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Special Programs 

Special Education Programs

Adult Transition Program (ATP)

ATP is program for students 18+ that is geared to work on job training, independent living skills, and health and wellness.

Compliance and Academics Program (CAP)

The CAP classroom is designed to meet the needs of students with a disability who have average cognitive functioning, and the presence of problem behaviors that significantly interfere with learning. These students have deficits in attending, compliance, and frustration tolerance and may display self-stimulatory behaviors that disrupt learning as well as aggression towards others, elopement, and/or self-injurious behaviors. The goal of the CAP classroom is to teach students compliance skills and other necessary ready to learn skills so that the students can successfully participate in a general education classroom.  These students require high structure, repetition, prompting, reinforcement and intensive instruction to reduce severe and persistent behaviors that interfere with learning.

ECSE Program Description

The Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program is for students ages 3-5 who require specialized teaching strategies, and the ongoing development of communication, cognitive, social, and behavioral skills. The purpose is to provide early intervention with an emphasis on acquisition of behaviors and skills considered most important for future learning (i.e. imitation, attending, compliance); the development of oral language; establishing age appropriate self-care skills (i.e. toilet training); and reduction of interfering behaviors. The program follows a district-adopted research based curriculum for Pre-K. In the ECSE classroom, teachers strive to differentiate the instruction so that all children achieve at their individual level. The classroom schedule reflects whole group, small group, and individualized instruction throughout the class day. Children may also receive related services (Speech, Occupational, or Physical), as deemed required by the Admission, Review, Dismissal Committee. The ARD committee will routinely assess a student’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and consider a continuum of services with opportunities for the student to participate in an inclusive setting as deemed appropriate.  

Inclusion opportunities may consist of:

  • Pegasus
  • General Education Pre-K
  • General Education Kindergarten

Homebound

A student served through the special education homebound program at home or hospital bedside must be served by a certified special education teacher.  Over the period of his or her confinement, the student must be provided instruction in all core academic subject area courses in which the student is enrolled. In addition, over the period of confinement, the student should be provided instruction in all other courses the student is enrolled in, if possible.

The student is expected to be confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of 4 weeks. The weeks need not be consecutive.  The student is confined at home or hospital bedside for medical reasons only.  The student's medical condition is documented by a physician licensed to practice in the United States.

Inclusion

Inclusive education, according to its most basic definition, means that students with disabilities are supported in chronologically age-appropriate general education classes at their home schools and receive the specialized instruction defined by their individualized education programs (IEP's) within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities. Inclusion support is offered in designated academic areas.  Inclusion support consists of a special education teacher and/or paraprofessional consulting with the general education teacher to assist in the implementation of individual educational plans and/or modifications within the      general education classroom. Based on the needs of the student, this support may be provided via consultation with the general education teacher, and/ or direct, with the teacher or paraprofessional working directly with the student in the classroom. The amount of time for this service is an ARD Committee decision based on the needs of the student.

Resource

Resource is a pullout service delivery model offered in the student's area of disability. Students placed in resource classes are working on specific individualized educational goals and objectives developed by the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee. Most often, students in these classes are unable to successfully participate in general education curriculum at grade level due to severe learning difficulties.  Resource classes allow these students to progress through the curriculum at their own level and pace.

  • Can receive modified curriculum but are responsible for grade level TEKS.
  • Academic performance can also be 2 to 3 years below grade level.
  • Students must have goals and/or objectives for subjects.
  • Direct instruction and/or interventions are provided to the student.

Social Emotional Support Classroom (SESC)

The Social Emotional Support Classroom will provide students with a comprehensive behavior classroom that focuses on social skills training and social-emotional learning that allows students to move through a continuum of program options. The SESC program aims to provide needed behavior support to its students while they receive instruction in the general education or resource setting. The foundation of the program is rooted in the belief that students benefit both behaviorally and academically from educational experiences with their nondisabled peers while having access to the general education curriculum. With the ongoing support and training of SESC staff, each student will learn, practice, and implement individualized strategies that address targeted behaviors. Students will move through a leveled system of support by displaying appropriate behaviors independently. This will allow students to receive behavioral support when needed and receive maximum instructional time from highly qualified teachers.

Structured Learning Classroom (SLC)

The Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) is a specialized program designed to support students with low-incidence disabilities based on the University of North Carolina's Structured TEACCH philosophy. This program is based on a highly structured environment that meets students' academic, social, behavioral and communication needs. It utilizes an alternate curriculum, which focuses on the TEKS at the prerequisite level while individualizing instructional strategies for every student. While the names of the programs have changed student IEP goals will remain intact and implemented to ensure student progress.