Students With Special Needs at Encore High School

• Encore High School has a full inclusion model for students with IEPs and 504 Plans.

• In the 20/21 school year, Encore had 115 students enrolled in Encore's special programs including students with the following support needs: Autism, Intellectual Disability, Specfic Learning Disability, Other Health Impairment, Emotional Disturbance, Speech and Language Impairment, Vision Impairment, and other eligibilities.

• Encore works directly with Desert Mountain Charter SELPA to provide services for students in special programs.

Programs for Students with Disabilities emphasizes serving every student.

We believe that every student has a voice and every student can learn. Each student has a very unique program tailored directly for their specific needs based on their IEP. Encore has used the full inclusion model with special programs since 2008 and have seen tremendous growth from the students enrolled in the program. Encore has students that have been accepted to, attended, and graduated from a variety of university programs after graduating from Encore as part of the full inclusion program.

We believe that the least restrictive environment is paramount to the growth of each individual student.

Full Inclusion - All of Encore's students are placed in a full inclusion program where the students spend at least part of the day in general education classes. Based on specific program creation, students work with a variety of credentialed Special Education Teachers, Special Education Aides, Contract Service Providers, and their general education teachers.

General education teachers work directly with the Special Education Department to create tailored plans for modifications and accommodations within the classroom on a daily basis.

Strategy Courses - For students that are assigned to this program, they meet in their general education classes for most of the day, but then meet with their Special Education Teacher for one class within their block every school day. This class time is used to help the students with their homework, classwork, and work on specific life skills like communication and socialization.

Assistive Technology - There are a variety of technologies that are offered to students enrolled in special programs that are seamlessly embedded into their Chromebook. Since full inclusion is the primary model for all students, it is important that a variety of assistive devices are available to students that need this support.

Contract Services - Encore uses Desert Mountain Charter SELPA and Presence Learning to provide a variety of services to students with specific needs. There are a wide variety of specific services that are contracted for each individual student.

Within our program, teachers and aides assist students with grade level curriculum using modifications, accommodations, assistive technology, contract services, and other supports as outlined in their IEPs. General education teachers, special education teachers, counselors, special education aides, and related service providers instruct students from a multi-tiered approach, using differentiated instruction on a daily basis to meet the need of each individual student. They scaffold lessons based on the needs of all students and use summative and formative assessments throughout the school year to monitor progress toward IEP and academic goals.

To help make sure that full inclusion is successful with our students, Encore's special education teachers meet with general education teachers throughout the year for individualized support and professional development to keep students of special programs successful. Progress is measured through formal IEPs and informal frequent conferences with parents of students enrolled in special programs.