Fremont Union High School District’s special education department plays an undeniably vital role in ensuring purpose and belonging for all students across the district, including at Cupertino High School.
FUHSD special education teachers can have two different types of teaching credentials depending on what they specialize in. The two main credentials are an Educational Specialist credential, serving mild to moderate disabilities, and an Extensive Support Needs credential. Other roles include Speech and Language Pathologists, who support students with speech, vision or hearing impairments, and the Lead Resource Specialist, who assists teachers in the special education department and aids in student enrollment.
Regardless of what credentials a teacher has earned, their role in the classroom remains unwavering. Most special education teachers teach classes that help students earn their high school diploma, including subjects such as English, math, science and history. In addition, special education teachers collaborate with general education teachers to form a curriculum relevant to topics that might be taught in other classes, creating a high-quality learning environment for students.
The special education department also consists of various programs that can support students on the autism spectrum, or therapeutic electives that support students with mental health challenges. These programs ensure that each student is being completely supported through an Individualized Education Program, where teachers and the Lead Resource Specialist are responsible for recognizing whether students are making progress in the programs they are enrolled in.
While classroom settings can vary, CHS special education teachers are typically responsible for teaching curriculum within a particular subject, as well as ensuring the information is being taught with the appropriate instructional support.
A special education teacher also plays a significant role in establishing strong relationships with not only the students but also parents, especially when creating a personalized IEP document based on each student’s needs.
“I mean, it’s a very elaborate document, so it’s a lot of work to do, but also you have to establish a good relationship with the family, because the job is to partner with that family and to create a program of support that the student you know will be successful with,” Director of Educational and Special Services with FUHSD Nancy Sullivan said.
Despite the difficulty of providing quality opportunities of general education for special education students, Cupertino High School’s special education department has shown exceptional effort in enhancing educational experiences for students.
“I think the Cupertino team has really made an effort to do it and to do it well. And so I think in terms of inclusive opportunities at Cupertino, I see really good things for students there,” Sullivan said.
