DEFINITIONS

General education environment means school and non-school environments used for educational purposes by students with and without disabilities such as regular classrooms, school libraries, learning centers and community job sites.

Accommodations means those evaluation procedures, curricula, materials or programmatic adaptations, behavior management interventions and supplemental aids and services that are necessary for a student to benefit from his or her education or to participate in co-curricular activities.

Supplementary aids and services means special assistance, materials, equipment and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education related settings to enable students to be educated in the general education environment.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM (ESS)

The ESS shall:

· Be integrated to the extent appropriate with the general education curriculum;

· Provide a range of support and remedial services, including instructional and behavioral interventions and accommodations;

· Be designed to provide students with needed accommodations and supplementary aids and services regardless of their eligibility for categorical programs;

· Assist all students in working toward attainment of the Vermont Framework or comparable standards;

· Provide clear procedures and methods for handling a student who disrupts a class, including provision of educational options, support services and consultation or training for staff where appropriate;

· Ensure collaboration with families, community supports and the system of health and human services;

· Collaborate, to the extent appropriate, with families and community health and human service agencies to assist educators in meeting the academic needs of all students.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TEAM (EST)

The EST shall:

· Provide a procedure for timely referral for evaluation for special education or other categorical program eligibility when warranted;

· Be composed of staff from a variety of teaching and support services positions;

· Screen referrals of individual students to determine what classroom accommodations and supplementary aids and services have been tried;

· Determine whether any additional accommodations, supplementary aids and services, or referral to other public or private agencies may appropriately meet a referred student’s educational needs;

· Assist teachers in planning and providing accommodations to students in need of classroom supports or enrichment activities;

· Collaborate, to the extent appropriate, with families and community health and human services agencies to assist educators in meeting the academic needs of all students;

· Develop a means to determine the effectiveness of accommodations and supplementary aids and services provided through the ESS; and

· Maintain a written record of its actions.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

The Principal shall:

· Appoint the members of each school’s Educational Support Team;

· Provide professional development and other resources needed to enable the Educational Support Team and other School District personnel to implement the Educational Support System;

· On an annual basis provide information regarding the existence, purpose and function of the Educational Support System to parents;

· Develop and maintain written administrative procedure in accordance with State Board of Education regulations to implement this policy;

· Complete and submit reports required by the Commissioner of Education to comply with Vermont statutes and regulations;

· Provide to the Superintendent an annual report on the status of the ESS including the report to the Commissioner, information on the services and supports provided, the funding sources of the ESS, how the capacity of each ESS to meet its obligations has been addressed in district action plans, and the effectiveness of accommodations, supplementary aids, and services provided through the ESS.