The Behavior Zone Academy program serves students who have been identified for special education services under the category of Emotional Disturbance, are experiencing severe emotional challenges with or without behavioral issues, and are in need of intensive Educationally Related Mental Health Services immediately available to the student in the school setting.  In addition, these students are unable to function adequately in either a regular school setting or in district special education classes. The primary purpose and goal of the BZA program is to improve social-emotional behaviors so that the student can be transitioned back into a regular or special education setting within the district of residence. When behavior and social emotional functioning of the student dictates success in our specialized program, students begin to integrate back into their district of residence in incremental measures of time.

The BZA program serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade in classes which are separated by age:  Early Elementary, Middle School, and High School. The classroom climate reflects a positive orientation to enhance appropriate social behavior and academic learning.  Students are provided with academic studies appropriate for their age and ability. High school students earn credits towards their high school diploma unless otherwise stated by their IEP.

Kings County Office of Education Mental Health Behavior Psychologist and a Mental Health Intervention Clinician provide individual and group counseling for the BZA Program.  Student participation in counseling with Mental Health Behavior Team is an essential element in the program. Family cooperation, participation and support are an integral part of the program and cannot be overemphasized in providing positive mental health treatment outcomes and classroom success. The joint participation of education and educationally related mental health services in one program facilitates parent involvement. Therapeutic Behavior Services, WRAP, Intensive Foster Care Support, CPS and other outside agency supports are facilitated as needed in the Behavior Zone Academy.

Special Day Class (SDC) programs serving students with severe disabilities are located at Shelly Baird and on regular school campuses throughout the county. These programs serve children/youth from ages 5-22 or from Kindergarten to graduation. Instruction for these students is specially designed to focus on the attainment of the California Content Standards through life skills curriculum that promotes independent functioning. These classes assist the student's progress through consistent structure and repetition. Instruction occurs within the classroom setting, on the school campuses, and in the community.   

The Independent Living Program (ILP) is a post-secondary program for students between the ages of 18 and 22 years old. The goal of the program is to teach severely disabled students independent living skills as they transition from Shelly Baird School into adult life. The emphasis of instruction is based on community involvement and inclusion, individualized prevocational/vocational skills, and daily living activities.

Some of the students have various jobs at local businesses within the community. These jobs are funded through the WorkAbility Program and in some cases the students are hired by the employer. Most students will participate in crew work which may include cleaning businesses and/or homes on a weekly basis.

“Lunch and Munch” is another weekly work activity in which all students participate. The students take orders, shop prepare, cook, and deliver the menu items to KCOE staff. The students learn how to sweep, mop, wash clothes, vacuum, do dishes by hand and dishwasher, wash windows, dust, and clean bathrooms.  

Students are taken into the community on a regular basis to benefit from Community Based Instruction (CBI). Many of the student are learning to use Kings Area Rural Transit (KART) to be able to independently navigate their community. 

The M.O.V.E. Program permits children to walk, sit, and stand with the help of specially designed equipment. It involves collaborative work between the schools, C.C.S. (California Children Services) therapists and clinic physicians, Regional Center and other civic organizations.

Kings County began using the program in 1992 and has had many success stories.  The special education staff works closely with designated instructional support staff such as Adapted Physical Education Teachers, Physical Therapists, and other specialists to create and implement individualized programs for students. The targeted population is students, from the age of infant to 22 years, who have not yet developed the physical skills necessary to sit independently, bear weight on their feet, or take reciprocal steps. The M.O.V.E. Program is a top-down, activity based curriculum designed to teach students basic, functional motor skills needed for adult life within the home and community environments.

The M.O.V.E. Program is designed to:

• Use education as a means of systematically acquiring motor skills.
   •   Use therapy services for cyclic corroboration between therapists, students, and staff.
   •   Provide a program whereby participants naturally practice their motor skills while engaged in other educational or leisure activities.
   •   Reduce the time and energy requirements for custodial care.
   •   Provide a way to measure small increments of functional motor skills and therefore, provide a way to show improvement.
   •   Provide a sequence of motor skills which are:

      ◦ appropriate and based on a top-down model of needs rather than the traditional developmental programs based on the sequential skill acquisition of infants. 
      ◦ valuable and usable to the participant right now as well as in adulthood. 
      ◦ Increase the availability of environments in the community as well as in adulthood. 
      ◦ Range from the level of zero self-management to the level of independent self-management.

• Provide the individual with the basic motor skills which are needed for development of other skills such as expressive language, self-care, and work opportunities.

The M.O.V.E. Program is based on teaming the expertise of therapy and education to address the functional needs of students. The equipment places students in positions for performing functional activities, allows staff to physically manage the student while teaching movement patterns, allows the student to practice motor skills independently, and helps improve their bone and joint health and increase muscle strength.

Kings County Office of Education operates a program for children ages 3-5 who have been identified as having a disability and are in need of special education services. Kings County Special Education Preschool classes are located at Shelly Baird School and Pioneer Elementary in Hanford. The program is designed to accommodate the individual needs of the students. Students attend two- or three-hour sessions from one to four days a week, as determined by their needs and the Individual Education Program Team.  The program is dedicated to developing communication, social skills, early learning skills, and behaviors necessary for successful classroom learning.  

At Shelly Baird School it is believed that every student benefits from vocational education. Each student is given the opportunity to experience work at whatever level is possible. The Vocational Domain is a part of every student’s IEP between the ages of three and twenty-two. Vocational education may include pre-academic skills such as providing personal information, grooming skills, or actual job related skills. The level of the activity is dependent upon the age and ability of the student.

Vocational education through Shelly Baird School teaches students about the world of work as it relates to them and their role as workers. They learn about work, their interests, skills and abilities. As students pass the age of 15, their vocational education program may include job awareness, unpaid work experience, paid work experience, and transition from school to the world of work.