Alternative Learning Environment (ALE)

Program Coordinator: Stacey Sebesta

The Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) is a low-ratio, highly structured special education instructional setting designed to give students with significant disabilities the intensive, individualized support required to access grade-level standards and build independence. Led by certified special education teachers and trained paraprofessionals, the program combines functional academics with targeted instruction in communication systems, social-emotional learning, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and age-appropriate vocational transition training. Staff utilize evidence-based practices—including explicit instruction, task analysis, systematic prompting, visual supports, and predictable classroom routines—alongside progress monitoring and continuous data collection to guide learning. Ultimately, the Alternative Learning Environment seeks to help students achieve their IEP goals, improve self-regulation, and maximize functional independence across school, home, and community environments.