Special Education Within Avondale School District
The Avondale School District offers specially designed programs and services to assist children with a variety of social, emotional, and learning impairments. Our Special Education services include a range of classroom instruction, consultation, support, adaptive supplies, and materials to meet the unique educational goals of your child.
We are committed to working with parents and service providers to develop and nurture solid partnerships that ensure success for every child. Regardless of the nature or severity of your child’s disability, our staff is dedicated to serving a wide range of needs. Our programs operate in accordance with all state and federal guidelines at no cost to parents or guardians.
SLD Process
Specific Learning Disability Process
Each local education agency and public school academy in Michigan is required to publicly post the process used to determine the existence of a Specific Learning Disability.
The Avondale School District uses a determination of a pattern of strengths and weaknesses to assess a student’s suspected underachievement §300.309(a)(2):
- The student exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to student’s age or to Michigan approved grade level standards or intellectual development. Note: Severe discrepancy must never be used exclusively to determine the existence of SLD.
- The inadequate achievement is not the primary result of lack of appropriate instruction in math or the essential components or reading.
- Data demonstrates that prior to, or as part of, the referral process, the student was provided appropriate instruction delivered by qualified personnel in the general education setting. §300.309 (b)(1)
- Data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals of student progress during instruction was available and provided to the parents. §300.309 (b)(2)
Student Success
Strategies for Student Success
When a student experiences difficulty in school, it is necessary to identify the cause and provide appropriate intervention strategies as early as possible to aid in their success. It is important to gather as much data as possible to accurately assess the problem and seek input from individuals with knowledge about the student before making a determination to implement a particular program or strategy. Our district utilizes an S3 Team (Strategies for Student Success) to complete this process, and program decisions are only made after allowing adequate time to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies, with oversight from the building principal. All deliberations and data gathered by the S3 Team are confidential. They may be shared with appropriate committees to whom a recommendation is made to aid in determination of services. For more information on this process, download the packet below.
Ages & Stages
Ages & Stages Questionnaires
Avondale School District, Great Start Collaborative-Oakland, Oakland Schools, and Early On Oakland are committed to ensuring all children under the age of 5 are given routine developmental screenings.
The first five years of your child’s life are very important, and at Avondale we want to help you provide the very best start for your child. We recommend that you to take part in the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3). This questionnaire helps you keep track of your child’s development and can be provided every two, four, or six months.
While taking the questionnaire, you’ll be asked to answer questions about specific functions, skills, and behaviors your child can and cannot do. The questionnaire has questions regarding your child’s communication skills, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving abilities, and personal social skills. Click the appropriate button below to start your questionnaire and someone from our Early Learning Center will reach out to review and discuss the results of the questionnaire with you.
Contacts
Early On Oakland
If you reside in Oakland County and your child is under 3 and you would like to refer them for an evaluation please call 248.209.2084
Avondale School District
If your child is 3 years of age or older and you reside in the Avondale School District contact Lori Hill, Project Find Coordinator:
Early Intervention Specialist
The following staff members can answer your questions regarding special education referrals, evaluations and programming.
Angela Baker
Ages 0-6
(248) 537-6592
angela.baker@avondaleschools.org
Teacher Consultants
Resources & Links
Below you’ll find various resources for organizations and programs tailored around you and your child’s needs. If you have any questions regarding any of the resources, please see above for the appropriate contacts depending on your needs.
