EBISD Special Programs

 

Eligibility Under Section 504

Children with disabilities may be eligible for special education and related services under Section 504. That’s because Section 504’s definition of disability is broader than the IDEA’s definition. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to:

• have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or
• have a record of such an impairment; or
• be regarded as having such an impairment.

Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. Under Section 504, FAPE means providing regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet the student’s individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met.

 

What is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity?

The determination of whether a student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity must be made on the basis of an individual inquiry. The Section 504 regulatory provision…defines a physical or mental impairment as any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or psychological disorder, such as intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. The regulatory provision does not set forth an exhaustive list of specific diseases and conditions that may constitute physical or mental impairments because of the difficulty of ensuring the comprehensiveness of such a list.

Major life activities, as defined in the Section 504 regulations…include functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. This list is not exhaustive. Other functions can be major life activities for purposes of Section 504.  In the Amendments Act…Congress provided additional examples of general activities that are major life activities, including eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, reading, concentrating, thinking, and communicating.  Congress also provided a non-exhaustive list of examples of “major bodily functions” that are major life activities, such as the functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions… the Section 504 regulatory provision’s list of examples of major life activities is not exclusive, and an activity or function not specifically listed in the Section 504 regulatory provision can nonetheless be a major life activity.

 

What to do if I feel my child qualifies for Section 504 Service

If you suspect your child has a disability that requires protection under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please do not hesitate to contact your school. Eligibility is determined by the Campus 504 Committee via a review of records, documentation, and information about the student. This can include, but not limited to, evaluations from the school, medical information, classroom data, and parent/teacher input. 

If determined eligible by the 504 Committee, an Accommodation Plan will be developed with the input from the committee members. If the student is 13 years of age or older, their input in also valuable in the process determining upon appropriate accommodations. Committee Members consist of Campus Administrator, General Education Teacher, Student, School Nurse (if the student has a health condition or health plan), Parent and other persons who have knowledge of the student. 

Although it is East Bernard ISD's policy that a parent is invited to the meeting, the Section 504 Statute indicates they are not required to attend.                             

 

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

 

Overview

The East Bernard ISD Dyslexia Program is designed to provide reading intervention for children who meet East Bernard's criteria. Services are offered to qualifying students in kindergarten through grade 12. Such services provide the students with the skills and strategies to “unlock” the code of reading and to improve reading fluency. Students are instructed using the "Reading By Design" program and/or multi-sensory structured language approaches. The Dyslexia teacher works with groups of children 4x/wk. The goal of these services is for students to gain mastery of the concepts taught and return to full time placement within the regular classroom.

 

Dyslexia's primary reading/spelling characteristics are:

• Difficulty reading words in isolation,
• Difficulty accurately decoding unfamiliar words,
• Difficulty with oral reading difficulties (slow, inaccurate, or labored without prosody) and/or
• Difficulty spelling.

Support for students demonstrating these types of reading difficulties is provided through Response to Intervention (RTI), Section 504, and special education. 

 

• A team of persons with knowledge of the student, instructional practices, and possible service options meets to discuss data collected and the implications of the data.  If the team suspects the student has dyslexia or a related disorder, the team should consider the type of instruction that would best meet the student's needs. Schools must recommend evaluation for Dyslexia if the student demonstrates the following:
• Poor performance in one or more areas of reading and spelling that is unexpected for the student's age/grade
• Characteristics and risk factors of dyslexia indicated in Chapter I:  Definitions & Characteristics of Dyslexia
• A student's reading difficulties alone may warrant evaluation under IDEA.  At times, students may display additional, potential learning challenges, such as oral language deficits, written expression difficulties (dysgraphia), or math difficulties (dyscalculia), which may further impact student learning.  These challenges may also warrant an evaluation under IDEA.
• If a suspected disability exists, a Special Education Referral for a Specific Learning Disability MUST be recommended.
  This is to determine if the student has a Basic Reading disability with or without the condition of dyslexia; and/or a Reading Fluency disability.
  
• Students who are currently eligible under IDEA and have an individualized education program (IEP) and who are not suspected of having dyslexia or a related disorder must undergo reevaluation under IDEA.
• When formal evaluation is recommended, the school must complete an evaluation process that is outlined in IDEA or Section 504.  Procedural safeguards under IDEA and Section 504 must be followed.
• Once dyslexia has been identified, there are further eligibility questions the Section 504 or ARD committee must still consider.
• If a student is found eligible for special education or Section 504 for dyslexia, appropriate reading instruction must be included in the plan to meet the individual needs of the student.  Appropriate reading instruction includes the components and delivery of dyslexia instruction as outlined in the Chapter IV: Critical, Evidence-Based Components of Dyslexia Instruction.

 

 

• Direct Services: At this level the child’s initial testing indicates a need for reading intervention, and possibly 504 classroom accommodations.
• Monitor with possible 504 accommodations:The dyslexia teacher will monitor the student’s progress.
• Possible 504 Accommodations Only: The504 committee will meet annually to establish appropriate accommodations. At this level, the services of a dyslexia teacher are no longer required.

*Not all persons with dyslexia are eligible for Section 504.

 

Discontinuation from Direct Services

No one factor is sufficient to warrant exiting a student from direct dyslexia services after intervention. Discontinuation from direct services is determined by consensus of the Campus 504 Committee. The 504 Committee considers the following factors when recommending exiting or a reduction of dyslexia services under Section 504.

• Completing the scope and sequence of the Dyslexia "Reading by Design" program;
• The student passed the reading portion of the STAAR;
• The reevaluation and/or post-testing of students shows growth to be closer to age level proficiency standards;
• The student demonstrates self-monitoring/self-correction behaviors as evidenced through informal observation by the teacher and/or the dyslexia teacher.
• If the student has made ONLY limited academic progress while being directly served, a referral to special education may be appropriate.

https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/dyslexia-and-related-disorders

Spanish Important Changes for Families to Understand:

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2021_dyslexia_handbook_important_changes_for_families_spanish.pdf

English Important Changes for Families to Understand:

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2021_dyslexia_handbook_important_changes_for_families.pdf

                                                     

 

 

                                                        Amy Talas                                                             

Dyslexia/504 Coordinator

979.335.7519 X168

 

Lacey Christ

Special Programs Coordinator

979.335.7519 X135

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

English as a Second Language (ESL) 

The English as a Second Language Program (ESL) in East Bernard ISD focuses on developing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing for English Learners. In addition to English language immersion and sheltered instructional methods in the regular classroom, ESL facilitators may go into the classroom to work with the learner.
The regular classroom educators and the ESL Facilitators collaborate for the success of the child, while teaching grade level curriculum, academically engaging students, and encouraging development of the English language. ESL is offered to Pre-K -12 to qualifying students. 

 

Eligibility for Services

Upon enrolling in the district, all families complete the Home Language Survey, which is completed by parents. If parents do not indicate a language other than English, their children are NOT eligible for ESL/LEP services, including Summer School programs. Based on the Home Language Survey, if a language other than English is spoken in the home, the learner is tested to determine their English Proficiency level. If the student is Limited English Proficient, and a bilingual program is not offered for the native language, the LPAC may offer ESL programming. 

 

Newcomer Program serve ESL students who come to the district with no English language skills (non-English speakers). The program assists these students in becoming proficient in the English language so that they may become successful in academic subjects during their remaining time in secondary school. It provides an orientation to the American educational system and culture, while giving them necessary survival skills in English and enhancing their self-esteem.

ESL Newcomer Program at Elementary, Middle and High School

If a learner tests as "non English speaking" EBISD will offer the Newcomer program.

• Elementary Newcomer Classes (grades PK-4): Newcomer students are served at each campus in the district who score as Non-English Speakers. They receive language acquisition classes with an ESL Facilitator while receiving other content instruction from a mainstream classroom teacher with support from the ESL Facilitator.
• Middle/High School Newcomer Classes (grades 5th-12th):  
• The Newcomer program serves English Learners in the district who score as Non-English Speakers in their first year in the U.S. Students receive instruction in language acquisition, from a teacher who is certified in the content areas as well as ESL. They receive other content instruction from a mainstream classroom teacher who utilizes strategies outlined in ELPS with collaboration of the ESL teachers on campus.