Special Services

Romulus Community Schools provides Special Education Services for students who have been evaluated by a Multidisciplinary Team and identified through an Individual Education Planning Team (IEPT) as a student with a disability. The IEPT develops goals and objectives and decides the programs and services that are appropriate to meet the educational needs of the student.

Vision

Romulus Community Schools are committed to providing a challenging program for students with disabilities and hold high expectations for students with disabilities to achieve in the least restrictive environment. Special education services are provided in the general education setting to the fullest extent possible. All students should have a plan in place for successful adult living and lifelong learning after leaving high school.

Commitments

Remaining knowledgeable, highly educated, and recognized as experts by parents, colleagues, and members of the broader community.
Approaching our jobs with vibrancy and dedication so that, as a unified team of coordinators and paraprofessionals, we go above and beyond what is expected in order to provide the best possible educational experience for all learners.
Seeking to create an environment that nurtures the whole child in which all learners feel safe and accepted.
Providing effective, targeted instruction to meet the unique needs of all learners.
Supporting frequent and effective communication among parents, staff, and students, intentionally building relationships that promote collaborative partnerships.

Academic Interventions

At Romulus Community Schools, we understand that each learner is unique. We provide support for the strengths and struggles that each student brings to the learning environment. A deep understanding of each student allows us to tailor our instruction to provide targeted intervention, remediation, and accommodation as needed. By utilizing a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), which is mandated by the state of Michigan, and is an integrated, multi-tiered system of instruction, assessment, and intervention designed to meet the achievement and behavioral needs of all learners. Our general education and support services staff can provide early effective intervention to students who are having difficulty meeting academic/behavioral benchmarks. Using achievement data, students who demonstrate difficulties are identified early, provided with interventions, and monitored frequently for adequate progress. Through MTSS, RCS can look at the whole child to make sure we are meeting the needs of all of our students.

Depending on a student’s response to receiving these targeted interventions, a student be formally evaluated to determine if there is a specific learning or other disability present. These students may then benefit from additional intervention, increased instructional support, remediation, and/or educational accommodations.

Inclusion Services

We strongly desire Romulus Community Schools to be an inclusive community. We provide individualized services to learners of differing abilities. Students who have moderate to severe physical, cognitive, and/or emotional challenges are valued members of our school communities.

As full members of general education classrooms, these students also receive additional support from inclusion staff who ensure that the appropriate accommodations and/or modifications needed for a successful school experience are provided.

Evaluation Services

Romulus Community Schools provides evaluations for students who are suspected of having a disability under IDEA (the federal special education law) and/or Section 504. If there is reason to suspect that the student has a disability, staff, and parents will use the Child Study Team process to recommend an evaluation. If the evaluation intends to access special education programs/services under IDEA or to determine eligibility for accommodations under Section 504, parental consent is required. Following the special education or Section 504 evaluation, a team meeting is held to review the evaluation data and develop an appropriate program for the student.

For a student to qualify for Section 504 protection, the student must:

have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
have a record of such an impairment
be regarded as having such an impairment

All three criteria must be met before a student is eligible for Section 504 protection. Please contact a building prinicipal for additional information and support.

Homebound Services

This support is available for students, general education, and those with an IEP, who are unable to physically attend school as prescribed by a physician. Medical documentation is required. Homebound services are designed for short-term illnesses. Homebound teaching is for children who cannot attend school in the regular classroom for five consecutive days. Homebound students are too ill to leave their homes or are hospitalized. They would be unable to participate in extracurricular activities or part-time employment. If a student can participate in those activities it is reasonable to expect they could attend school.

The homebound teacher offers a chance for students to keep up to date with assignments and tests. The classroom teacher prepares assignments and tests that the Homebound teacher will coordinate. Homebound services do not ensure that all credits will be acquired; some lab and participation classes are not maintainable in Homebound Services. The classroom teacher makes a recommendation regarding this. The student is responsible for earning a passing grade when materials can be delivered through a Homebound instructor or an educational instructor providing instruction via a videoconference online learning platform.

If your youngster needs this service, please complete the Homebound form below and return it to Special Services by fax, at 734.532.1991 or by email, at [email protected]. The form can also be submitted to the school office (elementary) or the counseling office (middle/high).

If you think your student may need specialized programming:

Meet with your child’s teacher or counselor. Share your concerns and ideas. Develop a plan for working together.
Share the information you have from outside sources. School personnel welcomes input from family doctors, tutors, private therapists, etc.
Talk with the principal. Often he/she can work with parents and teachers to come up with helpful new strategies or mobilize additional resources. You may wish to request a Child Study Team meeting involving one or more of your child’s teachers.
Questions about services to preschool-aged children may also be addressed to the Special Services office.

McKinney Vento Act for Homeless Education

Homelessness is more common than you think.

Romulus Community Schools assists identified homeless families and unaccompanied youth. The major tenets of the McKinney-Vento Act are:

Immediate school access (remove of barriers to enrollment)
School stability
Support for academic success
Child-centered, best interest decision making
Critical role of the local homeless education liaison

DEFINITION OF THE TERM “HOMELESS CHILDREN UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH”

The term “homeless children and youth” is defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as children who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. The law also provides several examples of situations that meet the definition. The examples include children and youth:

Sharing housing of others, with or without their parents, due to loss of housing (doubled up);
Living in motel, hotel, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate housing;
Living in emergency or transitional shelters;
Living in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places;
Unaccompanied youth includes youth, not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian;
Living in a situation described in the above circumstances and who are migratory.

Who is homeless? Homeless, as defined by the McKinney Vento Homeless Act, means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes families that are doubled-up and youth not living with a biological parent or legal guardian.

What causes homelessness? Natural disasters, divorce, death, illness, poverty, and abusive situations all contribute to homelessness.

What can the school do to assist those in homeless situations? The school has an identified Homeless Liaison, Dr. Patrick Mies. The district’s Homeless Liaison and his staff can assist identified homeless students with free breakfast and lunch, transportation, school supplies, enrollment in school and programs, and information regarding area support organizations.

National Center for Homeless Education

Community Resources

Michigan Department of Education's Meet Up and Eat Up
Julie's List - time-sensitive resources (such as Section 8 openings)
CAM Detroit Resource Brochure (PDF)

Supportive Housing and Homeless Services

Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency

Suppose you are a family in need of services to support housing stability. In that case, Wayne Metro supports the community with over 70 programs like utility assistance, Head Start, financial counseling, home ownership workshops, free tax preparation, and homeless services.

Everywhere else in Wayne County: 734.284.6999

Complete the application below and submit it to the Special Services Department by email, at [email protected] by fax, at 734.532.1991 or submit the application to the administrative assistant in the main office at your child's school.

MCKV App 24-25 Revised

HB Physician Statement

Director

Special Services

Dr. Patrick Mies

Office: 734.532.1992
FAX: 734.532.1991

Supervisor

Special Services

Kim A. Ceasar

Office: 734.532.1046

FAX: 734.532.1991

Administrative Assistant

Special Services

Mary Randazzo

Office: 734.532.1993

Fax: 734.532.1991

Parent Resources

Michigan Alliance for Families provides information, support, and education for families who have children and young adults (birth to 26 years of age) who receive (or may be eligible to receive) special education services. This website can help you find information on special education issues as well as disability-specific information.