Accommodations for Educational Plans (including IEPs, EPs, ELL, and 504) 

Thank you very much for your inquiry into enrolling your child full-time into our Pasco eSchool program for the upcoming school year. Pasco eSchool is a school of choice, which means that you are electing to enroll your student in our program instead of enrolling them in their traditional brick and mortar school, or in any of the other school choice options that may be available to your child.  While we do not wish to dissuade your decision to place your child into this program, we do want to make sure your placement decision is informed, and as such, we would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some information concerning the Pasco eSchool program.

As a school of choice, Pasco eSchool is but one of several options and virtual programs available to your child.  Given the structure of Pasco eSchool, its program does not necessarily have the same level of supports that are available in the traditional brick and mortar setting or with other options.  Pasco eSchool does not provide its students with direct, specialized instruction by certified Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teachers.  For example, to the extent that your child receives specialized instruction in math/reading/writing several days per week in a traditional setting, an ESE teacher may work with your child in a small group or individually in the classroom to provide additional assistance or scaffolding of instruction. During distance learning (which was required due to the COVID-19 emergency), this kind of instruction took place through the Zoom webinar platform. This is a level of support that is not available through Pasco eSchool.  

Instead, Pasco eSchool offers consultation as the ESE service model, as opposed to direct instruction. This means that if your child has an IEP, an ESE teacher would be reaching out to (consulting with) your child’s teacher on a monthly basis to check in on the student’s progress and then provide assistance to the regular education, Pasco eSchool teacher, as to how to effectively educate your child.  Additionally, the ESE teacher would send a report home periodically regarding their recommendations.  Please be advised that, unlike a traditional brick and mortar school, Pasco eSchool does not provide any direct instruction ESE services.  Furthermore, any and all support facilitation listed on your child’s IEP will end upon enrollment with Pasco eSchool.

Pasco eSchool does not provide the accommodation of Oral Presentation as it may currently be provided under your child’s IEP, or as it may otherwise be provided at a traditional brick.  This is because, with Pasco eSchool, the student’s teacher does not accompany them while they perform their work, and as such, is not present to read the material to the student.  Instead, with Pasco eSchool, the student can utilize a screen reading device, or the student’s parent, or parent-provided learning guide can read the content aloud.

While your child may currently be able to receive the accommodations of modification of assignments, modification of presentation, shortening of assignments, and in some circumstances actual curriculum modification in the traditional school setting, Pasco eSchool is not in a position to provide such accommodations.  As a franchise of FLVS (Florida Virtual School), Pasco eSchool is subject to contractual obligations that forbid it from engaging in the modification of the curriculum in any way.

When enrolled in a traditional, brick, and mortar school, students may have extended time built into their week.  With Pasco eSchool, the educational format is different, as the students have from Monday until Sunday, 24 hours per day to complete and turn in their assignments for the week. Because of the nature of the educational format, Pasco eSchool students cannot be afforded additional time other than that already provided, and the student will need to maintain the required pace of their courses to remain enrolled.

To the extent that your child’s IEP provides Speech/Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or Physical Therapy services, those services will continue to be provided at your child’s regularly zoned school.

Given the nature of the Pasco eSchool program, some goals on your child’s IEP may not be applicable.  Goals that would not be applicable to the Pasco eSchool environment or which can no longer be assessed and progress reported in the Pasco eSchool environment will be removed or amended. This includes, but is not limited to, behavior and independent functioning goals.

With Pasco eSchool, your child’s teacher is available for assistance by phone, email, or text. The teacher does have up to 24 hours to return the communication, so you may find that your child will need additional assistance from you or a parent-provided learning partner during that 24-hour response time period.  Teachers strive to respond as quickly as possible, but immediate assistance cannot be expected with the Pasco eSchool program.

Pasco eSchool also offers its students the availability to schedule an academic assistance session if they are having difficulty with a particular concept. This would be a 15-30-minute session that they would schedule on the teacher’s calendar, and it would be held via a live lesson session or over the phone.  Again, these sessions are subject to teacher availability and scheduling, and cannot be expected to be immediate

As a result of the change in one or more of the services and supports mentioned above, we may need to amend your child’s IEP, if they have one, to reflect this change. If you wish to proceed with enrollment, please complete the attached electronic form indicating your desire to move forward with the understanding and acceptance of the platform and the services possible.

If you have any questions concerning the above and would like more information, please be sure to check the ‘Please contact me’ box within the following electronic form. If you understand and accept the above please check the ‘I accept’ box and we will move forward with any amendment to your child’s IEP needed and send home an amended copy with the changes that are necessary and appropriate for the Pasco eSchool program. Additionally, a Prior Written Notice (PWN) will be issued and the PWN will reflect all the changes to your child’s IEP and educational program necessitated by the decision to utilize the school choice program and enroll in Pasco eSchool.

Should you wish to reconsider your decision and enroll your child in a traditional brick and mortar school, please contact your zoned school.

https://ryu.pasco.k12.fl.us/machform/view.php?id=261493