Classrooms

A variety of Special Education classrooms with different teacher to student ratios are offered for students with a variety of disabilities.

15 Students - 1 Teacher: Classrooms with a 15:1 ratio provide services to students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. This classroom emphasizes intensive academic intervention, along with a focus on employability skills and the CDOS credential

12 Students - 1 Teacher: 1 Teacher Support Person:Classrooms with a 12:1 ratio provide services to students whose educational and developmental needs require additional adult support to access the curriculum. Students in this setting also receive instruction which focuses on social skills, life skills, career planning and emotional needs.

12 Students - 1 Teacher & 1 Teacher Support Person/every 3 students: Classrooms with a 12:1 (3:1) ratio are designed for students with multiple disabilities who require a program emphasizing habilitation and treatment. Speech therapy, adaptive physical education, occupational therapy and physical therapy services are integrated into these classrooms. Students involved in programming of this nature require very high levels of support and adult intervention.

8 Students – 1 Teacher –1 Assistant: Classrooms with an 8:1 ratio are designed for students whose management needs are determined to be intensive and who require a high degree of individualized behavioral intervention. Students’ participation in general education classes/activities is also promoted through the provision of varying levels of push-in and consultant support.

6 Students – 1 Teacher – 1 Assistant: Classrooms with a 6:1 ratio are designed for students whose highly intensive management and instructional needs can be best addressed in a structured self-contained special education class. Behavioral supports available include student and family counseling and case management services provided by a counselor with a Master in Social Work (MSW) degree.

6 Students – 1 Teacher – 2 Assistants: Classrooms with a 6:1:2 ratio are designed for students with developmental disabilities who have significant management needs. Students in these classes require intensive adult intervention to access academic instruction.

Collaborative Day Treatment (8:1:2): The Collaborative Day Treatment Program is a partnership between the BOCES and the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center (NYS Office of Mental Health). These classrooms are designed to meet the needs of students in grades 4-8 who are considered at high risk for psychiatric hospitalization and are in need of intense community based psychiatric services coupled with special education services in a 8:1:2 classroom setting.

PASS Program/ 6 Students – 1 Teacher – 1 Assistant: The PASS Program is an intensive, self-contained, partial-day special education program for students whose behavior management needs prevent successful integration into larger classroom settings. Designed as a short-term placement, students attend the program for a half-day with the goal of transitioning into a full-day setting.

Life Skills: Life Skills is a pre-vocational special class program conducted by the Programs for Exceptional Students at the Charles H. Bohlen, Jr. Technical Center in Watertown and the Howard G. Sackett Technical Center in Glenfield. The program offers students opportunities to explore a variety of career strands, assesses their aptitude and interests, and develops skills that are essential for success in continuing Career and Technical Education. This one-year program is designed to prepare students for general education career and technical programs.