Nothing Less Than Excellence

Educational Service Option for Students with Disabilities

 

Educational Services

 

PROGRAM OPTIONS and LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT

 

The Edison Township Public Schools provide a full continuum of placements to meet the needs of students with disabilities ages 3 through 21eligible for special education and related services. The IEP Team collaboratively determines the program that most appropriately meets the needs of that individual student in the least restrictive environment. All program placements meet the requirements of the New Jersey Administrative Code Title 6A Chapter 14 Regulations. Educational options available to classified students in Edison include:

§ Instruction in general education with supplementary aids and services

§ In-Class Resource programs

§ Pull-Out Resource programs

§ A special class program in the Edison Township School District

§ A special education program in a vocational and technical school (full time or shared time)

§ A special education program in other local school districts or operated by a department of New Jersey State Government

§ A special education program in a Middlesex County Educational Services Commission (full time or shared time)

§ A New Jersey approved private school for the disabled or an out-of-state school for the disabled

§ Home instruction

 

The goals and objectives in each student’s IEP correlate with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content and Edison curriculum standards. Based upon each pupil’s present level of educational performance, the IEP team develops goals reflecting academic, social, emotional and workplace readiness skills which are addressed in the standards.

 

The IEP team, including child study team, general and special education teachers, parents, therapists, guidance counselors and the student, when appropriate, meet annually to review the pupil’s functioning status and to determine the least restrictive educational placement in which these goals can be addressed. Progress Reports are completed in accordance with the district’s schedule. Each student’s IEP is reviewed at least annually to update goals and objectives based on the child’s progress in each area.

The IEP team makes an individual determination regarding the need for an extended school year program for each pupil. The decision is based upon consideration of all relevant factors including whether an interruption in education programming causes the student’s performance to revert to a lower level of functioning and recoupment cannot be expected in a reasonable length of time.

 

Related services are provided to students eligible for special education services throughout the district according to the individual needs of the students. These may include, but are not limited to counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language services and transportation.

 

Students in special education programs participate in the statewide assessments according to the accommodations and/or modifications in the IEP. If the nature of the student’s disability is so severe that the student is not receiving instruction in any of the knowledge and skills measured by the statewide assessment and the student cannot complete the types of questions on the assessment in a subject area with or without accommodations the student shall participate in an Alternate Proficiency Assessment.

 

Transition services are available to students in all special education programs beginning at age fourteen or earlier if appropriate. Each transition plan is developed based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s preferences and interests. The transition plan addresses instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives and if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills. Interest inventories and vocational aptitude tests may be administered as part of the process. When the IEP team determines the need, the case manager contacts outside agencies such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to participate in the transition plan development and provide services. The ultimate goal of transition services is to successfully prepare students for adult life in the community. Strong emphasis is placed upon the development of attainable vocational goals, independent daily living skills, self-advocacy, and self-determination. Students are encouraged to participate in activities which will promote individualized growth, independence, and maturity – all of which are essential components for leading productive and meaningful adult lives.

 

A full continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of students with disabilities ages three through 21 for special education and related services. Educational program options include placement in the following:

 

General Education class with supplementary aids and services including, but not limited to; the following:

a.      Curricular or instructional modifications or specialized instructional strategies;

b.     Supplementary instruction;

c.      Assistive technology devices and services

d.     Related services.

e.      Teacher assistant; and Assisted Support:

1.     A paraprofessional/teaching assistant may provide supplementary support to a student(s) in the general education classroom. The paraprofessional/teaching assistant works under the guidance and support of the general education teacher. The paraprofessional/teaching assistant may provide supplementary support in areas including, but not limited to:

 

   i.           Prompting, cueing, redirecting student participation

 

  ii.           Reinforcing of personal, social, behavioral, and academic learning goals

 

 iii.           Organizing and managing materials and activities

 
 iv.           Implementing teacher-directed follow up and practice activities
 
  v.           Implementing teacher-constructed accommodations, modifications and adaptations 

 

Resource programsoffer individual and small group instruction to students with disabilities. Resource programs may be provided in a general education classroom or in a pullout resource classroom. These programs provide support or replacement instruction as defined below:

a.      In a support resource program, the student shall meet the general education curriculum requirements for the grade or subject being taught. Modifications to the instructional strategies: or testing procedures may be provided and, if provided shall be provided in accordance with the student’s: IEP: The primary instructional responsibility for the student in a support resource program shall be the general education classroom teacher with input from the resource program teacher as specified in the student's IEP. A support resource program provided in the student's general education class shall be at the same time and in the same activities as: the rest of the class. Support instruction can be provided in the general education class or in the Resource Center as a pullout program. These models can occur in combination.

b.     In a replacement resource program, the general education curriculum and the instructional strategies may be modified based on the student's IEP. The resource program teacher shall have primary instructional responsibility for the student in the replacement resource program. Replacement instruction can occur in the general education classroom or the Resource Center. A student participating in an in-class replacement program shall be included in activities such as group discussion, special projects, field trips and other general education class activities as deemed appropriate in the student’s IEP.

  Group size may be increased with the addition of an instructional aide, except where noted, according to the following:

Support Resource and

Supplemental Instruction

Preschool/Elementary

Secondary

No Aide

Aide required


No Aide

Aide required

In-class

8

--

10

--

 

Pull-out support and

Supplemental Instruction

Preschool/Elementary

Secondary

No Aide

Aide required

No Aide

Aide required

Single subject

6

7 to 9

9

10 to 12

 

Replacement Resource

Preschool/Elementary

Secondary

No Aide

Aide required

No Aide

Aide required

Pull-out Single subject

6

7 to 9

9

10 to 12

(An in-class resource program may be provided up to the student’s entire instructional day. At the elementary level, a pullout resource center program may be provided for up to one half of the instructional day. At the secondary level, a pullout resource program may be provided for up to the entire instructional day. In-class support and in-class replacement instruction may be provided to students with disabilities by the same teacher during the same instructional period.)

 

 Special class programs shall serve students who have similar educational needs in accordance with their individualized education programs. Special programs offer instruction in the core curriculum content standards unless the IEP specifies an alternative curriculum due to the nature and severity of the student’s disability. The general education and curriculum and the instructional strategies may be modified based on the student’s IEP. The following are the types of special class programs located with Edison Public Schools.

a.      Autism

b.     Learning and/or language disabilities

c.      Multiple disabilities

d.     Preschool disabilities

Instructional group sizes for preschool, elementary and secondary special class programs shall not exceed the limits listed below. The instructional group size may be increased with the addition of a classroom aide according to the numbers listed in Column III as set forth below. When determining whether a classroom aide is required, students with a personal aide shall not be included in the student count:

I

II

III

Program

Instructional Size:

Instructional Size:

 

No Classroom Aide Required

Classroom Aide Required

Autism

3

4 to 6
7 to 9
(Secondary only; Two aides required)

Learning and/or language disabilities Mild to moderate

10

11 to 16

Multiple disabilities

8

9 to 12

Preschool disabilities

---

1 to 8
9 to 12
(Two aides required)

A program for students with autism shall maintain a student to staff ratio of three to one. For a secondary program, two classroom aides are required when the class size exceeds six students.

A program for students with severe to profound cognitive disabilities shall maintain a three to one student to staff ratio.

A classroom aide is required for a preschool classroom. Two aides are required when the class size exceeds eight students.

Instruction may be provided in the secondary setting of a class organized around a single content area consisting solely of students with disabilities instructed by a general education teacher where an adapted general education curriculum is used shall have a maximum instructional size of 12. The instructional size may be increased with the addition of a classroom aide up to 16 students.

 

Other placement options include a special class program in the student's local school district; a special education program in a vocational and technical school; a special education program in a county special services school district, a special education program in an educational services commission; a special education program in a jointure commission; and a New Jersey approved private school for students with disabilities or an out-of-State school for students with disabilities approved by the New Jersey Department of Education.

 

Students with disabilities shall be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment. Each district board of education shall insure that:

a.      To the maximum extent appropriate, a. student with a disability is educated with children who are not disabled;

b.     Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of a student with a disability from the student’s general education class occurs only when the nature or severity of the educational disability is such that education in the student's general education class with the use of appropriate supplementary aides and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily;

c.      A full continuum of alternative placements is to be available to meet the needs of students with disabilities for special education and related services;

d.     Placement of a student with a disability is determined at least annually;

e.      Placement is based on his or her individualized education program;

f.       Placement is provided in appropriate educational settings as close to home as possible;

g.      When the IEP does not describe specific restrictions, the student, is educated in the school he or she would attend if not disabled; and

h.     Consideration is given to:

 
 i.     Whether the student can be educated satisfactorily in a general education classroom with supplementary aids and services
 
 ii.     A comparison of the benefits provided in a general education class. and the benefits provided in a special education class and
 
  iii.     The potentially beneficial or harmful effects which a placement may behave on the student with disabilities or the other students in the class.