Special Programs

Cayuga ISD offers specialized services to support students who qualify. The programs in place are intended to support and improve learning opportunities for diverse learners and/or students with disabilities in accordance with state, federal, and local policies and procedures. As a result of these efforts, students are able to participate in a broader number of activities and achieve the highest of expectations.

Special Programs in Cayuga ISD include:

Special Education

Dyslexia

Section 504

Homebound

Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Support

Emergent Bilingual

Gifted and Talented

Homeless/McKinney-Vento Act

Becky

Thompson

Special Program Director

bthompson@cayugaisd.com

Please click on the radio buttons below for more information about these programs or scroll further down to find links to informative websites and documents from outside sources.

Special Education

Cayuga ISD participates in the *Anderson County Special Education Cooperative (ACSEC) to provide special education services to students who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). To qualify for services under IDEA, students must first undergo a Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE), a process that involves cognitive and achievement testing administered at the school by an educational diagnostician. School staff are required to monitor the progress of all students and initiate an FIIE when a qualifying condition under IDEA is suspected. However, if a parent suspects his or her child has a disability that impacts the child’s learning, a parent-written request for a Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) to the campus principal, the child’s teacher, or the district special programs coordinator can be made. Once an FIIE is initiated by school personnel or by written request from the parent, the ACSEC is immediately notified and evaluation personnel proceed within *mandated timelines to conduct the FIIE.

For more information about special education services in the school setting and to access numerous parent and family resources, visit SPEDTex.org .

Homebound

In some cases, students suffer from an illness or injury that causes excessive absences. The Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) and Board Policy EEH (LOCAL) provide procedures for facilitating a homebound educational experience in such situations. The parent or guardian of a student who may become confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of four weeks as a result of an accident or illness should contact the child’s campus principal and/or the 504 Coordinator to schedule an initial evaluation meeting to determine whether or not homebound services can be considered.

Section 504

To qualify for services under Section 504, a student must be determined to:

have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or
have a record of such an impairment; or
be regarded as having such an impairment.

Consideration for a Section 504 Plan with accommodations can be initiated by school personnel or by the parent and should be requested in writing to the campus Principal, Counselor, or the Special Programs Coordinator. Once the request is received, a committee meeting, consisting of those who have insight into how the child’s impairment affects him/her in the educational setting, will convene. Based on a review of school and/or medical records and teacher/ parent input, the committee will determine if a plan consisting of accommodations is required in order for the student to access and benefit from learning opportunities commiserate with his/her non-disabled peers. The *504 Guide published on the Texas Education Agency website, is a great resource for more detailed information on Section 504 Services in the school setting.

Response to Intervention/
Multi-Tiered System of Support

Multi-Tiered System of Supports or MTSS, encompasses support for a child in the classroom and takes into account academic, behavioral, and social/emotional needs.

Response to Intervention, or RtI, is a tiered process within MTSS, used for the early identification and support of students with academic, behavioral and social emotional needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom. Struggling students are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. Progress is closely monitored by a team of educators familiar with the child’s educational experiences, the RtI committee. Decisions about the intensity and duration of interventions are based on individual student’s response to instruction and reviewed through the RtI committee on each campus. For more information about RtI/MTSS, you may contact your campus principal or the district special programs coordinator or visit TEA Response to Intervention

Emergent Bilingual

Emergent Bilingual (EB) services provide support to students who are identified as English Language Learners based on information provided on the student’s Home Language Survey, which is completed as part of a child's initial school enrollment documentation. More information about EB services including resources for teachers, parents and families of Emergent Bilingual Students, and community partners. can be found at the Emergent Bilingual Student Web Portal

Homeless/McKinney-Vento Act

The education provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act (incorporated within No Child Left Behind) ensure educational rights and protections for homeless and unaccompanied children/youth.The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children/youth as individuals lacking a fixed, regular, adequate night-time residence, including:

children/youth who share housing with others because of loss of housing, economic hardships or a similar reason; live in motels, trailer parks or campgrounds because of lack of alternative adequate accommodations; live in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals
children/youth who have primary night-time residence in a place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation (e.g., cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings)
migratory children who live in conditions described above

The McKinney-Vento Act specifies and protects the rights of children and youth in homeless situations. Highlights include:

Immediate Enrollment: No child will be denied access to school because of their immigration status, temporary living situation, emergency placement by Child Protective Services or similar hardship situation.
Transportation: To and from the school of origin if feasible, in the student's best interest and requested by the parent, guardian or unaccompanied youth.
Services: Students may receive emergency clothing, work uniforms, school supplies, personal hygiene items or other supplies and services needed.

Dispute Resolution: If problems arise between the school and parents or between districts, the parent shall be referred to the district's homeless liaison and the student must remain in school.

Cayuga ISD Homeless Liaison-Riley Wyatt rwyatt@cayugaisd.com

For more information visit the Texas Education Agency’s web page for Homeless Children and Youth

Gifted and Talented

Students are typically considered, screened and identified for Gifted and Talented during their elementary years. Cayuga Elementary School announces open applications for Gifted and Talented early in the spring of each school year via the CES webpage and facebook page. An applicant who meets certain criteria will undergo screening and testing to determine designation of Gifted and Talented. For more information, contact Tracie Campbell, Principal, Cayuga Elementary School, tcampbell@cayugaisd.com

Dyslexia

Recently in the State of Texas, the reading impairment known as dyslexia has been recategorized as a qualifying specific learning disability and now falls under IDEA. Therefore, a child who is suspected of having dyslexia (or a related disorder such as dysgraphia) must be referred for a Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) to determine eligibility for special education services. More information about diagnosing and accessing services for dyslexia can be found in The Dyslexia Handbook

Forms, Statements and Information

Notice of Procedural Safeguards

Student Handbook Statement

Section 504

Parent's Guide to ARD Process

Texas Transition & Employment Guide

Special Education Resources

2021-2022 IDEA-B Program

Senate Bill 139 Notice for Families - English

Senate Bill 139 Notice for Families - Spanish

Delayed/Denied Compensatory Services - English

Delayed/Denied Compensatory Services - Spanish

The Dyslexia Handbook 2024 Update

Manual Sobre Dislexia Actualizacion 2024

Dyslexia Handbook FAQs

Talking Book Program

The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.

Contact information:

Phone: 1-855-773-3839

Email: inquire@spedtex.org

Live Chat: www.spedtex.org

Cayuga ISD

EXCELLENCE & INTEGRITY- The Wildcat Way

Event Calendar

District Calendar

Special Programs

Special Education

Homebound

Section 504

Response to Intervention/
Multi-Tiered System of Support

Emergent Bilingual

Homeless/McKinney-Vento Act

Gifted and Talented

Dyslexia

Forms, Statements and Information