Support Services

Support Services

PFFS campuses are thrilled to have diverse student bodies. The schools believe that their communities are stronger when they are composed of students with a variety of strengths and stretches. Paulo Freire Freedom Schools are public schools and welcome any student who applies and is accepted through the lottery process.

PFFS have services, policies, and procedures that comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementing regulations, and that eligible children and youth with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).  PFFS have speech and communication, counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and school psychology support staff. Additional types of support staff are procured if school teams deem it necessary for a student's access to the general education environment.

At PFFS, our deep-held belief is that all students can be successful.  We also believe all students need meaningful relationships and personalized supports to help them overcome obstacles on their path to success.

Human Rights

PFFS believe that all students have a right to and benefit from being educated together in general education environments with individualized and universal supports, which support academic, social, emotional, and behavioral support. Staffing and daily school schedules are intentionally designed to allow for a great deal of individualized support for all students. Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 plan meetings are student-led meetings where students and families are honored as experts.

Research-based Best Practice

Both campuses have a priority of designing lessons (Universal Design for Learning (UDL)) that are as barrier free as possible for all students and have many accommodations that are available for all students; for instance, all students are allowed to use speech to text when composing written material. Material is provided in a variety of ways and there are multiple options for students to demonstrate what they have learned. General education teachers and support staff all provide specially designed instruction/differentiated instruction to all students.