Special Education

Christian Academy of Madison believes that Christian families who desire a Christian education for their child should be able to seek it, and it also believes that every child should have the opportunity to learn and grow in a Christian environment, learning of the love of Christ in every subject area, regardless of learning struggle. Therefore, CAM’s desire is to enroll students with a variety of special education needs, though it reserves the right to decide whether to offer admission to specific students based on the student’s level of need; the school never wants to do the student a disservice by not being able to provide the specific services he/she needs.

Students holding current Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) in a local public school may transfer that IEP to Christian Academy of Madison, where it will become an Individualized Service Plan (ISP), as per state law for private schools in the state of Indiana. 

CAM works with the Madison Consolidated School Corporation (MCSC) to determine eligibility for special education services. Students who are found to be eligible may receive direct speech/language services through MCSC on CAM’s campus. Other services through MCSC are based on consultation only, and an MCSC special education teacher of record will work with CAM classroom and special education teachers to help students succeed through accommodations and modifications as necessary. In this case, MCSC shall hold the student’s Individualized Service Plan (ISP).

Students with special education needs AND who are recipients of the Indiana School Choice Scholarship may choose if they would prefer for Madison to continue to hold the ISP upon enrollment at CAM or if they would prefer CAM to hold the Choice Scholarship Education Plan (CSEP) and provide all services. If they choose a CSEP, CAM will work with the family to provide direct services with state-provided special education funding, whether through CAM’s special education teacher or through a contract with local therapists, according to the student's learning need. 

Families with specific medical needs may also choose to work with CAM to have a 504 Plan in place. A 504 Plan is a legal, binding document between the school and family that provides in writing the methods of accommodation and/or modification a student will receive in the classroom and/or on assessments based on a documented medical condition. Although as a private school CAM does not utilize due process procedures, its desire is for families of special education students to maintain open lines of communication with classroom teachers, special education teachers, and administration to ensure that students are receiving the services they need in order to succeed in the classroom.

CAM also works with several local school districts to provide Title I math and reading intervention services for elementary students who are in need of some additional instruction and help in academic areas of struggle.