Special Education

It is our goal at Palms Middle School to ensure that the Special Education Students achieve at the highest level possible, to meet their full potential. We believe that it takes a team for any student to be successful. This team includes the General Education Teacher, Special Education Teacher, the Student and the Parent. The parent plays an important role in the student's life long success. We find that students need a little extra help in Middle School with executive functioning (organization and planning).

Teachers understand that students with learning disabilities need a variety of accommodations and they teach with differentiated instruction to meet the needs of the students, according to their IEP.

Special Education students that are on an Individual Education Plan (IEP) are on a continuum of services, based on their specific needs as documented in their IEP's.

For more information, see the LAUSD Division of Special Education or contact the staff members below.

Resource Program (General Education Core Curriculum)

Resource Teachers go into the general education classes (Math and/or English) and provide support to the students. Learning Lab can be taken as an elective to provide additional support (if the student meets certain criteria).

High Functioning Autism Program (HFA) (General Education Core Curriculum)

HFA students are included in the general education classroom with support of the Autism teacher or assistant throughout the day. Social Skills is offered as an elective in lieu of a general education elective.

Special Day Program (General Education Core Curriculum)

These classes have smaller class size. There is a special education teacher and an assistant in the room. The pace of the curriculum is geared to the level of the students. Students have four special education academic classes along with a general education elective and P.E.

Special Day Class - Self Contained

The students in this class are on the Alternative Curriculum (they are not on a diploma track). These students have their academics in the same classroom and they go out for P.E. and elective (depending on their needs, some students stay in the same class for their elective).

Adapted Physical Education

Students who cannot safely or successfully engage in general physical education classes may be screened and/or assessed by the adapted P.E. Teacher to determine if the student meets the criteria for Adaptive P.E.

Palms follows the guidelines of the LAUSD Division of Special Education, under which students may be classified as Learning Disabled (LD) or Emotionally Disabled (ED).

For details, including procedural rights and safeguards, read this LAUSD publication:

• A Parent's Guide to Special Education Services

• Mr. Choi, Adapted P.E. teacher

• Ms. Michaels, Special Education Coordinator

• Mrs. Bakraclar, Special Education Office Technician

• Special Education teachers

From the LAUSD Special Education Division:

Coronavirus FAQ in English or Spanish

Palms participates in the LAUSD School Games, a partnership between LAUSD and the Special Olympics of Southern California.

In Spring 2016, Special Education students got a cooking lesson from Palms student and "Chopped Junior" TV star Jayla Hill.

In Fall 2016, Special Education students created a book, with each student contributing a one-page story and a one-page illustration. You can find the book in the Palms Library.