Special Education

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Our Vision

The Gloucester Public Schools use consistent, high quality systems and practices to guide the eligibility process, create individualized student-centered IEP’s, provide targeted and specialized instruction, and monitor for effective progress across programs and schools.

Gloucester Public Schools believes that students with disabilities should be educated to the maximum extent possible alongside their peers.
Our goal is to create inclusive educational environments for all learners by providing a continuum of services where individual differences are celebrated, students’ unique needs are met, and we maximize each students’ academic, social and emotional growth.
Through individualized assessment and progress monitoring, we identify and provide the appropriate support to remove learning barriers and ensure students are provided with meaningful, high-quality opportunities in diverse educational settings.
We teach students to be proud of their accomplishments, recognize their future potential and become positive and contributing members of society.

Special Education Plan for Ongoing Improvement Overview

Goal #1 Strengthen our evaluation and eligibility processes

The Gloucester Public Schools will develop consistent and high functioning practices for processing special education referrals, conducting evaluations and determining eligibility for Special Education Services.

Review and assess current special education referral, evaluation, and determination processes
Create a Staff Resource Manual documenting proper, high quality processes and procedures
Provide targeted professional development

Goal #2 Strengthening Individualized Education Program (IEP) development

The Gloucester Public Schools will work collaboratively with families to ensure team meetings are student centered and Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) are data driven. IEP teams will ensure that students who are eligible for special education are consistently making effective progress and reaching their maximum potential in the Least Restrictive Environment.

Ensure our IEP meetings are student centered and incorporate parent input
Develop resources to support staff with new DESE IEP roll out
Provide staff resources and training for progress monitoring, goal writing, IEP development

Goal #3 Strengthening our Specialized Instructional Practices & Consultation

The Gloucester Public Schools will build our capacity to provide a range of highly effective instructional practices and a continuum of programs and services designed to meet the unique and individual needs of our identified students within their neighborhood schools and throughout the district.