Creating an Inclusive PreschoolCreating an Inclusive Preschool

Burbank Preschool Center Burbank Preschool Center and Special Education and Special Education

Diagnostic CenterDiagnostic Center

Jody London, M.P.A. , Oakland Unified School District Board PresidentJody London, M.P.A. , Oakland Unified School District Board President

Sharon W. Casanares, Ed. D, Director of Special EducationSharon W. Casanares, Ed. D, Director of Special Education

Christie Anderson, M.A. , Burbank Site AdministratorChristie Anderson, M.A. , Burbank Site Administrator

Oakland Unified School Oakland Unified School DistrictDistrict

• Oakland is the most improved urban district over the last seven years

• Increased 92 API points• 90% of the schools have after school

programs• Doubled the percent of students going to

UC colleges since 2003• Oakland is one of the nation’s most

diverse school district• Over 44 different languages spoken in

homes

Oakland Unified School Oakland Unified School District Challenges District Challenges

• African American and Latinos graduate from OUSD high schools at a rate of 54% and 56% respectively, compared with 79% for Asian Americans and 75% for white students.

• According to CST data, only 30% of Oakland’s African American 3rd graders score proficient in English Language Arts. By the 8th grade, that rate is only 15%.

• On the California High School Exit Exam taken in 10th grade, only 24% of African American and 26% of Latino students passed the English Language Arts section in 2010, compared with 51% of Asian Americans and 78% of white students. On the same test in math, 17% of African Americans and 27% of Latinos passed, compared with 66% of Asian Americans and 73% of white students.

Inequities Prevail outside the Inequities Prevail outside the school experienceschool experience

Specifically, an African American child born in

West Oakland is:

• One and a half times more likely to be born premature

• Seven times more likely to be born into poverty

• Two and half times more likely to be behind in vaccinations

• Four times less likely to read at grade level by Grade 4

• Likely to live in a neighborhood with two times the concentration of liquor stores and more fast food outlets

• More than five and half times more likely to drop out (or be pushed out) of school

Oakland’s Response:Oakland’s Response:Full Service Community District Full Service Community District

Community Schools- A Model for Change• A Community School is a strategy for organizing the

resources of the community around student success. It is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, services, supports and opportunities leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Schools become centers of the community and open to everyone….These Community Schools are based on a “developmental triangle,” which calls for a strong instructional program, expanded learning opportunities through enrichment, and services designed to remove barriers to students’ learning and healthy development, so that they can thrive academically and socially.

----The Children’s Aid Society

Principles that guide the Full Principles that guide the Full Service Community School Service Community School

workwork• Learning takes place in all contexts and does not privilege

one learning environment over another.• Families and teachers primarily influence student success

and should be supported by the district, schools and community in creating learning opportunities for students during and outside of instructional classroom time.

• We need to approach students and families in a manner that is strengths-based and rooted in child, youth and human development principles, with the belief that all students and families have the ability to succeed if provided with adequate support.

• We need to respect and build upon the cultural and linguistic identity of students and their families.

• We need to use valid data to identify and prioritize needs and to measure success.

Special Education Data Special Education Data 2010-20112010-2011

OUSD is its own SELPA and serves approximately 4,973 special education

students

• 1,814 Specific Learning Disability • 1,292 receive speech only services• 565 Intellectual Disability • 391 Autism and climbing….• 388 Emotional Disturbance

Special Education DataSpecial Education DataContinued… Continued…

• Over 1,000 Special Education Staff, Teachers and Paraprofessionals

- 94 Moderate/Severe SDC Teachers- 114 Mild/Moderate SDC Teachers

- 85 Resource Specialist Teachers

• 203 Special Day Classes throughout the District

• Resources Services offered at each school site

Special Education’s Response:Special Education’s Response:Coherent Continuous Service Coherent Continuous Service

OfferingsOfferings • Students were not

able to stay at one site for more than 3 years if in an SDC

• Students and special education staff were not considered part of the school community

• Barrier for meaningful family and community engagement

• Tilden Elementary Closure (School & District Response)

Tilden Elementary Tilden Elementary • School Year 2007-2008

– Tilden redesign process to rebalance the SDC and General Education populations and enhance the educational program

• Spring 2008– Major facilities issues were identified at the Tilden (John

Swett) campus that resulted in significant repair and relocation needs

– Cabinet decision to vacate Lower Tilden due to multiple significant facilities issues and review long-term solution

– Some facilities issues will remain irresolvable (terrain, high moisture)

• School Year 2008 – 2009– Extensive engagement with Tilden community regarding

relocation plans to prepare for closure at the end of SY 2009-2010

• SDC Pre-K-2 Students Currently at Tilden Elementary– Tilden Parent Community and District staff completed

walkthroughs of and identified a minimal number of sites to transition students and families.

– Future sites create a continuum of services to ensure that students do not need to make multiple transitions between grades K to 5.

• Future SDC Pre-K Students beginning 2010-11– Tilden Parent Community and District staff recommend

creating a Pre-K and Diagnostic Center for students with special needs to be located on the Burbank Campus.

How Did We Get Here? How Did We Get Here? - Board Decision (March 2009)

- Tilden Community Collaboration with OUSD, Special Education and Board Members

- Big Picture for All Special Education programs at Tilden

Board Decision March 2009Board Decision March 2009• Too Much Too Quickly

• Parent and Community Engagement

• Special Education Plan

• General Education Plan

• Board Meetings and Outrage

• Reflection on Mistakes

Tilden Collaboration Tilden Collaboration Fall 2009

PLC Meeting with Christie (1:30 at Tilden)-Create common visions and priorities-Look at prior Tilden site plans-Delegate responsibilities based on committee model-Google Group tutorial for shared documents---invite Dx Center and CDC

Spring 2010 -elements of a good plan/formatting guidelines-work on drafts of plans-share plans with group-after PD, send plans to Christie via email

PLC Meeting with Christie (1:30 at Tilden)-discuss drafts and revisions-determine next plans to work on-delegate responsibilities--invite Dx and CDCPD-work on revisions or new drafts-share with group-after PD, send plans to Christie via email

PLC Meeting with Christie (1:30 at Tilden)-look at plans-determine work to be done over the summer-create focus group to work over summer voluntarily (if staff want to)-discuss August priorities-invite Dx and CDC

Big Picture for Special Education Big Picture for Special Education Relocation

Proposal

  PreK Center Bella Vista MLK Burckhalter Markham Howard Sankofa

Current Programs None 1-3 SH SDC(If Burckhalter is not

avail.)PreK Autism

SDC1-2 LE

SDCPreK CDC/SH

SDC None

    1-2 LE SDC PreK SH SDCK-2 Autism

SDC4-5 SH

SDC K-2 Autism SDC  

    2-3 LE SDC K-1 SH SDC3-5 Autism

SDC   3-5 Autism SDC  

      2-3 SH SDC PreK LE SDC      

      1-3 CE SDC        

Proposed Additions Tilden PreK

Classes K LE SDC K SH SDC K SH SDC K LE SDC K-2 Autism SDCK-2 Autism

SDC

             K-2 Autism

SDC

Total programs 13 Preschool

Classes 1-3 SH SDC PreK SH SDCPreK Autism

SDC K LE SDCPreK CDC/SH

SDCK-2 Autism

SDC

  1 CDC 1-2 LE SDC K-1 SH SDCK-2 Autism

SDC1-2 LE

SDC K-2 Autism SDCK-2 Autism

SDC

    2-3 LE SDC 2-3 SH SDC3-5 Autism

SDC4-5 SH

SDC K-2 Autism SDC  

    K LE SDC 1-3 CE SDC PreK LE SDC   3-5 Autism SDC  

    K SH SDC K SH SDC    

Total Enrollment   486(58) 223 (58) 162(48) 391(42) 196(34) 122(16)

Facilities Need   1 1 1 1 1 2

% SDC Students 90% 11% 26% 23% 10% 15% 12%

Luther Burbank Luther Burbank

History or Burbank History or Burbank Preschool Center Preschool Center

- Burbank Elementary School

- High School Community Day School

- Explore Middle School

- Burbank Preschool Center

Why Burbank? Why Burbank? • Effective Early Childhood Model

– Promotes collaboration among pre-K teachers– Increases opportunity for students to participate in general

education K programs– Opportunity for interaction with general education pre-K peers

• Diagnostic Center– Access to data to develop high-quality IEPs and services– Parents can observe programs to help ease concerns or

questions around program structure

• Minimal Facilities Improvements– Installation of a pre-K play structure and creation of a safe

loading/unloading zone

Burbank’s Response: Burbank’s Response: Create a Full Service Preschool Create a Full Service Preschool

Center Center • Learning takes place in all contexts and does not privilege

one learning environment over another.• Families and teachers primarily influence student success

and should be supported by the district, schools and community in creating learning opportunities for students during and outside of instructional classroom time.

• We need to approach students and families in a manner that is strengths-based and rooted in child, youth and human development principles, with the belief that all students and families have the ability to succeed if provided with adequate support.

• We need to respect and build upon the cultural and linguistic identity of students and their families.

• We need to use valid data to identify and prioritize needs and to measure success.

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Burbank Preschool Center Burbank Preschool Center CampusCampus

Total Number of Classrooms: 15

Green: Pre-K Classrooms (10)

Blue: Diagnostic Center (3)

Red: Sensory/Speech/Motor Rooms (4)

Orange: Office / ACOE & Infant Services

Programs & Services at Programs & Services at Burbank Burbank

• 5 Autism PreK SDCs• 3 Severely Handicap PreK SDCs• 2 Non Severely Handicap PreK SDCs• 2 Language Enriched PreK SDCs• 1 Deaf & Hard or Hearing PreK SDC• 1 Infant/ Toddler Program • 1 Child Development Preschool (general education) • ACOE Infant/Toddler Prevention Program• SMARTI Toddler RTi Program • Diagnostic Center• Hanen Program (free for parents) • Sign Language Classes (free for parents) • Harvest of the Month (Cal Berkeley)

Community & Collaboration Community & Collaboration Mills College Mills College

• Student Teachers• General Education

Buddies• Leadership

Program • Observation• Use of Campus• Services and

Trainings for Families

Why Do You Love Burbank? Why Do You Love Burbank? At Burbank Preschool Center we will help all

our students reach their greatest potential by

approaching each child with optimism, respect and care and

engaging each child in learning as a unique

and capable individual.

Next Steps for your DistrictNext Steps for your District• Look at your current PreK special

education programs • Is there a need?• Funding for program and resources

in your current district• Collaboration with other Districts • Visit model programs • Questions… Comments?