Richland Springs School - Special Populations
BILINGUAL EMERGENT LEARNERS
Sherri Ashworth, BEL Coordinator
The Bilingual/ESL Department designs, guides, and monitors quality programs for emergent bilingual students.
The goals of the Richland Springs ISD Bilingual/ESL Department are:
All students who enter the BEL Program in grades PK-5 will reach their full proficiency in English within five to seven years, pass all state-required academic tests, and develop sociocultural competence.
All students who enter the BEL Program in grades PK-8 will reach their full proficiency in English within five to seven years and pass all state-required academic tests.
All students who enter the BEL program in grade 9 or above will their meet graduation requirements in four years, including passing all state-required academic tests.
The Bilingual/ESL Department envisions emergent bilinguals achieving high levels of language proficiency and content knowledge so that they will be prepared for success in college, careers, and community leadership.
DYSLEXIA, SECTION 504, SPECIAL EDUCATION
DYSLEXIA
RSISD Dyslexia Services follow guidelines set by Texas Education Agency to identify and provide services for students with dyslexia. Qualified personnel follows procedures for dyslexia assessment and identification. Program monitoring and school support are available. The focus of instruction for dyslexia programs involves teaching procedures that students internalize and are able to retrieve when coping with tasks related to reading, spelling, and writing.
SECTION 504
Section 504 is a federal law that prohibits disability discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance. All public schools and school districts, as well as all public charter schools and magnet schools, that receive federal financial assistance, must comply with Section 504.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
The Special Education Department emphasizes an educational system that combines a rigorous academic program with the exploration of career choices. General Education and Special Education teachers can utilize the RSISD learning model as the guide for designing instruction that is relevant and engaging as well as for planning activities that foster authentic learning. The Special Education Department supports differentiating instruction, as appropriate, to meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities.
Brandy Eckermann, Special Populations Coordinator
GIFTED AND TALENTED
Mindy Womack, Gifted and Talented Coordinator
The Richland Springs' Gifted and Talented Department hopes to inform our stakeholders on gifted and talented services, resources, and opportunities to help our students best foster their gifts into authentic products and performances.
MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS
MTSS is a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student achievement and support students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs from a strengths-based perspective.
Best practices for an MTSS framework should include universal screening, evidenced-based practices done with fidelity, progress monitoring, and data-based decision-making.
Rhonda Wyatt, Principal