Special Populations Services Overview

Metro Technology Centers seeks to identify every qualified student with a disability upon their entry. Identification of students is different based on their status. A student may be:

• a public high school student,
• a homeschool high school student,
• an adult student returning to Metro Tech after being with us during high school,
• an adult student brand new to the Metro Tech system.

The "For Students" section goes into detail on the process of identification and services for each type of student. Briefly, a student may self-identify as a person with a disability; a high school student's sending school may identify them as a person with a disability; or an authorized caregiver (parent/guardian) may identify a minor student as someone with a disability. When a student is identified as having a disability, special populations services steps in with the aid of the student's counselor, program representative, the student, sending school (if applicable), and authorized caregiver (if applicable) to determine eligibility and/or to develop a plan of accommodations and services.

Prior to admission, entrance testing is required of ADULT students by way of the Accuplacer series of exams done in the Metro Tech Testing Center. Potential students, who also have a disability, may qualify for accommodations on the Accuplacer. Students requesting accommodation for admissions testing should contact the Testing Center at 405-424-8324.

High school students with a disability, who attend a public school (charter schools are considered public), should check with their program instructors, counselor, or Special Populations Services to ensure their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan has been communicated to Metro Tech. Even if the plan is expired or the student no longer qualifies for services at their high school, they should check with Metro Tech due to the differences in qualifying standards. 

Students who are homeschooled and who also have a disability should ask their parents to talk directly with Special Populations Services. Services are absolutely available to homeschooled students, but the way documentation is obtained may differ from a student attending a public high school.

For all stakeholders (sending schools, students, families, Metro Tech staff, etc.), remembering that Metro Tech's Special Populations Services fall under the guidance of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and federal Office of Civil Rights guidelines is of vital importance. These guidelines mean different qualifying and service standards than a typical, public high school. The guidelines for disability / special populations services for Metro Tech are covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act and its amendments. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) only addresses primary and secondary schools. However, Metro Tech strives to honor the IEPs (established under IDEA) of our sending schools. This is why Metro Tech's participation in an IEP addendum meeting when a student is accepted into a career tech program is required and vitally important for all parties.