American Community School
High School Division Learning Support Guidelines
The purpose of this document is to communicate to all stakeholders in our ACS
community (administrators, teachers, students, and parents) the programmatic
expectations for creating and maintaining an inclusive educational environment for
all learners.
In keeping with Admissions and Student Assistance and Referral Services (7.103)
policies at ACS-Beirut regarding special learning needs, there is not a separate
program for students with significant learning difficulties at the high school level nor
can curriculum be modified. Students must be capable of success in the regular
program. The High School Division Learning Support does not offer student pull-out
services but rather utilizes in-classroom strategies and accommodations (“push in”
model) to support students with documented disorders which affect a student’s
abilities in the classroom.
Students with documented disorders affecting learning and classroom performance
can expect reasonable accommodations and a “least restrictive environment”
approach, meaning accommodations will be implemented methodically until the right
balance of support is determined. Students are expected to work to their fullest
potential and communicate with their teachers, the Learning Support Specialist, and
their counselor when and if they need more or less support.
Principles
All accommodations that may be authorized are based on the following principles.
1. ACS must ensure that a grade awarded to a candidate in any subject is not a
misleading description of that candidate’s level of attainment, so the same
standards of assessment are applied to all candidates, regardless of whether
or not they have special needs.
2. Special arrangements are intended to reduce the adverse effects of a
candidate’s special needs when demonstrating his or her level of attainment.
The special arrangements requested for a candidate must not give that
candidate an advantage in any assessment component.
3. The special arrangements described in this document are intended for
candidates with the intellectual capacity to meet all assessment requirements
leading to graduation.
Terminology
Accommodation
 A generic term comprising all forms of arrangement, compensation or
conditions that may be allowed for a candidate.
Special Arrangements
 Changed or additional conditions during the assessment process for a
candidate with special educational needs. These enable the candidate to
Adapted from: Henrico County International Baccalaureate Programs, Henrico County Public Schools, Henrico, VA; IBO,
Candidates with Special Needs
demonstrate his or her level of attainment more fairly and are not intended to
compensate for any lack of ability.
Special Assessment Needs
 A candidate with special assessment needs is one who requires special
arrangements in assessment conditions to demonstrate his or her level of
attainment.
Special Educational Needs
 This refers to candidates with individual learning needs, who have the
intellectual capacity to meet all curriculum and assessment requirements, and
who require special arrangements to demonstrate their level of achievement.
Roles and Responsibilities
Of the School
• The school will provide guidance and information so that students with diagnosed
learning needs and their parents can make informed decisions concerning their
program and course choices. The school will offer advice regarding if and how a
student engages with one of the programs offered but will not restrict a student
from participating in their program of choice if the student and parents pursue
such a course of action.
•
For each student with a diagnosed learning difficulty, a formal accommodation
plan will be collaboratively developed by the Learning Support Specialist (LSS),
the student, his/her parents, and relevant community specialists (I.e.
psychologist, speech pathologist, etc.). The LSS will provide details of a
student’s learning difficulties and accommodation plan to teachers along with
relevant teaching strategies as part of the Learner Profile.
•
The LSS will oversee the implementation of a student’s school-based classroom
and examination accommodation plan.
•
The LSS will apply to the College Board for accommodations on standardized
tests for students with current diagnosis and ongoing learning plan
•
The LSS will provide updates of accommodation plans and host learning support
meetings as needed.
•
The school will facilitate the provision of appropriate accommodations as
specified by the student’s accommodation plan, such as, but not limited to:
additional time, rest periods, separate testing space, technological aides, reading
aids (readers, prompters), assessment/assignments in special color or type size,
audio recordings, assignment modification, extensions, and assistance or
exemptions as specified by the student’s accommodation plan.
Of the Teacher
• Through collaboration with the LSS, the classroom teacher will familiarize
him/herself with the nature of a student’s special needs, making use of
applicable, school provided resources as needed.
Adapted from: Henrico County International Baccalaureate Programs, Henrico County Public Schools, Henrico, VA; IBO,
Candidates with Special Needs
•
The classroom teacher will provide differentiation and accommodation, in
conjunction with the LSS as needed, as required for student success and as
outlined in the student’s accommodation plan.
•
The teacher will maintain discretion and confidentiality in providing these
services.
Of the Parent and Student
• Families will make requests for collaboration and/or services from the school as
needed and in a proactive manner.
•
Once requested by the school, families will provide formal documentation to the
school officials in a timely manner. The assessment needs to be done within six
months of the accommodation request.
•
Families will communicate with their child’s teachers and the LSS concerning
their observations of their child’s needs in order to facilitate appropriate
intervention strategies.
•
Students will be proactive in seeking assistance from their teachers and the LSS
to meet their learning needs.

Last updated on September, 2012
Adapted from: Henrico County International Baccalaureate Programs, Henrico County Public Schools, Henrico, VA; IBO,
Candidates with Special Needs