Low Incidence Disabilities (LID)

ESC, Region 20 provides professional development, technical assistance, and resources that support programs serving students with low incidence disabilities (severe and profound cognitive disabilities, medically fragile, deaf/blind).

These Programs are often referred to as Life Skills Programs or other district specific acronyms such as ALE, FLU, FLS, etc. Students in these programs typically participate in the STAAR Alternate Administration.

Low Incidence Contact List

Would you like to receive regular updates regarding Low Incidence Disabilities and STAAR Alternate?

Please complete the following steps to join the ESC-20 Low Incidence Disabilities Contact List:

Go to the home page at www.ESC20.net
Click on the red button on the top right titled Join Mailing List
Type your email address
Click submit
check the boxes for the mailing lists you would like to join.
Click subscribe.

You will receive a confirmation email.

STAAR Alternate 2 Information

Please access the following links for more information on the STAAR Alternate 2:

ESC 20 STAAR Resources

TEA STAAR Alternate 2 Resources

ESC-20 Exemplary Educator Showcase

The ESC-20 Educator Showcase features teachers that have been nominated by their Special Education Directors for demonstrating proficiency in various key components of an evidence-based program for students with low incidence disabilities. The TTESS Supplement: Evidence-Based Practice in the Low Incidence Disabilities Setting was used during each classroom observation to ensure use of various evidence-based practices by the featured educator. Each teacher has agreed to scheduled classroom visits to share their knowledge with others (pending availability).

For more information about the Exemplary Educator Showcase, please contact Dana Frankland. Click the tabs below to see some of the great things happening in classrooms around Region 20!

Elementary

Janet Sheppard

Meet Janet Sheppard!

Janet teaches at Kendall Elementary in Boerne ISD. She is a master at utilizing visual systems to foster independence for her students and has classroom management down to an art. She is able to differentiate her instruction to ensure that all her students are appropriately challenged based on their individual skill level and incorporates opportunities for her students to work as a whole group, in a small group, as well as independently.

She individualizes to meet each student's specific needs by utilizing adapted seating where needed and incorporates communication supports throughout the day for students that use them.

She is open to classroom visitors, so please visit her school website to contact her:

https://www.boerneisd.net/Domain/3360

or her email address: janet.sheppard@boerneisd.net

Check out some pictures from her classroom below!

Vanessa Ploetz

Vanessa Ploetz works at Kendall Elementary in Boerne ISD. She uses visual supports that are appropriate for each student and integrates individual student supports into instruction. She is open to classroom visitors, so please click here to visit her website to set up a visit. Email or website address coming soon.

Claire Heins

This is Claire Heins. She teaches at Crockett Elementary at San Antonio ISD in their Sensory Optimal Learning Environment (S.O.L.E.). She specializes in working with students that have multiple disabilities using the Active Learning approach. Her classroom incorporates adapted equipment and experiential instructional opportunities to make learning meaningful for her students. She is a master of using resources, such as the Communication Matrix, to determine where her students currently are and then building an instructional program for them to help them make progress.

She is open to classroom visitors, so please email her to set up a visit: cheins1@saisd.net

Check out pictures from her classroom below!

Middle School

Ariana Morrow

Ariana Morrow teaches students in the Alternative Learning Environment (A.L.E.) at Lopez Middle School in North East ISD. She’s a master of implementing positive behavior supports with consistency and creativity to maximize learning time. Ms. Morrow designed a middle school curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities who access the TEKS through prerequisite skills that is used by teachers across Texas. She inspires team work, builds communication skills and differentiates for individual learning needs. Her proactive teaching style minimizes students’ anxiety and her hands-on approach keeps students engaged and excited to learn!

Recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, the Superintendent’s Award, and most recently Teacher of the Year, Ms. Morrow welcomes visitors and seeks opportunities to be a part of a community of special educators. She can be reached by email at jmorro@neisd.net. She can also be contacted through her teacher webpage at https://www.neisd.net/domain/3777 or her blog at www.teachers42morrow.com.

Diana Craig

I'm Diana Craig. I have been working in ECISD for 7 years. I started as a paraprofessional in a prek co-teach, moved into a co-teaching position for K/1, and now a life skills teacher at Legacy Middle School (grades 6-8). We work to ensure every student has a way to communicate their wants, needs, feelings, and choices. We have students on a variety of communication systems including picture exchange, LAMP words for life, and verbal communication. We run on detailed schedules that allow staff and students to be as independent as possible and know what to expect with each day. Our student schedules look very different in style to fit student needs while promoting movement towards less restrictive schedules that continue to provide the level of visual support each student needs for success. If you are interested in visiting my classroom you may contact me at craig@ecisd.net