1. education
2. special education

DID YOU KNOW?
A REMINDER TO PARENTS:
If you have concerns regarding your child’s special education
services, please use the flow chart below to ensure your concerns
are addressed in the most effective and proficient way possible.
ADDRESS AT
CLASSROOM
LEVEL
First--Talk to your
child's teacher
about your
concerns...
ADDRESS AT
SCHOOL LEVEL
Second--Talk to
the EC Chair
and/or the
Principal at your
child's school
about your
concerns...
ADDRESS WITH
ASSISTANCE
FROM
EXCEPTIONAL
CHILDREN'S
DEPARTMENT
If you still have
concerns--Contact
the EC Parent
Liaison at 336438-4000 Ext.
37840.
ALAMANCE-BURLINGTON SCHOOL SYSTEM
ALAMANCE-BURLINGTON SCHOOL SYSTEM
DEPARTMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
DEPARTMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Important Information about
Your Child’s EDUCATION in
Alamance-Burlington School System
1712 Vaughn Road
Burlington, NC 27217
336.570.6090
ABSS DEPARTMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Mission
to educate children with exceptionalities and foster their independence, enabling them
to become contributing and productive citizens. Our Division provides specially
designed instruction to children with a broad spectrum of abilities and disabilities,
striving to promote their cognitive, physical, social/emotional, and vocational
development.
Did you know…?
 As of 2013, ABSS serves over
ABSS has
Our district offers several settings for students who require an alternative environment.
Ray Street Academy serves EC and General ed. students in grades 6-12, who struggle behaviorally, socially, and/or
academically in a typical school setting. RSA provides a smaller student to teacher ratio and utilizes a point/level
system to determine readiness to return to a typical school environment.
The goal of the Alamance-Burlington School System’s Exceptional Children’s Division is

Alternative Environments in ABSS:
36 schools:
Turning Point Day Treatment Program is a mental health accredited site which serves EC students only in grades K –
12. Mental health diagnosis and Medicaid eligibility are among the criteria required for acceptance into the program.
Students receive both academic and mental health support. Group and individual therapy are provided by licensed
clinical staff. Turning Point also uses a point/level system.
The goal of each program is to provide students with strategies which will enable them to eventually return to a typical
school environment. Home schools can refer a student to either program by completing the program specific
application.
WHERE TO TURN FOR
COMMUNITY RESOURCES?
2,700 students with disabilities.
20 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 6 high schools
When you need General Information . . .
Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions
Alamance Caswell Community Operations
Center
336.513.4222
and three specialty schools.

ABSS has
over 350 EC staff
serving students with disabilities, including
teachers, teacher assistants, therapists, and other support personnel.


Exceptional Children’s Advisory Council
(ECPAC) to advocate for system-wide issues.
ABSS has a Special Education PTA (SEPTA) to support parents
ABSS has an
and teachers.

ABSS has
Program Specialists for each school level (elementary, middle,
and high school) and other specialty areas, such as Autism and Multiple Disabilities, PreK, Speech, and Behavior and Alternative Environments. To contact a Program Specialist,
call 336-438-4120.
WHAT IS ECPAC?
The Exceptional Children Parent Advisory Council (ECPAC) functions as an advocate for all
students with disabilities enrolled in the Alamance-Burlington School System. The Council will
focus on system-wide issues and advocate for programs to support students with disabilities.
Parents and guardians of children with all types of disabilities are encouraged to attend our
meetings. For more information, contact the EC Parent Liaison at 336-438-4000 ext. 37840.
Check out the latest issues of the ECPAC’s quarterly newsletter, Exceptional ImPACt, online at
North Carolina’s Parent Training & Information Center
Parent education workshops on a variety of topics:
Information Packets and referral services
Newsletter
Lending Library
IEP Partners
Parent to Parent Support
Information and assistance to parent groups
All services are provided to NC
parents and families at no charge!
Parent Information Line: 1-800-962-6817
(Parents only please on the toll-free number)
Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center
North Carolina's Parent Training & Information Center (PTI)
907 Barra Row, Suites 102/103
Davidson, NC 28036
www.ecac-parentcenter.org
When you need services or are in crisis . . .
Access Call Center — 1.888.543.1444
To apply for Medicaid . . .
Department of Social Services (DSS)
Alamance County - 336.570.6532
To apply for Supplemental Security Income
(SSI)
For an appointment with your local Social
Security Office
1.800.772.1213
When you have a concern . . .
Call the automated 24-hour anonymous tollfree concern line
1.888.213.9687
Note: ABSS does not endorse any particular service providers or agencies other than those offered through its
own organization. Listings are provided for informational purposes only.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE TEAM
Who We Are

Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational
Therapists and EC teachers who serve all ABSS
schools, with a primary focus on classrooms for
students with Multiple Disabilities and Autism.
What We Do


Staff Training
o Train EC teachers and TA’s to incorporate AT
into their classroom curriculum
Assistive Technology/Augmentative
Communication Assessments
o AT consideration is available for augmentative
and alternative communication, alternative
writing options, computer access, special
needs software and enhancing vision
o
How do I request AT/AAC consideration?
 Submit –
Assistive Technology Referral Form
& Parent Permission Form to:
Pat Byers
Assistive Technology Team Leader
612 Apple St.,
Burlington, NC 27217
o
Forms available on the AT web page:
www.abss.k12.nc.us/at
Lending Library
o 900 pieces of AT equipment are available for
loan to all students.
o Contact Pat Byers for assistance.
 Education
o AT webpage keeps you up-to-date on
changing technology, educational websites,
conferences and more!
Contact:


Pat Byers at [email protected] or
336-438-4000 ext. 37809
PROBLEM SOLVING MODELS
IN OUR SCHOOLS: Responsiveness to
Instruction (RtI) and Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
ABSS uses problem solving models as approaches
or frameworks to help ensure positive student
outcomes. Response to Intervention (RtI) and PBIS
are the frameworks being used in many of our
schools. These frameworks focus on appropriate,
targeted instruction matched to the student’s need,
research-based teaching strategies, and early
intervention with students at risk. Both also utilize
accurate assessment with valid, reliable data and
progress monitoring that drives instruction and the
level of intensity. Teachers are making informed,
instructional decisions.
Both RtI and PBIS share a systematic, data-driven
leveled approach to intervention based on student
needs. RtI was developed to assist parents and
teachers who need help designing educational
solutions for problems that arise in schools.
Both frameworks use levels or tiers of increasing
support. In RtI, universal screening is done for all
students in grades K-8 to make sure that core
instruction is meeting the needs of the students.
This screening means that many more students are
receiving intervention early. Some students may
need Tier 2 instruction in addition to core instruction
and it is usually conducted in small groups. Tier 3
instruction is the most intensive level of intervention
outside of EC services. In many schools,
remediation teachers are used to implement
interventions at this tier. Progress monitoring, family
involvement and research-based instruction occur
throughout the tiers and increase in intensity as
instructional supports increase.
Similarly in the PBIS model, schools have a
universal expectation of behavior for all students. A
second level of support for some students may be
interventions, such as participation in a social group.
The third level may be the implementation of a FBA
or BIP. The goal for both approaches is to intervene
early and have positive student outcomes.
SPECIAL EDUCATION ACRONYMS: What do they mean?
AET
ABEC
Autism Evaluation Team
Alamance-Burlington Exceptional Children
(local forms)
ADHD Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AT
Assistive Technology
ATET Assistive Technology Evaluation Team
AU
Autism
SED
Serious Emotional Disability
BIP
Behavior Intervention Plan
CEC
Council for Exceptional Children
CFT
Child and Family Team
COSF Child Outcomes Summary Form
DB
Deaf - Blindness
DD
Developmentally Delayed
DF
Deafness
DEC
Division of Exceptional Children (State
Department forms)
DNQ
Does Not Qualify
EC
Exceptional Children
ECAC Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center
ECPAC Exceptional Children Parent Advisory Council
ECS
Extended Content Standards
ESY
Extended School Year
FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education
FBA/BIP Functional Behavioral Assessment/ Behavior
Intervention Plan
HI
Hearing Impaired
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDMI
Intellectual Disability - Mild
IDMO Intellectual Disability - Moderate
IDSE
IEP
SLD(LD)
LEA
LRE
MU
NCLB
OCS
OHI
OI
OM
OT
PBIS
PLAFP
Intellectual Disability – Severe
Individualized Education Plan
Specific Learning Disabled
Local Education Agency
Least Restrictive Environment
Multiple Disabilities
No Child Left Behind
Occupational Course of Study
Other Health Impaired
Orthopedically Impaired
Orientation and Mobility
Occupational Therapy
Positive Behavior Intervention Support
Present Level(s) of Academic and Functional
Performance
PT
Physical Therapy
PSM
Problem Solving Model
RE
Regular Education
RtI
Responsiveness to Instruction
SAT
Student Assistance Team
SEPTA Special Education Parent Teacher
Association
SCD
Significant Cognitive Disability
SI
Speech Impaired (area of eligibility)
SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
TBI
Traumatic Brain Injury
TEACCH Treatment and Education of Autistic and
Related Communication Handicapped Children
TPBA-2 Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment 2
VI
Visually Impaired
VR
Vocational Rehabilitation
SPECIAL EDUCATION PTA (SEPTA)
ABSS SEPTA is a system-wide Special Education PTA. This organization is devoted to
supporting the needs of special education students, families, and educators. SEPTA
would like to have EC parents from all of our schools participating in their efforts to
create a support network for EC families and sponsor events tailored to meet the needs
of our EC families.
SEPTA typically meets in August, October, February, and May. Please come join them as
they help plan events to support your families. Everyone is welcome! For more
information, contact the EC Parent Liaison at 336-438-4000 ext. 37840.
DID YOU KNOW…?
IEP Meetings…
School districts/Schools are required by law to make available to parents of students with
disabilities a “Handbook of Parent Rights” (procedural safeguards) one time per year.
In ABSS, Exceptional Children (EC) teachers typically offer the parent handbook at every IEP meeting throughout
a school year, but the requirement is that parents be given the handbook once per year.
Schools are required to give parents of students with disabilities adequate (at least 10 days) notice
and a second notice for an IEP meeting.
In ABSS, the first notice (Invitation to Conference) is typically sent 10 days prior to the meeting date and then a
second notice (“reminder”) is sent five days prior to the meeting. (The 2nd notice may be a phone call, email, a
copy of 1st Invitation, etc.)
Parents may request that the IEP meeting be held prior to the 10-day meeting date that is offered and EC
teachers can try to accommodate that request if they can get all required IEP team members notified with a
commitment from them to attend.
Required IEP team members are: LEA Representative (Principal or Assistant Principal), at least one
Special Education Teacher of the child, at least one General Education Teacher and Parent.
Other individuals with a vested interest in the child’s special education may certainly participate in an IEP meeting,
but the parent must be informed of all participants (on the Invitation to Conference) prior to the IEP meeting.
Students identified in the Exceptional Children (EC) program must be invited to attend and
participate in their own IEP meetings beginning at age 14 when transition services will be discussed.
Students with disabilities who are age 14 or older should receive and sign a student invitation to their own IEP
meetings. This is separate and different from the parent invitation.
REFERRAL PROCESS FOR CHILDREN 3-5 YEARS OF AGE:
If a parent has developmental or behavioral concerns about their child, a referral can be made
to the ABSS Pre-Kindergarten Exceptional Children’s Program. Please call 336-438-4000 ext.
37844 for more information.
CENTRALLY LOCATED PROGRAMS
Did you know that Alamance Burlington Schools
has over thirty classrooms for students with
Multiple Disabilities and Autism across our
district?
These classrooms provide services for students
ages 5 and above who need a curriculum focused
on academics and individual learning activities to
enhance social, communication and self-help
skills. Students may also receive services from a
comprehensive team including occupational
therapists, speech language pathologists and
physical therapists based upon the student’s
Individualized Education Program.
Teachers and staff in our Centrally Located
Programs are trained in the utilization of
Assistive Technology including voice output
devices and alternative pencils. Staff regularly
receives trainings in CPR/First Aid, Crisis
Prevention, and Positioning, Lifting and
Transferring. Classrooms are placed throughout
our district by zones, so students can attend
school as close as possible to their home
school. Classes are available at the elementary,
middle and high school levels.
High School Options for Students with
Disabilities
There are three courses of study available. The majority of EC
students will follow the Future-Ready CORE Course of Study.
Some students will use the Future –Ready Occupational Course
of Study or Extended Content Standards.
Most students with disabilities in NC Public Schools will
participate in the Future-Ready CORE, which will give those
students a High School Diploma with the option to attend a 4-year
university or 2-year college.
The Occupational Course of Study is intended for a small group of
students with disabilities who need a greatly modified curriculum
that focuses on post-school employment and independent living.
OCS has a major work component as well. It will also lead to High
School diploma, but the post-secondary options are specifically
designed community college programs, such as ACC’s Career
College, or employment. The IEP team should consider the
student’s skills, knowledge and goals for special education,
employment and independent living when deciding which course
of study to choose for a student with disabilities.
The Extend Content Standards are for a small percentage of
students with disabilities for which a High School Diploma is not
practical. These students typically have significant cognitive
disabilities in addition to other disabilities. Course content is linked
to the general curriculum and focuses on life skills. These
students earn a graduation Certificate upon completion.
IEPs must be reviewed at least annually.
An IEP can be revisited/reviewed/amended as many times during the duration of that IEP as necessary to
address any part of the child’s special education services, but the law requires at least an annual review.
EC Graduation Plan
A REEVALUATION to determine continued eligibility of an EC student must occur at least every 3
years.
In ABSS, every 8th grade student will have an IEP transition meeting at the high school. This occurs anytime between
February 1st and the end of the school year. An EC Graduation Plan is completed at this meeting. The purpose of the EC
Graduation Plan is to work as an IEP team during the transition meeting to determine the student’s course selection for their
high school career.
The reevaluation process must be completed at least every 3 years to determine continuing eligibility for an EC
student. This reevaluation process may or may not mean updated “testing” in that process. The IEP team makes
that determination during an IEP Reevaluation Determination meeting. In some cases, it may be necessary to
conduct the reevaluation process for various reasons before the 3-year reevaluation period has passed.
Based on data presented, student, teacher and parent input, the team will determine what courses are the best choices and
what interventions are needed in order to ensure success. This plan has to be a “living document” that parents and students
use, with the help of case managers, to track the student’s progress and to adjust accordingly, due to success or difficulties. It
helps students, parents, and teachers see the “big picture,” when looking ahead at graduation requirements.