Special Education is not a place, it’s a service. Board Presentation November 28, 2011

A Brief History of Special Education

1975 P.L Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) – Mandated a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities – Ensured due process rights – Mandated written Individualized Education Plan for each handicapped child

1990 Education of All Handicapped Children Act was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – Reauthorized and expanded the Due Process Rights – Mandated transition services and a comprehensive evaluation by multi-disciplinary team – Defined assistive technology devices and services – Added autism and traumatic brain injury to the list

1997 IDEA Amended – Strengthened the role of parents and fostering relationships between parents and school. – Ensured access to the general curriculum and reforms – Focused on teaching and learning

2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – Requires that all children, including children with disabilities, have access to the same rigorous curriculum so that they can reach high achievement expectations

2004 IDEA renamed IDEIA -- Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act – Continued to affirm the rights of students and their families, procedures through which decisions are made, the strategies through which students are assessed and the services to which they are entitled

Students with a Disability A student with a disability is defined as any person from birth to age 26 who is determined by an individualized education program team (IEPT) to have one or more of the impairment specified by the Michigan Administrative Rules, that necessitates special education, or specially designed instruction.

Areas of Eligibility Cognitive Impairment Other Health Impairment Autism Spectrum Disorder Emotional Impairment Speech and Language Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury Early Childhood Developmental Delay Hearing Impairment Deaf-Blindness Visual Impairment Specific Learning Disability Physical Impairment Severe Multiple Impairment

Dearborn Public Schools 2010 Count/Percent by Disability

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Continuum of Services Regular Education with Support Resource Programs Basic Classroom Act 18 Programs Hospital and/or Homebound Regular Education Resource Support Self Contained Center- Based Home Least Restrictive Most Restrictive

Dearborn's Center Programs Autism Spectrum Disorder Hearing Impairment Moderate Cognitive Impairment Physically and Otherwise Health Impairment Severe Cognitive Impairment Severe Multiple Impairment

Ongoing Work Improve student achievement for all students who are at risk Continue to monitor graduation and drop-out rates Continue to monitor results of MEAP and MME for students who have an IEP.

Current Efforts Co-Teaching at the secondary level New Teacher Consultant support model in our elementary schools and district Response to Intervention (RTI) framework Reviewing current interventions Certificate of Completion for Cognitive Impaired students Improving programs and services for center- based students to be serviced in our own district