Special Education Program Descriptions

Based upon our ever growing continuum of special education services, I would like to take this opportunity to provide a program description for the students with disabilities in our district:

 

Please note that students in the following programs have been evaluated by the Child Study Team (Psychologist, Learning Consultant & Social Worker) and have had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) developed to address their individual needs.

 

·        Fully mainstreamed: A child with a disability who spends the entire day in the general education setting.  They may or may not require special accommodations in the classroom.

 

·        In-Class Support:  Students in the In-Class Support (ICS) program are those students who can benefit from exposure to the general education curriculum with minor modifications.  Two teachers (1 regular and 1 special) plan for all of the children in the room.  The special education teacher affords modifications and accommodations in accordance with the Individual Education Plan (IEP).  Students successful in the ICS program are most apt to score in the “proficient” range or higher on our standardized tests.

 

·        Resource Room (Learning Resource Center): The Learning Resource Center is a pull out program that offers small group instruction in mathematics, reading/language arts.  Students in this program may utilize the general education curriculum or be placed in a specialized reading or math series. ( i.e., SRA Reading or Saxon Math)  Class size is limited to six in grades 1-5 and nine in grades 6-8.  Students in this program have demonstrated that they are not able to advance successfully in the general education class and require small group instruction on a daily basis.

 

·        Self Contained Special Education Program: Students in the self contained program require intensive special education instruction in all academic areas and typically require special support in the related arts.  Students in these programs often have multiple disabilities that include but are not limited to: moderate to severe academic deficits, social and emotional disorders, neurological or cognitive impairment.  Class size is typically limited to 12 with one or more paraprofessionals in the classroom.

 

·        Functional Self Contained Classroom: The students placed in this program typically suffer from severe, multiple disabilities.  The curriculum in the classroom focuses both on academic achievement and functional life skills. Mainstreaming for these children is varied and individually determined by the Individualized Education Plan.  The teacher to student ratio in these classes is quite small and multiple paraprofessionals may be placed in the room.  Functional Classrooms have been established at the Hess and Davies Schools

 

 

·        Teaching For Success Program (TFS):  The TFS program is a rather new approach to the inclusion of students who would traditionally be placed in a self contained setting.  The students in the TFS program have moderate to severe learning deficits but have the behavioral wherewithal to benefit from socializing in a general education setting.  The program incorporates the utilization of assistive technologies as well as significant modifications of the general education curriculum.  The program is comprised of three educators: 1 general education teacher, 1special education teacher and 1instructional paraprofessional who work together with the mutual goal of supporting children in the mainstream for more than 80% of the school day. The general education students in the classroom reflect a random sample of heterogeneous students in grades 3, 4, 5 , 6 & 7.

 

·        Autism Program: The students in this program have been diagnosed with Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder.  This is a self contained, highly specialized program for children ages 3-6.  Children are instructed in a highly supported setting with a student to teacher ratio that can be as small as 1:1. (One special education teacher who is supported by instructional paraprofessionals.) An emphasis is placed upon communication and socialization skills with the goal of future mainstreaming.            

 

·        Preschool Disabilities:  The Preschool Disabilities program services students (ages three to five) who have been evaluated by the Child Study Team.  There are two types of programs for these children.  The self contained program services students with the more pronounced disabilities who require intensive special education instruction and support during the half day program.  The Preschool Inclusion program places these students with their regular education counterparts.  The students benefit from the general education curriculum, socialization and communication with their non-disabled peers.

 

·        Extended School Year Program: The district offers a six week special education program in the summer that is provided to students who would significantly lose skills or regress if the instruction is not offered.  The students typically in this program suffer from moderate to severe disabilities, although all cases are considered on an individual basis.

 

Questions or comments can be mailed to the following address:

 

Mr. Glenn A. Martins,

Supervisor of Special Education Programs

1876 Dr. Dennis Foreman Drive

Mays Landing, N.J. 08330