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Related Service Areas

These services are available district wide, at all levels, to eligible students based on recommendations of each individual student’s IEP Team.

I. Occupational Therapy Services

To qualify for occupational therapy services in a public school setting a student must be found eligible due to a disability (ies) in accordance with criteria set forth in the MA and Federal Special Education Eligibility Requirements. The goal of school based OT intervention is to assist a student to function within the school setting. Services may include remediation of an area of difficulty, helping a child learn compensatory strategies, or making an adaptation to the school environment to more effectively allow a child to participate. Occupational Therapy services are provided to eligible students in order to support their ability to adapt to and function in their educational program. Students who are eligible for OT services in a school based setting have identified disabilities which adversely interfere with access to the general curriculum, learning and school functioning.

Occupational Therapy uses activities and adapted surroundings to facilitate the student’s independent function, to decrease the effects of the disabling condition, and increase the student’s ability to participate and access the educational process. The therapist, as part of the team, works with other educational personnel and parents to assist the student in achieving their educational goals.

Specific handicapping conditions may include learning disabilities, mental retardation, seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal bifida, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, scoliosis, and various physically debilitating syndromes when such conditions adversely impact access and participation in the general curriculum and the student’s ability to make progress.

An occupational therapist can

  • Teach children with physical and learning disabilities the coordination skills required for computer use and handwriting speed / legibility.
  • Evaluate each child's need for modifications and specialized materials for participation in school activities.
  • Work with children who have sensory, fine motor and visual perceptual motor weakness.

II. Physical Therapy Services

Physical Therapy is a related service provided in the Foxborough Public Schools to address the needs of students who are found eligible due to a disability (ies) in accordance with criteria set forth in the MA and Federal Special Education Eligibility Requirements. The goal of school based PT intervention is to assist a student to function within the school setting.

General Guidelines used when Physical Therapy is provided

Entrance Criteria

  1. Preschool/Kindergarten: Students present with a minimum of six-month delay on standardized testing of gross motor skills and have difficulties with functional performance in the educational setting. Examples of functional performance regarding gross motor skills would be whether a student could safely access the building and playground with peers at recess and in classroom gross motor activities.
  2. School-age (Grades 1-12): Students must score below the twenty-fifth percentile on standardized testing in the area of gross motor performance and have difficulty with functional performance in the educational setting. For a student this age, functional performance would be whether a student could safely access the building and playground with peers at recess and in Physical Education class.

Exit Criteria

Physical therapy services may be discontinued if a student reaches one or more of the following:

  1. Student’s performance is within the average range on standardized tests assessing gross motor skills.
  2. The student demonstrates the functional gross motor skills which he or she needs to access the building and physical education curriculum (walking on level and stairs, running, and jumping.)
  3. The student is participating in the physical education curriculum. This may include participating in age level activities with modifications, compensatory strategies, or adaptive equipment.
  4. The student no longer demonstrates significant progress in the area of gross motor skills (plateau).
  5. Student’s services must be discontinued due to “the presence of other medical conditions or problems that must be addressed on a priority basis.”
  6. The parent requests discontinuation of physical therapy services.

III. Speech and Language Services

Speech and Language services are provided to students who present with a variety of disabilities.

Speech and Language Entrance & Exit Criteria

To qualify for Speech and Language services in the public school setting, a student must be found eligible due to a disability in accordance with criteria set forth in the MA and Federal Special Education Eligibility Requirements.

Mild

Moderate

Consultation for maximum of 30 minutes per week within an RTI / non-SPED delivery model 30 minutes / cycle
Severity of Disorder Impairment minimally affects the individual's ability to communicate in school as noted by at least one other teacher, Impairment interferes with the individual's ability to communicate in school as noted by at least one other familiar listener.


Language
The student demonstrates a deficit in receptive, expressive, or pragmatic language as measured by two or more diagnostic procedures/standardized tests. Performance falls from 1 to 1.5 standard deviations below the mean standard score. The student demonstrates a deficit in receptive, expressive or pragmatic language as measured by two or more diagnostic procedures/standardized tests. Performance falls from 1.5 to 2.0 standard deviations below the mean standard score.
Severe

Profound

60 minutes / cycle 90 minutes / cycle
Severity of Disorder Impairment limits the individual's ability to communicate appropriately and respond in school Impairment prevents the individual from communicating appropriately in school and/or social situations.



Language
The student demonstrates a deficit in receptive, expressive or pragmatic language as measured by two or more diagnostic procedures/standardized tests (if standardized tests can be administered). Performance is greater than 2.0 - 2.5 standard deviations below the mean standard score. Augmentative communication systems may be warranted. The student demonstrates a deficit in receptive, expressive or pragmatic language which prevents appropriate communication in school and/or social situations.

2.5 standard deviations or greater below the mean SS, Augmentative communication systems may be warranted.

Goal

The goal of school based speech and language services is to assist a student to function within the school setting. Services may include remediation of an area of difficulty or teaching the student compensatory strategies. The work of the speech and language pathologists may be focused in the area of language usage, including vocabulary, grammar concepts, written expression, social pragmatic language skills, and/or the ability to communicate effectively. Speech services may also address voice, fluency, stuttering, and articulation when these areas cause an adverse impact on learning.

The role of speech and language services in the school setting includes the following

  • Treatment of communication disorders
  • Identification of students at risk/KDG Screening
  • Assessment of students’ communication skills
  • Evaluation of the results of comprehensive assessments
  • Development and implementation of IEPs
  • Documentation of outcomes

Speech-language services at the elementary and middle school level

  • Teaching memory strategies (acronyms, chunking, visualization, etc.)
  • Listening Comprehension and Following Multi-step directions/active listening skills
  • Reading Comprehension (main idea, inferences, details, etc.)
  • Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, multiple meaning words)
  • Grammar and Punctuation
  • Social Skills: Eye contact, pragmatics, interpreting body language, initiating/maintaining a
  • Conversation
  • Articulation therapy-for children with multiple articulation or phonological processing errors

Speech-language services at the high school level

  • Enhancement of communication skills for functional routines (work, leisure, community)
  • Functional communication at home, school, work and in the community
  • Social Skills: Understanding and using appropriate nonverbal language, figurative language, pragmatics, decision making, interpreting emotions, making social inferences

IV. Adaptive Physical Education

Goal: Adaptive Physical Education is physical education programming that is adapted and/or modified to address individual needs of children who have difficulty accessing and participating in the regular physical education program due to their disability (ies). Programming is modified so that students are able to develop gross motor and motor planning skills needed to participate in regular physical education classes. Services are most often provided within regular physical education classes or in small group adaptive physical education classes. Students who have a high level of need may require APE services. Eligibility for Adaptive Physical Education services is determined by each student’s IEP Team. These services can be provided by an adaptive physical education teacher, physical education teacher and/or special education staff and educational assistants with consultation from physical education staff and/or physical therapist.

V. Mental Health & Counseling Services

The Foxborough School District staff includes mental health providers across all levels. School psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors provide mental health services for students based on IEP Team recommendations.

School psychologists provide students, staff and other members of the school community with needs in the areas of health and psycho-educational services. School psychologists collaborate with parents and staff; provide small group or individual counseling, social skills training, behavioral intervention programming, crisis intervention, and evaluation and assessment.

Social workers and guidance counselors work closely with students, parents, and school staff in matters related to school functioning in the social and emotional domain. Social workers provide individual and group counseling related to school matters, co-teach social skills groups, and serve as liaison between the school district, parents, and other agencies involved with students.