Special Education
The Penn-Trafford School District provides a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to exceptional learners. To qualify as an exceptional learner, the child must be of school age, in need of specially designed instruction and meet eligibility criteria for one or more of the following physical or mental disabilities, as indicated by Pennsylvania State regulation: Autism; Deafness; Deaf-Blindness; Emotional Disturbance; Hearing Impairment; Intellectual Disability; Multiple Disabilities; Orthopedic Impairment; Other Health Impairment; Specific Learning Disability; Speech or Language Impairment; Traumatic Brain Injury; and Visual Impairment including Blindness.
Penn-Trafford School District provides the following nine types of support:
AUTISTIC SUPPORT
Services for students with the disability of autism who require services to address needs primarily in the areas of communication, social skills, or behaviors consistent with those of autism spectrum disorders. The IEP for these students must address needs as identified by the IEP team which may include, as appropriate, the verbal and nonverbal communication needs of the child; social interaction skills and proficiencies; the student’s response to sensory experiences and changes in the environment, daily routine and schedules; and the need for positive behavior supports or behavioral interventions.
BLIND-VISUALLY IMPAIRED SUPPORT
Services for students with the disability of visual impairment including blindness, who require services to address needs primarily in the areas of accessing print and other visually-presented materials, orientation and mobility, accessing public and private accommodations, or use of assistive technologies designed for individuals with visual impairments or blindness. For students who are blind or visually impaired, the IEP must include a description of the instruction in braille and the use of braille unless the IEP team determines, after the evaluation of the child’s reading and writing needs, and appropriate reading and writing media, the extent to which braille will be taught and used for the student’s learning materials.
DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING SUPPORT
Services for students with the disability of deafness or hearing impairment, who require services to address needs primarily in the area of reading, communication accessing public and private accommodations or use of assistive technologies designed for individuals with deafness or hearing impairment. For these students, the IEP must include a communication plan to address the language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the student’s language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the student’s language and communication mode; and assistive technology devices and services. The communication plan can be found at www.pattan.net
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Services for students with a disability who require services primarily in the areas of social or emotional skills development or functional behavior.
LEARNING SUPPORT
Services for students with a disability who require services primarily in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, or speaking or listening skills related to academic performance.
LIFE SKILLS SUPPORT
Services for students with a disability who require services primarily in the areas of academic, functional or vocational skills necessary for independent living.
MULTIPLE DISABILITIES SUPPORT
Services for students with more than one disability, the result of which is severe impairment requiring services primarily in the areas of academic, functional or vocational skills necessary for independent living.
PHYSICAL SUPPORT
Services for students with a physical disability who require services primarily in the areas of functional motor skill development, including adapted physical education or the use of assistive technologies designed to provide or facilitate the development of functional motor capacity or skills.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT
Services for students with speech and language impairments who require services primarily in the areas of communication or use of assistive technologies designed to provide or facilitate the development of communication capacity or skills.
Additional Information:
The school district’s Special Education Plan is an action plan that describes the local Board of School Director’s commitment to ensure that a quality education will be provided to each of its students with a disability eligible for special education, over the upcoming three years. The content of the Special Education Plan describes the special education program and services that are provided within a school district and those special education programs and services which are accessed by the school district from outside the school district’s geographical boundaries.
A comprehensive Special Education Plan, which is part of Penn-Trafford School District’s strategic plan, is due to the Pennsylvania Department of Education on a three-year cycle. Please click the document below to review the proposed Special Education Plan. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Dr. Kubistek, Director of Student Learning Supports at [email protected].