Parents
The district welcomes families as partners in whatever way they are comfortable. In this section, will serve as a resource to help you navigate the terminology and practices so you can be an empowered member of your student's team.
Classroom Practices
These are strategies used to ensure a safe and accepting classroom setting for all students regardless of their level of need. In our Teacher Section, you can find a collection of research that speaks to the importance of maintaining an effective inclusive environment.
Terminology and Acronyms
AAC - Augmentitive and Alternative Communication - Supplements to oral communication such as sign language or gestures.
Accommodations - Classroom supports to provide students equal access to the curriculum while meeting their needs
ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
APE - Adaptive Physical Education
ARD - Admission, Review, Dismissal - Annual Meeting to form a student's Individualized Education Program
ARD Committee - The group of people who come together to create a student's IEP. This committee consists of at minimum an administrator, a special education representative, a general education representative, and a parent or guardian.
AT - Assistive Technology
AU - Autism
BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
CCN - Complex Communication Needs - A student who uses multiple modalities to communicate.
CP - Cerebral Palsy
ECSE - Early Childhood Special Education (Formerly PPCD)
ED - Emotional Disturbance
ESY - Extended School Year - Program offered to students receiving special education services that they may qualify for if they come back to school after a significant break do not recoup skills previously learned after an expected time period.
FBA - Functional Behavior Analysis - The data collection done to prepare for the creation of a Behavior Intervention Plan
FIE - Full and Individual Evaluation - The evaluation completed by an LSSP that determines if a student qualifies for special education services and what their eligibility is.
IEP - Individualized Education Program - Legally binding document listing the student's schedule of services and accommodations
LRE - Least Restrictive Environment - The closest a student can be to a General Education only setting while still successfully making progress towards their goals and objectives.
Modifications - Changes to assignments to help students complete their work as independently as possible.
O&M - Orientation and Mobility
OT - Occupational Therapy
PT - Physical Therapy
RTI - Response to Intervention
SAMA - Satori Alternatives to Managing Aggression - System used to safely deescalate a significant behavior
SEL - Social Emotional Learning
SI - Speech Impairment
STAAR - State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness - Required State Standardized Testing
STAAR Alt - Modified version of state standardized assessment per the student's needs.
TA - Teaching Assistant - Paraprofessionals that provide special education support as needed.
UDL - Universal Design for Learning - A teaching practice where all needs are considered and planned for upon the lesson's creation and tools are provided for all students.
Service Models/Settings
504 Services - accommodations provided in the general education setting and managed by the general education teacher
Behavior Support - services provided to help students develop social/pragmatic skills and strategies in order to participate as independently as possible in the general education classroom
Special Education Support/Collaborative Class - general education classroom where the general education teacher partners with special education staff
General Education - participation in grade level curriculum with grade level peers
General Education with Accommodations - participation in general education classroom with specified classroom supports with or without changes or modifications to assignment
General Education with Support Services - see Collaborative Class
Homebound - instructional and related services provided to students who cannot participate in classroom instruction due to medical needs
Instructional Arrangement - code which indicates the the percentage of time a student receives special education services
Modified Instruction - small group pull-out setting for students who require modifications to state learning standards (TEKS-Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)
Push-in services - related and instructional services (PT,OT, Speech) provided by special education providers in the general education classroom
Resource Room/Pull Out - special education services provided outside of the general education to students who spend most of their time in the general education classroom. Examples may include counseling, dyslexia services, some speech therapy, modified instruction of core curriculum.
Reverse Inclusion - self-contained classroom including typically developing peers
Self-Contained Classroom - classroom where greater than 50% of students have an individual education plan