Continuum of Services : Overview

GPISD provides a continuum of specially designed instructional services to meet the needs of students with disabilities from 3-21 years of age. Special education services include mainstream instructional settings to self-contained instructional settings, and related services. Services provided in special programs are designed to allow individual students access to specially designed instruction that has increased intensity, frequency, and duration in the student’s area of need. These services are designed to allow students to develop the academic, functional, social-emotional, or behavioral skills needed to access and make progress on the general or alternate curriculum as appropriate. 

Instructional settings are determined based on the special education supports and services provided to a student and not the location in which those services are provided. If required, special education services may take place in an instructional setting deemed a specialized program. Additionally, educational disability does not determine placement but rather the manifestation of the student’s disability and need. Special education services and support may require a change of placement to include a change from a student’s home campus to another campus located in the school district. Specialized programs are located on age-appropriate campuses throughout the district and offer smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff.

Continuum of Services:

Behavioral Support

Behavioral support is a service provided to special education students who participate in a general education classroom but have behavioral deficits that require specialized support beyond what can be provided by the general education teacher. A special education provider will collaborate with the general education teacher to implement specially designed instruction that supports the student’s IEP goals.

Instructional Support

Instructional support is a service provided to special education students who participate in a general education setting but have academic deficits that require specialized support beyond what can be provided by the general education teacher. A special education provider will collaborate with the general education teacher to implement specially designed instruction that supports the student’s IEP goals.

Supplemental Support

Supplemental support is a service provided to special education students who participate in a general education classroom but have academic deficits that require specialized support in a special education setting. Services will be provided in a Special Education setting for intensive remediation of skills.

Foundations

Foundations is a resource instructional service provided to special education students who have cognitive deficits impacting academic performance, and who generally do not demonstrate any functional needs. Students considered for services are five or more instructional levels behind in Reading and/or Math for grades 6-12. Services will be provided in a Special Education setting utilizing a modified general education curriculum, vertically aligned to grade level academic standards. 

Specialized Programs:

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) – Grand Prairie ISD offers a Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) and a Preschool Program for Improving Communication Skills (PPICS) under the umbrella of ECSE.

Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD)

The PPCD program is for students ages 3-5 and offers a full continuum of services designed to target pre-academic skills, adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. Students who demonstrate a need for PPCD have mild to profound developmental delays in adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, or physical development. GPISD’s PPCD programs include five specialized settings:

• Pre-K Blended - Pre-K Blended is a general education setting that includes rigorous, developmentally appropriate instruction for students with and without disabilities. Students receiving services in this program may receive instructional support, supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate.
• PPCD- Positive Behavior Support (PBS) - PPCD-PBS is a special education setting that includes rigorous, developmentally appropriate instruction for students with disabilities. Students receiving services are provided instruction on the general curriculum. The PPCD-PBS program focuses on social-emotional and behavior development, with one instructional period dedicated to explicit instruction in coping and social skills development. Students receiving services in this program demonstrate moderate to severe delays in social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Student services range from participation in a mainstream instructional setting with instructional support, supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate or a self-contained instructional setting smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff. 
• PPCD- Self-Contained - PPCD- Self-Contained is a special education setting that includes rigorous, developmentally appropriate instruction for students with disabilities. Students receiving services are provided instruction on an alternate curriculum. The PPCD-Self-Contained program focuses on pre-academic skills, adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. Students receiving services in this program generally demonstrate severe to profound developmental delays in a variety of domains. Student services range from supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff. 
• PPCD- Severe and Medically Fragile (SMF) - PPCD-SMF is a special education setting that includes a developmentally appropriate alternate curriculum for students with disabilities. The PPCD-SMF is designed to for students with a serious, ongoing illness or chronic condition dependent on medical care and other specialized interventions. Student services are generally in a self-contained instructional setting with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff and nursing services. 
• Preschool Program for Improving Communication (PPICS) – PPICS is a special education setting that focuses on speech and language development. The PPICS program is designed for students who demonstrate moderate to severe expressive language impairments and/or severe articulation or phonological delays in age-appropriate suppression of phonological processes. 

Children with Autism and Related Exceptionalities (CARE)

The CARE program is designed for students in grades K-12 and offers a full continuum of services designed for students with Autism and related exceptionalities (e.g., Williams Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome,) and comorbid conditions such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression.  The program targets academic skills, adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. Students who demonstrate a need for CARE have mild to profound delays in adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. GPISD’s CARE programs include three specialized settings:

• Daily Skills (DS) - CARE DS is a special education setting designed to serve students who are severely to profoundly impacted by Autism, a related exceptionality or a comorbid condition that substantially impacts the students functioning across a variety of domains. Students in this program are dependent on specialized interventions and supports to perform activities of daily living. Student services are generally in a self-contained instructional setting on an alternate curriculum, with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff and nursing services. 
• Life Skills (LS) - CARE LS is a special education setting designed to serve students who are moderately impacted by Autism, a related exceptionality or a comorbid condition that moderately impacts the students functioning across a variety of domains. The CARE LS program focuses on activities of daily living, social skills development, and post-secondary readiness skills.  Student services range from participation in mainstream instructional settings with instructional support, resource instructional settings with supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate or a self-contained instructional setting with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff.
• Specialized Supports (SS) - CARE SS is a special education setting designed to serve students who are mildly to moderately impacted by Autism, a related exceptionality or a comorbid condition that may minimally impact a student’s functioning across a variety of domains. Students receiving services are provided instruction on the general curriculum. Students receiving services in this program generally demonstrate mild to moderate delays in sensory, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Student services range from participation in a mainstream instructional setting with instructional support, supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate or a self-contained instructional setting with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff. 

Daily Living Skills (DLS)

The DLS program is designed for students in grades K-12 and offers a continuum of services designed for students with severe to profound developmental delays, serious illness, or other chronic conditions. The program targets academic skills, adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. Students who demonstrate a need for DLS require direct, intensive instruction to acquire, maintain, and generalize skills, and are dependent on medical care and other specialized intervention to support activities of daily living. Student services are generally in a self-contained instructional setting using an alternative curriculum with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff and nursing services. 

Functional Skills (FS)

The FS program is designed for students in grades K-12 and offers a continuum of services designed for students with moderate developmental delays that impacts the students functioning across a variety of domains to include academic skills, adaptive behavior, cognition, communication, social-emotional and behavior development, and physical development. The FS program focuses on activities of daily living, social skills development, and post-secondary readiness skills.  Student services range from participation in mainstream instructional settings with instructional support, resource instructional settings with supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate or a self-contained instructional setting with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff.

Social Emotional Achievement (SEA)

SEA is a program designed for students in grades K-12 and offers a full continuum of services with instruction provided on the general curriculum. The SEA program focuses on social-emotional and behavior development, with one instructional period dedicated to explicit instruction in coping and social skills development. Students receiving services in this program demonstrate moderate to severe delays in social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Student services range from participation in a mainstream instructional setting with instructional support, supplemental support, behavioral support, speech therapy services, and related services as appropriate or a self-contained instructional setting with smaller student-to-teacher ratios, individualized instruction to target IEP goals and objectives, and specially trained instructional staff. 

180 Reclaiming Center  (180RC) 

180RC is an off-campus program designed for students in grades K-12 who demonstrate intense sensory, emotional, and behavioral concerns that result in safety concerns for the student, other students, and staff. These concerns disrupt the learning environment and prevent the student and the students’ peers from fully participating in the educational environment. The 180RC program provides a highly structured therapeutic environment focused on coping skills, and retraining of socially appropriate responses.  

LIVE (Life Skills, Independent Living, Vocational Skills, Employment Opportunities) - 18-Plus Transition Program (18+) 

The 18+ program is a special education setting designed for students ages 18 to 22 who have met graduation requirements, but require continued instruction in independent living, employment and vocation, leisure, and recreation. The 18+ program provides transition services for students through classroom instruction, community-based learning, and work-based learning experiences. Participation is IEP driven and based solely on post-secondary goals identified for the student. Completion and mastery of IEP goals results in the cessation of services. GPISD’s transition services include three pathways.

LIVE - Independent Living

Students receiving transition services for independent living are focused on living in a supported living arrangement or at home with a caregiver. Students will develop social skills, home and community safety, self-care and other valuable skills needed to access home and community settings independently or with minimal assistance. Prerequisite skills include the following: Toilet independently or with minimal support and able to regulate behavior

LIVE - Employment

Students receiving transition services for employment are focused on developing employability skills in order for students to be gainfully employed and contribute to the workforce and community independently or with minimal assistance. Students may participate in work-based learning experiences, internships/externships, or other related tasks. Prerequisite skills include the following: Toilet independently or with minimal support and able to regulate behavior.

LIVE - Daily Skills

Students receiving transition services for daily skills are focused on volunteerism and community involvement in order for students to participate in vocational, recreational and leisure activities in the community. Prerequisite skills include the following: Toilet independently or with minimal support and able to regulate behavior.