Study of the Mount Diablo Unified School District - Mt. Diablo Unified ...

Service Delivery Options and Continuum of Servicesshould be specific to the characteristics, needs, and supports relevant to thespecific student.Cost Implications for Issue 3‐6:The costs associated with implementation of this consideration are for staff time andprofessional development. The district should not incur any additional costs in the targetedschools if the professional development and district support are provided during the schoolday during planning periods, faculty meetings, early release days, or embedded staffdevelopment in the classroom. If substitutes are required, the district costs would be $120per teacher per day. If professional development is provided after the school day, thedistrict costs would be $25 per hour per teacher. MGT cannot calculate costs forsubstitutes or teacher stipends at this time, as the costs are based on the number of hoursand the method for delivery of the professional development.Issue 3‐7: Placement of Students with Autism in the Least Restrictive Environment.The district serves some students with autism within one of four levels of autism‐specificservice delivery models. Other students with autism continue to be served withinclassrooms for students with moderate to severe disabilities. While attempts have beenmade to operationally define criteria for placement of students with autism based uponindividual needs, the diversity of this population of students makes this type of decisionchallenging. This issue is further complicated by the lack of a full continuum of grade levelsor service delivery options available within schools that serve students with autismspectrum disorders. Interviews with teachers indicate that this limited range of programoptions can interfere with their ability to ensure that students have access to instruction inthe least restrictive environment as it may not be available within their school.Consideration for Issue 3‐7:• Create a continuum of services, including all grade levels and a full continuum ofeducational supports, within schools serving students with autism.Cost Implications for Issue 3‐7:Costs associated with this consideration are related to staff time. Work tasks should becompleted during the work day resulting in no additional costs to the district.Issue 3‐8: District Level Support for Teachers of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.The autism program in MSUSD is supported by the district administrator for special dayclasses in close collaboration with the district behavioral support team. This team includesa program manager and two certified behavioral analysts. They are actively involved in thedevelopment of the autism program, the provision of direct support for teachers, and intraining efforts.MGT of America, Inc. Page 3‐16