By Kiara Amaya & Anna-Carolina Knapp

There are over 600 students on the high school campus who receive special accommodations to help them be successful in their academic endeavors. One group of students receive Section 504 Plans, based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that all students have an equal opportunity to benefit from their programs and activities. Students with 504 Plans at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) receive support in their educational environment through the Special Programs Department and the 504 Coordinator.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines a disability with 13 different categories ranging from autism to intellectual disabilities to blindness or deafness, among others. The severity of disabilities is a wide spectrum for each individual student. The special education department at GHC is dedicated to providing a continuum of programs, services, and support for students with disabilities.

Students with disabilities can participate in our special education program in several ways including an individualized education plan (IEP) and a Section 504 Plan. Both exist to address the needs of students with learning disabilities, and physical and/or mental conditions that impact their education. An IEP is a legal document that outlines a student’s goals and the services and accommodations they will receive to achieve those goals. A Section 504 Plan, on the other hand, is a document that lists accommodations that a student with a disability or perceived disability receives in the general education setting.

This continuum of support ranges anywhere from full support to limited support. This support is determined by a comprehensive and thorough assessment that identifies the needs that a student may have and allows for an interdisciplinary team of individuals that can consist of parents/guardians, special and general education teachers, administrators, school psychologists, and in some cases, other service providers such as Language and Speech Pathologists, and Occupational and Physical Therapists. This team discusses the results of the tests to best formulate an IEP. 

GHC offers multiple educational pathways to student success and graduation, catered toward each individual student including the following: 

Special Education Day (SDP2) Program:

This group of students can join general elective and physical education classes with modified expectations and alternative curriculums. Students with moderate to severe disabilities may be placed in self-contained special education classes that have a tailored curriculum with the goal of educating their students with practical life skills to ultimately receive a certificate of completion. They are on the alternate curriculum. They contribute to the GHC community such as with the Morning Brew for the Crew program, where they connect not just with DECA students but also with the whole school community. 

Support Classes for the Resource and Special Day Programs:

There are students with disabilities on campus who are a part of many different academic programs such as IB, AP Capstone, and STEM. They may be enrolled in honors and AP classes as well. These students, if needed, are provided with a support class period in which they receive additional help and instruction from teachers and aides for their general education and special education classes.

Accommodations for Students with Section 504 Plans and IEPs:

Students with minor disabilities may spend their whole day in general education classes with the support of accommodations, including but not limited to extra time for assignments or tests, the use of headphones, and different smaller testing locations. These students may have a 504 plan or an IEP.

It is a common misconception that these accommodations offer an unfair advantage, but fairness does not always mean equality. These types of accommodations level the playing field for students with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to succeed. For example, a person who wears glasses does not have an unfair advantage over those without glasses, rather, this tool provides an equal opportunity to see clearly. The special programs department provides these “glasses” for students with disabilities. 

“The students who I have worked with here at GHC have taught me so much over the last 20 years,” Special Education teacher Sherry Cope said. “Each and every one of them has different strengths and challenges, just like everyone else on our campus. For me personally, just taking the time to get to know each of my students, communicating to them that I am approachable and understand their needs, and then assuring them that they can feel comfortable when it comes to supporting them in their classes, is what makes all the difference for both them and me.”