Reaching Independence through Structured Education (RISE) Program

In alignment with the District 58 mission statement, The RISE program will work together in partnership with the district, parents and community to challenge and engage each child by providing quality educational programming and services in a safe, nurturing and child- centered environment that best meets their needs.

The RISE program offers an education experience customized to support students with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder and/or related characteristics through:

  • Staff who have unique training and techniques in the area of autism spectrum disorder
  • Supporting students through a team approach to understand and teaching to the whole child
  • Implementing instructional techniques and materials that meet students’ social, sensory, academic and communication needs.
  • Organized, research-based strategies, and a data-rich environment to support decision making
  • Providing individualized and flexible services that meets the needs of students, promotes independence and fades support
  • Creating safe spaces
  • Building a comprehensive approach to support families and to collaborate with outside services to support future-thinking programming
  • Operating within a larger system designed to support communication and inclusion.

Instruction within the RISE program

  • Students receive core instruction through the district curriculum (i.e. Benchmark, Bridges) that is differentiated based on student needs within the RISE classroom and/or the general education classroom. 
  • Students have opportunities for group learning within the RISE program to support learner behaviors and group learning skills. They also have opportunities for support to transfer those skills into their general education classroom, as needed.
  • Students will receive tier 1 social emotional learning opportunities (i.e. Second Step) within the general education setting (as appropriate) or within the RISE classroom.
  • Additionally, students will receive explicit, direct instruction in coping/emotional, behavioral, social skills and self-regulation from certified staff. Students may also participate in groups within the program based on their educational and developmental needs. Typical groups include Language Lessons, Social Language Group, Speech Group, Executive Functioning Group and Self Regulation/Zones of Regulation Lessons.
  • Instructional assistant support is provided through the program to support students within the RISE classroom and/or the general education classroom as appropriate. They support students with positive behaviors, including support generalizing social/coping/regulation skills across settings, support with attention and focus, and general classroom assistance including attention and academic needs. Support is scaffolded with a focus on developing and demonstrating independence (and therefore fading support)

For the 2022-23 school year, the RISE Program is located at Indian Trail School (Grade PreK-6) and Pierce Downer School (Grade K-2).  This program will grow by one grade level every school year.