Mount Vernon HS and Whitman MS adhere to the principles and practices of the policy for Special Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages students as set by the state of Virginia and the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Board of Education. Expectations for schools are that learning opportunities offered inside the classroom should include all students.

We believe that this policy strongly supports the International Baccalaureate (IB) mission statement to “encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.” (IB mission statement 2004) FCPS works diligently every day to create a school system where academic success is not predictable by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language proficiency or disability. FCPS faculty understands the need to be skillful in determining and addressing the learning needs and styles of all students.

Our teachers accommodate students with identified learning disabilities and ELLs and tailor curriculum and instruction to meet the individual needs of students. In order to meet the demands for the least-restrictive environment, Mount Vernon and Walt Whitman offer team-taught and self-contained classes. Special education teachers and ESOL teachers who work in the teamed setting work with content certified teachers to differentiate process, content, and product for students. Teachers working in the Self-contained setting collaborate with the Collaborative learning team for their subject, to ensure access to the curriculum for their students. Teachers receive professional development for instructional and differentiation strategies which meet the needs of our diverse learners. These teachers must work with staff to assist with instructional needs during instructional periods and at times of school-wide high-stakes assessments to meet the testing accommodations for students with individualized educational plans.

Special education teachers work in collaboration with the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) team to create educational plans that meet the needs of students with disabilities. FCPS commits support to schools for aids and resources, where appropriate, that may be necessary to provide the students with a least restrictive school environment. Monitoring of student progress and the provisioning of feedback to parents regarding their child’s development occurs on an annual basis through IEP and 504 meetings. In FCPS, the shared belief is that a high-quality education is the fundamental right of every child. All children will receive the respect, encouragement, and opportunities they need to build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be successful, contributing members of a global society.

Reviewed and updated

The Inclusion Policy is to be reviewed annually by teachers and staff at both Mt. Vernon and Whitman Middle, and updated as needed.

Written by Nate Beard, Berkeley McHugh, and Koli Short- IB Coordinators at MT. Vernon and Whitman Middle, April 2017
Reviewed by… IC Council, June 7, 2017
Approved by…IC Council, June 7, 2017
Made Public on… Dec. 1, 2017