Program Academics & Design
Follow the steps below to complete this page. This section of the application is a bit long - remember you can always use the Save & Stay button at the bottom of the page to save your progress while working.
(Step 1) At the top of the page, read and check the box for the assurance statement. Then, upload the handbook provided to AEDY Parents and Students using the upload tool at the top of the page. The handbook should be specific to your AEDY Program (e.g. do not include information about additional programs provided on site).
Q: What information should be included in our AEDY Program handbook?
A: What to include is a local decision. Common inclusions are how students may be referred to AEDY, information about the MTSS structures in place on site, and how students begin to exit/transition after meeting their behavioral goals specific to the behavior of concern. You may also wish to include policies and procedures as well as information on counseling and the academic structures in the program. Click on the button below for a checklist of recommendations.
(Step 2) Upload a copy of the packet used during AEDY Intake. The intake packet should include all information which is provided to parents, families, and students during the intake process. You may also upload a checklist detailing what information is reviewed and provided prior to the student being seated. The intake packet should be specific to your AEDY Program (e.g. do not include information about additional programs provided on site).
A sample intake checklist is available for your use by clicking on the button below. If you use the sample checklist, be sure to add any additional items required by your AEDY program at intake (e.g. medical records, grades, behavioral assessment, etc.).
(Step 3) Read and check the boxes to verify that your AEDY Program will meet each of the requirements as relates to academic instruction. Then, use the checkboxes below the assurance statements to indicate the types of academic measures/assessments used within the program. If the program uses measures/indicators for *academic* instruction that are not listed, click the plus (+) button next to "Add another" to add them to the list.
(Step 4) Use the provided text box to describe the process by which the program determines and aligns assessments with referring LEAs.
(Step 5) Use the provided checkboxes to indicate the method/mode(s) of instructional delivery used in your AEDY program: direct, computer-based, and/or blended instruction. If any additional types of delivery are used, they can be added to the list using the blue plus (+) button next to "add another" below the checkbox list.
Q: What kinds of instruction can our program use?
A: This is a local decision that should be determined by your program team. Some programs choose to use all computer-based instruction via an online delivery system while others only use in-person direct instruction from teachers. Still other programs use blended instruction, sometimes created by outside organizations and sometimes by on-staff teachers. Of course, many programs choose to use a mix of these methods of delivery. Whatever you choose, remember that special education and English Learner instruction must be facilitated by an appropriately certified teacher.
Q: What's the difference between direct, computer-based and blended learning?
A: Direct Instruction is provided directly by a teacher. Direct instruction includes traditional in-person schooling as well as synchronous online lessons.
Computer-based instruction is asynchronous instruction provided through a learning platform. Computer-based instruction may either be created a third-party provided or by in-house staff. A classroom teacher may be physically present while students work through lessons online and may also provide some additional supports (e.g. tutoring, one-on-one support), but the teacher is not providing any direct instruction to students with computer-based learning.
Blended instruction includes a mix of direct and computer-based instruction where lessons are sometimes delivered synchronously and sometimes delivered asynchronously. For example, the teacher might create a video lesson or module (like this one) for students to work through at their own pace, but also facilitate a hands-on learning experience like a lab. Flipped classrooms are a good example of blended instruction. Read more about the difference between these types of instruction here: Blended and online learning (Vanderbilt Center for Teaching).
Q: Our teachers use an online Learning Management System (LMS), does that mean we use blended instruction?
A: A Learning Management System (LMS) is a platform used by teachers in many different ways. Common examples include Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom, and Moodle, although there are quite a few available! Whether the teacher is delivering blended instruction depends on how the platform is being used. If it's used to host general information about the course (like a syllabus), grades, homework files, etc., but is not used for the delivery of instruction, then the course is still using only direct instruction. If the LMS is being used to create lessons for students to work through (like this module) and the teacher is also delivering traditional, direct instruction lessons, then the course is using blended learning.
(Step 6) Enter information about the counseling services provided by your AEDY program. First (letter A in the image below), use the small textbox to enter the number of hours per week a student will receive counseling/behavioral modification services - *AEDY programs must provide a minimum of 2.5 hours of counseling per week for each student.* Next, use the radio buttons to indicate if individual counseling services are offered.
Use the checkboxes to mark what types of counseling are provided to students seated in the AEDY program (letter B in the image above). For each type of counseling offered, 3 data fields will appear to the right. Enter the name of the curricula (e.g. the counseling program name or a description of what is used). Then, either check the box if this type of counseling is provided by an on-site staff member OR use the text box to enter the name of the 3rd party used to provide this type of counseling.
Keep in mind that any 3rd party providers should also be listed on the partnerships page AND their specific staff members listed in the outside contracted staff page.
Repeat this for all types of counseling provided to students seated in the AEDY program.
If a type of counseling is provided that is not listed, use the blue plus (+) button to add another type of counseling to the list.
Note: During cyclical monitoring, your AEDY program will be required to provide a counseling log to evidence the 2.5+ hours per week for each student. Sample logs and templates are provided via the buttons below for your use.
(Step 7) Check the box to indicate that your program will promote and facilitate the participation of all students in elective programs. Then, use the blue plus sign (+) following the phrase "Add Electives" to list each elective provided by your program. List one elective per line. Only list electives available to students placed in your AEDY program.
If your program provides many electives, you can instead choose to upload the course catalog of electives using the File Upload Tool.
(Step 8 - NEW in 2025) Provide student schedules. New in 2025 - download the Program Schedule Template spreadsheet file by selecting the file name in your application. This file will be used to provide the daily/weekly schedule for ALL student schedules in your program.
Open the spreadsheet file (screenshots are shown open in Excel). At the bottom of the program, note that there are 4 sheet tabs: Sample, Schedule 1, Schedule 2, and Schedule 3. You may add more tabs with additional schedules, if necessary.
The Sample tab provides an example completed schedule. Note the use of the "Additional Info" column to explain each instance of "Other Instruction."
When ready to enter your schedule(s), navigate to the Schedule 1 tab by selecting it.
First, enter the number of school days per year, including Act 80 days, in the yellow box one cell to the right of "Number of School Days per Year (include Act 80 Days). If needed, you may enter this as a half number.
Next, use the table to provide the daily and weekly schedule for students.
For each line, enter the name of the timeslot using the dropdown arrow which appears to the right when the cell is selected. If needed, use the next column to add additional information about the timeslot (e.g. explaining "Other Instruction").
Next, select the day of the week using the dropdown arrow which appears to the right when the cell is selected. Then, enter the start and end times for the timeslot. Note that the start and end times must be entered as hour : minute minute AM/PM. For example: 8:25 am, 2:15 pm. If the times do not follow this format, it may cause calculation errors to appear in the last column.
Lastly, add the name of the staff position responsible for providing instruction or supervision during this timeslot. Use the staff title, not the staff member's name.
Repeat this for each row until the student's weekly schedule is complete.
If your program uses multiple student schedules (e.g. High school and middle school, ABC School District and Mercury School District), repeat this using the additional Schedule tabs, one for each schedule.
Q: What counts as "Study time"?
A: Study time can count as instructional time when it is a supervised study hall. Read more about what qualifies for instructional time in the PDE Instructional Time BEC.
Q: Our AEDY program follows the schedules of each sending LEA - which schedule should we provide?
A: All of them. Use one Schedule tab per LEA's schedule. If you like, you may re-label the tabs using the LEA names. You can also provide this info using the "Additional Info" column for one of the timeslot rows.
Q: Our program isn't meeting the required 990 hours/year or 2.5 counseling hours/week. What should we do?
A: Consider adding a few minutes to your program's instructional day. 5 min x 180 days = 900 min = 15 hours! Making small changes to ensure students receive the instructional and counseling time they need can help your students succeed.
Q: How are the total instructional hours calculated?
A: Each timeslot's final column, "Hours:Minutes" is calculated using the start and end times entered in the row. "Hours:Minutes Counseling per Week" sums each instance of Counseling listed in the weekly schedule.
At the bottom of the table, the Weekly Total Instruction is summed based on the timeslot names. This sum excludes categories which are not counted as instructional time, such as Lunch and Free time. The Weekly Total Instruction is averaged over the 5 weekdays, then multiplied by the Number of School Days per Year to give the total Hours:Minutes per School Year.
(Step 9) When all student schedules have been entered, upload the new file into the application by...
First, enter the number of full student days per school year in the text box (letter A in the image below). This will be the number of total student days minus any early dismissal days. For example, if students are in school for 185 days, but 5 days are early dismissals, enter 185 - 5 = 180 days into the text box.
Next, use the blue plus (+) button to provide the date(s) and time(s) of any early dismissals for students. (letter B in the image below).
Next, use the textbox to provide the number of Act 80 days included in the calendar (letter C in the image above). If there are none, enter zero.
(Step 10) If your AEDY program offers credit recovery, check the box to indicate this service. Use the provided textbox to enter information on any additional services offered to students in placement which have not already been described in this section of the application. If no additional services are provided, leave this blank.
(Step 11) Check the box to affirm you "have read, understand and will comply with the statement regarding the number of instructional hours for AEDY programs. This program will not operate for less than the number of hours and days required of General Education Programs under Pennsylvania Law."
For more information on what is required, see the AEDY Program Requirements section of the AEDY Guidelines and the Instructional Time BEC.
(Step 12) Provide the hours and days of operation for your program. The hours of operation should align with the agenda entered above. If there is "buffer time" at the beginning/end of the day, these should be included in the agenda as "Free time." For example, if the program opens its doors at 8AM but does not begin instruction until 8:30AM, the hours of operation would start at 8AM and the agenda would include a line 8AM - 8:30AM Free Time.
(Step 13) Upload your school calendar for the current (if applying mid-year) or upcoming (if applying over the summer) school year using the file upload tool. Be sure the calendar is clear in showing dates of operation and scheduled early dismissals as well as any Act 80 days.
(Step 14) Check the box to verify that you have read and understand the requirements regarding the development of the AEDY program in consultation with faculty, administrative staff, parents, and community members.
(Step 15) Use the text box to list community resources available to students while in placement in your AEDY program.
(Step 16) When you are finished with Program Academics & Design, click "Save & Go to Next Section" at the bottom of the page.
