Templeton Elementary

Templeton Elementary Inclusion Policy

Philosophy

Students at Templeton Elementary have a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, interests, beliefs, and cultures. It is our intention and obligation to see that each of these learners reaches their full potential. In alignment with our school mission statement, we are committed to the development of inquiring, knowledgeable, caring, globally-minded, lifelong learners who positively impact our world.

A Commitment to Inclusion

Our school values meeting the needs of all students through a continuum of services in the least restrictive environment. We focus on services that support students in general education and specialized classrooms. We provide research-based strategies and are equipped to address all areas of special education eligibility according to special education law.

Our corporation uses a team-based approach to enhance services for students, at all levels of need. In addition to certified special education teachers at every school, our teams can also include behavior specialists, school psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, paraprofessionals, general education teachers, and school administrators. These teams focus on evidence-based practices in order to deliver specially designed instruction.

The majority of our students with special education services (including language or speech services) are served in the inclusive setting. Monroe County Community Schools was one of the first school districts in Indiana to provide inclusive services to students with disabilities. That tradition continues today with services that:

• Support students in general education classrooms via a community-based philosophy.
• Provide peer-reviewed, research-based strategies to address learning disabilities (including dyslexia) and other reading and math challenges.
• Use a team-based approach to enhance services to students

This practice is in line with the IB’s statement on inclusive school environments which states that, “ Teachers extend learning for all students by creating an affirmative and responsive environment that considers student identities and embraces learner diversity from a strength-based perspective. Taking shared responsibility for learning begins by establishing inclusive support structures that value diversity and support equal opportunity for all members. Team members are accountable for increasing access to, and engagement in, learning for all students, regardless of their background or ability. They do so by identifying and removing barriers to learning relating to perspectives, school organization, resources, policies or physical aspects of the learning spaces. The learning community embraces authentic inclusive practices. A learning community that values inclusion ensures that all students are offered opportunities. Inclusive support structures take into consideration:

• the context, strengths and needs of the learning community
• coordinated and clearly communicated admissions and referral policies
• confidentiality
• a deeper understanding and appreciation of learning differences
• learning opportunities and support for all students
• the impact of labeling learners
• agency and self-efficacy

https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/works/pyp_11162-51464?lang=entransition and integration in the learning community.

Student Supports

Templeton uses the Whole Child Multi-Tiered System of Supports framework to give targeted support to struggling students. This system is designed to help schools identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. It focuses on the “whole child.” That means it supports academic growth, but many other areas, too. These include behavior, social and emotional needs, and absenteeism.

Our Whole Child approach supports the adults at the school, too. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — the main education law for public schools — cites this approach as a way to increase teacher effectiveness. ESSA gives states funding that can be used for professional development to help teachers use this system of supports.

Whole Child isn’t a specific curriculum. It’s a proactive approach that has key elements:

• Universal screening for all students early in each school year.
• Increasing levels of targeted support for those who are struggling.
• Integrated plans that address students’ academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs.
• A schoolwide approach to student support, with teachers, counselors, psychologists, and other specialists working as a team to assess students and plan interventions.
• Professional development so staff can provide interventions and monitor progress effectively.
• Family involvement so parents and caregivers can understand the interventions and give support at home.
• Frequent monitoring of students’ progress to help decide if they need more interventions.
• The use of evidence-based strategies at every tier of support

Legal Obligations

Our special education programming aligns with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Acts and more locally, Indiana Article 7, which is our state's special education law, in order to uphold the right to a free and appropriate public education to every child. It states:

Current through P.L. 176-2022, Section 20-33-1-1-Policy

The following is the public policy of the state:

• To provide:(A) equal;(B) nonsegregated; and(C) nondiscriminatory; educational opportunities and facilities for all, regardless of race, creed, national origin, color, or sex.
• To provide and furnish public schools open equally to all, and prohibited and denied to none because of race, creed, color, or national origin.
• To reaffirm the principles of:(A) the Bill of Rights;(B) civil rights; and(C) the Constitution of the State of Indiana.
• To provide a uniform democratic system of public school education to the state and the citizens of Indiana.
• To:(A) abolish;(B) eliminate; and(C) prohibit; segregated and separate schools or school districts on the basis of race, creed, or color.
• To eliminate and prohibit:(A) segregation;(B) separation; and(C) discrimination; on the basis of race, creed, or color in public schools.

Confidential Information Procedures:

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as well as other state and federal laws, govern the confidentiality of a student’s educational records. Our school and staff protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information concerning all children during the collection, storage, and destruction of information. A school official is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of information and has received training in these procedures. The school provides training regarding confidentiality to anyone on the staff who collects or maintains this information, and must maintain a current list of the names and positions of school employees who have access to personally identifiable information in a child’s educational record. This list is available for public inspection. The school keeps a record of those persons, except parents and authorized employees of the school district, who obtain access to a student’s record, including names, dates, and purposes for the access.

Review and Access:

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Principal, Assistant Principal, and IB Templeton Leadership Team. Prior to this meeting teachers will have an opportunity to review the policy. Their input will be shared by a representative on the IB Leadership Team at the review meeting. It is understood that this policy may need to be adjusted based on the requirements of the IB PYP, our school district mandates, and State of Indiana Dept. of Education requirements. This policy will be accessible to all stakeholders through the Templeton website.

Last reviewed May 9, 2022