Special education is a wide-ranging field and comes with many different specialties and focuses. Those who specialize in working with students with disabilities may find themselves having to handle a number of unique challenges, depending on the school district or type of school that they are working in.

According to a Department of Education report, published in 2018, the number of students receiving special education in public schools has risen sharply, now making up more than 13 percent of all students receiving instruction in class. This illustrates a great need for not only resources and support to better serve this growing population of students, but also insight around the different types of special education types.

Special Education Programs: Fair and Supportive Education

Depending on the type of needs of a specific student, there are many different helpful options to ensure that they get a quality education. The goal with these services should be to expand on the students’ strengths and help them overcome their unique challenges. If families do not feel like their student is being taken care of and supplied a fair and supportive education with the much-needed services they require, they may feel inclined to bring legal issues against them.

While it would help to review a school’s policies when it comes to supplying students with the special needs they are required, having specialized Educators liability can help to protect a school and its board from major claims. This kind of coverage helps schools through legal matters with financial and legal assistance.

Push-in Services

Students with disabilities who require minimal intervention receive this kind of service. It’s a first step in the special education field in which a specialist, such as an occupational therapist, will come into a classroom to help a teacher during regular lessons.

Pull-Out Services

For students who need more focused help from a speech-language therapist or occupational therapist, pull-out services are more fitting. Like the name says, these students are pulled out from their classroom for work in a one-on-one or group setting. Students who may be struggling with reading, speech, or writing are often placed in these programs.

Exclusive Education

Some students may benefit from being placed in a smaller classroom setting with students who have similar educational needs. While they remain in a traditional school setting, the lower ratio of students to teachers can help them focus better, grasp educational concepts and lessons and overcome the unique challenges that they face which hold them back in larger classroom settings.

Inclusive Classrooms

This special education program includes a mix of children of varying abilities and co-teachers within the room that lets those who have special needs to get help they require while remaining in a traditional classroom environment. While this may seem similar to push-in services, students here may also receive pull-out services in addition to assisted learning.

Residential Programs

This kind of special education program is best for students who may require constant care that goes beyond the capability that their school may offer. These special needs students often have various medical needs beyond what can be managed at home or school. After school, these students are usually transferred to adult assisted living or residential care facilities as they mature.

Specialty Schools

Those who suffer from severe cognitive challenges and physical disabilities may be placed in a specialty school. These schools are for students with individual needs that can be met by a very low student to staff ratio. These students can receive occupational and speech services as well as cognitive services and other therapies to help improve their quality of life. This kind of special education service looks to prepare students for adulthood and can also include interactive therapies as job training, life skills, aquatic therapy, and art therapy.

About PGUI

Professional Governmental Underwriters, Inc., is a full-service risk management company dedicated to assisting public, educational and non-profit entities in the management of their professional liability exposures including educators liability insurance. We are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art professional underwriting management and loss control advisory services on behalf of our designated carriers. For more information, call us toll-free at (800) 586-6502.