Special Education Services

The Horry County Schools (HCS) Office of Special Education recognizes that protecting the safety, health, and welfare of our students and staff is the primary concern as we face the COVID-19 crisis.  Although these safety measures have prevented students from receiving instruction and services in the same manner they are typically provided, we have ensured and will continue to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the same opportunities as all other students during this extended closure. Through guidance provided by the United States Department of Education and the South Carolina Department of Education, the HCS Office of Special Education has been working in collaboration with schools and parents to demonstrate good faith efforts in order to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities during this very difficult time.  This includes working in partnership with families to determine appropriate and reasonable means of educating students with disabilities through eLearning instruction and activities.

Additional examples of these efforts include:

• grade-level choice boards designed to allow for equal access to instruction;
• alternate choice boards designed for special populations to ensure equal access to instruction;
• specially designed choice boards for related services such as speech, occupational therapy, and physical therapy;
• consistent and ongoing communication to support families and students and to ensure equal access to instruction;
• collaboration between general education and special education teachers in the design of eLearning delivered through Google classrooms to ensure appropriate accommodations, supports, resources and equal access to instruction;
• resources provided to special education teachers and families in order to address behavioral, social and emotional needs of students through eLearning;
• resources provided to special education teachers and families to meet the social communication needs of students through eLearning; and
• virtual small-group and individual specially designed instruction offered in grades 3-12.

As always, we welcome parent input in order to collaborate with families and effectively demonstrate good faith efforts as we move forward in serving and supporting students with disabilities. For specific questions related to your child’s instruction and services during the extended school closure, please contact your child’s special education teacher.

For more information about special education resources for parents, teachers, and schools from the South Carolina Education Department click here.

2019-20 Final Grading Guidance

Guidance Relating to Students With Disabilities

According to the South Carolina Department of Education’s guidance, for a student, whose eligibility under special education terminates due to graduation with a regular diploma, or due to exceeding the age of eligibility, the district must provide the student with a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance (SOP), which includes recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting his/her postsecondary goals (§Sec. 300.305(e)(3)). If a student is failing (prior to the school closure), he/she would be given the same opportunity provided to all similarly-situated students (guidance will be coming out soon in this area). If the student will be able to graduate, an SOP must be provided. If the student will not meet graduation requirements even with the additional options provided in the forthcoming guidance, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) team would conduct the annual review, when appropriate, and continue providing services as per the IEP. The IEP team does not need to meet to provide the SOP to the student, but a conference should be scheduled with the teacher and student to go over the SOP and to answer any questions.

Reference: Memorandum: COVID-19 Grade Reporting Guidance, SCDE, March 31, 2020

For more information contact:
Special Education
(843) 488-6759
sbennett002@horrycountyschools.net