Special Education

The Special Education programs and services outlined here are available at locations throughout the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) for students with Special Needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These programs are available to all district students who meet eligibility criteria regardless of the school attendance area.

Prior to determining eligibility for Special Education, the school generally utilizes the Student Study Team Process. Please contact the Island High School office at (510) 748-4024 for information.

High School Program Descriptions

Mild/Moderate Special Education Services

High school sites have Educational Specialist(s) to address strategic and/or intensive needs of students in a general education setting. Students may receive Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) within the general education classroom through co-teaching or in a special education classroom.

Educational Specialists provide services designed to accommodate students with IEPs who are capable of meeting the state and district approved standards for graduation with a diploma. Also, some students receive instruction designed for vocational readiness and will receive a Certificate of Completion at the time of graduation. Students who receive services may be served through consultation, supported classroom or small group direct instruction as determined by the student’s IEP.

Caseload maximum: 28

Leveled supports continuum:

Co-taught Math/ELA/History/Science: General education courses with both a contecontent-specificral Education teacher and an Education Specialist teaching one course. The course is designed to support all students to access the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment with modifications and accommodations. These general education courses support up to 10 students with IEP’s.
Strategic Academic Supports (Academic Strategies): Students with IEPs who are performing within two grade levels. 1 period of general education support and working towards individual student goals, which include executive functioning, self-advocacy, and Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) strategies. This is in lieu of an elective. These courses support up to 16 students with IEP’s.
Strategic Academic Support (SAS) for English Language Development (ELD): 1 period of general education support with the focus on developing language working towards individual student goals, which include executive functioning, Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) strategies. This is in lieu of an elective. These courses support up to 16 students with IEP’s.
Strategic Algebra This one-year course covers the California State Standards for Algebra 1 at a slower pace more practiced pace. This course satisfies the Algebra 1 course requirement for high school graduation. These students struggle with math but have the skills above a pre-algebra course. However, if they have a history of struggling with math, it is better to start them in a pre-algebra course. These courses support up to 16 students with IEP’s.
Intensive Pre-Algebra For students unable to meet grade level expectations. They typically struggle with remembering math facts and completing multi-step equations. Provides remediation of Math skills necessary for being prepared for enrollment in Algebra 1 the following year. This course is intended to move students closer to grade level functioning, with the goal of having the prerequisite skills necessary to successfully begin Algebra. These courses support up to 16 students with IEP’s.
Intensive ELA: is a course designed to support students with IEPs who are performing more than 2 to 4 grade levels below to have access to curriculum specified to their needs that focuses on students’ individual IEP goals in order to close the achievement gap. Students receive systematic literacy instruction and targeted reading support. The course is taught in a classroom with an Education Specialist with additional paraprofessional support. These courses support up to 16 students with IEP’s.

Bridge Program/Communication in the Real World (CRW)

This high school class is designed on the foundation of Evidence Based Practice and Applied Behavior Analysis to meet the needs of middle school students on the high end of the Autism Spectrum, including those diagnosed with other nonverbal learning disabilities and other social-emotional challenges who have grade-level academic skills, but lack the social and cognitive and executive functioning skills necessary to be successful both in the classroom and in social situations in order to facilitate maximum progress toward educational goals. This course supports up to 14 students with IEP’s.

The class (Communication in the Real World) serves students whose primary educational challenges include the following:

"Social cognitive deficits" which implies that the underlying cognition fails to support the presentation of "appropriate" social skills, resulting in:
- Inadequate social skills to initiate and maintain a diverse set of social relationships
- Limited understanding of conversation and body language essential to forming peer bonds
Executive functioning deficits, including:
- Problems organizing materials and setting schedule
- Difficulty analyzing, planning, organizing and executing tasks

Students in this class require specialized case management, focused on the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional challenges faced by students who are either on the autism spectrum or, for other reasons, demonstrate social-cognitive skills deficit and are at or above grade level (graduation track). Students typically, but not always, have Autism as their primary disability classification. Students in this class typically spend most of their school day (80-98%) in general education classes, with at least one specific period in a special education setting (Communication in the Real World). This class is in lieu of an elective.

Instructional Practices:

Direct skills instruction in the areas of:
- social/emotional functioning
- organization; executive functioning
- independent work
- appropriate school and community behavior
Specialized instruction in social cognitive skills
Intensive instruction and support in the area of executive functioning skills
Students in the class must have Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) services as part of their IEP. SAI services can take one or more of the following forms for a student:
- One period in a class taught by a teacher, focused on building the social-cognitive skills
- Academic class(es) taught or co-taught by a special education teacher
- Academic support class taught by a special education teacher
Intense push-in-support to promote generalization of social cognitive and executive functioning skills to general education settings
- Push-in support is coordinated by the teacher and carried out by the special education staff within the general education classrooms and across settings as appropriate.

Staffing:

Teacher and support staff provide direct skill instruction in designated courses
Teacher and support staff work with general education teachers and related service providers to adapt instructional strategies to meet the individual needs of the students.

Extensive Support Needs Special Education

Students with extensive support needs are supported throughout their school day in a class with fewer students and more direct adult facilitation. Due to communication and cognitive challenges, students need staff support to safely navigate the campus and attend to their daily living and self-care needs. The students take the alternative state performance assessment.

The class provides specialized academic instruction and services to individual students as specified in their IEP. Students with extensive support needs receive services through an interdisciplinary team approach to provide, as appropriate, related services which may include: nursing, adaptive Physical Education, speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communciation (AAC), and positive behavior interventions.

Related services may be provided through direct service or consultation. Service emphasis is to support student learning in the areas of pre-academic/functional academics, vocational, self-help, social and recreation/leisure. A variety of teaching strategies are used to develop functional communication and adaptive skills. The curriculum targets necessary skills for increasing individual performance, thus allowing each student to progress at their own rate. Students’ participation in the general education setting is determined by the IEP.

Classroom Structure and Focus:

Structured reinforcement-based instruction
Building skills in:
- Independence
- Communication
- Functional daily living
- Attending and Focusing skills
Movement/Sensory interventions to build focus

Recommended Class Size: Up to 15
Staffing Ratio:

3:1 ratio
Majority of academic instruction is 1:1 to 3:1 student/teacher ratio
For example, a class of 12 students would have one teacher and 3 para-educators

Facility Needs:

Bathroom in classroom or close by
Practical equipment such as microwave, stove, washer and dryer
Safe distance from the street
A sensory space

Counseling Enriched Classroom

The Counseling Enriched Classroom (CEC) serves students whose behavioral and emotional needs are documented to be more intense in frequency, duration, and/or intensity than other students in their age group. The students’ behavioral needs manifest in the school, home, and community environments which negatively impact their ability to access their educational program.

Students in this class require a greater level of emotional and/or behavioral support than can be achieved through typical case management, outpatient therapy, and mild-moderate special education classes. Students in the class typically, but not always, have Emotional Disturbance as their primary disability classification.

Students have been assessed and found qualified for Education Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) in the form of intensive therapeutic support at the public school site.
The class is dedicated to helping students manage significant emotional reactions, learn to act responsibly, increase positive social interactions, increase resilience, and improve academic progress.
The class gives students access to the core curriculum in a setting that also allows them to benefit from individual and small group counseling and social skills training. Educationally related mental health services are infused into the school day.

The class has the capacity to serve a student within the CEC for one period or more of the school day, if appropriate. Students are included in general education co-taught or intensive level classes and are provided with support from a behavior health counselor (BHC).

The CEC service includes mental health support (individual, group, and family therapy) as a part of the intensive, individualized services. The purpose of the CEC service is to support a student's ability to engage effectively in a variety of school settings on a comprehensive school campus.
The middle school service is offered through a partnership with EBAC.

Instructional Practices:

Milieu therapy for one or more periods a day
Access to the milieu space throughout the school day
Structured behavioral and emotional skills building
Weekly individual and group therapy, as well as family therapy
Strong interdisciplinary teamwork
Positive reinforcement and progress monitoring

Students learn to:

Develop and maintain interpersonal relationships
Develop self-advocacy and get personal needs met in a prosocial way
Adjust communication styles for different audiences

Recommended Class Size: Up to 12 students

Staffing Ratio:

5:1 ratio (one adult for every five students)
Class of 12 students would have one teacher and 2 paraeducators
Therapist in the classroom

Facility Needs:

Classroom close to confidential office used for therapy

Practical Skills Class

The Practical Class is designed for students whose level of disability is considered in the Moderate Range. The student is unable to access grade level stands in Strategic, Intensive or General Education classes. The student's instructional reading comprehension level is below 5th grade level. The student has had extensive exposure to evidence-based intensive interventions in the course's subject area and has not made significant progress toward grade level functioning.

Instructional Practices:

Functional application of grade level standards with the goal of functional independence in the community and readiness for future education and employment
Students can take anywhere from one to all of their academic courses in the Functional Class but take general education electives and PE
Functional academic courses do not satisfy requirements for a high school diploma

Recommended Class Size: up to 15 students
Staffing Ratio:

Facility Needs:

Time off campus

Programs Offered at Encinal High School

Mild/Moderate Special Education Services	Yes
Bridge Program/Communication in the Real World (CRW)	No
Extensive Support Needs Special Education	No
Counseling Enriched Classroom	Yes
Practical Skills Class	No

Teachers

Mild/Moderate

Vicki Egyed

Jordan Schlife