How often is an inclusive education provided as part of the IEP?
Always. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools practices inclusion with its K-12 students in its 19 schools across the district. For our birth to four-year-olds, WLCSD has special programs at the Twin Sun Center; and for those students 18-26, we offer the comprehensive Transitions Program where its students learn a host of daily living and work skills.
How much of the school day are students with IEPs really included in general education?
Students with IEPs in spend more than 80 percent of their school day included in general education programs. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is a district that believes and practices inclusion. Most importantly, all of our students in the district’s 19 schools have access to general education programs even if a student is in a specialized program.
What is an Individual Education Program (IEP) and who develops it?
The Individualized Educational Program (IEP) team is made up of the parents of the child, teachers, psychologists, and building leaders, all working together to achieve educational success for the student and their individualized needs. The group creates a data-driven educational plan that identifies the specific behaviors and focus areas needed for long term achievement. The experts on the IEP Team work diligently using their experience and training to make data-driven decisions that fit with the unique circumstances found in each child’s case.
Why do students with IEPs leave their neighborhood schools for another school in the district?
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools provides a full continuum of educational programs to ensure the long term success of students within the classroom and within society, however, every program is not at every school. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools has 187 (10 percent) students leave their home school to go to other schools in the district. Students are challenged to reach their potential academically, athletically and in the arts. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools provides specific educational services in varied locations across our district. Students attend the school best suited to meet their specific needs. This approach in providing educational services is a reality in most districts not only in Michigan, but across our country. In many cases, parents recognize that this is important and they appreciate the opportunity that is provided for their child to receive specialized assistance. In other cases, parents may disagree and the district will seek to find collaborative solutions that ensure an education of excellence for both the individual student and the other students in the classroom. It is important to note that this occurs for both special needs students and students desiring specialized approaches to education. Across the United States, specialty opportunities exist for students to attend non-neighborhood schools. Sometimes these schools focus on specialized interests, such as schools that have arisen around foreign languages, science, zoology, aviation, and so forth. In other cases, students may attend non-neighborhood schools for behavioral, vocational, or disability reasons. In all of these cases, districts across the country are providing an education of excellence in surroundings best suited to meet the educational needs of the children involved.
How many students leave Walled Lake Consolidated Schools to receive special services in other districts?
Of the 1,870 students with IEPs, only 21(1.1 percent) leave Walled Lake Consolidated Schools to go to other districts for special services. Notably, Walled Lake Consolidated Schools brought back the Severe Multiple Impairments, SXI, program so those students could attend Hickory Woods Elementary and Walled Lake Central High School.
Do students with IEPs have any recent awards?
Recently, two of the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools' Special Olympics basketball teams, the WL Miracles and WL Mustangs, were recognized by the Board of Education for winning the Division 8 Special Olympics championship basketball games. Also, Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is the only district in Oakland County that has cultivated a unique partnership with Oakland Community College for our high school students with IEPs.
What special services programs does Walled Lake Consolidated Schools offer its students with IEPs, and where are they located?
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools has the following programs at the schools listed below
- Early Intervention Services
- Birth to three years old at the Twin Sun
- Elementary Special Services Programs
- Resource Rooms at all 12 Elementary Schools.
- Emotionally Impaired/Severely Emotionally Impaired - EI/SEI – Loon Lake
- Early Childhood Special Education, ECSE – Twin Sun, Dublin, Walled Lake & Wixom
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD – Oakley Park, Hickory Woods & Keith
- Cognitive Impairment/Moderate Cognitive Impairment, CI/MOCI - Walled Lake & Meadowbrook
- Severe Multiple Impairment, SXI – Hickory Woods
- Middle School Special Services Programs
- Resource Rooms at all four Middle Schools.
- Emotionally Impaired/Severely Emotionally Impaired - EI/SEI – Sarah G. Banks
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD – Walnut Creek
- Cognitive Impairment/Moderate Cognitive Impairment, CI/MOCI – Clifford H. Smart
- High School Special Services Programs
- Resource Rooms at all three High Schools.
- Emotionally Impaired/Severely Emotionally Impaired - EI/SEI – W.L. Western
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD – W.L. Northern
- Cognitive Impairment/Moderate Cognitive Impairment, CI/MOCI – W.L. Central
- Severe Multiple Impairment, SXI – W.L. Central
- Postsecondary Special Services
- Three tiers Young Adults ages 18-26 based on the IEP – W.L. Western
What does Walled Lake Consolidated Schools do when they have disagreements about child placements?
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools rarely has disagreements about child placements, but when we do, we bring all our resources to bear together, to collaborate on the best educational plan possible. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) teams include: principals, the director of special services, teachers, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists and other experts all focused on the individual plan for each individual child. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools addressed over 1,870 IEPs this school year. These are collaboratively developed by our staff to assist each child to reach his/her fullest potential.
Have there been prior IEP decisions challenged by families and IEP recommendations reversed given the family challenge?
Yes. When parents have questions and concerns about recommendations made by the IEP Team, Walled Lake Consolidated Schools goes the second and third mile to work with all involved to identify the best possible solution for the educational success of the child. There are times when an objective review identifies unique variables that were overlooked and there is a change in the initial IEP recommendations. This is a good thing when it happens because it demonstrates,
