District embraces systems to help students with special needs

The academic and behavioral needs of students are greater today, but teachers are being equipped with the means to address those needs, officials with the Jefferson City Public Schools district said.

"We're serving a much needier group now than we were a decade ago, but we are equipping teachers with the necessary tools to work with students with academic and behavioral concerns," Sheila Logan, JCPS director of special services, said.

In the 2016-17 school year, reports of students with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased over the past seven years - 462 additional students being labeled with the disorder.

An important note concerning the diagnoses is they are reported by parents during the time of students' annual registration.

Logan said while there has been an uptick in ADHD diagnoses reported in the school district, many students who have ADHD do not receive services through special education or a 504 plan. A 504 plan outlines the mental/physical condition of a student with special needs and the necessary accommodations needed for students to be successful.

Earlier this week, the News Tribune spoke with district experts about the special services and programs provided for children who have behavioral issues and those who have excessive health care needs and are eligible for services based on their individual circumstances.

"Diagnosis doesn't drive services," Bridget Frank, a JCPS school psychologist, said. "Services are provided based on the independent needs of the student and if they are eligible based on the indicators outlined by the state."

Eligibility for special education services is enforced by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, where criteria are listed for learning disabilities such as autism, traumatic brain injuries, orthopedic impairments and hearing impairments.

Of 9,000 students in the district, one-tenth of the student population receives special education services based on eligibility for an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

An IEP looks at an individual student's goals, services and supports needed, as well as the types of accommodations and modifications needed in the classroom.

At JCPS, administrators work to determine how students can be successful within a general education environment, Logan said.

For families concerned about their children's progress in school academically or behaviorally, Logan said, there are programs in place to help them be successful in the least restrictive environment.

She recommends families voice their concerns to school principals and be open to accessing the support systems in place.

"There really isn't a one-size-fits-all program," Logan said. "There are a wide realm of resources available to students, teachers and families."

For example, a child with autism may be out of the classroom for only 30 minutes while another student with a similar diagnosis can be removed completely from the school site to participate in a specialized program to accommodate his or her needs.

Tactics such as working in small group settings, check-ins with faculty role models, systems of positive reinforcement, and specialized instruction for social skills - where students are taught to think before they act or identify their feelings - fall in line with the programs offered to students with or without special needs.

Frank said the district embraces a culture of Positive Behavior Supports (PBIS), where relationships between students are built, students are taught appropriate expectations and teachers have a process in place for when a student is having a bad day.

"A lot of times in order to qualify for special education services, the kid has to have a pretty significant disability, and we don't want to wait to help a kid when they have fallen so far behind," Frank said. "So we are adding various supports in our general education environment so we can provide support at earlier stages."