist, parents, and any other appropriate team members

3) Eligibility for accommodations is determined by the Committee. If eligibility requirements are met, a 504 plan for the student is developed.

4) A review date is set.

What accommodations might be included in the 504 plan?

Possible accommodations may include:

  • A child’s seat assignment can be adjusted to accommodate a disability.

  • A diabetic child may be permitted to eat in the classroom.

  • A student’s assignments or testing conditions may be adjusted

classroom models

The three types of special education settings are described below:

Inclusion Classrooms: The inclusion classrooms are for our special education students who continue to require monitoring, accommodations, and modifications to their curriculum, but are independent, organized, and motivated enough to perform satisfactorily in the larger and faster paced general ed. inclusion setting. Inclusion classrooms have two teachers (one general ed. and one sped. teacher or educational assistant) who collaborate with one another to address the learning needs of all students. There are about 25 students in each of the general ed. inclusion classrooms, which have about 8-10 students who have sped services. Sped students in the inclusion classrooms rotate periods like their general ed. peers and follow the same content standards and curriculum.

Resource Classrooms: The resource classrooms are for our special education students who require a smaller educational setting that allows for greater one-to-one teacher support to address their academic needs in the areas of reading, writing, math, processing of information, organization, and appropriate decision-making. Resource classrooms usually have about 8-10 students at a time. The students switch periods like their general education peers. Special education teachers in the resource classrooms also follow the same content standards and curriculum as the general ed. teachers, but usually make more accommodations and modifications to their instruction in order to meet the needs of various learners.

Fully-Self Contained Classroom (FSC): The FSC setting is for our students with severe disabilities and/or who display extreme academic/physical needs (i.e. need help with feeding, using restroom, etc.). Students in the FSC setting remain within their classroom throughout the entire school day in order to meet their IEP needs. There are around 5-8 students in the FSC classroom, one sped teacher, an educational assistant, and skills trainers (currently five of them assigned to their individual students).

academic aid resources

1. EquatIO

EquatIO helps students more easily write math expressions.

  • Dictate, type, or handwrite math equations to have them automatically uploaded to a Google Doc or other document

  • The software understands what is being typed or handwritten, and turns those expressions into clear, accurate on-screen formulas

2. Read & Write for Google

Read & Write for Google is a Chrome extension that makes documents, web pages, and common file types more accessible for students with different learning abilities.

  • Words or passages can be read out loud using the text-to-speech feature

  • Text and pictures come with dictionaries

  • Word-prediction tool suggests phrases as you type

  • Dictate words and they appear on the screen, eliminating handwriting

  • Type directly on PDFs

3. Mindomo

Mindomo is mind-mapping software that allows students to create collaborative concept maps, outlines, and charts that simplify project planning.

  • Progress from outline to graphical mind maps with one click, simplifying the outlining process for students who struggle to organize and rearrange their ideas

  • Students may embed videos and graphics in their mind maps

  • Includes templates for different types of writings, like a persuasive essay

4. ReaderQ

ReaderQ is a Chrome Add On that eliminates distractions when reading web pages and help readers get to the main point of what they’re reading.

  • Adjust the text display to show highlighting and varied text sizes, as well as annotations

  • Select and save keywords and phrases. A limit is placed on how much is selected to make sure only relevant points are saved

  • Used frequently by middle- or high-school students who need to reference information on the web when writing reports

5. ModMath

ModMath was designed by parents of a boy with dyslexia and dysgraphia to simplify basic math problems and detailed equations through the use of a touchscreen and keypad.

  • The app’s virtual graph paper creates a pencil-free format in which to complete arithmetic

  • Older students can complete more complex math equations inside the tool

SELF-ADVOCACY

Students can approach teachers with conversations starters like:

  • I’m struggling with ________________. Can we talk about it later?

  • I’m working hard, but I’m still not understanding. Can you help me?

  • This is what I know. Am I on the right track?

  • I’m not sure what I need. Can you help me?

  • Can you give me advice about ________ ?