Special Education

This high school class is designed on the foundation of Evidence Based Practice and Applied Behavior Analysis to meet the needs of middle school students on the high end of the Autism Spectrum, including those diagnosed with other nonverbal learning disabilities and other social-emotional challenges who have grade-level academic skills, but lack the social and cognitive and executive functioning skills necessary to be successful both in the classroom and in social situations in order to facilitate maximum progress toward educational goals.  This course supports up to 14 students with IEP’s.

 

The class (Communication in the Real World) serves students whose primary educational challenges include the following:

 

Students in this class require specialized case management, focused on the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional challenges faced by students who are either on the autism spectrum or, for other reasons, demonstrate social-cognitive skills deficit and are at or above grade level (graduation track). Students typically, but not always, have Autism as their primary disability classification.  Students in this class typically spend most of their school day (80-98%) in general education classes, with at least one specific period in a special education setting (Communication in the Real World).  This class is in lieu of an elective.

Instructional Practices: 

 

The  Counseling Enriched Classroom (CEC) serves students whose behavioral and emotional needs are documented to be more intense in frequency, duration, and/or intensity than other students in their age group.  The students’ behavioral needs manifest in the school, home, and community environments which negatively impact their ability to access their educational program.  

 

Students in this class require a greater level of emotional and/or behavioral support than can be achieved through typical case management, outpatient therapy, and mild-moderate special education classes.  Students in the class typically,  but not always, have Emotional Disturbance as their primary disability classification.

 

Students have been assessed and found qualified for Education Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) in the form of intensive therapeutic support at the public school site.
The class is dedicated to helping students manage significant emotional reactions, learn to act responsibly, increase positive social interactions, increase resilience, and improve academic progress.  
The class gives students access to the core curriculum in a setting that also allows them to benefit from individual and small group counseling and social skills training.  Educationally related mental health services are infused into the school day.  

The class has the capacity to serve a student within the CEC for one period or more of the school day, if appropriate.  Students are included in general education co-taught or intensive level classes and are provided with support from a behavior health counselor (BHC).

 

The CEC service includes mental health support (individual, group, and family therapy) as a part of the intensive, individualized services. The purpose of the CEC service is to support a student's ability to engage effectively in a variety of school settings on a comprehensive school campus.  
The middle school service is offered through a partnership with EBAC.

 

 

Recommended Class Size: Up to 12 students

 

The Practical Class is designed for students whose level of disability is considered in the Moderate Range.  The student is unable to access grade level stands in Strategic, Intensive or General Education classes.  The student's instructional reading comprehension level is below 5th grade level.  The student has had extensive exposure to evidence-based intensive interventions in the course's subject area and has not made significant progress toward grade level functioning.  

 

 

Recommended Class Size:  up to 15 students
Staffing Ratio: