Special Needs Students and Staff
What do we do when students don't learn? That's a thought-provoking question with so many possibilities. Over the course of the yearlong internship, I have studied many ways to adapt environments, strategies, and curriculum in order to accommodate students with special needs. I have also learned a great deal about what the constitution says about equality versus the spirit of the law, research based decision-making, and best practices.
Which Plan?
504 Committee/IEP Meetings
Justice Matters
MTSS: School Improvement
One of the areas that I was able to research and study at great length were the connections between Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), Non-Discrimination Act (NDE), and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As a classroom teacher, I knew the definitions and had a working knowledge of how each relates to education, but looking at these rights and policies from the perspective of a building leader took on a new, more extensive meaning. Of particular interest to me is the Universal Design Theory and how it can guide the development of flexible learning environments to accommodate individual learning differences. Another area that I studied more deeply were the similarities and differences between a Health Plan, 504 Plan, and an Individual Education Plan and the process of how to best serve students with special needs at Mission Valley. This case study gave me perspective of my current situation, but also informed my practice for all educational settings in my future.
Road Map to
General Education Interventions
http://prezi.com/iobmbv73dpql/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Critically Thinking About
FAPE, NDE, and LRE
http://prezi.com/5dkeqqjaohgt/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
One of the most moving and informational projects I've embarked on during my internship has been as a volunteer through Justice Matters. This organization addresses five areas of inequality in the Lawrence community; institutional racism, affordable housing, growing incarceration, childhood trauma, and mental illness. I am a member of the Childhood Trauma Advocacy Group that has the goal of providing childhood trauma and resilience training to 100 early childhood professionals by March 2017. In addition, our group works to bring awareness and future training to healthcare and social service departments like the city police in an effort to intervene early and consistently throughout childhood. Over the past year, we have met with the Lawrence School District administration in hopes of drawing closer to initiating Trauma Smart, an evidence-based training program at Kennedy Academy Preschool. Additionally, we have also been in regular contact with Lawrence Memorial, several local obstetric/gynecologists, and the Crittenton Center at St. Luke's in Kansas City. As a building principal, I will be working with similar groups and experiencing roadblocks and frustrations along the way. Some of these may include:
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Funding - financial resources may be non-existent or fall short of need
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Timing - budgets are created and allocated many months before actual need, which may be greater than initially calculated
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Support - priorities differ according to stakeholders which makes communication challenging
Although adversity may be a present factor, first and foremost should always be the well-being and success of the students.
The Multi-Tiered System of Supports, particularly "walk to intervention", has been fundamental in identifying deficits, implementing processes, and improving the reading scores of our students in K-6th grade. The original team, including myself, analyzed student data, teacher input, and administrative observations in order to form a short and long term plan of improvement. Whereas before MTSS, special needs students were somewhat separated from general education resources, now there is a more fluid and working relationship between departments. Every staff member is responsible for every student, regardless of need or classification. This change in thinking has freed up resources that were once limited, as well as create unique solutions to historically difficult problems. Every student's data is analyzed by grade level teams and a plan of action is initiated that includes intervention and enrichment. Progress is monitored weekly and the plan is adjusted accordingly. General education staff work alongside of special service staff in the everyday walk to intervention and the collaboration team decision-making. Students are grouped according to need and placed with the most qualified staff member for that intervention. Professional development for aides and paraprofessionals is directed by the general/special service teachers at each grade level.
Intervention
Tracking Sheet
Sample Lesson
Format for Support Staff
Collaboration Meeting
IEP Tracking Sheet
Modification/
Accomodation
Sample
Behavior Modification Plan Sheet
Health Care
Plan Sheet
In the past 24 years, I have attended many IEP meetings and served on the 504 committee for years. My experience comes from a teacher's perspective so looking at them from an administrator's point of view was quite different. Building leaders responsibilities include; take responsibility and administrative leadership, ensure teachers implemented the IEP and communicate/cooperate with parents. Some of the steps to be followed are:
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Communicate regularly with special education teachers and parents of children with special needs. When you are genuinely present in the classrooms and throughout the school, you are much more aware of what is going on and can determine how you can be supportive.
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Be proactive; instead of talking with teachers and parents when problems arise, get involved in the tough cases early to head off problems. Check in with both often.
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Additionally, it is important to be preemptive in dealing with any knowledge deficits that may exist with teachers and staff. Arrange and plan for in-service or continuing education for teachers or staff members who need additional training in the IEP process.
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Furthermore, make it clear to teachers and other staff that IEP regulations are important and must be followed.
Principals must always take care to thoroughly understand and properly follow the requirements of state policies. This is important not only to protect the principal from disciplinary action, but to ensure every special needs child receives appropriate services.