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View an overview of Special Education Services at Hillsdale High School

Students may be referred for special education assessment by their parent, teacher or school counselor. All requests for an evaluation are processed first through the Student Study Team (SST). State eligibility criteria must be met for a student to receive special education services. Placement services are determined by the IEP team. All efforts to provide instruction in the least restrictive environment are made.  

The services available at Hillsdale are designed to meet the needs of the individual student and students may be offered the Directed Studies Program, or Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI).  Hillsdale makes it a priority to support students in the general education classroom and are predominately place in the mainstream courses. The majority of students in the program will receive a period of Directed Studies, which is a support class to help them access the mainstream curriculum. The Special Education staff work in the classrooms with the general education teachers in order to meet student needs to access the mainstream curriculum. SAI serves students whose academic needs are best met through direct instruction from a special education teacher with a significantly modified curriculum. Classes that are designated as SAI meet graduation requirements but not the requirement for A-G. Students will be assigned a Special Education case manager who schedules classes, implements the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and acts as the liaison for the student, parent, classroom teacher, administration and academic counselor.

The Bay Academy serves students with a focus on building functional skills; students earn a certificate of participation rather than a high school diploma. The class is designed for students who would benefit from academics as they apply to daily life, community-based instruction, pre-vocational skills, and emphasizes socially appropriate skills and behavior. Students are also enrolled in General Education classes as appropriate. Other related services offered at HHS are Speech and Language Services, Vocational Services, and Mental Health Services. Students enrolled in the programs offered through the Department of Special Education will be assigned a Special Education case manager who schedules classes, implements the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and acts as the liaison for the student, parent, classroom teacher, administration and academic counselor.