Sarah Norton provided the board with an update from the Washtenaw Interlocal School District (WISD) PAC and the Nov. 18 meeting of the consortium that supports students with disabilities.

Norton said the consortium’s director and special-populations coordinator explained how consortium courses follow state regulations that allow students to receive certifications but limit some typical course modifications. She listed accommodations available in consortium settings—read-aloud, text-to-speech, scribe, smaller test groups, extended time, demonstration redos, teacher check-ins and additional practice time—and explained that a student’s IEP or 504 follows them into consortium courses.

Norton encouraged families to connect with their home-district counselors and transition coordinators to determine whether consortium placement is a good fit, and she provided a link for next-year consortium applications (www.theswcc.org). She also announced upcoming PAC events: a Jan. 29 "coffee and conversation" (limited to 70 registrants) and a Dec. 13 PAC get-together at the OWL with limited childcare.

Norton thanked district staff for adding "All of Us: A First Conversation about Disabilities" to classroom resources and highlighted continued partnership with Michigan Alliance for Families for webinars and family resources.

What parents should know
Families seeking consortium placements should consult counselors and transition coordinators and attend open houses to confirm fit and discuss IEP/504 accommodations and postsecondary transition planning.