The law requires us to provide special education to students in the "least restrictive environment". Additionally, we are required to provide a "continuum of services" to students. This means that we need to make available a variety of options that individual students may need. Expressed visually, this looks like:
In Scottsbluff Public Schools, each school has a Resource Room available for individualized programming delivered in small groups or one to one. Students may leave the general education classroom and come into the resource room for a period of time, or they may receive supports through the resource teacher in the general education classroom. These decisions are made on an individual basis according to student need. There is flexibility as to the length of time or intensity of support each student receives. Resource rooms are staffed with special education teachers and paraprofessionals. Students in the resource room can represent a variety of disabilities. Some students require more intensive programs and Scottsbluff Public Schools has developed Multicategorical Classrooms at the elementary and middle school levels. These programs present a variety of opportunities for student instruction, but students are also included in mainstream programs at their grade level. At the middle and high school level, the TLC (Transitional Learning Center) program provides intensive opportunities for students who need them.
In Scottsbluff Public Schools, we have flexibility in designing programs in order to meet the changing needs of our students. Decisions regarding placement in any program are made and reviewed annually on an individualized basis.