Educational Programming and Services:
Special Education

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Grades K-6

This programming located in each school assists the student in developing skills and learning behaviors which enable him / her to benefit from the general education program despite learning difficulty in the cognitive and / or language processing area which makes learning in the conventional sense difficult. Delivery of service is through integration (team teaching), consultation, differentiated instruction, materials modification, and pull out.
Located in all schools.

Significant Support Needs (SSN)—Grades K-6

This programming is for children ages 5-12/13 with severe / profound disabilities. Children in this program have two or more significant handicaps in the cognitive, speech/language, or motor areas. Teacher / pupil ratio is low. The goals for the children include adapted living skills. Many neighborhood schools have "in-house" non categorical and / or multiple disability programming.

Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability (SIED)—Grades K-6

This program is for children grades K through 6 who have significant emotional disorders which interfere with the student's ability to benefit from existing school programs. This program focus is on appropriate social-emotional behaviors as well as academics. Students are returned to their home schools as they develop appropriate behavior and control.

Secondary

Secondary schools are expected to provide a comprehensive continuum of services to meet students' needs.

Other

Plum Creek Academy-Grades 7-12

This program is for 7th through 12th grade students who have highly significant emotional disorders which interfere with the student's ability to benefit from existing school programs. This program focus is on appropriate social-emotional behaviors as well as academics. Students are returned to their home schools as they develop appropriate behavior and control.

Deaf/Hard of Hearing-(DHH) preK-12

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) programming is designed to meet the diverse needs of children and youth with hearing loss from preschool through high school. DHH programming serves students throughout Douglas County representing a range of communication modes, degree of hearing loss, programming needs, and service delivery options.

Each student's program of services is developed collaboratively and is individually tailored to meet educational, social and communicative needs following federal, state, and district guidelines. Program design and placement is determined by a team consisting of education professionals, parents, and the student as appropriate. Certified specialists serving DHH students include teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, audiologists, speech therapists and interpreters.

A continuum of services is available, from itinerant-level at the student's neighborhood school to center-based programming which includes daily, direct services as needed from a Teacher of the Deaf. The district's center-based programs are located in the Highlands Ranch area at Summit View Elementary, Cresthill Middle School and Highlands Ranch High School. DHH students who are new to our district first enroll at their neighborhood school. An audiologist is then contacted to begin the review process.