Great Expectations for All by Michael L.

Remus

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Yesterday’s special ed student…

• Not expected to do as much work

• Completed modified or different curriculum

• Not included in general classroom instruction

• Learned helplessness• Given off-level

assessments• Self-esteem concerns

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The Current Reality

• High failure rate• Limited transfer of skills• Low self-esteem• Not independent• Lack of motivation

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The “New” Special Ed Services

• Students will be in the general education classrooms to the fullest extent possible.

• General and special education services use the same general education curriculum and make it accessible.

• General education teacher is the teacher of record.

• High expectations for EACH student.

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Moment to think….

If asked to describe a child with a disability, what would your response be?

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The “Typical” Classroom

Will have students of varied skill levels May have students with disabilities May have students who are gifted May have students who speak little English May have students with health issues May have students with family problems

Will not really be very typical at all.

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Inclusive Education

When every child is welcomed and valued regardless of ability or disability.

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Inclusive education is an attitude

• It means the doors to schools, classrooms and school activities are open to every student and they are afforded every opportunity to be included with their non-disabled peers.

• The focus is on giving every student the help s/he needs to learn.

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Inclusive education is NOT:

• Dumping kids with disabilities into general classrooms without the supports and services they need to be successful.

• Cutting back special education services as a “trade off” for being in the general education class.

• Sacrificing the education of kids without disabilities so kids with disabilities can be included.

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Proven Benefits of Inclusive Education

• Student achievement increases.

• Everyone is accepted.

• Kids accept each other’s differences and make friends.

• Kids have more contact with the teacher.

• Everyone is part of the class.

• Kids have more self-esteem.

• Behavior is improved.

• Kids are more independent.

• Supports are adjusted to meet their needs.

• Kids spend more time learning, learn from each other and learn more.

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What the law says aboutLeast Restrictive Environment

(LRE)Each public agency shall ensure that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities. . . are educated with children who are nondisabled and that special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act, 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5)

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Is pull out best?

“Pull out” means removing the student from class for small group or 1-to-1 instruction. Ask:

Why can’t the skill be taught in the general classroom? Are there ways to change it so it could be taught there?

While the student is in pull out, s/he misses what is going on in the general classroom. How do you help the student catch up on what s/he missed?

How will skills learned in pull out time help the student spend MORE time in the general classroom?

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Great Expectations

The greatest accommodation that can be made for every student in your school is having the expectation that all can and will succeed.

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“Can Do” attitudeNeed to look at the cup half full instead

of half empty….

What CAN students do instead of what they CAN’T do?

Presumed Competence

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Special Education. . .

Is NOT a place. It is a SERVICE.

Autism Severe/

ProfoundCBIP Mild Blind

What did we start with?

• 38 schools, K-12• 37,000 students with over 3,000 students

with special needs• District covers 367 square miles

Old model

• Referral• Evaluation• Placement in a program

Boxes

• Students placed by program, not by individualized needs

• “Hotel California” effect

Types of Classrooms• CCB - cross cat

behavioral• CCA - cross cat

academic - all academics

• Resource - typically pullout

• CD1 - communication disorder

• CDll - communication & behavior

• MI/MO - mild to moderate retardation

• MD - multiple disabilities/severe/ profound

Inequity

• CCB - teacher ratio 1-13, 1 para• CCA-teacher ratio 1-13, 1 para• MIMO/MOMR-teacher ratio 1-13, 1 para• CDl- teacher ratio 1-8, 1 para• CDll –teacher ratio 1-8, 2 paras• MD teacher ratio 1-8, 2 paras

Resource

• 1-17 K-6 teacher ratio• 1- 21 K-8, high school teacher ratio • No paraprofessionals

• Result: Some teachers had a service provider list of 21students, some 4, no paraprofessionals to support in general education classrooms.

Frequent requests

• Out of district placement• Move to a different campus with the “program”

Frequent requests for paraprofessionals

• Special education teachers not experienced in working with students that were not their “specialties”.

• General education culture was lack of ownership of special education students - someone else’s responsibility to educate.

Teachers & support staff

• Elitism: Teach only their kind of students• Instructional assistants - only work in particular

classrooms to assist the teacher• Campus instructional assistants glued to a student and

not expected to assist others• Inequity in numbers of students on teacher’s workload

Impact of Highly Qualified

• Teacher of record must be highly qualified• Special Education teachers must be special education

and content certified• Leads to more inclusive practices

Change of thought process

• From “Where do I put them”?

• To: “How do I deliver their services in a more inclusive setting”??

What are the steps to changing delivery models?

• Develop a district or school multi year plan• Get board and all parties on board• Move students back to home schools at their natural

transition time - 6th grade to 7th for K-6, 8th grade to 9th for K-8, middle school

• Hold bridging meetings for high need students• Ensure buildings are prepared both staffing and

physically

Communication Roll Out

• School Board• Parents• Administrators• District Office• Teachers and Support Staff• Students• State Department• Community

Inventory Each CampusIEP for each school

• Accessibility

• Equipment needed

• Certification of teachers

• Current services

• Curriculum and materials

• Staffing patterns/Master Schedule

• Student numbers/disabilities

Inventory Continued

• Trainings needed

• Schedules and meetings - when to access

• Other data for building – State assessment scores, graduation, suspensions, referrals, etc.

Meetings and more meetings

• Parents - done regionally• Meetings with educators, special and

general education• School board presentations• Presentation on the website• Each campus or classroom visited, met with

all staff

Tools developed

• 5 year plan (now a three year plan)• Modules for staff development• Toolkit for School• Disability Awareness Packet• Questions and Answer Packet• Mapping Process• District or Building Definitions• Language List

Know your district’s or building’s culture and value

systems• Visit the campuses

• View the classrooms

• Read the certified manual

• Meet and talk to teachers and paraprofessionals

New systems

Develop task forces to look at issues such

as process, reorganization/staffing, professional development needs

Systems change affects EVERYONE

• Curriculum and Assessment– Instructional practices– Co-teaching– Materials/Supplemental Materials– District and state assessments– Grading– eSchools– Master schedules

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Systems Change

• Transportation– Schedules for neighborhood school– Monies put into other funds with savings– High School transition– Alternative School

Systems Change

• Facilitiesaccessibilityopen enrollmentearly childhood

• Technology•Power schools•Grade books•Winocular

Systems Change

• Professional Development– All teachers’ needs to come from PD dept.– Modules for all staff including classified– Levels of PD-not a one shot fits all

• Human Resources – Hiring process changed-not for a classroom– Evals had to change for all staff– Orientation and new teacher induction

Systems Change• Public Relations

– Communication to all staff and parents– Ongoing updates– Language and media

• Data Analysis— How are students doing in comparison

with typical peers— What students are keeping the district

from meeting AYP—How are students doing on IEP Goals

87% of DVUSD SLD Special Education Students Are Showing One or More Year’s Growth on SRI for 2012-2013

58% of DVUSD SLD Special Education Students Are Showing One or More Year’s Growth on AIMS 2012-2013

56% of DVUSD SLD Special Education Students Are Scoring Better than 50% of Their Academic Peer Group on AIMS

Parent organization

• Develop a parent organization

• Hired a parent liaison

Student mapping

Have all staff schedules

• Meet and discuss

• The needs of the child, throughout each part of the school day

• Decide when the student needs support -

Which class? Before school or after? Between classes? Lunch? Look at your use of related service personnel also.

Meet with the Staff

• Train regarding the requirements as ESEA links with IDEA 2004

• Discuss philosophical issues openly

• Have an open door policy

• Dispel rumors

Crucial Conversations

• Roles/Co-teaching

• Scheduling

• Grading

• Behavior

• Planning

• Assessment

• Materials

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Ask Yourself. . .

• Am I prepared to consider what the individual needs of my students are?

• Do I have personal feelings about working with students of varied levels that I need to address?

• What can I change about my classroom to help all students learn?

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Reflect on own perceptions

• What is my definition of “fair”?

• Grading practices and procedures

• Personal flexibility levels

• Thoughts and opinions regarding ESEA and IDEA?

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“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

  Ignacio Estrada

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Focus on teaching/learning

Grades are an issue when the child is not understanding the concept, procedure, process or expectation.

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

Abigail Adams, 1780

Trainings you will want to do:

• Differentiated instruction

• Accommodations & modifications

• Mapping

• What are Inclusive Practices?

• Systems Change

Researched Based Practices

• Supplemental Supports that align with core curriculum-are these standards in the district of what schools can use

• Ex: Reading-Hartcourt/Holt, Orton-Gilliingham-Linda Mood Bell, READ 180

Math-Moving with Math, Sopris, Carnegie, Lauras

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Technology• What assistive technology are students

being able to use in school (low tech and high tech)

• What are the policies for bringing devices from home

• Does the school have a loan library in which AT can be trialed

• Does the district have a plan for AT and a team to do evaluations

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Anticipate Bumpy Road

• Change is difficult - Parents, administrators, teachers and support staff will be reluctant and some will try and sabotage the process.

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“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

Colin Powell

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Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

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Could you be the adult that makes the difference?

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Thomas Edison

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!! -

Steven Covey

What is the greatest impact of inclusive practices?

Community!!!!!!

• Everyone is accepted.

• Kids make friends and have fun with each other.

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Have Great Expectations for All…including yourself

Contact Information

Michael RemusPossibilities, Inc.

michael.remus123@gmail.com

602-370-6992