Inclusive Education Policy
PHILOSOPHY
The International Baccalaureate Program recognizes that students come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, and have a range of academic, physical and other needs. There are many students who may have a recognized special educational need; other students may have special needs that have not yet been diagnosed.
Loomis Basin Charter School (LBCS) implements the IB program utilizing inclusive teaching techniques. Teachers design learning experiences that allow all students, including all those who have special educational needs, to meet the rigorous standards of the program. Teachers provide all students with opportunities to achieve these goals by carefully constructed differentiated teaching strategies. Differentiated teaching attempts to maximize students’ potential, and also allows students to demonstrate their learning in different ways.
Special Education
Specialized instruction is provided for children who qualify according to the laws and regulations outlined by the state and federal governments. A student may qualify for special education services as an individual with special needs in one of the thirteen areas identified by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). These are:
The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to youth with disabilities.
In the law, Congress states, “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.” As an IB school, we believe that a disability also does not diminish a student’s right to be an active participant in our program.
Supporting Students
In order to meet the needs of all of our students, specialized staff members also work with our students. LBCS has one part time Specialized Academic Instructor. LBCS also has a part time Student Services Coordinator who works cooperatively with staff to develop and implement school wide strategies for identifying, then changing instruction to meet, student needs. Additionally, LBCS currently shares resources with Franklin Elementary School to provide students one part time School Psychologist, one part time counselor, one part time Occupational Therapist, and one part time Speech and Language Therapist.
Although IB can be rigorous and intense for many students, this does not preclude the admittance of students with disabilities in accordance with federal law. The faculty is committed to working with children who have disabilities by incorporating differentiated teaching techniques and specific accommodations and modifications to suit the needs of the student. In addition, Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) blocks have been added to study hall to support students who need small group instruction.
We document our compliance for the needs of students with disabilities, through our District Director of Special Services and School Director overseeing the SPED program and by updating each IEP or 504 Plan* yearly. All information regarding the progress and performance of our SPED students will be contained in the student’s personal cumulative folder.
The Special Education Process
If a student is demonstrating a pattern of serious difficulty in school and frequently exhibits learning problems, consideration of Special Education may be needed. This can occur in the following way:
Referral and Identification:
A referral may be initiated by a parent/guardian, teacher, physician, the student, school administrator or community agency.
Student Study Team (SST):
The Student Study Team (SST) is a general education process to review a student's strengths and areas of concern. At this meeting, the parent/guardian, along with the school staff, determines if alternative instructional strategies are needed. The SST may refer a child for Special Education assessment only after all resources of regular education have been considered and implemented as appropriate.
Assessment:
An Assessment Plan is developed within 15 days of a written referral. Written parental consent is required for the assessment and the evaluation results will be shared with the parents/guardians at an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting.
Individualized Education Program (IEP):
An initial IEP team meeting will be held within 60 days of the district’s receipt of parent/guardian signing an assessment plan. If the IEP team agrees that the student is eligible under one of the thirteen eligibility categories, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed by the IEP team with appropriate placement to meet agreed upon educational goals.
The IEP team consists of the parents or guardians, a school administrator, a special education teacher, the student's general education teacher, and other special education staff as determined by the team.
When a student with exceptional needs has been found eligible for Special Education, an IEP is developed. An IEP is a written document, which includes instructional goals and objectives and accommodations and modifications to the general education program based upon the student's educational needs as determined by the IEP team.
The parent/guardian will be asked to give written approval of the IEP at the meeting. Goals will be developed and reviewed yearly. No change in educational placement or program will occur without parent/guardian permission.
Communication between all parties involved will be ongoing and parents/guardians are encouraged to request informal conferences with teachers, to visit the classroom, and utilize notes, email, or phone calls to learn about the student's program and performance. Additionally, the special education providers will report progress towards goals and objectives at each trimester and at the annual review IEP team meeting.
*In compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, students with disabilities may be eligible for additional accommodations or modifications while enrolled in the general education program. In order to qualify as a student with a disability under Section 504, the student must have an identified impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and require accommodations and/or modification of the general education program in order to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Eligibility for a 504 Accommodation Plan is determined by SST.
The International Baccalaureate Program recognizes that students come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, and have a range of academic, physical and other needs. There are many students who may have a recognized special educational need; other students may have special needs that have not yet been diagnosed.
Loomis Basin Charter School (LBCS) implements the IB program utilizing inclusive teaching techniques. Teachers design learning experiences that allow all students, including all those who have special educational needs, to meet the rigorous standards of the program. Teachers provide all students with opportunities to achieve these goals by carefully constructed differentiated teaching strategies. Differentiated teaching attempts to maximize students’ potential, and also allows students to demonstrate their learning in different ways.
Special Education
Specialized instruction is provided for children who qualify according to the laws and regulations outlined by the state and federal governments. A student may qualify for special education services as an individual with special needs in one of the thirteen areas identified by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). These are:
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Deaf-Blind
- Visually Impaired
- Speech-Language Impaired
- Specific-Learning Disability
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Intellectual Disability
- Established Medical Disability
- Emotionally Disturbed
- Autism
- Traumatic Brain Injury
The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to youth with disabilities.
In the law, Congress states, “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.” As an IB school, we believe that a disability also does not diminish a student’s right to be an active participant in our program.
Supporting Students
In order to meet the needs of all of our students, specialized staff members also work with our students. LBCS has one part time Specialized Academic Instructor. LBCS also has a part time Student Services Coordinator who works cooperatively with staff to develop and implement school wide strategies for identifying, then changing instruction to meet, student needs. Additionally, LBCS currently shares resources with Franklin Elementary School to provide students one part time School Psychologist, one part time counselor, one part time Occupational Therapist, and one part time Speech and Language Therapist.
Although IB can be rigorous and intense for many students, this does not preclude the admittance of students with disabilities in accordance with federal law. The faculty is committed to working with children who have disabilities by incorporating differentiated teaching techniques and specific accommodations and modifications to suit the needs of the student. In addition, Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) blocks have been added to study hall to support students who need small group instruction.
We document our compliance for the needs of students with disabilities, through our District Director of Special Services and School Director overseeing the SPED program and by updating each IEP or 504 Plan* yearly. All information regarding the progress and performance of our SPED students will be contained in the student’s personal cumulative folder.
The Special Education Process
If a student is demonstrating a pattern of serious difficulty in school and frequently exhibits learning problems, consideration of Special Education may be needed. This can occur in the following way:
Referral and Identification:
A referral may be initiated by a parent/guardian, teacher, physician, the student, school administrator or community agency.
Student Study Team (SST):
The Student Study Team (SST) is a general education process to review a student's strengths and areas of concern. At this meeting, the parent/guardian, along with the school staff, determines if alternative instructional strategies are needed. The SST may refer a child for Special Education assessment only after all resources of regular education have been considered and implemented as appropriate.
Assessment:
An Assessment Plan is developed within 15 days of a written referral. Written parental consent is required for the assessment and the evaluation results will be shared with the parents/guardians at an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting.
Individualized Education Program (IEP):
An initial IEP team meeting will be held within 60 days of the district’s receipt of parent/guardian signing an assessment plan. If the IEP team agrees that the student is eligible under one of the thirteen eligibility categories, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be developed by the IEP team with appropriate placement to meet agreed upon educational goals.
The IEP team consists of the parents or guardians, a school administrator, a special education teacher, the student's general education teacher, and other special education staff as determined by the team.
When a student with exceptional needs has been found eligible for Special Education, an IEP is developed. An IEP is a written document, which includes instructional goals and objectives and accommodations and modifications to the general education program based upon the student's educational needs as determined by the IEP team.
The parent/guardian will be asked to give written approval of the IEP at the meeting. Goals will be developed and reviewed yearly. No change in educational placement or program will occur without parent/guardian permission.
Communication between all parties involved will be ongoing and parents/guardians are encouraged to request informal conferences with teachers, to visit the classroom, and utilize notes, email, or phone calls to learn about the student's program and performance. Additionally, the special education providers will report progress towards goals and objectives at each trimester and at the annual review IEP team meeting.
*In compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, students with disabilities may be eligible for additional accommodations or modifications while enrolled in the general education program. In order to qualify as a student with a disability under Section 504, the student must have an identified impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and require accommodations and/or modification of the general education program in order to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Eligibility for a 504 Accommodation Plan is determined by SST.
