High School Special Education

Employment Opportunities for Youth (EMPLOY) 1 is a Career and Technical Education course designed for students with disabilities. The course introduces career awareness activities that help students build a foundational understanding of work and explore diverse career pathways. These activities progress into High Quality Work-Based Learning (HQWBL) experiences, allowing students to strengthen their knowledge of the workplace and apply classroom skills in real-world settings.

Employment Opportunities for Youth (EMPLOY) 2 is a Career and Technical Education course designed for students with disabilities. The course emphasizes career exploration, guiding students to discover personal strengths, research career options, engage in new experiences, and develop plans for achieving postsecondary goals. Instruction is delivered through participation in a School-Based Enterprise, where students build both soft and technical skills that prepare them for community-based work experiences in EMPLOY 3 or direct entry into the workforce through EMPLOY 4.

Employment Opportunities for Youth (EMPLOY) 3 is a course that offers students unpaid internships with local businesses aligned to their career interests and postsecondary employment goals. This two-period, back-to-back class builds on the foundations of EMPLOY 1 and EMPLOY 2, emphasizing vocational exploration and the development of transferable, marketable job skills. Through hands-on internship experiences, students strengthen their understanding of the workplace while applying and expanding the skills learned in earlier courses.

Learning Strategies 1 and 2 are special education elective courses considered and decided upon by an IEP team that provide students who access the general curriculum with direct and explicit instruction on building study, learning and executive function skills. Students will explore a variety of research-based strategies and programs that will enable them to experience success in high school. The goal of this class is to support students in developing the habits of academic success.

Life Skills is a special education elective course considered and decided upon by an IEP team that prepares students who access the adapted curriculum to develop independence at home and in the community. Students will develop and enhance communication skills, self-advocacy skills, organizational/study techniques, and social skills. Students will learn to manage their personal care needs and household responsibilities, i.e., create to-do lists, prepare nutritious meals, and care for laundry. Students will participate in the development of individual transition plans and explore skills needed for employment/post-secondary education while learning to be contributing members of their community.

Methods of Study 1-4 are special education elective courses considered and decided upon by an IEP team that provide specialized instruction in organization and study skills to students on the general curriculum. Instruction is tailored to each student’s specific areas of need as outlined through the eligibility and IEP processes. Students may also receive remediation and support of content coursework and may be provided necessary time to complete assignments and assessments to ensure progress in the general education courses.

Personal Living and Finance is a special education elective course considered and decided upon by an IEP team that can replace Economics and Personal Finance as a graduation requirement for any student whose Individual Education Program (IEP) indicates eligibility for the credit accommodation. This course addresses the need for students to learn the skills to manage personal finances and to make sound financial decisions. This course is designed to incorporate the 21 Work Readiness Skills (WRS) identified by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students will participate in the Work Readiness Skills assessment to earn the Board-approved workplace readiness skills credential at the end of the school year. Additionally, students in this course will participate in at least one virtual module satisfying the virtual requirement for graduation. 

Reading Strategies 1-4 are special education elective courses considered and decided upon by an IEP team. They are cumulative elective courses that enhance students’ reading abilities through direct and explicit instruction in essential reading strategies. Students will engage with research-based instructional programs to develop and strengthen key reading skills, including comprehension, vocabulary, phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency. Through a combination of interactive lessons, guided practice, and independent reading activities, students will apply various strategies to decode text, understand complex vocabulary, and enhance overall reading comprehension.

Social Skills 1 - 4 are special education elective courses considered and decided upon by an IEP team that provide students with specialized instruction in the social skills they need to effectively participate in the school environment and in the community. Specific skills are identified through IEP goals and may focus on communication skills, conflict resolution, social interaction, teamwork, and self-regulation. Through practical exercises, role-playing, and real-world application, students will gain the tools needed to navigate social situations confidently and build meaningful connections.

This course is intended to address the vocational needs of high school students participating in the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program. Course proficiencies can contribute in the development of the student's transition plan. Pre-vocational and vocation tasks will be the fundamental areas of instruction. The focus of this course, Transitional Work Skills, is to provide students with opportunities to develop competencies required for increased independence and to facilitate post-secondary employment. This course will be open to any student who is receiving special education services at the high school level whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) indicates the need for vocational skills, to include students with disabilities who are English learners.