Refining Special Education Services Through Collaboration

Special Education is a service, not a place. With that in mind, Manteca Unified is refining how, when, and where students with disabilities are supported alongside their peers by greatly increasing their inclusion in general education classrooms. To support this initiative, the District hosted a professional development event for all high school teachers, co-led by the Special Education Department and Lathrop High School, that highlighted one successful instructional model.

This year at Lathrop High School, they have fully implemented their co-teaching and collaborative classes model. Under this method, each collaborative class offered (currently English 1 and 2, Algebra A and B, and Success 101), is co-taught by both a general education and special education teacher, along with assistance from paraprofessionals, or classroom aids. The two teachers lesson plan together, teach together, and manage their classroom together. Together, they act as a unit to meet the needs of all students in the classroom and support them in working towards mastering grade-level standards.

“It’s important to focus on we – not I – as the teaching group,” said English teacher Robin Hong. “Together we establish the objective of the lesson and create multiple pathways for students to their learning goals.”

And this joint support is not limited to the classroom. LHS has an entire inclusion team dedicated to supporting both the students and staff in these collaborative classes. Lathrop High’s inclusion team is made up of those working directly in the classroom as well as those who provide support from outside the classroom (special education counselor, behaviorist, engagement coach and administration).

LHS Assistant Principal and inclusion team member Denna Crowe is already seeing successes from the increased inclusion. She has seen a dramatic decrease in disciplinary issues for students receiving special education services. And, because of these new collab classes, 14 additional seniors are now on track to earn a diploma this year.

“We all have one shared belief,” she said while looking to her inclusion team. “Absolutely every student deserves equitable support and access to the resources needed to achieve individual success.”

With the Lathrop High Spartans leading the way, all other high schools in Manteca Unified are in the process of planning the implementation of their own inclusion strategies for next school year.