Learning Support
Services for Students With Special Needs
Philosophy
We strive to build special programs specifically tailored to the assessed needs of a student and attempt to deliver those programs in the regular education environment as much as possible. The district is committed to creating programs that are integrally involved with and delivered through general education programs. We offer a continuum of services for each exceptional situation to allow for more independent functioning on the part of students as they progress through the grades. More choices are available to students when they reach the high school, such as special programs at the Lehigh County Vocational-Technical School and job coaching services through the Intermediate Unit.
Learning Support Services
Special education teachers and special education paraprofessionals are on staff in every Parkland school. These personnel support participation of the students with learning disabilities or intellectual disability in the regular curriculum through modifications and adaptations. Students with learning disabilities generally possess average intelligence but evidence a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in the areas of language arts and/or math. At times, some students require that instruction be delivered through different materials or levels than their chronological peers. Some of our students with disabilities participate in regular education environments with different goals than their peers. These environments can provide opportunities for communication and socialization which may be designated on the student’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP).
Because we strive to develop programs to meet individual needs of students, there are some students whose goals have a life skills focus. The learning support teacher as the special education teacher, is responsible for delivery of the services and is usually assisted by another special education staff member, the teaching assistant. The special education staff works collaboratively with the general education staff to provide programs for students within the school community.
Click this link to view the Secondary Transition Resources Page on the Parkland School District website: Secondary Transition Resources