The special education programs at the elementary schools are designed to provide the student with options to ensure that all students are successful.

• IN-CLASS RESOURCE - SUPPORT (ICS) is a program of instruction where the general and the special education teacher are involved in planning and implementing strategies, techniques, methods, and materials to address learning difficulties of pupils with educational disabilities participating in the general education classroom. 

• PULL-OUT RESOURCE - REPLACEMENT (RR) is a program of instruction that will be provided in a separate classroom. Instruction, activities, and assessments can be modified per the child's IEP.

• The LEARNING OR LANGUAGE DISABILITIES (LLD) program uses methods and skills to insure that students develop to their maximum potential. Our students tend to be inconsistent in their levels of functioning: socially, emotionally and academically. Instructional programs should begin at an appropriate level for each student so that progress can occur at the student’s own rate. Instructional programs are built individually to insure success and confidence which, when appropriate for the student, leads to increased activity in the general education classroom.  Depending on their strengths and weaknesses, academic and socially, students mainstream into the general education programs. Those students who can experience success with portions of the academic day may mainstream for those subjects; others may be in the general education class for social modeling and cooperative learning activities. All of this is done with careful planning between the special education and general education teachers as specified in each student’s IEP. Along with providing academic support to allow students access to the district curriculum, we also provide multi-sensory approaches in language arts.

• The COMPREHENSIVE BEHAVIOR ANALYTIC PROGRAM (CBAP) is based upon the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The program bases all its teaching techniques, program protocol, and data collection systems on science and relies on peer reviewed research to further direct program practice.  Applied behavior analysis is a science that uses the basic principles of how humans learn behavior by systematically manipulating variables to increase desired behaviors and decrease maladaptive ones. Some techniques that are used include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, differential reinforcement, extinction, prompting, shaping, and fading.  There are hundreds of teaching techniques that are used under the ABA umbrella. Techniques that are used in the Bernards Township classroom include incidental teaching, video modeling, audio modeling, schedule following, scripting, discrete trial instruction, and small group instruction. There are several key points that all these techniques have in common. All the above teaching techniques utilize objectively defined target behaviors including circumstances under which these behaviors will occur, a criterion for mastery, a teaching procedure, a teaching probe to ensure generalization, strategies for maintaining acquired skills, and an inter observer agreement measurement.

• The BRIDGES PROGRAM provides a foundation of pro-social, critical thinking, and life skill education.  Students will develop self-control and social awareness skills, and improve student’s decision-making and problem solving.   Staff implements various behavioral strategies to maintain, monitor and redirect student’s off-task behavior.  When further supports are needed, a Debriefing Intervention (DI) room is available for the student.  In the Debriefing Intervention (DI) room, the student will go through a series of de-escalation steps to achieve a resolution and encourage an explanation of actions.

In addition to the program provided, your child may qualify for related services such as: Speech/Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or Physical Therapy.