Special Education Services

The Integrated Preschool Program of Southington Public Schools provides quality preschool center-based activities to three and four-year-old children in Southington. A portion of enrolled students are typically developing children who serve as peer models for students who require special education. The preschool staff use the Early Learning and Development Standards to develop preschool activities for student engagement. Through developmentally appropriate play, language experiences are nurtured to foster independence, increase self-esteem and maximize learning in a positive, encouraging environment.

Southington Public Schools offers free preschool screening for parents who have concerns regarding their children's development, speech and language, and behavior.

Note that Southington Public Schools is required by State law to provide preschool and support services to children with special needs, but it does NOT offer preschool to all students in town.

This district program is designed to serve students who have been identified as having autism spectrum disorders. Program components include highly structured, individualized programming, intensive communication and language training, social skills training, utilization of natural environments for instruction, positive behavioral programming, educationally based sensory activities, as appropriate, and inclusion with general education peers and activities when appropriate.

This self-contained program is for students who benefit from intensive, specially designed instruction in a language rich environment in order to address their individual learning profiles in the domains of communication skills, social pragmatic skills, and behavioral needs. This program utilizes the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for instruction across domain areas in a small classroom setting with a high staff to student ratio.

The intent of this district program is to provide for students with significant and multiple disabilities whose learning requires developmentally appropriate curricula in functional academics, communication skills, life skills and social skill development. It is a positive alternative for students whose needs cannot be met within their home school.   While self-contained, this language based program provides opportunity for inclusion in the student’s grade level classroom and access to peers based on the student’s individual needs.  Another important component is developing parent-school-community partnership with high levels of communication and planning. 

As students near middle school, many students  participate in ADL instruction within the classroom setting, including work on food preparation, cooking, cleaning, household chores, personal hygiene and personal safety. Some students develop pre-vocational skills in the classroom and school settings. Students participate in regular education classes with non-disabled peers as appropriate, as determined by their team. In addition, students have opportunities to participate in many after-school clubs and activities.

 At the high school level, ADL instruction is embedded throughout all core academic classes. A strong focus is placed on language development, social skills, instruction, safety, life skills application, and community experiences. This level of service is designed for students whose skill level does not make learning in general or many special education classes accessible. Students participate in some regular education classes with non-disabled peers.

Therapeutic Learning Center is designed to provide students with a safe, predictable, and structured setting which will optimize their learning potential and focus on building the appropriate social and pragmatic skills necessary for success in the general education setting. 

The Therapeutic Learning Center is a school-based clinical intervention that provides child-specific wraparound clinical servicing for children who are unable to be consistently successful in the mainstream setting.   Clinical support and resources are embedded throughout the school day providing programming to students who may be struggling with complex behavioral or mental health issues.

The intent of this program is to gather daily data on each student and determine through this data collection, the level of support required – academic and emotional/behavioral to be successful, and ultimately transitioning to the general education setting.