Frequently Asked Questions Printable PDF My child with an IEP has a sincere interest in one of the CTE programs at DCTS. Should my child apply? Yes. Your child’s application will move through a scoring process based on grades, attendance, interest level, and teacher recommendation. The IEP has no bearing on the application score. Consideration is given to the needs of the student upon acceptance for enrollment. At that time, the special education director and staff will collaborate with the sending district and the family to review the needs of the student and the aptitude for educational benefit from career and technical program to make a final decision regarding enrollment. Factors to consider include reading and math levels that allow the student to be successful in the rigor of CTE programming, safety in a CTE programs that resemble the workplace, and the ability to develop self-advocacy skills and work autonomously with progressively less supervision. My child has a learning disability. Can she be successful at DCTS? We provide students with disabilities the services and supports that afford them the opportunity for success at DCTS. It is important to make sure that your child’s special education paperwork accompanies the application when she applies. If we have the information, we can create a plan to support your child. What if my child has an emotional disability? Students with an emotional disability are provided the same opportunities for success at DCTS. We have one Itinerant Emotional Support Teacher who works closely with these students, sometimes supporting them in their classes and sometimes meeting with the students 1:1. We also offer Adventure Based Education, which is a group approach to enhancing self-esteem, teamwork, confidence and trust within peer groups. Lunch Buddy Group offers students the opportunity to build social skills. Our social worker meets with individual students or groups to support students. What are some of the accommodations my child can receive in class at DCTS? DCTS is obligated to provide the accommodations/modifications listed on your child’s IEP. All of your child’s teachers will be provided with the specially designed instruction listed in your child’s IEP. Your child will have an IEP Case Manager who will monitor the IEP and its implementation. We can modify tests, read material aloud, use your child’s school-issued laptop for written assignments, and other modifications individualized to your child’s needs. We offer a resource room open to all students every period staffed by a certified teacher and a paraprofessional to support students. What about accommodations in the Career and Technical Programs? Your child’s IEP is also implemented in the CTE program. Whether completing theory work or hands-on activities, the CTE Teacher, in collaboration with the CTE Learning Support Teacher, will implement the specially designed instruction in the CTE setting. State certification exams and competency testing cannot be modified. Students in their senior year take the NOCTI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute) certification exam as a culmination of their learning. The NOCTI certification signifies the student has completed the CTE Program with a rating of Advanced, Proficient, or Failing. This national competency exam cannot be modified. Students with IEPs can have the following accommodations: Extended Time Test Read Aloud Paper and Pencil Test Test Given in Sections Students are encouraged to learn strategies to compensate for their disability as they progress through their high school years in order to rely less on modifications and more on strategies they have developed to help them to be successful in their career path. What types of special education classes are available at DCTS? Our goal is to implement the student’s IEP in the least restrictive educational environment in which the student is capable of being successful. We offer two levels of learning support classes at DCTS. At the itinerant level, a student would take regular education classes and could either simply be monitored by a case manager or receive inclusion support from a special education teacher within the regular education classroom. At the supplemental level, a student would be in direct instruction classes or a combination of direct instruction and inclusion classes. Direct Instruction classes follow the general education curriculum but are taught by a learning support teacher. These special education classes are offered in all core academic areas. We also have a special education course called Life Management built around The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. The teacher focuses on the individual needs and goals of the small group of students in the course and can include social skills, conflict resolution skills, organizational skills, and other employability skills.
