Special Programs

Providing our kids with the proper attention

Special Programs

The Special Programs team provides resources, training, and support for all campuses that service students who are English Language Learners (ELL) and/or receive 504, Homebound, Dyslexia, or Special Education services. Additionally, we provide resources, training, and support for the Response to Intervention (RtI) process and for campuses that service students who receive a specialized remedial curriculum for additional academic support.

Commitment

The Special Programs team is dedicated to providing every student with the accommodations and modifications they need to succeed at IDEA, in post-secondary programs, and beyond. With innovative and progressive service delivery models, ongoing and specialized professional development, and excellent supervision and support, we are committed to offering not only appropriate educational services, but services of the highest in quality.

Our Mission

The Special Programs team’s mission is to train and support campuses in extending and improving learning opportunities for diverse learners and/or students with disabilities in accordance with state, federal, and local policies and procedures. As a result of these efforts, students are able to participate in a broader number of activities and achieve the highest of expectations.

Special Programs collaborates with district and campus staff and parents to develop and implement programs and activities that will meet the needs of all students and ensure that all students receiving special services are fully included in campuses’ instructional and extracurricular programs in accordance with least restrictive environment (LRE).

FAQ

How are students identified with special needs provided instruction at IDEA Public Schools?

Students identified with special needs are serviced via their IEP (Individualized Education Plan). More specifically, IDEA Public Schools initiates a service delivery approach that offers intervention to all students who need extra help to reach grade level academic proficiency. Here are more details:

PreK, K, 1st and 2nd grade- Direct Instruction (“DI”) is the curriculum that is utilized at each campus for PreK-2nd grade students. Every student in DI is receiving instruction at their individual level in Reading, Writing, and Math
3rd through 12th grade- IDEA always seeks to provide students instruction in the Least Restrictive Environment, but support services are offered along continuum from being fully mainstreamed into general education classrooms to a self-contained classroom with low student/teacher ratio based on each student’s individual needs per their IEP.

My child was in a behavior unit at the previous district. Will IDEA Public Schools place my child in a similar unit?

IDEA Public Schools will offer comparable support services for any child based on their need. In the case of a student who requires behavioral support, the comparable service will be provided through the child’s behavior intervention plan developed through the ARD process. The student’s ARD Committee will determine the student’s placement based on the Least Restrictive Environment.

What if my child is eligible to receive 504 services?

A student’s 504 accommodation plan will be followed according to the child’s documented needs. If intervention is needed based on the criteria established by the district, the child will be placed in an intervention class. This includes services for dyslexia via our Direct Instruction Decoding program.

Does IDEA Public Schools offer a Life Skills Unit (self-contained) for my child?

Although the self-contained classrooms are not at every IDEA campus, we have strategically placed these campuses in our regions so that if a student requires this setting, they are able to attend to a campus nearby to receive the support they need. The centralized locations allow IDEA to focus its resources towards helping students in these environments. Assignment to one of these classrooms will be made by the ARD Committee as appropriate and per IEP.

Will my child be provided the related services as required by his IEP?

IDEA Public Schools will provide related services (ex. Speech, OT, PT, AI, VI) as noted in a child’s IEP through their employees or a contract company that is employed through the school district.

What type of support is available for my student who is an English Language Learner?

IDEA identifies students who are English Language Learners within 20 days of entry into our schools so that we can offer them the type of instructional supports that the Texas Education Agency recommends for students at different level of English language acquisition. We offer targeted language acquisition support programs such as Imagine Learning, Español to English, Direct Instruction for Spoken English, and Rosetta Stone for our students during their intervention blocks.

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