Special Education

The function of special education is to provide a free and appropriate public education [FAPE] to students with disabilities. It is a range of programs and services designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities while keeping them in settings as close to home and their non-disabled peers as possible. The entire pupil services team plays a vital role in helping students with disabilities, however, special education teachers are the heart of the department.

Special Education staff members are committed to helping students with disabilities reach higher levels of achievement. The world is becoming more complex and demands that people gain greater knowledge and higher-level skills are greater than ever before. Students need to gain knowledge in school and be prepared to keep learning for the rest of their lives. We have learned that providing all students with a challenging education will prepare them for meaningful jobs. We are here to assist our students with needed supports to meet the standards in all areas of the curriculum for their future success. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, including:

Consultant Teacher Services

These services are provided by a special education teacher who works with the student in the regular classroom setting for approximately an hour per week to assist the student in benefiting from the regular education curriculum. It also includes indirect services in which the special education teacher consults with the regular education teacher to assist them in modifying their instructional methods or learning environment to meet the needs of the student.

Resource Services

This service is provided by a special education teacher in a separate location for students with disabilities who require specialized supplemental instruction in order to meet the New York State Learning Standards.

Collaboration Model Classroom Setting

This service allows students to work with a special education teacher in a separate location for a portion of the day. The remainder of the student’s day is spent with the general education class. Support from the special education teacher is provided through co-teaching, consulting and modifying instructional methods.

Self-contained Classroom Setting

This special class program is a language based classroom model. A full time special education teacher, speech and language therapist and special education teaching aide collaboratively plan and implement instruction that is based on the student’s individual education plan [IEP] and the New York State learning standards. Regular education curriculum topics at each grade level are modified based on the student’s needs. Related service professionals also work with these teachers to implement the services required on the student’s IEP. Students within this program are mainstreamed for special area subjects and also for academic subjects based on their strengths in specific areas.