The Colorado Department of Education

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Significant Support needs

Students with significant support needs are highly diverse learners with extensive needs in the areas of cognition and/or learning, communication, movement and social/emotional abilities. The individual may also have concurrent health, sensory, physical and/or behavioral disabilities.

Students with significant support needs require:

  • a wide variety of approaches and supports to demonstrate their knowledge and skills
    intensive instruction in literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills in order to acquire and generalize knowledge
  • substantial adaptations (modifications and accommodations) and/or ongoing supports in order to access grade level curriculum
  • access to assistive technology tools to communicate, learn and demonstrate their knowledge
  • progress to be measured by observation, data collection, assessment, and work samples
  • individualized levels of support across major life activities in home, school, and community.

 

Significant Support Needs Advisory Council

The SSN Advisory Council is comprised of teachers, administrators, and related service personnel, professors from Institutions of Higher Education and parents from throughout Colorado. This group advises the Colorado Department of Education on the statewide needs of this population and those who serve them. Their expertise is utilized for work groups to develop trainings and products to assist educational teams in meeting the needs of this very diverse population.

 

Quality Indicators

The Quality Indicators offer guidance to educators and administrators when developing, implementing and evaluating quality programs and services for students with the most significant needs. This guide identifies ten components to consider for effective programs: Inclusive Culture, Progress Monitoring, Instruction, Positive Behavior Support, Communication, Self Determination, Health and Safety, Transition, and Paraeducators. This guideline cannot be interpreted as policy or regulation, but as a tool designed to assist those who are educating students with significant support needs. Each quality indicator has a list of research/evidence based practices for providing a rich school experience with the goal of improving post school outcomes for all students.

 

CONNECT Listserv

The CONNECT (Connect to Networking, News and Encouragement for Caring Teachers) listserv is a place for teachers and service providers working with students with significant support needs (e.g. physical disabilities, autism, multiple disabilities, etc.) to find information, encouragement and networking opportunities. We know that many times those working with students with significant needs may be isolated and lack the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues or find the expertise they need in a timely and safe setting. This is a place to ask questions, have discussion and share ideas with those in the field that are having the same experiences. To subscribe, send your contact information to Gina Quintana at quintana_g@cde.state.co.us.

 

Professional Development

Type of Training, Registration Link, Dates and Locations Flyer
Meaningful Inclusion for Students with Significant Support Needs, Part 2, Elementary (Grades K-5), Denver, May 02, 2012
  • This 1-day workshop will be a continuation of the training provided by Dr. Christi Kasa in 2010.  This interactive training is designed specifically for Colorado public school professionals who work with students who have significant support needs.  The presentation will demonstrate the use of strategies and materials that support students with significant support needs to actively participate in the inclusive classroom. It is strongly encouraged that teams consisting of general educator and special educator attend this training.
    • Doubletree Hotel
      3202 Quebec Street
      Denver, CO 80207
Meaningful Inclusion for Students with Significant Support Needs, Part 2, Secondary (Grades 6-12), Denver, May 03, 2012
  • This 1-day workshop will be a continuation of the training provided by Dr. Christi Kasa in 2010.  This interactive training is designed specifically for Colorado public school professionals who work with students who have significant support needs.  The presentation will demonstrate the use of strategies and materials that support students with significant support needs to actively participate in the inclusive classroom. It is strongly encouraged that teams consisting of general educator and special educator attend this training.
    • Doubletree Hotel
      3202 Quebec Street
      Denver, CO 80207
Meaningful Inclusion for Students with Significant Support Needs, Part 2, Elementary (Grades K-5), Glenwood Springs, May 09, 2012
  • This 1-day workshop will be a continuation of the training provided by Dr. Christi Kasa in 2010.  This interactive training is designed specifically for Colorado public school professionals who work with students who have significant support needs.  The presentation will demonstrate the use of strategies and materials that support students with significant support needs to actively participate in the inclusive classroom. It is strongly encouraged that teams consisting of general educator and special educator attend this training.
    • Glenwood Springs Community Center
      100 Wolfson Road
      Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Meaningful Inclusion for Students with Significant Support Needs, Part 2, Secondary (Grades 6-12), Glenwood Springs, May 10, 2012
  • This 1-day workshop will be a continuation of the training provided by Dr. Christi Kasa in 2010.  This interactive training is designed specifically for Colorado public school professionals who work with students who have significant support needs.  The presentation will demonstrate the use of strategies and materials that support students with significant support needs to actively participate in the inclusive classroom. It is strongly encouraged that teams consisting of general educator and special educator attend this training.
    • Glenwood Springs Community Center
      100 Wolfson Road
      Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Handouts from Previous Trainings:

"Making Inclusion Meaningful for Students with Significant Support Needs - Part 1"

 

Colorado Model Autism and Significant Support Needs Programs (COMASP)

Important Information for submitting 2012-2013 applications:

  • Signature page must be returned by email or mail - applications will only be considered. complete upon receipt of all documents (i.e., signature page, application packet)
  • Application deadline is May 7, 2012.
  • On-site visits of sites applying will begin as soon as applications are received and reviewed by internal Colorado Department of Education committee.
  • Only one region will be selected.

We are excited to announce this opportunity for your school to partner with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) in a collaborative project to develop quality programs for your students with Significant Support Needs (SSN). This project, affiliated with an OSEP State Personnel Development Grant, will be a collaborative effort between the Exceptional Student Services Unit, Institutions of Higher Education, Support and Intervention Unit, and one school from around the state. The school staff will use CDE’s Quality Indicators for assessing individualized services for Students with Significant Support Needs to assess their current programming, which may be individual students or district programs, and identify the areas they would like to target for improvement. The CDE team will assist by recommending new evidence-based interventions to support the program and increase the achievement of the students involved in the project.  There will be a focus on literacy for students with moderate-to-severe cognitive disabilities using the RtI model and improving social-emotional skills using strategies from the PBIS framework and other evidence based practices. Training and ongoing coaching will be individualized to meet the needs of the school.

We are now accepting applications from the following regions for the 2012-2013 school year:

  • West Central
  • Northeast
  • Southwest
    •

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MAY 7, 2012

WATCH THE SCOOP AND THIS PAGE FOR FURTHER DETAILS!

 

Teacher’s Corner

For more information about Significant Support Needs, contact:

Gina Quintana
Phone:  (303) 866-6605