The Ventura County Office of Education operates three special education classes on the Ventura High School's campus. These classrooms serve students ages 14 -18.
Instruction is based upon seven curricular domains:
- domestic
- vocational
- recreation / leisure
- community access / motor skills
- communication
- social- emotional and
- functional academics
Academics are addressed within these domains with the purpose that students learn functional skills that are practical and will maximize their independence in the future. Community access and vocational training occurs on and off the school campus.
Integration is a high priority for students at the secondary level. Some students attend classes such as: English, P.E., Art, Computer Lab, Drama and the like. Students spend time with their typically developing peers during nutrition breaks, lunch, school wide assemblies and rallies. Additionally, students may attend Ventura High School sporting events and school dances. To the maximum extent possible, students participate in high school graduation ceremonies and senior activities, thus, providing our students with a well-rounded High School experience.
All special education classrooms are supported by student teacher assistants that are assigned to the classrooms through the VHS counseling department. These student teacher assistants receive elective credits for their work in our classrooms. This learning experience offers the assistants insight into a variety of instructional methods and provides them with hands on activities that encourage further exploration of special education career opportunities. Many of our teacher assistants help in extra curricular activities as well. The objective is to encourage and support the development of sincere and genuine friendships between the general education students and the students in our program.