Special Education
Special Education in Fowlerville Community Schools is designed to support students with diverse learning needs, ensuring they receive personalized instruction and services. Our dedicated team works closely with families to create individualized education plans (IEPs) that cater to each child's unique strengths and challenges, promoting their success in a supportive and inclusive environment.
District Process Used to Determine the Existence of a Specific Learning Disability
Each local educational agency and public school academy in Michigan is required to publicly post the process used to determine the existence of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). For determination of a SLD, a pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) process is used for students in kindergarten through grade 12 across all areas of SLD which include:
- Oral Expression
- Listening Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Basic Reading
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading Fluency
- Math Calculation
- Math Problem Solving
It is noted regardless of the process used, all schools must follow all of the regulatory requirements in the IDEA, the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education and Michigan laws, policies and procedures for special education.
What is a SLD?
A Specific Learning Disability is “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia that adversely affects a student’s educational performance. An SLD does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage.” (34 CFR §300.8(c)(10)).
What is the Pattern of Strengths and Weakness (PSW) Process?
Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses is a process that is used to determine if a student has a SLD. This process involves the collection of data to determine the following:
- The student does not achieve adequately for the student’s age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of the areas identified at 34 CFR §300.309(a)(1)(i) when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the student’s age or State approved grade-level standards.
- The student exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement or both, relative to age, State-approved grade-level standards or intellectual development that is determined by the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET) to be relevant to the identification of a SLD using appropriate assessments consistent with the IDEA Evaluation Procedures and Additional Requirements for Evaluations and Reevaluations.
Fowlerville Community Schools Parent Advisory Committee
Special Education can have many different meanings. Your child may have reading difficulties, require speech therapy or require minimal to intensive special education services. Please ask questions. We want all children to have a valuable school experience.
Please visit Livingston Educational Service Agency Special Education for contact information for Fowlerville Community Schools' local PAC members.
