Re-Entry Plans - UCPS - Exceptional Children - Union County ...

1­109­10
Union County Public Schools
Exceptional Children’s Programs
Re­entry Plans
Caution should always be exercised in undertaking to shorten a student’s school day. Most
defensible are shortened days to accommodate the health needs of medically fragile children. Even when a
shortened day or homebound service is established on a physician’s recommendation, care should be taken
to monitor the on­going need/justification for providing services in this restrictive environment.
When considering the shortening of a student’s school day for behavioral reasons, even more
caution needs to be exercised. Other alternatives should be fully explored including: (1) assessment of the
adequacy of the school­based program being provided, (2) possible change of schedule or teachers, (3)
evaluation of the need for additional training of the staff responsible for the student’s program, (4)
involvement of school­based psychologist to assist with formulating effective program strategies, (5)
involving other building level staff to make the program work more effectively, (6) or the determination of
the effect of adding extra assistant help at critical times, etc.
When a student’s day is shortened or a student is placed on homebound services for behavioral
reasons, placement in this restrictive setting must be viewed as a short­term response to an out­of­control,
non­constructive situation. This placement option should only be used as an interim measure while a more
effective program is being developed at school or while other more intensive interventions are being
secured outside the school setting (e.g., day treatment).
When the decision to shorten a student’s school day or to provide homebound services is made by
the IEP team, a concrete plan for securing additional needed services and/or for modifying the school
situation to enable the student to return to full day program status at school must be developed by the IEP
team. Specific checkpoint dates should also be set for monitoring the implementation of the re­entry plan.
Finally, it should be noted that a shortened day or homebound, like any other type of placement,
should be in response to a student’s educational needs and should be the result of planning by the IEP team.
The first step in considering any shortened day or homebound placement is the involvement of parents with
proper notice in a properly constituted IEP meeting. As part of re­entry planning for a shortened day
recommendation, the IEP team should identify specific goals/objectives which, if mastered, will increase
the likelihood of a successful return to full day of schooling.
Sample of Behavioral Re­Entry Plan
Student Name:
School:
Date of Meeting:
Date of Birth:
Grade:
Background:
Because most of _________’s verbal and physical outbursts occur after lunch his afternoon
schedule was adjusted to provide flexibility and allow _________ to remove himself from situations when
he experienced feelings of embarrassment or anger. ____________’s most recent verbal and physical
outburst with Mr. ______________ occurred two weeks after his afternoon schedule was adjusted.
Placement in a setting more restrictive than separate class is not appropriate at this time because
relationships with his peers and modeling their behavior and language are key to his success in school.
____________’s positive interactions with others drive his motivation in school. ______________’s
instructional day will be 7:50 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. for a nine­week period.
Re­Entry Plan:
Step One – Ms. ___________ will document and report to his parents weekly progress on short­term
objective involving role play situations and adjust instruction accordingly.
Step Two ­ If, after the initial three­week period, ______________ is able to appropriately identify
emotions of embarrassment and anger in role play situations, his instructional day will be increased to 1:10
p.m.

1­109­10
Union County Public Schools
Exceptional Children’s Programs
Step Three – If, after the second three­week period, _____________ is able to choose and use an
appropriate behavior response/signal in role play situations, his instructional day will be increased to 2:00
p.m.
Step Four – If, after the third three week period, ___________ identifies situations in which he feels
embarrassed or angry, his instructional day will be increased to a full day until 2:50 p.m.
Note: If at the end of the nine­week period, ____________ has not made sufficient progress to return to a
full instructional day, his parents will be properly notified of an IEP team meeting.
Sample of Medical Re­Entry Plan
Student Name:
School:
Date of Meeting:
Date of Birth:
Grade:
Background/Description:
_____________ currently is half day at school secondary to medical issues which contribute to
limited endurance. These medical issues include seizure activity, lack of postural control, visual and
hearing impairment as well as general weakness.
Presently he attends school from 7:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon. He is then picked up by his mother and
usually requires a rest time at home. He also is involved in medically necessary therapies outside the
school setting which include hippotherapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.
These are necessary for his overall development.
Re­Entry Plan:
The following considerations and accommodations will affect his placement full day:
- Physician recommendation and approval
- Assignment of full time assistance for _______ to meet his IEP needs and provide for his
educational and physical needs
- Provision of a rest period during his full day schedule