Hoover Meredith Inclusion Policy

Hoover High School and Meredith Middle School
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
Inclusion Policy
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) recognizes that learners come from a variety of cultures, and backgrounds, and have a range of academic, physical and other needs. There are many learners who may have a recognized special educational need, other learners may have special needs that have not yet been diagnosed.

Examples of these special education needs (SEN) include:
 Specific learning disabilities
 Language and communication disorders
 Emotional and behavioral difficulties
 Physical difficulties that affect mobility
 Visual or hearing difficulties
 Medical conditions
 Mental health conditions
 Gifted and talented learners
 English Language Learners

It is the philosophy of both IB and the Des Moines Public Schools that every child can learn and should be provided with creative, thinking and learning skills that will help them to progress to be successful adults. Hoover High School and Meredith Middle School follow all national, state, and local laws and policies. Our schools welcome diversity and the opportunity to learn with
(and from) each other. Our schools seek to better our students, staff, and our local and global communities by becoming socially responsible and respectful citizens.

IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is federal law enacted in 1975 and reauthorized most recently in 2004 (PL 108-446). It is designed to protect the rights of learners with disabilities by ensuring that everyone receives a free, appropriate, public education regardless of ability. Furthermore, IDEA strives not only to grant equal access to learners with
disabilities, but also to provide additional special education services and procedural safeguards.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Learners who do not qualify for special education services under IDEA may qualify for accommodations under Section 504 because Section 504′s definition of disability is broader than the IDEA’s definition. Hoover High School and Meredith Middle School follow the federal guidelines set by Section 504.

Special Education Services
Des Moines Public Schools has a system for delivering instructional services, including a full continuum of services and placements to address the needs of eligible individuals ages 3 – 21. The document “Special Education Service Delivery Plan” was reviewed in 2011 and states the organization of services, determination of caseloads, and definitions of services. The service
models for the Des Moines Public Schools include:
 Consulting teacher services
 Co-teaching services
 Supplementary services in general education
 Supplementary services in special education
 Self-contained special class

Hoover High School and Meredith Middle School provide the continuum of services as determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP) of learners attending our schools. Both schools have teachers highly-qualified to teach in all areas of special needs in our buildings. The special education consultants assigned to each building work with the teachers, IEP teams, parents, and district level supervisors to determine needs of delivery and services. Teachers of learners with special education needs attend the same IB MYP professional development as their general education peers so they are able to support or deliver the MYP.

MYP is delivered to all learners enrolled in MYP grades 6-10. Special education services are individualized to meet the unique needs of learners. Special education services may include:
 Individual instruction
 Small-group instruction
 Special class instruction
 Accommodations for the learners
 Modifications in curriculum, instruction, and/or environment
 Co-teaching with general education and special education teachers
 Differentiation in content, process and/or product

Des Moines Public Schools has a system in place to assess all levels of special educational needs learners. These are district-level specialists who work with learners as needed:
 School psychologists
 Specialty area teachers (deaf and hard of hearing, visual impairment, etc.)
 Therapists (physical, mobility, speech, etc.)
 Counselors
 Special Education Consultants
 Gifted and Talented Specialists
 Special Education Supervisors
 Director of Special Services
 English Language Learner Specialists Monitoring of SEN Services and Student Files
 SEN services are monitored by the special education consultants, English Language Learner teachers and the gifted and talented specialist.
 Special education consultants and gifted and talented specialists communicate with parents to evaluate, assess, coordinate, document and monitor the possible and confirmed special needs.
 Special education teachers are responsible to write, review, and update the IEPs.
 Special education teachers notify parents of reviews and progress as determined by district and federal laws and policies.
 Special education teachers receive the same professional development in IB and content areas as the general education teachers.

In addition, they receive specialized training regarding individualizing instruction and compliance with federal, state and local
regulations.
 Some special education teachers are trained in a Category 3 Workshop titled Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Access for all learners in the PYP/MYP years 1-3 (special needs).
 Special education teachers are responsible to secure all IEP documents.
 Des Moines Public Schools secures all electronic records for special education services following all local, state, and federal privacy laws and policies.
 Access to all special education needs files is determined by local, state, and federal laws and policies. Administrators, specialists, consultants, and teachers follow the laws and policies.
 Special education consultants coordinate the transfer of information at transition stages including the changing of schools, sections and campuses.

Assessment of Students with Special Educational Needs
The MYP program is an inclusive program. Students with special educational needs will have the accommodations and modifications as stated in their Individual Education Plan or 504 Accommodation Plan.

The Des Moines Public Schools has policies in place to accommodate the needs of English Language Learners. As well, ELLs are required to take the Iowa English Language Development Assessment each spring to monitor English proficiency.