RSU 63 Philosophy of Special Education
The philosophy of special education for RSU 63 encompasses identification of students with disabilities, monitoring student progress, and adjusting services based on the student’s changing needs in order to support the student’s access to the general education curriculum.
The scope of special education begins with the RSU 63 Child Find Policy. Determining the eligibility of a student starts with the screening process in the early elementary grades or the referral process in the higher grades. The Office of Special Services is responsible for evaluating and identifying students with a disability or a suspected disability. Identifying students as early in their academic careers as possible is critical to the future success of students with disabilities. Studies show that early intervention produces the most gains in academic, functional, and developmental skills; once a student masters those skills, services can often be lessened or removed.
RSU 63 will strive to provide a free and appropriate education for all students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible. The students who receive services will get the highest quality instruction at their ability levels to promote progress towards the goals crafted based on their needs and present levels. Through progress monitoring concurrent with ranking periods and keeping evaluation data current, parents and educators will see the gains that students are making on an individualized basis.
Students with special needs are eligible for services such as specially designed academic instruction, speech and language services, physical therapy services, occupational therapy services, behavior analyst services, extended school year, and special transportation. RSU 63 determines services based on student needs, parental input, psychological and academic evaluations, classroom performance, and district and state assessments. At least once each year the Individualized Education Program team will review the needs of each student and determine what services the students needs to be added, increased, reduced, or removed based on evaluations and clinician data.
RSU 63 believes in the potential all of our students and provides the services required by each student to access the general education curriculum. RSU 63 focuses on the abilities of each student and addresses any gaps so every student can make progress and achieve their goals now and into adulthood.
