In accordance with IDEA, our students with disabilities are provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Bedford Schools is committed to promoting inclusive education, which is defined as the participation of all students, including those with disabilities, English Language Learners (ELL), identified gifted and talented, and other special needs in the general education program, as appropriate.

Educational Services for Students with Special Needs
Decisions regarding the type of special education services to be provided and the educational placement for the provision of such services are based upon a student's individual need. Students with disabilities are educated in the least restrictive environment that is most appropriate for them. A variety of special education services are available beginning with full participation in the general education classroom to the greatest extent possible--often with the provision of supplementary aids and support--as determined by our schools’ IEP (Individualized Education Program) Team, which is inclusive of parents.

Services are provided in the least restrictive environment for each student and may include:

• Consultation provided by intervention specialists to the general education teacher
• Consultation provided by related service personnel to intervention specialists 
• Consultation provided by related service personnel to the general education teacher
• Collaborative instruction in the general education classroom through a push-in model or co-teaching by the general education teacher, intervention specialist, and/or related service personnel
• Instruction in the special education classroom for part or all of the school day

Related Services
Related services are those services required for a student to access instructional content that may include language, speech, hearing, audiology, transportation, assistive technology, psychological, physical and occupational therapy that are required for diagnostic, evaluative, or educational purposes.

Requests for an Evaluation
If you suspect that your child has a disability, or you have concerns about your child’s academic progress, you are encouraged to contact your child’s teacher to discuss your concerns or to request an evaluation. Parents who request an evaluation are invited to discuss their concerns with the building’s Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) Team. The MTSS team is a diverse group of educators who will review data in concert with parents to determine if there is a suspected disability that may warrant special education services.