Curriculum Life Skills Program

Centennial Elementary, Columbus Middle School and Columbus High Schools

The ‘Curriculum Life Skills’ (CLS) Program is a specialized placement for students with significant intellectual disabilities who need opportunities to develop functional academic skills; along with, skills that they will need in everyday life such as: self-care, vocational, functional reading and math, money management, self-advocacy, independence, and others. The CLS Program includes a higher level of staff support (small teacher to student ratio for increased supervision, safety awareness, and more intensive supports in demonstrated areas of need).  Students that participate may learn daily living skills such as cooking, laundry, doing dishes, brushing teeth, regular hygiene, making a phone call, ordering from a menu, etc. as demonstrated by the student’s individual needs. 

Students that participate in the CLS program receive an education with their general education peers in other classes such as but not limited to: science, social studies, Health/Fitness, band, music, STEM, computers, FCS, etc. based on student need and ability.  Students in the CLS program complete reading, writing, math, and life skills classes based on individual student needs/ability within the program. 

Placement into the ‘Curriculum Life Skills’ Program is an IEP team decision and is based on specific student needs and discussion regarding the placement that can meet those needs most appropriately. The decision is made after a thorough review of the IEP components which may include present levels of performance, goals/objectives, accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, state and district assessments, behavior intervention plans, teacher and parental input, and results from any previous evaluations.