|
The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency is a link between all Kalamazoo County schools and the State Board of Education. Kalamazoo RESA is charged with providing educational support and regulatory services to all schools within its boundaries and acting as an educational leader in southwest Michigan.
Kalamazoo RESA programs and services include:
Administrative/Fiscal Services
Kalamazoo RESA assists local school districts with state reports, statistical information, fiscal planning and state and federal projects.
|
Early On services are available for children birth to three years of age who have a minimal degree of developmental delay. A Family Service Plan outlines the priorities for each family and identifies appropriate services. Services are provided to meet the needs of the family through community agencies or through Early On staff.
This early intervention program serves families with children ages birth to 3 years of age who have been identified as having an area of special educational need such as developmental delay, autism, physical challenge, hearing or visual impairment or severely/multiply impaired. This program serves families from Kalamazoo County through home-based services.
This free, fun and rewarding program is designed for all parents of children under the age of six who want to see their children succeed in school and in life. Parents can choose from a "menu" of parent and child play groups, child development screening and home visits to design a program that meets their schedule and the interests of their family. |
EFA is a countywide program developed to enhance arts education for all students, grades K-12 in Kalamazoo County. EFA is founded on collaborative relationships with the schools, the arts community, and business and philanthropic interests in the area. All EFA initiatives, Excellence in the Arts and Arts for All, are designed to complement or enhance, not replace, existing arts programs in the schools.
EFE has been recognized nationally as an exemplary career preparation program. EFE helps students prepare for their future with practical experience and hands-on training. Any Kalamazoo County high school student attending public or non-public schools can enroll in an EFE course.
The Instructional Center, working in collaboration with state agencies, universities and other intermediate school districts, is involved in all aspects of curriculum and instruction, focused on assisting local districts and school buildings in improving and enhancing student achievement.
The Instructional Center provides services and support to schools and school districts in the region, in all areas of: school improvement, professional development, data analysis, leadership development, instruction, curriculum, state and federal mandates and cross district and regional collaboration.
Kalamazoo RESA Leadership Institute (KLI)
The Kalamazoo RESA Leadership Institute provides current and future administrators with the practical application of leadership skills needed to work in a fast-changing environment. The KLI vision is to create a sustained personal relationship between the KLI and its fellows by confirming their importance as individuals and instructional, community and organizational leaders.
Preprimary Evaluation Team (PET)
The Preprimary Evaluation Team provides comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations to determine special education eligibility for all children who are under the age of 6 and have not started kindergarten. This service is provided to all districts within Kalamazoo RESA and referrals are received from parents, school preschool programs and community providers.
The state of Michigan is divided into 22 REMC regions. REMC 12’s service area includes school districts in Barry, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties and parts of Van Buren County. REMC 12 offers full-service printing, graphics, bindery, delivery, instructional media loan and the Teacher Materials Center. The REMC also provides access to a variety of valuable statewide resources such as digital video streaming, cooperative purchasing, online live video events and on-demand archived video resources and professional development opportunities.
RTSI provides training and management consultation services in pupil transportation to 140 schools in a consortium of 9 intermediate school districts.
All children in Kalamazoo County qualify for assessment and evaluation of disabilities, or suspected disabilities. Students with disabilities can receive direct instruction, consultation and/or therapy beginning in infancy, and, if necessary, continuing to age 26.
|
{[square]} Services for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Local Districts
Teacher consultants who specialize in Autism Spectrum Disorders support the local district staff through team-building, teaching, modeling and collaboration.
Croyden Avenue School provides classroom services for students with autism, severe cognitive and multiple impairments (ages 3 through 26). We also have satellite classrooms for students with autism located in Portage, Parchment and Schoolcraft Public Schools.
Classroom instruction focuses on the individual needs of the child as determined by their IEP’s. Included within each plan may be services from any of the following disciplines: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language, Psychology, Social Work, Nursing, Hearing Impaired Consultation, Visually Impaired Consultation and Adapted Physical Education.
Kalamazoo RESA offers classroom programs for students with hearing impairments ages 2-26 located within Kalamazoo and Portage Public Schools. Teacher consultants who specialize in hearing impairments work collaboratively with hearing impaired students, their families and school personnel to provide appropriate services, materials and equipment.
The Juvenile Home Schools (JHS) provide educational services for adjudicated youth from Kalamazoo County. The JHS have two components. The Youth Center School (YCS) serves 64 youth that are currently detained in the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home. The Intensive Learning Center (ILC) serves 56 youth that are placed in the school through court order, but remain living at their home or in foster placement.
{[square]} Lakeside School
Lakeside School provides educational services to students in a residential program, Lakeside Academy. Students are placed at Lakeside Academy by outside agencies throughout the state. Students are in grades 6-12.
Coordination of continuous improvement monitoring of special education programs and services operated by local districts or by Kalamazoo RESA is provided. All data for school improvement, and as requested by the Department of Education are collected, reported and otherwise managed by this office. Program planning and other types of technical assistance are provided as requested. All phases of Kalamazoo RESA’s participation in two Medicaid programs are also administered within this division office.
Transition services facilitate the shift from school to adult life for students with disabilities. The areas of employment, post-secondary education, adult living, and community participation are covered by transition services and are addressed to help support students in reaching their desired post-school goals. Examples of transition services at Kalamazoo RESA include: informational sessions for parents and teachers, professional development for teachers and staff, relationships with/linkages to adult community agencies, individualized transition planning with staff and families, and participation in Michigan’s Transition Outcome Project.
The Young Adult Program (YAP) serves students ages 18 to 26 who have disabilities. Educational services are provided to help students transition into adult living. A wide range of classes are offered as well as instructional support to explore future employment possibilities. Students are also connected to community resources which can provide long-term support.
Valley Center School is a Kalamazoo RESA-operated program that delivers special education services to students with emotional impairments or unique behavioral needs. Referrals are accepted from all our constituent districts via the LEA Director of Special Education. Once enrolled, our goal is to enable students to return to their local districts and/or function better in their communities.
Kalamazoo RESA provides teacher consultants, orientation and mobility specialists and a Braille/media specialist who plan, coordinate, and implement services for visually impaired students within the regional educational service area. They work with visually impaired students, their families and school personnel in providing appropriate services, materials and equipment. |
A resource center available to educators to create a wide array of classrooom projects. Services include over 900 Ellison/AccuCut dies, three 25" laminators, and poster printer. Custom orders taken for mousepads, t-shirts, tote bags, etc. Video lending library contains over 8,000 educational videos.
The mission of the Kalamazoo RESA Technology Services Department is to make technology work for schools. Technology Services is divided into two divisions. The Information Systems division provides administrative software and services to handle student information, financial accounting, human resources, payroll, special education, and data warehousing. The support division provides Internet access, computer training, web design, negotiation of volume discounts, and support for computer hardware, software and networking.
YOU assists at-risk, economically disadvantaged youth and adults in completing their education, finding employment, and becoming self-sufficient through a variety of programs.
|
