A plan to move Special Education and English Language Learners (ELL) back to their attendance zones schools was approved by the Board of Education at its October meeting.  Before the vote, Board President Kenneth Rivera thanked those who served on several committees to create the plans. Four stakeholder committees were formed in May 2014 and met more than 30 times collectively over the summer to discuss plans to move the students back to their home schools. The committees included Elementary Special Education, Secondary Special Education, Elementary ELL and Secondary ELL.

The committees defined more than 100 recommendations to make the transition successful in five general areas: student transition, staffing, training for all stakeholder groups, resource allocation and ongoing communication.

Key recommendations from the committees included:

• Elementary school ELL students transition to their attendance zone school in school year 2015-2016.
•  Middle school ELL students transition to their attendance zone school in school year 2015-2016.
• Students attending Richardson Park Learning Center transition to their attendance zone school in school year 2015-2016.
• Students attending the Central School transition to their attendance zone school in school year 2015 to 2016.

A whole school approach is defined as cohesive, collective and collaborative action in and by a school community that has been strategically constructed to improve student learning, behavior and wellbeing, and the conditions that support these.

• Whole-School Approach to Supporting Student Learning
• Catering for Student Differences, Indicators for Inclusion: A Tool for School Self-Evaluation and School Development
• Evaluating Comprehensive School Reform Models at Scale: Focus on Implementation

Hierarchy of Supports, Services & Aids

In order to base appropriate service delivery decisions on the need of the student, all educators must be acutely aware of the service delivery options relative to a continuum of services. These options represent a hierarchy of support that can be delivered by educators in a variety of educational contexts, and will differ in frequency and intensity based on the unique need of any student.

Sample of a Campus Inclusion Plan

Sample of a Districtwide Inclusion Plan

• But, What About...? Supporting Students With the Most Significant Disabilities
• Components of Inclusive Education
• Examples of People First Language
• The Least Dangerous Assumption: A Challenge to Create a New Paradigm
• What is Inclusion?
• Inclusive Schooling: Are We There Yet?
• 10 Examples of Inclusion: For Those Who Need to See It to Believe It
• Summary of relevant findings about inclusive education
• Measuring Status and Change in NAEP Inclusion Rates of Students With Disabilities: Results 2007–2009
• Measuring Status and Change in NAEP Inclusion Rates of Students With Disabilities: Delaware Fact Sheet