The Learning Continuum

The Boerne Independent School District provides a continuum of special education offerings. These services include, but are not limited to:

To the extent that they will benefit, eligible special education students are included with their age-appropriate peers in regular schools. Many programs are available to these students. Both general education and special education teaching staff have received extensive training in making accommodations, adaptations, and modifications, for learning differences. 

• Students may remain in the general education classroom all day with assistance as needed from a special education teacher/teaching assistant.
• Students identified as having a speech impairment are served during the school day by a speech/language pathologist.
• Students may report to a special education classroom on the general education campus less than 50% of the time or be served by one or more special education teachers for more than 50% of the time, if needed.
• Students 14 years or older may participate in on/off campus community-based vocational training and/or Community-Based Instruction (CBI) opportunities.
• Students 16 years or older may receive on-the-job training under the supervision of a vocational adjustment coordinator, job coach, or community-based teacher or teaching assistant.
• Students with visual impairments receive instruction in the use of advanced technology and in social skills while attending general education or special education classes.
• Students with auditory impairments may receive instruction in Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD) classrooms provided in Northside ISD or in classrooms with support from the Auditory Impairment itinerant teacher.

Child Find: Serving Children with Different Learning Needs

A parent, teacher or other professional may refer a student for special education evaluation at any time by contacting the school's principal or adiminstrator of special education. 

Boerne Independent School District is committed to identifying, locating, and evaluating all children who reside within the school district boundaries who are suspected of having a disability and who may be in need of Special Education and Related Services. This is accomplished collaboratively through Reach and Teach, and through the "CHILD Process."

Child Find is a free referral information service that helps children who need assistance with learning challenges which prevent them from doing well in school. By pinpointing problems early, beginning at birth, Child Find offers every infant, child, and youth an equal chance to achieve his or her full potential. 

For example, if you notice that your child plays differently from others, or has problems with vision, hearing, speech, or coordination, he or she may benefit from services offered through the public schools. Does your child demonstrate problems or difficulties in any of the following areas? 

• Speech/Language (difficulty pronouncing words, difficulty being understood by others, has difficulty or does not respond when spoken to, and/or does not babble, coo, or talk) 
• Hearing (inappropriate response or no response to sound, chronic ear problems, and/or pulls ears)
• Vision (unable to see things close up and/or far away, avoids eye contact, unable to follow objects, squints eyelids together, and/or rubs eyes often) 
• Cognitive/Mental (does not understand directions or instructions, does not play or relate to others, and/or does not identify common objects) 
• Motor/Physical Development (uneven or no movement, physically overactive or passive, clumsy, and/or limited strength, vitality, or alertness) 
• Behavior (restless, need for constant movement, no understanding of real dangers, and/or experiencing drastic mood swings) 
• Self-Help (some concerns may be: does not try to feed self, rarely expresses wants or desires, and/or shows little or no independence) 

No one knows your child better than you. That is why you are more likely than anyone else to notice something different in your child's behavior, physical ability, mental development, or learning patterns. If a child with a learning difference begins working with an educational professional when problems are first noticed, the chances are much greater that the child will have a positive experience at school. 

If you are concerned that your child seems to be learning or playing differently than others, please call our Special Education Department at 830-357-2098 for more information. We're here to help you access services to meet the unique learning needs of your child. 

Instructional Arrangements

General Education Accommodations: Special education staff work cooperatively with the general education teachers to ensure that the student modifications and accommodations are understood and implemented in general education.

Inclusion: Students will receive support in the general education setting. 

Resource: Resource is a structured program based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills general education curriculum in Reading, Language Arts/English, and Math. Instruction in a resource setting is provided by a Special Education teacher and is designed to meet individual academic needs and increase academic competence.

Self-Contained: Self-contained classes are designed for students with severe cognitive disabilities and educational needs that require a specialized curriculum and instruction by a special educator. The array of classes includes a variety of instructional arrangements for students who demonstrate special behavioral and/or academic needs.

Homebound: This service is designed to provide instruction to students who are unable to attend school due to accidents, illness, or a non-contagious disease as documented by a licensed physician. Students instructed through homebound services are expected to be confined to the home for a minimum of four consecutive weeks or any period of time totaling at least four weeks throughout the school year.

Speech and Language Therapy: This program provides remediation for students with communications disorders to improve their effectiveness and performance in the academic environment.

Early Childhood: This is a class for 3, 4, and 5-year-old students with disabilities to enable them to attend school with non-disabled peers. The peers are children of district employees who pay childcare fees to support the ECC teacher.

Early Childhood Special Education: The ECSE program provides services to eligible 3, 4, and 5-year-old children. Parent-professional collaboration is an integral part of the ECSE program.

Vocational Adjustment Class: Vocational training is provided for students in a variety of classes and settings. Certain students may qualify to earn a high school diploma while participating in employment with work progress monitored by the VAC teacher and employer. Classroom instruction supports students enrolled in the VAC program.

Related Services

Occupational Therapy: The Occupational Therapist uses purposeful, goal-directed activities to enable a student with a disability to benefit from special education services. Therapy is designed to assist in the development of skills that are prerequisites to academic learning within the educational setting. Depending on student needs, it may include improving gross and fine motor skills, coordination, adapting environments, organizing and using material appropriately, and/or developing routines for dressing and feeding skills. The school district's OT works with students from an educational model.

Physical Therapy: The Physical Therapist plans and implements programs that will help students meet their educational goals and objectives and benefit from special education services. The therapist is concerned with facilitating the child's overall performance in the classroom, considering the student's developmental level and physical disability. Services are provided to enhance independent functioning. The school district's PT works with students from an educational model.

Assistive Technology: A related service that helps students to become more independent in their surroundings with the use of any materials or equipment to improve communication, learning, and self-help skills. Boerne ISD insures that properly evaluated assistive technology devices and services are provided to assist students.

Transportation: The safe and comfortable transportation of the district's special education students who ride to school and job sites on buses is a priority of the Boerne ISD Transportation Department.

Home/Parent Training: Boerne ISD Special Education Department provides periodic opportunities for parents to attend disability-related conferences. We also host parent training events and sponsor parent networking groups. Home training is a specialized service that is offered to eligible families.

Educational Services

Auditory Impairment (AI): An impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects the child's educational performance. The hearing loss must be documented by an otologist (ENT) and an audiologist.

Visual Impairment (VI): A serious visual disability, even with correction, as determined by a licensed ophthalmologist, that affects educational performance. The Program for Students With Visual Impairments provides services for students in Boerne who have serious visual impairment from birth to age 22.

Speech Therapy (SI): A serious communication disorder, as determined by a Speech Language Pathologist, that affects educational performance. Speech or Language Impairment services can begin at 3 years of age. Services include therapy to improve fluency, articulation, or language.

Adapted Physical Education (APE): An appropriate physical education plan for students with special needs not able to participate in regular PE with modifications.