Middle School SpEd Program

The Academy of Alameda’s Special Education Program Overview

Special education services are designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, ensuring they have access to the same educational opportunities as their peers. To best support your student, it is important to understand different special education service models. Two common models for delivering these services are Full Inclusion and Special Day Class (SDC):

• Full Inclusion: This model, which best supports mild to moderate, students with disabilities are fully integrated into general education classrooms. They receive support services, such as accommodations that may include push-in support or supported small groups within the general classroom setting, or pull-out support in small groups for specialized. Full inclusion promotes social interaction, a sense of belonging, and access to the general curriculum.
  
  
• Special Day Class (SDC): This model, which best supports moderate to severe, involves placing students with significant needs in a separate classroom for all or part of the day. With smaller class sizes and specialized instruction, students can receive individualized support tailored to their specific academic and behavioral needs. The structured setting helps create a consistent routine which supports students with social-emotional learning and access to the general curriculum.

Our School's Model: Full Inclusion

At the Academy of Alameda, we follow a Full Inclusion model. We believe in fostering an inclusive learning environment where all students learn together and benefit from diverse perspectives. Our dedicated team of general education and special education staff collaborate to provide individualized support, ensuring that every student has the tools they need to succeed academically and socially.

While we do not currently have a Special Day Class (SDC) model, we are committed to working with families to determine if our program will support the specialized services as outlined in the IEPs. If additional services are needed, we work closely with families to explore available district or regional options. 

AoA complies with all requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), including honoring a student’s placement indicated on their IEP as determined by their IEP team, in order to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education).

We are a part of the Sonoma County Charter SELPA (Special Education Local Planning Area)

• 2024-2025 Charter SELPA CEO Council Members