Special Education Services

Special Education:
As a public charter school, Bridge Charter Academy is required to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to every student enrolled in our program. This means that if a student is falling behind academically, has a physical or mental disability,  or they have significant deficiencies in grade-level learning objectives, we are required to come up with a plan to help the student get back on track. If it is determined through an evaluation process with our Growth Team, certain qualifiable medical conditions, etc. that an Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 services apply to your student, our SPED or 504 Coordinators will hold a meeting with appropriate data to discuss accommodations for your student. 

If you are seeking a Special Education referral for your student, please speak to your learning coordinator about setting up a meeting with the Growth Team.

504
A 504 plan is a blueprint for how the school will support a student with a disability and remove barriers to learning. The goal is to give the student equal access at school. A 504 can be used for students with medical conditions or physical/mental disabilities which impair their learning. For a 504, the parent/guardian would need to submit all necessary documentation. If you are seeking a 504 plan for a qualifying student, please talk to your Learning Coordinator about setting up a meeting with the Growth Team.
IEP 
Individualized Education Plans are developed through our sponsor district (Lowell School District). These are educational plans developed to help students with a specific learning disability or impairment to access their grade-level curriculum. This includes specially designed instruction with a SPED teacher, regular progress monitoring and assessment, and certain accommodations in an educational setting which help the student make progress in their curriculum. (This can also include, Speech Services, Occupational Therapy, etc.) 
For more information about the districts policy for IEP meetings and content, please see this link. 
ELL
Upon enrollment and each re-enrollment, a family is required to fill out a "Language Use Survey" for each of their enrolled students. If the student uses languages other than English outside of school, they will be required to take an EL Screener to determine their English Language Proficiency. 
No student left behind:
We want to ensure that the educational plan for the student fits their individual needs. If a student is below grade level, but they are hitting their stretch goals, we consider them on track because they are making significant strides towards shortening the gap. However, if a student is below grade level and they are not hitting their stretch goals, the Growth Team will want to review the student’s educational plan and partner with the parents to come up with a solution for this student. The goal of the Growth Team is to get the student back on track for high school readiness. 

​Students Rights ​
Testing 