If a student has a suspected disability that interferes with the ability
to make effective progress in school, and various classroom interventions
and modifications have not been successful, an evaluation for special education
services may be in order. Under federal and state law, students are entitled
to a free, appropriate, public education, or FAPE, in the least restrictive
educational environment. Students are eligible for special education
services if all three of the following are true:
It is important to realize that special education is not designed solely
as a support service for any student who is struggling in school. Special
education services are designed for students who have disabilities that
affect their ability to make progress in education and require such services
in order to make progress in the general curriculum. These services may
include specially designed instruction or related services necessary for
access to the general curriculum. Parents or other adults working with
a student may make a referral for an evaluation. Such referrals can be
made at any time. Parents should make a referral whenever they have a concern
about their child’s school performance and believe that it may be
associated with a disability. The first step is to contact the student’s
guidance counselor and present the specific concerns. Often it may be an
issue of course or level placement that can be adjusted from the House office.
If a disability is suspected, the student’s
Guidance Counselor will set up a meeting with the Lincoln-Sudbury Student
Support Team. This team makes recommendations regarding possible strategies
or interventions to address the concerns and/or recommends an evaluation
to further explore the suspected disability. An evaluation of the referred
student is carried out by a team consisting of the student’s teachers,
Housemaster, Counselor, a Learning Specialist, and when appropriate, the
School Psychologist and the Speech and Language Pathologist. An evaluation
includes information-gathering steps and, if necessary, formal assessments
in the area of suspected disability. If a student is found eligible for
special education, the Team prepares an Individualized Educational Plan,
or IEP, for the student and services commence upon receipt of signed permission
by the parent/guardian.
A variety of programs are available to students who have an IEP. Teachers in the Learning Center, for example, present learning strategies in areas such as study skills, reading, writing, and mathematics by using the student’s class assignments or other learning materials that are applicable to the individual student’s goals. Students receive one to two credits per semester depending on the amount of time scheduled for a particular program.