CONTINUUM OF SERVICES
Special Education is a service, not a place.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) asserts that “to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”
20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5)(A)
Student Support Systems Explained
The levels of support in a tiered model increase in intensity from one level to the next to provide targeted assistance to struggling learners to help students close the gaps with their peers. As students gain skills, meet learning/behavior goals and targets, and develop increasing levels of independence, they begin to require fewer and less intensive supports.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one of the six principles that govern the education of students with disabilities and other special needs. By law, schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to the individual student's goals and needs.
To determine appropriate services and instructional setting for a student, the IEP team will first review the student’s strengths and specific areas of need. The IEP team will then consider the educational benefits of a particular educational setting. With the differences in needs varying broadly, there is no single definition of what a lease restrictive environment will be as each student’s IEP is develop to meet individualized goals and needs.
Settings may include some of the following or combinations of options:
· General education classroom
· General education classroom with accommodations and modifications
· General education classroom with individualized instruction
· General education classroom with pull-out services
· Part-time in general education classroom with most of the day in an another setting
· Self-contained special education classroom
· Special day school
· Residential treatment facility or hospital
· Home instruction
EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR
Overview
Extended school year services shall be provided for a student with disabilities who has unique needs and requires special education and related services in excess of the regular academic year. Extended school year services shall be limited to the services, determined by the IEP team, that are required to assist a student maintain the skills at risk of regression or for students with severe disabilities to attain the critical skills or self-sufficiency goals essential to the student’s continued progress. All students who are eligible for special education and related services must be considered for ESY services, however federal and state rules and regulations do not require that every student with a disability receive ESY services as part of the student’s IEP.
NOTE: The only services to be considered for a student for ESY are services are those services already provided to the student during the school year; however not all of the services the student receives during the school year need to be recommended for the student for ESY.
What is the Purpose of ESY
Extended school year (ESY) services are special education and related services that are provided to a student with a disability in excess of the traditional school year in accordance with his/her IEP. The primary goal of ESY services is to ensure the continued provision of an appropriate education by maintaining skills and behaviors that might otherwise be lost during the summer/intersession period. It is not a means to develop or enhance new skills or behaviors.
ESY Transportation
Transportation to ESY services will be provided to students who will be receiving their ESY services at a school other than their school of residence and to students whose IEP provides for home to school transportation because of personal factors such as health, social judgment, or lack of ability to communicate such that the IEP team considers that the safety of the student is of primary concern.
Credit Recovery/GRIP
Credit Recovery/Grad Rate Improvement Program (GRIP) is offered during the Summer School session for students who are on diploma track and have an IEP. The majority of these students are in mild/moderate SDC classes at the junior high and high school level.
Students who are in junior high or high school special day classes, but are on diploma track, need to participate in Credit Recovery/GRIP…. NOT Extended School Year. Students who are on certificate track and require ESY should attend the ESY program.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Pick-Up and Drop Off
If a parent/guardian has indicated on our student release form that their student is only to be released to the identified individuals on the form, then our drivers will only release your student from the bus to those individuals. If the parent has indicated on our student release form that their student does not need to be met by themselves or another responsible party, then we will release the student at the designated drop of point. Parents are responsible for students needing assistance from the bus into the home. Students will NOT be dropped at other address than the designated address, unless a written request is submitted and pre-approved by Transportation.
Drivers will not to pull in and out of private driveways. It is extremely helpful if room can be left at the curb in front of your home for loading and unloading passengers.
Curb to Curb Transportation
Applies to student’s whose IEP teams have recommended Curb to Curb Transportation
1. The bus driver will not leave the student unattended at either the pick up or drop off
location if, “Must be met at home/alternative” is checked.
2. If no one is at the drop off location to meet the student, the bus driver will contact
dispatch. Dispatch will attempt to reach the emergency contacts listed on the
Student Transportation Form.
3. If the bus driver is unable to make contact, the bus driver will contact the
Transportation Department.
4. The Transportation Department will continue to try to reach the parent. While
attempting to make contact with student’s parent/guardian or the emergency contacts listed
on the form, bus driver may proceed on the designated route to deliver any other students
onboard to their destinations and then return to the student’s drop off location.
5. If the Transportation Department is still unable to make contact with the
parents/guardians or emergency contacts listed on the form, the bus driver will transport
the student to his/her school of attendance or the Transportation Department. Staff will
accept the student and continue to attempt to contact the parent/guardian or emergency
contacts.
6. If no contact has been made by 5:00 p.m., Transportation will contact the Twin
Rivers Unified School District Police Services who will pick up the student. If Twin Rivers
Unified School District Police are unable to contact the parents/guardian or the
emergency contacts, school police may determine it is necessary to call Children’s
Protective Services (CPS).
Protocol for New Riders
The Transportation Department receives a copy of the Student Transportation Information Sheet with attached behavior support and health plans, routes and notifies parents of the schedule. Transportation services should begin within seven (7) school days after the Student Transportation Information Sheet is received. If transportation services will be delayed for more than seven days, transportation will contact the parent/guardian and school personnel.
Unattended Student Procedure
The procedure to be followed in the event that an authorized adult is not at home and authorization to leave unattended is not on file will be as follows:
1. Driver will notify Dispatch of the issue.
2. Transportation will call the home or emergency phone number. (Note: Transportation
will use current information on hand. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide us with
updated information.)
3. Driver will continue on route while awaiting instruction from Transportation.
4. After completion of their route, the driver will take the student to his/her school of
attendance or the Transportation Department where the parent will be required to pick
up the student.
5. If the student has not been picked up by 5:00 pm, the local law enforcement agency
will be contacted to hold the student until parents are contacted.
Student Illness or Absence
Should students become ill occasionally or cannot attend school for other reasons on a particular day, it would be appreciated if the parent/guardian would call the Transportation Department.
Listed below is the procedure to use to provide a more efficient and practical school bus transportation service of your student.
1. In the event a student is to be absent, the parent/guardian should call the
Transportation Department 916-566-3405 prior to the absence:
a. Any time before 5:00 pm the day before the absence:
b. Before 5:00 am the day of the absence.
2. In the event a student is absent without prior notification to the Transportation
Department for three (3) consecutive days, the bus will not be routed to the student’s
home again until such notification has been given by a phone call from the
parent /guardian. This must be done no later than 5:00 am the day of return. There will
be no exceptions. You must notify the Transportation Department. This information is not
to be relayed by the driver.
NEWS AND EVENTS
- Parent Engagement Series: Special Education
