A student can be considered to return as a part of the Cohort 5, Intensive Support Needs group if the student meets all of the following criteria:

• The student with a disability participates in the Virginia Assessment System using the SOL test and
• 50% or more of the student’s core content courses (i.e. core math, core English/language arts, core history/ social science and core science classes) are provided in special education settings and
• Instructionally, the student functions multiple grades below current grade level and 50% or more of instruction is modified to bridge the gap between the student’s baseline knowledge and course standard with the expectation that the student will subsequently meet the standard and
• the student meets one or more of the following:
  • Comprehensive needs across academic areas
  • Student has a primary disability of intellectual disabilities, learning disability, Autism, or multiple disabilities
  • Reading and writing scores below the 10th percentile (scores < SS 80) on standardized assessments compared to same-aged peers
  • Deficits in adaptive skills, social communication, and restrictive and repetitive behaviors
  • Difficulty with working memory (WMI < SS 80)
  • Difficulty with receptive and/or expressive language
  • Has additional adult supervision throughout the school day in all areas of the building

If the student with a disability does not participate in the Virginia Assessment System using the SOL test, then this student, who is participating in the VAAP or would if they were in a tested grade, was able to return to Cohort 3.