Lakes Educational Partnership is a day treatment school for students who are currently experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges that prevent them from making progress in the public school setting. The school is a partnership between Prairie Lakes AEA, Spencer Community Schools and other northwest Iowa school districts. This is the first school of its kind in Prairie Lakes AEA and opened in September 2014. Spencer school serves as the host district as well as acts as the fiscal agent. Districts who send a student to the school are billed for the services that are provided for each individual student.
Lakes Educational Partnership is not a "forever placement," but rather a place in which students learn strategies for student success. While at Lakes Educational Partnership, students will receive services from a multidisciplinary team of behavior specialists, teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators. The goal is for placement to be short term so students can return to a least restrictive environment quickly. Students who attend Lakes Educational Partnership work with the team to build the skills necessary to be successful in a public school setting. This is accomplished through the application of research-based strategies and to develop a behavior intervention plan that is individualized and effective for each student. Lakes Educational Partnership will work collaboratively with the student’s licensed mental health providers to ensure student needs are being met.
The Lakes Educational Partnership can serve approximately 18 students from kindergarten through 8th grade. The students will be placed in one of the three classrooms – one for K-2 students, one for 3-5 students, and one for students in grades 6-8. Each classroom will have a certified Special Education teacher, a Behavior Interventionist, and two Paraprofessionals. The students will also be supported by a Behavior Program Specialist who will assist in Ïdeveloping and supporting the appropriate Behavior Intervention Plan for each individual student. The Prairie Lakes AEA Challenging Behavior Team works closely with the staff at Lakes Educational Partnership.
While at Lakes Educational Partnership, students receive academic instruction in the core areas from a certified Special Education teacher. This instruction is based on the Iowa Core Standards and individualized for each student based on his or her needs. Students receive this instruction in a way that is best for them. Students use technology to access the curriculum, as each student will have access to a Chromebook while attending Lakes Educational Partnership.
Transition back to the home school, which is the shared goal, starts at the initial intake meeting. The criteria for returning back to the home school is determined at this initial meeting and is individual to each student. When students are ready to begin the transition back to their home districts, the districts will be coached in how to utilize the strategies that were successful for the student at Lakes Educational Partnership. This would consist of the district and AEA staff doing regular observations and visits at Lakes Educational Partnership, as well potentially sending a staff to learn the plan for their student for a short period of time. The Lakes Educational Partnership Team and the Behavior Strategist from the home school district will be key players in facilitating the student’s transition back to the home school. Like all services students receive, this will be individualized and discussed at IEP progress meetings.
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