| Southern Local School District |
| Administrative Guidelines |
2261 - CHAPTER I - INCIDENTAL INCLUSION
The District shall maintain a Chapter I program that is designed to meet the special instructional needs of Chapter I children. In implementing the program, staff should ensure that the inclusion of non-Chapter I children does not:
| A. | decrease the amount, duration, or quality of the Chapter I services for Chapter I children; | |
| B. | increase the cost of providing the Chapter I services; | |
| C. | result in the exclusion of children who would otherwise receive Chapter I services. |
Chapter I instructors and classroom teachers should also align the Chapter I program closely with the regular program of instruction to reduce any isolation of Chapter I children from their peers.
The Federal regulations on incidental inclusion allow for:
| A. | an opportunity for non-Chapter I students to participate in reteach/retesting activities with Chapter I students; | |
| B. | an opportunity for team-teaching, cooperative learning, and peer tutoring; | |
| C. | the "in-class" tutor to answer occasional questions from non-Chapter I students; | |
| D. | the non-Chapter I student who is having difficulty with a concept to be a part of a Chapter I group that is studying that concept; | |
| E. | a transition period for those students who are no longer eligible to participate in Chapter I; | |
| F. | Chapter I teaching assistants to participate in special projects and extended learning activities within the classroom setting. |
Incidental inclusion, however, does not allow for:
| A. | a "revolving door" where teachers dump children because of behavior problems; | |
| B. | a place for "homework catch-up" for students who have been absent from school. |
Incidental inclusion in the Chapter I program supports the District's philosophy that all students can learn, given time and opportunity. All decisions with regard to "inclusion" are to be made with the consideration for what is most desirable for Chapter I students and their success in the classroom.
Any utilization of incidental inclusion in the instructional process must comply with stated regulations. Failure to comply can result in loss of the privilege to use inclusion and may result in an audit pay-back from the General Fund.
Approved 10/93