Universal Accommodations

The Novi Community School District has adopted Universal Accommodations to support equitable access to learning for all students. These strategies and tools are intended to proactively meet a wide range of learner needs and are outlined below.

Environmental

• Visual Schedules
• Preferential Seating
• Flexible Seating Options
• Use of Headphones
• Sound Amplification
• Access to a Regulation Space
• Use of Timers or Visual Time Aids

Behavioral

• Schoolwide Expectations
• Classroom Expectations and Supports
• Redirection and Cueing Strategies
• Use of Sensory Tools
• Access to Regulation or Break Spaces

Instructional

• Assistive Technology
• Assessment Preparation Supports
• Access to Class Notes
• Captions/Subtitles on Videos
• Manipulatives (Physical or Digital)
• Word Banks and Sentence Stems
• Visual Supports
• Flexible Timeframes

Organizational

• Access to Planning and Reference Materials
• Use of Graphic Organizers
• Reduced Practice Assignments
• Use of Checklist
• Preview of Upcoming Tasks or Schedule Changes
• Chunking of Assignments
• Extended Time for Transitions or Task Initiation
• Daily or Weekly Check-ins

Environmental

• Visual Schedules: Students may be provided with visual schedules to support understanding of the daily routine and transitions. These may include whole-class schedules displayed publicly or individualized schedules for specific students.
• Preferential Seating: Students may be offered seating in specific locations based on individual needs, such as near the teacher, door, whiteboard, a peer model, or away from distractions, to maximize attention and participation.
• Flexible Seating Options: Students may be permitted to use flexible seating options during independent work or other appropriate times to support focus and comfort.
• Use of Headphones: Students may use headphones or noise-reducing devices as a sensory support during appropriate times, such as independent work or transitions, to help manage sensory input and maintain regulation.
• Sound Amplification: Classrooms may utilize teacher microphone systems or other amplification tools to ensure all students can clearly hear instruction, particularly in larger or noisier environments.
• Access to a Regulation Space: Students may be given access to a designated regulation or calming area within or near the classroom to support self-regulation when needed. Use of the space may be student-initiated or teacher-directed and should follow classroom norms and expectations.
• Use of Timers or Visual Time Aids: Visual timers, countdown clocks, or scheduled reminders may be used to support time management, sustained attention, and transitions between tasks. 

Behavioral

Behavioral accommodations are designed to create supportive learning environments that minimize triggers, encourage positive behavior, and promote student self-regulation, attention, and active participation. These strategies may be implemented proactively or responsively to meet individual student needs and ensure a safe, inclusive classroom climate.

• Schoolwide Expectations: Behavior expectations are clearly defined, explicitly taught, and consistently reinforced across all school environments. Expectations are posted throughout the building, included in the student handbook, and regularly revisited through classroom instruction and schoolwide routines.
• Classroom Expectations and Supports: Each classroom establishes and reinforces behavior expectations aligned with schoolwide norms. These expectations are clearly posted, taught explicitly, and embedded in classroom materials (e.g., syllabus, anchor charts, classroom visuals). Regular review of expectations supports consistency and shared understanding.
• Redirection and Cueing Strategies: Students will receive redirection through a range of verbal and non-verbal prompts, such as visual signals, hand gestures, proximity, or cue cards, to support focus and address off-task behavior respectfully and effectively.
• Use of Sensory Tools: Students may access sensory supports, such as fidgets, calming objects, or noise-canceling/headphones, as appropriate within the learning environment to promote self-regulation and sustained attention.
• Access to Regulation or Break Spaces: Students may be provided with access to a designated regulation space, either within the classroom or elsewhere in the school, where they can take short, structured breaks. These breaks may include physical movement, sensory activities, or calming strategies, with the goal of helping students return to learning ready to re-engage.

Instructional

Instructional accommodations are designed to support students in accessing, processing, and demonstrating understanding of academic content. These supports can help reduce barriers without lowering expectations or altering learning targets.

• Assistive Technology: Students may access approved assistive technology tools to support reading, writing, and comprehension tasks across subject areas.
• Assessment Preparation Supports: Students may receive tools to support their assessment readiness, including study guides, annotated class notes, rubrics with clearly defined success criteria, or other pre-teaching materials.
• Access to Class Notes: If notes are taken during class instruction, students may receive a copy after attempting to take their own to reinforce participation while ensuring access to essential content.
• Captions/Subtitles on Videos: All instructional videos should include captions or subtitles to support comprehension, especially for English Learners, students with hearing differences, and those who benefit from multiple modalities.
• Manipulatives (Physical or Digital): Students may use hands-on tools such as counters, base-ten blocks, fraction tiles, or digital equivalents to support concept development, particularly in mathematics and science.
• Word Banks and Sentence Stems: Students may be provided with word banks, sentence frames, or stems to support oral and written expression, especially during content-specific tasks or structured academic conversations.
• Visual Supports: Instruction may be supplemented with visual aids, such as anchor charts, diagrams, graphic organizers, timelines, or images, to reinforce comprehension and retention.
• Flexible Timeframes: Students may be provided with extended or adjusted time for task completion when appropriate, to support executive functioning and reduce stress.

Organizational

Organizational accommodations are designed to support students in managing materials, time, and tasks effectively. These strategies help reduce executive functioning challenges and promote greater independence, productivity, and active engagement in learning. The supports listed below may be used proactively or responsively to meet individual student needs.

• Access to Planning and Reference Materials: Students may take photos of planners, notes, anchor charts, or assignments for future reference. They may also receive printed planner pages or access important information shared through digital platforms such as Seesaw or Schoology to support organization and follow-through on tasks.
• Use of Graphic Organizers: Students may utilize graphic organizers to support planning, organizing, and completing written assignments. This support may include pre-writing templates, Venn diagrams, flowcharts, or other visual tools, except during assessments where such aids are not permitted.
• Reduced Practice Assignments: Students may be assigned a reduced number of practice problems or homework tasks to focus on quality over quantity and to maximize cognitive overload while still targeting essential learning goals.
• Use of Checklists: Students may use checklists to help break down multi-step tasks, monitor progress, and stay organized during classwork, homework, or procedural routines (e.g., packing up materials, transitioning between subjects).
• Preview of Upcoming Tasks or Schedule Changes: Students may receive advance notice of schedule changes, upcoming assignments, or transitions to reduce anxiety and support planning.
• Chunking of Assignments: Assignments may be broken down into smaller, manageable chunks. Regular check-ins may be used to guide students through each step, provide feedback, and encourage task completion.
• Extended Time for Transitions or Task Initiation: Students may be given extra time to start tasks, pack materials, or transition between activities, especially when shifting between subjects or settings.
• Daily or Weekly Check-ins: Regular check-ins may be provided to review goals, prioritize tasks, organize materials, and support planning for upcoming assignments.