Our Program

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FACE Approach

FACE uses research and evidence-based practices to design instruction that improves the education, behavior, and communication of individuals with autism. All instruction is aligned to the subject standards written by the Florida Department of Education and the individualized goals written by each student’s IEP Team.  

Many children naturally learn from their environment – i.e., without intervention – but children who have learning, developmental or behavior concerns learn less from their environment than their peers might. They often need a structured environment where they have opportunities to acquire the same fundamental skills that other children may pick up naturally.

FACE specializes in helping children with autism, pervasive development disorder and other learning and behavior concerns with specialized programs using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA sets up this type of environment for them – in essence, teaching children how to learn. ABA is used to develop basic skills like listening and imitating as well as more complex skills such as reading and having conversations. ABA also decreases behaviors that interfere with learning.FAC

Florida State Standards

FACE aligns all curriculum and instruction to the Florida State Standards. Standards are simple objectives that describe what students should know and do at each grade level. Standards also ensure that all schools teach the same content with the same expectations to all their students, and therefore, provide all their students access to a high-quality education. Consistent, rigorous standards are important to ensure common outcomes and expectations for students across the state of Florida, including post-school success through college and/or career readiness. The State of Florida uses cpalms.org as the official source for standards for every subject and grade level.

Access Points

Students who have significant cognitive disabilities (as determined by the IEP Team) can participate in alternate instruction and assessment aligned to Access Points of state standards. These Access Points were developed so that students with significant cognitive disabilities could demonstrate understanding of the same curriculum by participating in similar but simpler cognitive tasks with instructional support. Students instructed in Access Points are participate in the Florida Standards Alternative Assessment and End of Course exams as required at the end of each school year.

Academic Program (PK-5)

Students in the Academic Program are instructed in academic courses aligned to Florida State Standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. They also receive instruction in Social Skills and Life Skills according to the FACE Social Emotional Learning Program and their unique Social Emotional and Independent Functioning IEP goals.

Students in the Academic Program are assessed using the Florida Statewide Assessment (FSA) starting in 3rd grade.

A typical student in the Academic Program is mostly independent academically with accommodations. They may require monitoring and modeling to complete academic work. They are independent toileting, eating, and communicating. They are verbal, with some inappropriate social-emotional behaviors.

The Academic Program begins in the Lower Elementary grade level and ends after the Upper Elementary grade level. After 5th grade, FACE believes that students in the Academic Program should transition to a less restrictive environment, either another ESE Center school or their neighborhood school. This transition will position them for more success as they enter and progress through Middle School.

Transition Program (PreK – 12)

Students in the Transition Program are instructed in academic courses aligned to Access Points Standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. They also receive instruction in Social Skills and Life Skills according to the FACE Social Emotional Learning Program and their unique Social Emotional and Independent Functioning IEP goals. 

Students instructed the Transition Program are assessed using the Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA) Performance Task.

A typical student in the Transition Program is supported academically with modifications and accommodations. They may require small group instruction with visual cues and verbal assistance to complete academic work. They are supported when toileting; for example, they may require support to flush the toilet or wash their hands. They are supported when eating; for example, they may require support to open food containers or clean up their trash. They are supported when communicating since they may have limited vocal or verbal ability, with inappropriate social-emotional behaviors.

Intervention Program (PreK – 12)

Students in the Intervention Program are instructed in academic courses aligned to Access Points Standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. They also receive instruction in Social Skills and Life Skills according to the FACE Social Emotional Learning Program and their unique Social Emotional and Independent Functioning IEP goals.
Students instructed the Intervention Program are assessed using the Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA) Performance Task or Datafolio.
A typical student in the Intervention Program is prompted academically with modifications and accommodations. They may require special group or one-on-one instruction with physical assistance to complete academic work. They are assisted when toileting; for example, they may require diaper changes or assistance with disposable underwear. They are assisted when eating; for example, they may require assistance with feeding, supervision to prevent stealing food, playing with food, or eating from the trash. They are assisted when communicating since they may be nonvocal or nonverbal, with inappropriate social-emotional behaviors.

Vocational Program (12 +)

FACE offers a transition and vocational program for young adults who have completed their graduation requirements and have chosen to defer receipt of their diploma. Students in the vocational program develop and target job readiness skills and adult daily living skills. This program is specially designed to prepare students for the successful transition from being a student at school to living their adult lives with as much independence as possible. 

If you would like more information about our Vocational program or if you are a business interested in partnering with us, we can be reached by phone or by email.   Phone: 813-985-3223

Tawanna Johnson: [email protected]  or  Saida Mouhsine: [email protected]

Programs FAQs

These programs are used every day across grade levels and programs by teachers designing and delivering quality instruction in the core academic subjects of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies as well as the special subjects of Music, Art, and Physical Education/Health.

Unique Learning System is an online instructional program that specifically designed for students with special needs. All lessons are aligned to both state standards and Access Points then differentiated into three levels of participation to accommodate a variety of diverse learners. 

News-2-You is an online instructional program that posts news articles about Current Events, World News, Sports News, or Entertainment News. Each article is differentiated to accommodate a variety of reading levels so that all students can know and enjoy the news. Each weekly issue is posted with related readings and worksheets to extend learning as well as games and activities to engage in the content in new and interesting ways. 

i-Ready Florida is a rigorous instruction and practice program for English Language Arts, Writing, and Mathematics that fully prepares students for the Florida Standards in a highly supportive way, while providing teachers with step-by-step, point-of-use professional development to teach the standards most effectively. Built for on-grade level instruction, i-Ready also features a Diagnostic Assessment to measure student abilities, and automatically creates an online intervention targeting deficits and below-grade level skills.

BrainPOP is an online instructional program that utilizes simple but engaging animated videos to introduce topics visualization to describe complex or abstract concepts. Additionally, each video utilizes humor with familiar characters to keep students engaged and interested in exploring the topic.

The variety of materials offered within these programs meet the needs needed for teaching or reteaching any standard from the curriculum or any goal from an IEP flexibility, and creativity to choose materials. These programs allow teachers to supplement their core instruction with flexibility and creativity without sacrificing quality or consistency. 

Education.com offers digital resources developed by educational experts to incorporate leading pedagogical practices. Their library of resources includes workbooks, worksheets, activities, and interactive learning games to engage students through multiple means of engagement, as well as guides and lesson plans for educators.

Super Teacher Worksheets provides worksheets and printable activities across all academic subjects and grades. This program also offers Worksheet Generators so teachers can create customized, specialized, or randomized worksheets to meet the unique needs and abilities of their students. 

HelpTeaching provides worksheets and printable activities across all academic subjects and grades. This program also offers Test Makers as well as Worksheet Generators so teachers can create tests that support the unique testing accommodations required by their students.

Your child’s Standards are a result of the IEP Team decision about their Assessment Program. You can review their Assessment Program on the Assessment section of their IEP.

Your child will be assessed in subjects according to their grade level, or according to their course schedule and graduation requirements.
Grade PK-2 – No State Assessments
Grade 3 – English Language Arts (Reading Only), Math
Grade 4 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Math
Grade 5 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Math, Science
Grade 6 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Math
Grade 7 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Math, Civics
Grade 8 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Math, Science
Grade 9 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Biology
Grade 10 – English Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Algebra
Grade 11 – Geometry, U.S. History

Your child’s Accommodations are listed in the Accommodations section of their IEP. They will be listed as Classroom Accommodations or Test Accommodations. All Accommodations with “*” cannot be offered during the FSA. All Accommodations can be offered during the FSAA.

Discuss the importance of testing with your child. 

Bring your child to school on time and avoid picking them up early on their testing days. Allow your child to get a good night sleep and eat a healthy breakfast on their testing days. Pack special reinforcements (i.e., food, toys, electronic devices) that will motivate your child to do their best during testing.

Special Subjects

Music, Art, and Physical Education/Health

Each student at FACE is enrolled in three different specials subjects: Music, Art, and Physical Education/Health. Each specials subject is designed and delivered by a certified teacher according to the subject standards written by the Florida Department of Education. The Specials program offers meaningful instruction in Music, Art, and Physical Education/Health to all the students at FACE, while engaging creativity and curiosity and building skills for personal expression.

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Accreditation

All FACE teachers have earned at least a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education. All Classroom Teachers at FACE are certified in the following certification areas: Exceptional Student Education (ESE) K-12, a content area (Prekindergarten Primary Education PK-3 OR Elementary Education K-6 depending on their assigned grade-level), and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement. All Specials Teachers at FACE are certified in their assigned subject (Music K-12, Art K-12, PE/Health K-12). Any teacher who is Out-of-Field for any of these certification areas has signed an Agreement to Earn with Hillsborough County Public Schools and FACE to complete those requirements. If you have questions about the status of any of our teachers and their certification areas, please refer to the Out-of-Field Parent Notification letter linked below.

Out-of-Field-Teachers a table of teachers who are currently out-of-field and/or not highly qualified (HQ).
(Out-of-Field-Teachers) – English
(Out-of-Field-Teachers) – Spanish