Guidelines for IEP Teams Transferring Students to a Mccsec

Guidelines for IEP Teams Transferring Students to a McCSEC

Functional Academic Skills Classroom

(for students with significant academic needs)

The vision of the Functional Life Skills classroom is to teach students with mild to moderate Intellectual Disabilities the essential skills to ensure they may live as independently as they can in the future. The academic and curriculum focus in this classroom differs from the more traditional interrelated classroom. A functional based curriculum is primarily used to teach students. Students placed in this program are learning from the extended standards and are not exposed to the same general education standards as peers. A decision to place a student in this program places them on a completely different academic track.

The following defines some key academic features of the Functional Academic Skills program:

• Math
• Primary focus is placed on life skills math, such as: learning and understanding varying concepts of time, money, measurement, and real-world problem solving (i.e. buying groceries, eating at a restaurant, i.e.).
• Language Arts
• Primary focus is placed on real-world reading and writing skills. Reading is often taught through a sight-word based approach (survival sign community words, food and/or restaurant words). Comprehension skills are taught using everyday topics and materials like newspapers, schedules, cooking instructions, etc. to read and interpret.
• Pre-Vocational Skills (ACE - Accessing Career Explorations)
• ACE is a class that combines academic learning with real life application situations and the opportunity to learn positive work habits that will translate to academic success and later in life success when the student leaves school. Students also will have a chance to learn about their likes and dislikes and how that applies to tasks or jobs they may pursue in the future. The focus of the class is not to teach a job, but to use real life examples as a way to learn skills in a context and thereby strengthen learning.
• General Education curriculum
• Modifications to the curriculum are implemented so that expected learning outcomes and work are appropriate to the student’s level of functioning. This includes focusing on key concepts in order for Social Studies and Science content to be more appropriate and meaningful for the student.

Prior to consideration for placement in a McCSEC Functional Academic Skills classroom, the student’s IEP team shall ensure that the student is/has the following:

●Difficulty generalizing adaptive and academic skills across settings;

●Limited expressive/receptive language skills;

●Cognitive impairment;

●Need for functional educational program; and

●Below average adaptive skills.

IEP teams shall not consider placement of a student in a McCSEC Functional Academic Skills classroom based only upon a single criteria from the following:

●special education identification category (label);

●syndromes;

●moderate or higher cognitive ability;

●emotional disturbance;

●autism only;

●access to resources, materials, personnel.

Following are steps that will guide IEP team decision-making.

1. An IEP is written to deliver appropriate services in the least restrictive environment.
2. If consideration of change of placement includes a McCSEC Functional Academic Skills classroom and movement to another school*, the Case Coordinator of the sending school contacts the Case Coordinator at the receiving school about the change of placement option being explored. The appropriate classroom teacher shall be invited to consult with the IEP team.
3. A meeting of the IEP team is scheduled. The team, along with the Case Coordinator and teacher from the McCSEC Life Skills classroom, meets to discuss the student’s case, reviews the IEP, and considers and determines whether a change of placement is appropriate and necessary. Although each step along the continuum shall be considered, the IEP team will make service and placement decisions based upon the individual needs of the student.
4. If a change of placement is warranted, the IEP team makes the appropriate changes in the IEP and makes arrangements necessary for a smooth transition.

* If the change of placement includes a change to a different school building and/or district, the Director of Special Education and building principal (of the receiving school) will be involved in the discussion and decision-making process. The Case Coordinator is responsible for communicating information about the case to the Director.