July 2016 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Update from the U.S. Department of Education

• Kick ‘Em and Oh Yeah by Craig Parker

• Effective Teaching Practices in an Inclusion Classroom. By Paola M. Esquijarosa

• NCWD: Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

• Buzz from the Hub

• Are We Ready to Have Teachers with Learning Disabilities? A Study of School Principals’ Observations. By Heidi Flavian, Ph.D.

• Latest Job Postings on NASET

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF or XPS Version of This Issue

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U.S. Department of Education Releases Report on Office for Civil Rights to Ensure Educational Equity for All Students

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released its fiscal year 2015 annual report highlighting efforts during the last year to protect students’ civil rights and increase educational equity nationwide.

The report, Delivering Justice, cites examples of OCR’s enforcement activities in 2015, including processing a record 10,392 civil rights complaints, opening more than 3,000 investigations, and reaching more than 1,000 substantive resolutions with institutions that included remedies or changes designed to protect students’ civil rights.

“OCR’s work over the last year has been absolutely pivotal to advancing the Department’s goal to increase equity and opportunity for all students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John King. “Through our guidance, technical assistance, data collection, and investigatory work, the Department’s message to the public is clear: We are committed to working with and supporting schools to protect students’ civil rights — and we will take action to secure those rights when necessary.”

“We in OCR are very grateful for the many steps that school communities committed to take in resolving cases with us over the past year,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said. “These agreements make good on the civil rights promises Congress has made to the nation’s students, setting essential foundations for the educational opportunity that is their birthright.”

The report describes how OCR’s complaint volume has nearly doubled in the past decade – even as its staffing level has decreased by 15 percent since 2005, reaching an all-time low last year.

Notable cases are profiled in the report, including some related to equitable access to courses and educational opportunities, racial harassment, equal opportunity for English learners, bullying and harassment, accessible technology for students with disabilities, and sexual harassment and violence.

Also covered in the report – OCR’s work to provide technical assistance to educational institutions, engage with stakeholders, administer the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), and develop nine policy guidance documents on key civil rights topics.

The topics of guidance documents released by OCR in 2015 included:

• Providing equitable access to educational resources.
• Responding to bullying of students with disabilities.
• Ensuring effective communication with students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities.
• Offering single-sex classes or activities consistent with Title IX requirements.
• Addressing the rights of English learners and limited English proficient parents.
• Designating and reviewing the important role of Title IX coordinators.

• Reiterating the applicability of civil rights laws in juvenile justice residential facilities.  And,
• Clarifying how schools can implement federal health and disease prevention recommendations without discriminating against students.

Later this year, OCR plans to release the results of the 2013-14 CRDC, the universal collection of data from all public schools and districts in the nation. The 2013-14 CRDC will include new information on the following topics, among others:

• Availability of free or partial-payment preschool from school districts.
• Educational access in juvenile justice residential facilities.
• Civil rights coordinators in school districts.
• Access to distance education courses, credit recovery, and dual enrollment programs.  And,
• Chronic student absenteeism.

The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights. Among the federal civil rights laws OCR is responsible for enforcing are Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

U.S. Departments of Education and Justice Reach Voluntary Settlement with Arizona Department of Education to Meet the Needs of English Language Learner Students

The U.S. Departments of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division entered into a voluntary settlement agreement with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) under the Equal Educational Opportunities Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The agreement requires ADE to raise its English proficiency criteria to properly identify English language learner (ELL) students in grades three through 12 and to properly determine when those students no longer need language services. The agreement also requires ADE to ensure that Arizona public schools offer language support services to thousands of students who were prematurely moved out of language services or incorrectly identified as initially fluent English proficient from the 2012-2013 school year to the present.

The agreement follows a separate settlement agreement with the United States on April 22, 2016, that requires ADE to raise its proficiency criteria for identifying ELL students in kindergarten and to offer language services to ELL students incorrectly identified as English proficient in kindergarten. That agreement also requires ADE to ensure that ELL students who opt out of ELL services have their English language proficiency assessed every year until they are proficient in English.

“Today’s agreement recommits the State of Arizona to fully serve all Arizona ELL students so they will receive the services they need to be college and career ready,” said Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. “We are thrilled for the thousands of students every year who will benefit from this critically important agreement.”

“We commend Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and ADE for voluntarily agreeing to take these important steps to ensure that ELL students are timely identified and receive language services critical to their academic success,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

These agreements arise out of the departments’ monitoring of a 2012 settlement agreement with ADE that aimed to resolve the departments’ findings that ADE had under-identified and prematurely removed from ELL status and ELL services tens of thousands of ELL students between 2006 and 2012. As contemplated in that 2012 settlement agreement, the departments and ADE resolved issues that arose during monitoring with the agreements announced today.

The Equal Educational Opportunities Act requires state and local education agencies to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede students’ equal participation in instructional programs, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bans discrimination on the basis of race and national origin by schools that receive federal funds. Enforcement of Title VI is also a top priority of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Additional information about the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is available on its website at www.ed.gov/ocr/. Enforcing these laws is also a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.

 

New Data Show Chronic Absenteeism is Widespread and Prevalent Among All Student Groups

A new analysis from the U.S. Department of Education shows that chronic absenteeism impacts students in all parts of the country and is prevalent among all races, as well as students with disabilities. The first-ever national comprehensive data collected on chronic absenteeism reveal that more than 6 million students—or 13 percent of all students—missed at least 15 days of school in the 2013-14 school year. The data paint a striking picture of how many students miss three weeks or more of school each year.

To shine a light on these widespread challenges, the Department is debuting a new interactive website showing the extent of the crisis in terms of geography, ethnicity, disability status, and school level.

“Chronic absenteeism is a national problem,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “Frequent absences from school can be devastating to a child’s education. Missing school leads to low academic achievement and triggers drop outs. Millions of young people are missing opportunities in postsecondary education, good careers and a chance to experience the American dream.”

Many aspects of the analysis are sobering, including:

• Geography — Chronic absenteeism is prevalent in all parts of the country. The graphs represent the areas of greatest concentration of the percentages of students missing three or more weeks of school.
• Race & Ethnicity — More than 22 percent of American Indian students were chronically absent in 2013-14, followed by Pacific Islanders, blacks, students of two or more races, Hispanics-Latinos, whites, and Asians.
• School Level — High school students were absent the most—almost 20 percent—followed by middle school (12 percent) and elementary school students (10 percent).
• Disability Status — More than 17 percent of students with disabilities were chronically absent compared to 12 percent of students without disabilities.
• Gender — Roughly 13 percent of both males and females were chronically absent.

King released the new data and website at the Every Student, Every Day National Conference, the first of its kind focusing on chronic absenteeism that aims to support states, local school districts, schools, and communities in their work to develop effective chronic absenteeism policy and practice; showcase how schools can address the root causes of the problem; and strengthen the collaborative capacity of multi-agency early warning systems to link students to necessary interventions, programs, and preventative services.

To address the concerns about the depth of the problem, the Obama Administration launched Every Student, Every Day: A National Initiative to Address and Eliminate Chronic Absenteeism last fall in response to recommendations put forth by President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Taskforce. Led by the White House and the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice, the effort is aimed at combating chronic absenteeism and urging states and local communities across the country to reduce absenteeism by at least 10 percent each year. As part of this initiative, 30 communities across the country have joined the My Brother’s Keeper Success Mentor initiative, an evidence-based effort which aims to reduce chronic absenteeism by connecting students who are or at risk of becoming chronically absent with trained school-linked caring adults and near-peers over the next three to five years.

The new, national chronic absenteeism data are part of the 2013-14 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), a comprehensive look at conditions within over 99,500 public schools across the country, or 99.5 percent of all public schools. The CRDC included data on all students from elementary, middle, and high school, including students of color, students with disabilities. and students with limited English proficiency.

This week’s CRDC release is the first in a series of data analyses from the 2013-14 CRDC that the Education Department will issue over the course of the summer and fall. To make these data more accessible and useful for parents, educators, policymakers and others, for the first time, the whole data file is available online at CRDC.ed.gov.

The federal government has collected civil rights data about schools since 1968. As with previous Civil Rights Data Collections, the purpose of the 2013-14 report is to obtain vital data related to civil rights laws requiring public schools to provide equal educational opportunity.

 

Fact Sheet: New Cities Join My Brother’s Keeper Success Mentors Initiative to Combat Chronic Student Absences and Drive School and Life Success

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.:
“It is extraordinary and inspiring that 30 communities across the country are participating in the My Brother’s Keeper Success Mentor program. This nationwide effort is changing outcomes for students and demonstrating the power of engaging communities in helping all children thrive,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “We congratulate all the students and the mentors who are leaders in this work to end chronic absenteeism and help more students to reach their full potential.”

The White House and the U.S. Department of Education announced the names of the 20 new communities that have joined the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Success Mentors Initiative – for a total of 30 communities. The new communities are: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Detroit and Flint, Michigan; Fresno, California; Hartford, Connecticut; Indianola, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Oakland, California; Orlando, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California and the Pine Ridge Reservation.

MBK Success Mentors Initiative is a groundbreaking response to the challenge of chronic student absences in our country. It aims to reduce chronic absenteeism by connecting over one million students who are or at risk of becoming chronically absent with trained school-linked caring adults and near-peers over the next 3-5 years. The initiative is the nation’s first-ever effort to scale an evidence-based, data-driven mentor model to reach and support the highest risk students – using existing resources already linked to schools, and the early warning metric of chronic absenteeism to drive student success. The original ten cities that launched earlier this year include, Austin, Boston, Columbus, Denver, Miami-Dade, New York City, Philadelphia, Providence, San Antonio and Seattle. In the past five months, these 10 communities have supported more than 8,000 chronically absent students with success mentors.

New data from the Department of Education’s  Civil Rights Data Collection, which collected student absenteeism rates for the first time, revealed that 6.5 million students—13 percent of all students—were chronically absent from schools in 2013-14. Other studies show frequent absences from school can be devastating to a child’s future. The effects start early and spiral dramatically over time. Children who are chronically absent in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade are much less likely to read on grade level by the third grade. Students who can’t read at grade level by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. By high school, regular attendance is a better dropout indicator than test scores. A student who is chronically absent in any year between the eighth and twelfth grade is seven times more likely to drop out of school.

STATE Bags, a buy one give one backpack brand, is announcing that it will donate 30,000 backpacks in the 30 MBK Success Mentors communities – and in partnership with Roc Nation – will engage artists and athletes in raising awareness of the importance of school attendance. These events will be led by child development specialists who have successfully risen from at-risk neighborhoods themselves, and serve as role model figures to the children served. For every STATE bag purchased from June 8 to September 8, one bag will be donated to students participating in the MBK Success Mentors initiative in the 30 communities.

Today, more than 200 leaders from the 30 MBK Success Mentors Cities will gather at the White House for a national training summit to prepare Success Mentor “Ground Troops” for the start of the school year. The summit participants will receive training in identifying and supporting students who are, or are at risk of becoming, chronically absent from school – to help them succeed. U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr.,Kevin Durant,Pierre Garçon and STATE Bags’ Co-Founder, Scot Tatelman, will speak about the importance of mentorships that drive success in school and life. Durant also will announce that the MBK Success Mentors community that is the most successful in reducing student absenteeism over the next year will be the next location to benefit from the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation’s “Build It and They Will Ball” Courts Renovation Initiative.

The Extent of Chronic Absenteeism:
Chronic absenteeism, or missing at least ten percent of school days in the school year, or a month or more of school, excused or unexcused, is a leading cause of low achievement and a powerful predictor of which students will eventually drop out of school. These rates are highest in our low-income communities, where school offers the best opportunity out of poverty. Civil Rights Data Collection data released this week demonstrates the extent of the chronic student absenteeism challenge in our nation. The data show that 6.5 million students – 13 percent of all students – miss almost a month or more of school each year.

• More than 3 million high school students – or 18% of all high school students – are chronically absent.

20% or more of American Indian or Alaska Native (26%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (25%), black (22%), multiracial (21%), and Latino (20%) high school students are chronically absent.

High school students with disabilities served by IDEA are 1.3 times as likely to be chronically absent as high school students without disabilities.

20% of all English learner high school students are chronically absent.

• More than 3.5 million elementary school students – or 11% of all elementary school students – are chronically absent.

American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander elementary school students are twice as likely to be chronically absent as white elementary school students.

Black elementary school students are 1.4 times as likely to be chronically absent as white elementary school students.

Elementary school students with disabilities served by IDEA are 1.5 times as likely to be chronically absent as elementary school students without disabilities.

The MBK Success Mentors Model:
MBK Success Mentors is the nation’s first-ever effort to scale an evidence-based, data-driven mentor model to reach and support the highest risk students. Mentors receive training to serve as motivators, problem solvers, connectors, and advocates, and help them form supportive relationships, identify and celebrate student’s strengths, promote their attendance every day, and connect them with the necessary supports to keep them on track and thriving. Mentors are typically assigned 3-5 students as mentees, and meet with students 3 times per week in school all year.

In the past five months, the original ten cities that launched the initiative have supported more than 8,000 chronically absent students with success mentors.

The MBK Success Mentor Partners:
MBK Success Mentors builds on the Every Student, Every Day interagency campaign to eliminate chronic absenteeism as part of the mandate of the President’s My Brother’s Keeper taskforce.

The effort also includes a national Ad Council parent engagement campaign to elevate the conversation about the devastating impact of chronic absenteeism, specifically targeting parents of K-8th grade students. It is currently being rolled out on billboards, bus kiosks, and social media nationwide to alert parents about the devastating impact of missing just 2 days a month of school, which totals a month of school missed.

This MBK Success Mentors model is supported by a public-private network which includes the following key U.S. Department of Education collaborators: Dr. Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center, the Ad Council, the Arnold Foundation, Attendance Works, the Center for Supportive Schools, City Year, the Corporation for National and Community Service, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, United Way, the Mott Foundation, Roc Nation, STATE Bags, and Viacom’s Get Schooled.

About My Brother’s Keeper:
President Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper in February of 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. In response to the President’s call to action, nearly 250 communities in all 50 states have accepted the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge; more than $600 million in private sector and philanthropic grants and in-kind resources and $1 billion in low-interest financing have been committed in alignment with MBK; and new federal policy initiatives, grant programs, and guidance are being implemented to ensure that every child has a clear pathway to success from cradle to college and career.

Federal Agencies Team-Up to Promote Diversity in Schools and Communities, and Narrow Opportunity Gaps

The U.S. Departments of Education (ED), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Transportation (DOT) are partnering to help state and local leaders increase diversity in their schools and communities, and to narrow opportunity gaps.

“Diversity benefits all students in our schools,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “Our schools, as well as our communities, should reflect the increasing diversity in our nation. Students who attend diverse schools will be better prepared to live and work, and be active citizens in today’s world.”

“Access to opportunity starts with a safe, stable place to live and a quality education. We have a responsibility to ensure our kids are getting the chance to reach their full potential, regardless of where they live or what they look like. That’s why we’re committed to creating vibrant, diverse, and accessible communities that serve as a platform for them to achieve their dreams,” said U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro.

“Diversity plays a crucial role in promoting innovation, fostering understanding, and encouraging hard work in classrooms, offices, and communities across the country,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony R. Foxx. “But too many people lack the transportation options they need to pursue opportunities like high-quality education, good-paying jobs, and affordable housing. Expanding these transportation options is a fundamental first step toward promoting diversity in communities, while also giving more people a shot at achieving the American Dream.”

This event builds on the Stronger Together proposal included in President Obama’s FY 2017 budget —this voluntary program would support the development and expansion of new and existing, community-driven strategies to increase socioeconomic diversity in America’s schools.

At a congressional briefing today, Sen. Chris Murphy will announce that he will introduce legislation that also builds on the Stronger Together proposal, and supports the research on the positive impact of diversity in schools and communities.

Research shows that diversity in schools and communities can be a powerful lever for promoting positive outcomes in school and in life. Working together across local education, transportation, and housing and community development agencies, communities can help create and sustain access to high-quality educational opportunities; decent, safe and affordable housing; and well-connected public transportation networks and safer streets.

ED has supported school diversity in a number of ways:

• ED, along with HUD and DOT, issued a joint letter today to state and local leaders calling on them to work together to create real economic mobility and provide access to opportunities for every child in every community by identifying and addressing barriers in their communities that hinder socioeconomic growth and racial diversity.
• The Department’s Investing in Innovation, Magnet School Assistance Program and Charter School Program competitions include a focus on fostering diversity in schools. Today, King announced additional efforts that would allow the Department to focus on socioeconomic diversity in additional grant programs in the future, starting with fiscal 2016. The Department published a new supplemental priority for discretionary grant programs that support socioeconomic diversity strategies.
• The Department has solicited feedback on supporting diversity as a strategy to turnaround low-performing schools through its School Improvement Grants program.
• Socioeconomic diversity is now a focus area of the Department’s Equity Assistance Centers. These regional centers provide technical assistance to school districts to promote equal educational opportunities.

Persistent Disparities Found Through Comprehensive Civil Rights Survey Underscore Need for Continued Focus on Equity, King Says

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) unveiled new data from the 2013-2014 school year showing gaps that still remain too wide in key areas affecting educational equity and opportunity for students, including incidents of discipline, restraint and seclusion, access to courses and programs that lead to college and career readiness, teacher equity, rates of retention, and access to early learning.

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said that, despite significant work from districts across the country, the persistent disparities shown in the new Civil Rights Data Collection—which collected data from all public schools and school districts nationwide for the 2013-14 school year—highlight the need for a continued focus on educational equity, especially in the implementation of the new Every Student Succeeds Act.

The CRDC, which collected student absenteeism rates for the first time, revealed that 6.5 million students—13 percent of all students—were chronically absent from schools in 2013-14.

While student discipline occurs in high numbers and disparities remain significant, the 2013-14 CRDC reveals that out-of-school suspensions decreased by nearly 20 percent since 2011-12, as more schools find alternative ways of addressing non-violent student behavior. But this progress is not occurring for all groups of students; the data show, that, in general, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities are, on average, disciplined more often than their classmates.

“The CRDC data are more than numbers and charts—they illustrate in powerful and troubling ways disparities in opportunities and experiences that different groups of students have in our schools,” said King. “The Obama Administration has always stressed how data can empower parents, educators and policy makers to make informed decisions about how to better serve students. The stories the CRDC data tell us create the imperative for a continued call to action to do better and close achievement and opportunity gaps. This is one of the reasons I am excited by the opportunity offered by the new Every Student Succeeds Act. It makes clear the obligation our schools and states have to ensure that all students have access to an excellent education that prepares them to succeed in college and careers. It also makes clear that ESSA’s Title I funds are to be used to provide the additional support needed to make that happen.”

“The CRDC data shines a spotlight on the educational opportunities proffered, and denied, to our nation’s sons and daughters in schools every day,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “We urge educators, researchers and the public to join us in using this data to its full potential to support students in realizing theirs.”

The Department releases the CRDC every two years to create transparency around the educational opportunities and experiences of millions of public school students. Similar to the 2011-12 CRDC, the 2013-14 CRDC covers more than 50 million students enrolled in nearly every school and school district in the United States.

In addition to chronic student absenteeism, the 2013-2014 CRDC collected data on several new topics for the first time, including access to educational programs in justice facilities; availability of distance education, including online courses; the presence of sworn law enforcement officers in schools (including school resource officers); availability of partially or fully cost-subsidized preschool; and whether the district has a civil rights coordinator.

The CRDC measures access to early learning programs. Schools are required under federal law to provide special education and related services for preschool-age children with disabilities. But more than half of school districts are offering preschool above and beyond what is required. More than 85 percent of those school districts are providing those services at no cost to families. Unfortunately, the remaining school districts are charging families to attend, which is a burden to low-and middle-income families.

Key data points of note follow and are included in the CRDC First Look document.

Student discipline

• Nationwide, 2.8 million K-12 students received one or more out-of-school suspensions—which is a nearly 20 percent decrease from the number of out-of-school suspensions reported two years ago.
• Black preschool children are 3.6 times as likely to be suspended as are white preschool students.
• In kindergarten through the 12^th grade, black students are nearly four times as likely to be suspended as are white students. Black students also are nearly twice as likely to be expelled—removed from school with no services—as are white students.
• Students with disabilities are more than twice as likely as students without disabilities to be suspended in K-12 settings. They also represent two-thirds of students who are secluded from their classmates or restrained to prevent them from moving—even though they are only 12 percent of the overall student population.
• The Administration has made reforming school discipline one of its top priorities. Last July, the My Brother’s Keeper Taskforce convened 40 school districts from across the nation to the White House to announce new commitments to encourage alternatives to suspension and expulsion. The Department of Education’s #RethinkDiscipline campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the long-term damage suspensions and expulsions do to children. The campaign also highlights alternatives to those practices and has prioritized some of these alternatives through the final grant competition of the Investing in Innovation fund. The Administration has also had an important focus on eliminating expulsion and suspension in early learning settings, and released the first Federal policy statement on this issue, with recommendations to states and local early childhood programs, in 2014.

Access to advanced courses

• More than half of high schools do not offer calculus, four in ten do not offer physics, more than one in four do not offer chemistry, and more than one in five do not offer Algebra II, which is considered a gateway class for success in college.
• By many measures, some student groups are more likely than others to miss out on these opportunities:

Only a third of high schools with high black and Latino enrollments offer calculus, compared to 56 percent of those that serve low numbers of black and Latino students.

Less than half the high schools with high black and Latino enrollments offer physics, while two in three high schools that have low numbers of black and Latino student offer physics.

English learners have disproportionately low participation rates in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs: while English learners are 11% of all students in schools offering GATE programs, fewer than 3% of GATE students nationwide are English learners.

Black and Latino students also participate at lower rates in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs. Although black and Latino students make up 42 percent of students enrolled in schools that offer GATE programs, they are only 28 percent of the students who participate in those programs.

Girls are underrepresented in some advanced coursework such as physics, but not in others such as calculus.

Teacher and Staffing Equity

• 10 percent of the teachers in schools with high numbers of black and Latino students are in their first year of teaching, compared to only 5 percent in schools with low numbers of black and Latino students.
• 11 percent of black students, 9 percent of Latino students and 7 percent of American Indian or Alaska Native students attend schools where more than 20 percent of teachers are in their first year of teaching, compared to 5% of white students.
• More than 20 percent of high schools lack any school counselor.
• 1.6 million students attend a school with a sworn law enforcement officer but not a school counselor.

Today’s release is the first in a series of data analyses from the 2013-14 CRDC that the Department will issue over the course of the summer and fall. To make these data more accessible and useful for parents, educators, policymakers and others, for the first time, the whole data file is available online at the CRDC website at this address.

One group that plans to use the new data is the nonprofit GreatSchools, which reaches more than half of U.S. families with school-age children with school information each year. Using the CRDC, GreatSchools aims to build a richer set of individual school profiles that shed light on student access to educational opportunity, with a particular focus on equity. Specifically, the group hopes to spotlight access to rigorous coursework, college readiness milestones, student absenteeism, discipline rates, athletics participation, and counselors-per-student.

“The unique national scale, school-level information and transparency that the CRDC offers can help drive meaningful conversations from the kitchen table to the principal’s office to a school board meeting,” said Matthew Nelson, Chief Operating Officer of GreatSchools. “GreatSchools is proud to partner with Secretary King and the Department of Education in making this information accessible to American families, educators and policy-makers to shine the light on educational opportunity for all students.”

The federal government has collected civil rights data about schools since 1968. As with previous Civil Rights Data Collections, the purpose of the 2013-14 report is to obtain vital data related to civil rights laws requiring public schools to provide equal educational opportunity.

FACT SHEET: Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Learning Settings

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.:
“The number of children ages 5 to 17 in the U.S. who speak a language other than English at home has more than doubled in the past three decades. These home languages are an asset that should be valued, and research shows that supporting bilingualism from early ages can have wide ranging benefits, from cognitive and social advantages early in life, to long-term employment opportunities and competitiveness in the workplace. This statement is part of ED’s ongoing commitment to ensure that dual language learners, including immigrants and refugees, have access to high quality supports, which is especially important as we celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month.”

The White House is announcing a new Federal policy statement from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education on better supporting our country’s youngest dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood programs. The Obama Administration will be joined by public and private sector organizations that will also announce new commitments to support DLLs. Additionally, the White House, in collaboration with Too Small to Fail and Invest in US, is holding a regional convening today at the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education in Miami, FL to highlight the importance of supporting our country’s DLLs in early childhood programs.

Data indicate that about one in five school-aged children speak a language other than English at home, a figure that has more than doubled in the past few decades. Estimates suggest that this number may be even higher for learners under the age of six; for example, nearly a third of children in Head Start programs are DLLs. Research with young DLLs clearly reflects that children’s bilingual skill development promotes overall language development and should be encouraged.

The Federal policy statement being released today recognizes the cultural and linguistic assets of this population of children, and provides important resources and recommendations to the early childhood field to ensure that our nation’s early education programs are accessible to these families, and that they appropriately foster the learning and development of this large and growing group of children. Today’s announcements also mark progress on the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, which aims to ensure that all young people, including children of color, can reach their full potential.

Collectively, today’s Federal actions include:

• A New Federal Policy Statement on More Effectively Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs: The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (ED) will release a Federal policy statement on supporting DLLs in early childhood settings. The statement includes comprehensive policy recommendations to States and to early childhood programs. It also recommends that States and local communities work together to ensure that all early childhood programs are welcoming and linguistically accessible to families of DLLs, foster children’s emerging bilingualism and learning more broadly, and support the early childhood workforce in building their capacity to stimulate the learning of DLLs.
• A New DLL Electronic Toolkit for Programs, Early Educators, Child Care Providers, and Families: The new DLL Toolkit, released by HHS’ Office of Head Start, includes free resources on supporting the learning and development- including dual language development – of DLLs at home, in early learning settings, and in the community. The DLL toolkit will be available at no cost to all early childhood programs, including all Head Start programs, which serve more than 300,000 DLLs every day. The toolkit will also be disseminated to home visitors in all 50 States supported by the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, and the families they serve.

Additional Announcements Made at Today’s Convening Include:

• Too Small to Fail, in partnership with the Early Learning Coalition of Miami- Dade and Monroe County and Univision will launch a new citywide “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” public awareness campaign in Miami, with an emphasis on reaching families of young DLLs. The campaign promotes early brain and language development by encouraging parents to engage in meaningful activities with their young children starting at birth — like counting toes while giving a bath or singing a song while changing a diaper. Miami is the seventh community with which Too Small to Fail has partnered, with three more expected this summer. Too Small to Fail also promoted a set of parent and early educator resources developed in partnership with HHS and ED–- in both English and Spanish – to encourage parents and early educators to talk, read, and sing with young DLL’s in their home language.
• First Five California will announce that they are developing a $16 million DLL Pilot to identify effective culturally and linguistically responsive strategies to better support young children who are DLLs. The pilot will focus on three priority areas while ensuring they are scalable and implementable across California’s multi-lingual early learning settings. The strategies include: professional development for early educators and program directors on successful teaching strategies and curricula approaches to promote dual language acquisition; proven practices to partner with families of DLLs; and appropriate child and program assessment tools.
• The University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Scienceswill release a new report on bilingual language learning in young children. The report showcases the Institute’s latest studies demonstrating that the baby brain is fully capable of learning multiple languages at the same time. The report also describes major milestones in bilingual language learning and highlights the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, including enhanced abilities to control attention, think flexibly, and update information in working memory.
• The Civil Rights Project at the University of California Los Angeles will release a new research brief outlining the economic benefits of bilingualism in a global economy. The report includes findings that suggest that the average difference in earnings between a children who lose their home language, compared to those who keep their home language and become bilingual, is more than $5,400 annually.

• The National Head Start Association will partner with Head Start programs across the nation, business bureaus, and local chambers of commerce, to develop and widely disseminate a toolkit to promote two-generation best practices that support the parents of DLLs in areas such as job training, enrolling in adult education programs, and accessing English language courses, in order to foster family stability and promote child wellness. The toolkit will include a review of best practice examples from Head Start programs that are supporting two generation approaches for children who are DLLs and their families, and guidance for how to replicate the best practices across the country.
• New America will release a new report citing the significance of increasing the linguistic diversity of educators in the early childhood workforce. The report highlights the gap between the proportion of children who speak a language other than English at home, and the proportion of educators who speak a language other than English fluently. The authors outline a comprehensive research agenda to identify the barriers to increasing linguistic diversity in preschool through third grade settings, and the best strategies to move forward.

These actions build on President Obama’s broader agenda to expand access to high quality early education for all children. Over the course of the President’s time in office, he has:

• Improved and Expanded Head Start:For over 50 years, Head Start has been at the heart of America’s communities. From our urban and rural neighborhoods, to our farmworker communities and tribal nations, it has played an important role in the lives of more than 32 million children and their families. The Obama Administration has invested an additional $4 billion in the program, and implemented important reforms to raise Head Start’s standards, focus on school readiness results, and promote accountability, including the launch of a new process designed to ensure that only the most capable and highest quality programs receive Head Start grants. Head Start and Early Head Start have grown by an additional 40,000 children in the years since President Obama took office.
• Launched the new Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships:Research indicates that gaps in development begin to form as early as the first year of life. Through the President’s signature Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, we have expanded access to high quality early learning opportunities to more than 30,000 additional infants and toddlers in 275 communities across America by creating strong partnerships between our Early Head Start grantees and child care providers that serve young children. These Partnerships are building early learning capacity and infrastructure in the neighborhoods across our country that need it most- and for our children who need it most. To date, these grants are working to enhance the quality of 1200 child care centers and more than 600 family child care homes across the country.
• Launched the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program: In 2009, President Obama launched the MIECHV program to support pregnant women and families and help parents with young children tap the resources and hone the skills they need to raise children who are physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready for school. To date, the MIECHV program has provided 2.3 million home visits, reaching nearly 150,000 families across all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and five territories.
• Signed a new and improved child care bill into law and put forward a bold plan to expand access to high quality affordable child care:In 2014, President Obama signed a landmark Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorization into law, marking a significant step forward in improving our child care system. The new law makes important reforms including shoring up standards that help ensure our children are safe and healthy while they are in child care and ensuring continuity of services. It also increases the amount of funding states can use to increase the quality of their child care systems. A few months later, during his State of the Union address, the President put forth a landmark child care proposal that would guarantee all eligible families with young children have access to affordable, high quality child care. The proposal would also ensure that child care workers have greater access to training and higher education– and commensurate with new competencies, higher and more fair compensation.

• Invested in High Quality Preschool and Proposed a Bold Plan to Expand Access to all 4-year-olds: In his 2013 State of the Union Address, President Obama proposed a landmark plan that would ensure that all 4-year-olds from middle- and low- income families have access to high-quality preschool. Since his call to action, 38 states and D.C. have increased funding in their public preschool programs, investing an additional $1.5 billion, and totaling almost $7 billion in investments this year alone. Beyond these state investments, the President has dedicated $750 million- through his signature Preschool Development Grant program – in high quality preschool, so that 230 high-need communities can provide more than 100,000 additional children with access to preschool.
• Launched the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC): The Obama Administration invested over $1 billion in 20 States through the Early Learning Challenge, a competitive fund that enabled states to increase the quality of their early education programs, to establish higher standards across programs and to provide critical links with health, nutrition, mental health, and family support for our neediest children.  By December of 2014, more than 200,000 children with high needs are enrolled in the highest quality state-funded preschool programs across the 20 States, and nearly 230,000 children with high needs are enrolled in the highest quality child care programs. This effort has also helped to almost double the number of early childhood programs participating in initiatives to improve their quality in those 20 States. This effort has also helped to almost double the number of early childhood programs participating in initiatives to improve their quality in those 20 States.
• In December 2014, the White House held the Summit on Early Education where President Obama announced over $ 1 billion in new public and private investments for early education. More than $330 million in new actions from corporate and philanthropic leaders and $750 million in new Federal grants were announced to support early education. The President also released a Playbook to offer strategies for local leaders to develop and expand early education in their communities.

 

Proposed ESSA Regulation Supports Well-Rounded Education, Protects All Students

In a major step toward implementing the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and providing important clarity for parents, students, and educators about the new law, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. today announced proposed regulations to implement the law’s accountability, data reporting, and state plan provisions. The regulations would replace the narrow, one-size-fits-all approach that defined ESSA’s predecessor, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), with new flexibility for states and districts; a more holistic approach to measuring a quality education that will help prepare all students for success; and strong protections to ensure the progress of all students. It also reinforces ESSA’s strong commitment to transparency and ensures meaningful engagement and an active role for parents, teachers, students, community leaders, and other stakeholders in implementing the new law. The proposed regulations themselves were informed by extensive input from a diverse group of stakeholders. The Department of Education (Department) participated in well over 100 meetings and events and received hundreds of public comments prior to the release of the regulations. The Department will encourage additional feedback on the proposal from parents, teachers, and other stakeholders through the public comment period, and looks forward to receiving suggestions for improvements to the proposed regulations.

“These regulations give states the opportunity to work with all of their stakeholders, including parents, and educators to protect all students’ right to a high-quality education that prepares them for college and careers, including the most vulnerable students,” Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said. “They also give educators room to reclaim for all of their students the joy and promise of a well-rounded educational experience.”

ESSA gives states and districts the opportunity to move beyond NCLB’s reliance on narrow measures of school success so that they can reimagine and redefine accountability for their schools in a more holistic way that supports a high-quality education and equal opportunity for all students, and ensures they are learning to college- and career-ready expectations.

To that end, the proposed regulations build on the statutory language by ensuring the use of multiple measures of school success based on academic outcomes, student progress, and school quality, reinforcing that all students deserve a well-rounded education that prepares them to succeed in college and careers. Along with many stakeholders, the Department is eager to move towards this new, broader vision of accountability that goes beyond just test scores as soon as possible. The regulations also uphold ESSA’s critical civil rights protections and enhance equity for historically underserved students by including all students and each individual subgroup in decisions related to school support and improvement. This will mean that meaningful action is taken in places where whole schools or groups of students are falling behind, and that states provide clear and transparent information on critical measures of school quality and equity to parents and community members. Where NCLB prescribed top-down interventions for struggling schools, the Department’s proposed regulations provide flexibility for schools to implement evidence-based, locally-designed solutions to support and improve struggling schools. It also defines a clear role for parents, families, teachers, principals, and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of state and local plans, and the school improvement process.

In addition to implementing the law’s accountability components, the Department’s proposed regulations would help states in the implementation of the new data reporting requirements in the law, as well as promote greater flexibility in states’ ability to consolidate state plans to meet the needs of all students.

In order to deliver on ESSA’s goal of empowering students, families, and other stakeholders with quality information, the proposed regulations ensure that states consult with parents to design state and district report cards so that they provide easily accessible, meaningful, and clear information to families on student progress and school quality. ESSA requires that state and local report cards include a robust set of information for parents and the public about school performance, while also affording states flexibility to include additional information. Finally, the proposed regulations streamline requirements for consolidated state plans to reduce burden and duplication while offering the flexibility for states to coordinate across programs and think comprehensively about how to improve educational outcomes for all of their students.

Key features of the proposed regulations include:

A More Comprehensive Picture of School Success
Replaces NCLB’s narrow definition of school success based primarily on mathematics and English language arts test scores with flexibility for states to take a broader view of what makes for a successful school.

• Allows states to set their own ambitious goals and measurements of interim progress, provided those goals take into account the improvement necessary to close achievement and graduation rate gaps.
• Includes indicators of academic achievement, graduation rates (for high schools) or academic progress (for elementary and middle schools), and progress towards English language proficiency.
• Creates the opportunity for states to select new indicators of school quality and student success, while ensuring that those indicators:

Measure the performance of all students in all public schools (including public charter schools);

Demonstrate variation across schools;

Allow for comparisons between subgroups of students; and

Are likely to increase graduation rates or academic achievement.

• Promotes accountability in a format that is easily understandable by parents, requiring a comprehensive rating for each school based on the state’s indicators, to provide a clear picture of a school’s overall standing; while also providing them with a more nuanced picture of school success through reporting on individual indicators.
• Requires states to consider each subgroup of students separately to ensure that each student group is meaningfully included in the state’s accountability system.
• Ensures that states include all public charter schools in their accountability systems.
• Allows states to update their accountability systems as they are able to include new measures in their indicators.

Tailored Support for Struggling Schools
Maintains our commitment to every child, aligned with the law, by guaranteeing meaningful action where whole schools or groups of students within schools are struggling; replaces the prescriptiveinterventions of NCLB with locallydesigned, evidence-based strategies to fit schools’ unique circumstances.

• Clarifies the types of schools that are identified in the state’s accountability system.

Schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement are:

• The bottom five percent of Title I schools in the state based on their ratings;
• High schools with on-time graduation rates below 67 percent; and
• Title I schools with chronically low-performing subgroups that have not improved after receiving additional targeted support.

Schools must be identified for comprehensive support and improvement at least once every three years.

Schools identified for targeted support and improvement are:

• Schools with a subgroup performing as poorly as students in the bottom 5 percent of Title I schools (identified at least every three years); and
• Schools with a consistently underperforming subgroup, as defined by the state, based on two or more years of data (identified annually).

• Eliminates the prescriptive interventions required by NCLB, allowing states, districts, and schools to select evidenced-based strategies based on local needs and circumstances.

Involves parents, educators, and other stakeholders in developing improvement plans.

Emphasizes identifying, and addressing, critical resource inequities.

• Prioritizes school improvement funds to the schools that need the most help and ensures states provide a solid base of funding for schools, proportionate to the need for intervention.
• Gives states time for an orderly transition to the new provisions for the 2017-2018 school year, while preventing a gap in supports for students and critical information for parents.

The Department also is announcing approximately $10 million in technical assistance funds to help states and districts focus on low performing schools.

Better Data for Parents and Communities
Ensures that families and stakeholders have clear, robust, and consistent information needed to engage meaningfully in their education systems.

• Ensures that parents are consulted in designing State and district report cards and that report cards are made public before the end of each calendar year.
• Provides new transparency around vulnerable subgroups of students, including children in foster care, English language learners with disabilities, and long-term English language learners (those who have not gained English proficiency within a period of five years of their initial identification).
• Gives states flexibility to design their own report cards while ensuring that key information such as student achievement, graduation rates, and other critical indicators of school quality, climate, and safety are easily accessible to parents and the public.
• Clarifies how students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who earn alternate diplomas may be included in graduation rate calculations.
• Ensures more transparency around resource equity measures.
• Includes new information regarding district- and school-level expenditures to ensure transparency around educational spending; and postsecondary enrollment, so parents and educators know whether students are prepared for and enrolling in college.

Streamlined, Consolidated State Plans to Eliminate Duplication
Encourages meaningful stakeholder engagement and planning across programs to enhance educational equity, improve student outcomes, and give every child access to a quality, well-rounded education that prepares them for success in college and careers

• Requires broad, robust engagement with a diverse group of stakeholders, as state plans are being developed and implemented.
• Reinforces equitable access to a full range of educational supports for all students.
• Builds upon states’ Educator Equity Plans by asking for plans to support and develop excellent educators, including how states will ensure subgroups of students have equitable access to effective, in-field, and experienced teachers, especially in our highest-need schools.

For a more comprehensive description of the Department of Education’s proposed regulations, see a chart about how they compare to NCLB, read a summary of the regulations or the full Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The NPRM will be on public display with the Federal Register starting on Thursday, May 26th, and can be accessed directly on our website at www.ed.gov/essa. There will be a 60 day public comment period starting May 31 through August 1. The Department welcomes comment from all interested parties on the proposed regulations.

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NCWD: Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kick ‘Em and Oh Yeah By Craig Parker

By Craig Parker

 

I am a bus aide on a special-needs bus. In that, I am nothing.

I am a bus aide on a special-needs bus. In that, I am everything.

Where an individual lands between these two evaluation bookends depends not on luck. It depends on an array of factors no algorithm can factor. Special needs students possess a multiplicity of talents, limitations, and challenges as wide as Texas and as deep as the Marianas Trench. I, on the other hand, possess only two talents: napping and loving my wife.

There are two male, wheelchair students on the Sarasota County, Florida bus where I work. Both students have physical disabilities, which means each is trapped in his own body. Neither of them can really speak, so this writer tried to incorporate an ever-present longing with their desire to communicate.

Chair-dancing.

Chair dancing has been around as long as there have been beasts of burden. Genghis Khan allegedly chair-danced as his horse galloped across Asia—although the peoples he conquered were not big fans of his moves.

My initial attempts to chair-dance for the two wheelchair students were met with disdain. Fortunately for me, these two travelers could not escape my stationary cavort—since each was anchored to their bus-berth by five belt straps.

I therefore had a kept audience with these two young teenage boys, aged twelve and thirteen. I created a (some would say ridiculous) number of chair-dances that I would perform in rapid fashion: 1) swim; 2) Spiderman; 3) jerk; 4) hands in the air; 5) window wash; 6) wave; and 7) chair-dance flamenco. These attempts at stationary escapades were initially met with all the enthusiasm of watching paint dry. I was undeterred, though. Like a good mold, I grow on people.

Finally, one of the students—let’s call him Tommy—responded to my efforts. Tommy has cerebral palsy and birth defects in both his arms and legs, so there is not a wide range of motion for him to express. However, in response to my chair-dance gyrations over time, he began to raise his forearms and wrists up in front of his chest in a clear dance-move. Simultaneously, he would stretch his neck skyward like an E.T.-protégé and—with great effort—smile while emitting an audible “Oh yeah, oh yeah.” It was immediately apparent what this young boy’s nickname must be.

Oh Yeah.

What of the other wheelchair bus rider (let’s call him Ernesto)? Ernesto’s nickname has a story as well.

When one brings a wheelchair student aboard the school bus, each wheel of the chair must be secured to its station via a strap. I was knelt down in front of Ernesto, attaching the left-front strap to its station. Suddenly, Ernesto’s right leg launched out and kicked me right in the head. From that moment on, there was only one name by which this young boy would be called.

Kick ‘em.

To commemorate his nickname, I thought up a Craigy rap:

Kick ‘em in the head

Kick ‘em in the eye

Kick ‘em on the cheek

Kick ‘em on the chin….

Keep on kickin’ ‘em

Keep on kickin’ ‘em

Kick ‘em.

When this rap ended, Kick ‘em often grinned a toothy grin, spread his arms out like wings, and shook them vigorously. I took that as a sign that he approved of my rap. However, it could have simply been a physical expression of his wish to throttle me to unconsciousness. When it comes to special-needs students, it’s all in the discernment.

Oh Yeah is likewise a study in discernment, and I have my own rap for him:

I see the trees

I see the sky

I see the street signs

I see the sprinklers….

And I say

Oh yeah, oh yeah

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

At the scintillating conclusion of this rap, Oh Yeah grins his coy grin and raises his forearms and wrists in front of his chest. I take this gesture as a sign of approval. Of course, it could be that Oh Yeah would like nothing more than to punch me in the face.

Oh Yeah’s limbs allow only a limited amount of body movement. Over a month’s time, however, one can visually observe a physical improvement in Oh Yeah’s range of motion. The other day, Oh Yeah picked up his right leg; I had not seen that before. He may not be throwing a baseball anytime soon, but Oh Yeah is making progress.

Travelling through our own horse-blinder lives, we would all like to make progress as well. Yet we often find ourselves shackled to sadness. The laundry list of injustice and mendacity is long. We see sadness every day in a multitude of ways. However, this sadness need not extend to the view of a passing special-needs bus. For inside may be the likes of Kick ‘em and Oh Yeah. Two students, going through life, engaging in two things we all want to experience.

Laughing and chair-dancing.

Effective Teaching Practices in an Inclusion Classroom By Paola M. Esquijarosa

By

Paola M. Esquijarosa

Florida International University

Introduction

Education is changing periodically, whether it is in the classroom, the administration, the school itself, or the educational laws. Over the past fifty years, education has changed dramatically. Our classrooms, our teachers, our school, our laws have taken a turn and heading into the 21^st century but what does that mean? Our educational world is full of technology and new laws that directly affect the schools across the United States.

In the past, special education was seen in very negative light. Many of those who re considered to have a disability re not treated equally, were not receiving an education, and were, at times, placed in special places where they were to be treated for their illness. Over time, people started to stand up for themselves and eventually new educational laws came about. Some of these laws protect the rights of those who have disability and others entitle them for a free and appropriate education (FAPE) and are able to receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Ryndak, Taub, Jorgensen, Gonsier-Gerdin, Arndt, Sauer, Ruppar, Morningstar, & Allcock, 2014). Those students with a disability are now able to have an education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), which tends to be general education classroom. When the general education classroom includes students who have a disability, this makes the classroom an inclusive classroom. Inclusion has gone through many changes since it was first introduced. At first, researchers concentrated on how inclusion would it be accessed and what are the outcomes but now, researchers are asking different questions in order to determine how to make inclusion more effective (Foster & Pearson, 2012).

The inclusive classroom is now a very common classroom setting that can be seen across different schools in the United States and other parts of the world. Though inclusive classrooms have many benefits for the students, many teachers struggle with their teaching practices in the inclusive classroom. Some teachers are not certified in special education, which can lead to many problems in the inclusive classroom. Other teachers feel that there is a lack of resources, professional development, support, and time to meet every students’ needs in the classroom. Many teachers also experience low self-efficacy when working with students who have a disability, which then can reflect the students’ outcomes in the classroom (Sharma, Loreman, &Forlin, 2011). Though they are negative cogitations to inclusion, there are positive outcomes when the teaching practices of the teacher(s) are effective in the classroom environment. There are different effective teaching practices out there that can help teachers, who do not feel that their practices are the best for this particular type of classroom. By exploring different teaching practices for the inclusion classroom, teachers are going to be able to effectively choose what works for them in their school, have a higher self-efficacy, and have a better outlook on the inclusion classroom and the benefits it has on the students and on the teacher.

Inclusive Teaching Practices and Models

Since inclusion has come about, there has been a lot of research in regards to inclusive practices and models. When inclusion is implemented in a school, there tends to be co-teaching, which is two teachers in the classroom (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). Usually, one teacher is the general education teacher while the other is the special education teacher. There are about five different types of models that can be used in the inclusive classroom that all involve co-teaching but in different ways. The first is one teach, one assist, which means that the general education teacher will teach the entire class while the special education teacher will go around and assist those with special needs (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). The next one is station teaching or it can be thought of as centers, which is where each teacher is in charge of a station where they can meet the needs of the students in small groups (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). Parallel teaching is another model where both teachers are teaching at the same time with different class groups (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). Alternative teaching involves one of the teachers to take a group of students to a different location so that he/she can work with them in specialized instruction (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). The last model is team teaching, which means that both teachers are equally involved and share teaching responsibilities (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). Depending on the preference between the general education teacher and the special education teacher it is important to remember that in order for these co-teaching models to be effective, they have to work together in order to meet the needs of all the students with and without disabilities. Researchers have found that co-teachers are lacking administrative support, planning time, training, and compatibility (Scruggs, Mastropiere, &McDuffie, 2007). This shows that co-teaching can be effective but these factors affect inclusion and co-teaching as a whole. Collaboration is one of the keys to the success of inclusion and having effective practices in the classroom.

The teaching practices that have been used in the general education classroom tend to be more directed towards those without disabilities. When making the change between the general education classroom into an inclusion classroom, teachers might not know where to begin or what strategies to use that benefit everyone in the classroom. One way is to talk to the special education teacher for some tips and strategies to use with the specific classroom in question. This is where the support from other teachers and administration should come in so that teachers’ self-efficacy won’t decrease. Through a research study, it was found that a teacher’s self-efficacy has three factors that were found that affect the self-efficacy of a teacher (Sharma, Loreman, &Forlin, 2011). The three factors include: efficacy to use inclusive instruction, efficacy in collaboration, and efficacy in dealing with disruptive behaviors (Sharma, Loreman, &Forlin, 2011). The inclusive instruction is intertwined with knowing what inclusive strategies to use in the classroom and having the knowledge to incorporate these strategies successfully.

There are many different teaching strategies that can be used for the inclusive classroom but it is important that these strategies are known to be effective. The teaching strategies that are effective look into a student’s needs.  In teaching strategies, a very effective method is using differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction is meeting the students where they are and the teacher being able to design lessons based on where they are. Differentiated instruction allows teachers to use different types of assessments, lesson, and learning activities so that the student will be able to learn and grow (Stanford & Reeves, 2009). By having differentiated instruction, the teacher is able to provide the students with support and motivate them to getting where the students need to be academically.

One of the other effective teaching strategies to use is called Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a teaching strategy that allows all students to access the general education curriculum and all students are able to demonstrate how they know the information in many different ways (Sailor & McCart, 2014). In UDL, there are three multiple means that are the basis of the entire framework. These are: multiple means of representation, multiple means of expression, and multiple means of engagement (Sailor & McCart, 2014). Multiple means of representation means that the teacher will demonstrate the information from the curriculum in different ways (Sailor & McCart, 2014). For example, if there is a deaf student in the classroom, the teacher will have to use visuals and subtitles of the information for the student to be able to access the information. Multiple means of expression means that the students have the opportunity to express the information they have learned in different ways, such as a project, oral exam, written exam, or a presentation (Sailor & McCart, 2014). Multiple means of engagement means that the students are able to keep engaged with the material by having motivation, having time to reflect, or being able to create goals for themselves (Sailor & McCart, 2014). By using UDL in the classroom, the teacher is able to reach all students and allows the students to have choices instead of being told what to do.

Assistive Technology

As inclusion is taking place in many different schools around the United States, there are also many developments in technology and in our 21^st century learning environments. Due to the progress our society has made in regards to technology, there are now many new devices that help students gain access to the curriculum in the classroom, which is called assistive technology (Judge, Floyd, & Jeffs, 2008). Assistive technology is a type of technology that assists those with special needs to be able to communicate, engage, interact, learn, and move (Judge, Floyd, & Jeffs, 2008). Assistive technology incorporates both low-tech and high-tech technologies, which means that low tech is a low cost while high-tech is a high cost. There are different low tech and high tech resources out there for the different needs in the classroom. In the inclusive classroom, there are different needs for all the students.

In order to be prepared, you can keep an assistive technology toolkit in the classroom. This toolkit implements the three different multiple means of UDL and are available in the classroom at all times (Judge, Floyd, & Jeffs, 2008). After researchers did a survey, they found that teachers recommended certain tools to always be included in the assistive technology toolkit (Judge, Floyd, & Jeffs, 2008). Some of these tools include: visual schedules, picture communication symbols, weighted vests, pencil grips, slant boards, talking books, and more (Judge, Floyd, & Jeffs, 2008). By have a variety of assistive technologies available, it allows an increase of the effectiveness of an inclusion classroom, which can raise a teacher’s self-efficacy and improve the overall outlook of inclusion.

Conclusion

The inclusion classroom has many different elements involved in order to make I an effective classroom. Overall, collaboration is one of the key elements to making the classroom effective. This does not only mean collaboration with special education teachers but whoever is involved in the child’s life. The other key is being able to meet the needs of all the students and learning what strategies are effective. By implementing collaboration and effective strategies, teachers are able to raise their self-efficacy. The only problem is that teachers need to feel supported by administration and their school as well as being able to have enough knowledge and planning time. By incorporating professional development, offering resources, and providing teachers time to plan, then the overall outlook of inclusion will change for the better.

 

References

Foster, E. M., & Pearson, E. (2012). Is Inclusivity an Indicator of Quality of Care for Children With Autism in Special Education? Pediatrics, 130(Supplement). doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0900p

Judge, S., Floyd, K., & Jeffs, T. (2008). Using an Assistive Technology Toolkit to Promote Inclusion. Early Childhood Education Journal Early Childhood Educ J, 36(2), 121-126. doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0257-0

Ryndak, D. L., Taub, D., Jorgensen, C. M., Gonsier-Gerdin, J., Arndt, K., Sauer, J., . . . Allcock, H. (2014). Policy and the Impact on Placement, Involvement, and Progress in General Education: Critical Issues That Require Rectification. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39(1), 65-74. doi:10.1177/1540796914533942

Sailor, W. S., & McCart, A. B. (2014). Stars in Alignment. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39(1), 55-64. doi:10.1177/1540796914534622

Scruggs, T. E., Mastropieri, M. A., & Mcduffie, K. A. (2007). Co-Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research. Exceptional Children, 73(4), 392-416. doi:10.1177/001440290707300401

Sharma, U., Loreman, T., & Forlin, C. (2011). Measuring teacher efficacy to implement inclusive practices. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 12(1), 12-21. doi:10.1111/j.1471-3802.2011.01200.x

Stanford, B., & Reeves, S. (2009). Making It Happen: Using Differentiated Instruction, Retrofit Framework, and Universal Design for Learning. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6), 2-9.

About the Author

Paola Esquijarosa was born in Miami, Florida. She attended the University of Miami where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education with an endorsement in Reading and ESOL. She currently attends Florida International University where she is finishing her Master of Science in Special Education with an endorsement in Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is working at a private school in Coral Gables, Florida as a teacher for Junior Kindergarten. Paola always tries to better her teaching practices by keeping up with the latest in education, especially involving technology.

To access everything below in this section from Buzz from the Hub, visit:

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/buzz-april2016/

New Resources in the Hub

Developmental Foundations of School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers.
This Research to Practice report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services summarizes the research on development during the first 3 years of life; highlights areas that are foundational for school readiness and later school success; and describes how providers can support the development of school readiness in infants and toddlers.

Effective Literacy Interventions | Webinar.
Has your state selected “literacy” as an important target for improving outcomes for students with disabilities? If so, this webinar of the REL Mid-Atlantic is for you! Learn what the research says about the effectiveness of literacy interventions and how teachers can offer literacy instruction that meets a range of student needs. The webinar also discusses how school leaders can support effective literacy programs.

Technology in Education: An Overview.
Keep up to date with how technology is being used in education and get answers to questions such as: What is personalized learning? 1-to 1 computing? Blended learning? How is online testing evolving? How are digital materials used in classrooms? And much more…

Spotlight on…ESSA Resources

The recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act—ESSA—ensures that loads of decisions must be made at the state level as to how to implement the law. So being well informed about ESSA is an ongoing priority for Parent Centers. Here are several new resources on the law to go with CPIR’s resource page on ESSA.

Education Week’s Overview of the ESSA.
One of the best overviews you’ll read, nicely broken down and explained.

PTA Resources for Families on ESSA.
Check out the many briefs offered on Parent Teacher Association’s website that summarize the titles of ESSA and stress family engagement.

ESSA and Students with Disabilities: Analysis & Comments.
The Advocacy Institute and the Center for Law and Education examine several key provisions of ESSA along with comments of how the provisions may impact students with disabilities.

The New Education Law: 6 Things to Know.
From NCLD’s Public Policy & Advocacy Team, this succinct article focuses on the 6 important things for parents to know about the new law, with emphasis on how it affects students with disabilities and the need for parental involvement and advocacy.

Resources You Can Share with Families

This section of the Buzz identifies useful resources you might share with families or mention in your own news bulletins.

Summer Fun Camp Directory.
From the Federation for Children with Special Needs, this directory includes links to over 200 camp websites serving children with disabilities.

Physical Education for Students with Disabilities.
Just updated page from Wrightslaw! If your child has a disability and an IEP, the school must provide physical education as part of your child’s special education program. This includes providing accommodations and modifications (as needed), or it may mean providing adapted physical education.

Checklist: What to Ask the School Before Choosing a Tool or Device.
This checklist includes multiple questions that parents might ask the school about assistive technology (AT) options for their child with a disability. The questions are organized into three sections: (1) AT and Your Child’s Needs; (2) Assessment of Assistive Technology; and (3) Assistive Technology Settings and Situations.

Options and Planning for College: For Families.
Do you serve families who want to learn more about the possibilities for their sons or daughters with intellectual disabilities to attend college? This self-paced module from Think College! describes college options, identifies how college is different from high school, discusses the changing role of families once students are in college, and offers strategies for families and students on how they may navigate those differences.

Resources Just for Parent Centers: More Facts at Your Fingertips

Significant Turnover in State Education Leadership in 2015.
This new report details the changes that took place across the country in 2015 and early 2016 in 4 key state leadership roles: Governor, State Boards of Education, Chief (leader of the K-12 system), and State Higher Education Executive Officer (leader of the postsecondary system). This makes it critical that education stakeholders such as parents, community leaders, and business leaders be a consistent voice for keeping expectations high and improving student performance in their communities.

How to Look at Your Data to Address Disproportionality | Webinar.
Disproportionality in discipline rates can be a barrier to student engagement and school completion. This webinar from the REL Mid-Atlantic and the Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality can help Parent Centers and others become more familiar with using data to identify disproportionality; identifying root causes of disproportionality in discipline rates; and analyzing existing policies and practices to address disproportionality.

Best Practices for Engaging Youth with Disabilities.
This 7-page brief comes from the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council with extensive input from the ID Action Youth Advisory Board. It begins with an overview of youth engagement best practices, discusses essential components of youth-serving programs, and concludes with considerations for working with youth with disabilities.

Are We Ready to Have Teachers with Learning Disabilities?

A Study of School Principals’ Observations

Heidi Flavian, Ph.D.

Achva Academic College

 

Abstract

For decades, lawmakers, parents, and educators have advocated for including students with learning disabilities (LD) and addressing their needs within the education system. However, LD-related challenges do not vanish with age; consequently, for college and university graduates with LD, the issue of inclusion begins again when they reach the job market, including when they want to become teachers. The success of inclusion relies on the society’s readiness to change and to accept people with a variety of difficulties in all areas of life. This study focuses on school principals’ views regarding the hiring of teachers with LD. Apparently, although principals understand the variety of ways students with special needs should be included, they still struggle with the idea of including teachers with LD.

 

Are We Ready to Have Teachers with Learning Disabilities?

A Study of School Principals’ Observations

The inclusion of people with special needs is an ongoing process that began early in the twentieth century and has spread around the world in a variety of ways. The process is not, and probably never will be, complete. Each time a new type of special need is recognized, society as a system faces a new challenge. This is because the inclusion of people with special needs is not a just a phrase or a slogan; rather, it is a practice that affects society at large. The inclusion approach is a principle that leads to the creation of an inclusive and caring society. Inclusion is practically expressed as the reciprocity between people with special needs and the rest of society. When people are willing to accept those with special needs as capable of contributing to their social environment and not as a mere burden on society, then inclusion is on the right path (Kozminsky, 2003).

Over the last thirty years, the inclusion of students with special needs in the education system has been encouraged by lawmakers, parents, and educators. Although schools are continuously improving the processes for inclusion, the process in society in general has not evolved accordingly (Flavian, 2011). Thus, special needs that are readily visible are more easily accepted and accommodated than are special needs which are not immediately detected, such as learning difficulties.

Although for the most part, children with LD are included and are able to study with their peers throughout their school years, when they seek admission into higher education programs in order to become teachers, they are often frowned upon or discouraged, if not openly rejected. Nevertheless, over the last decade, some teachers with special needs have begun teaching in mainstream schools, but this path is not open to all (Green & Storm, 2010).

Learning Disabilities

The concept of “learning disabilities” indicates difficulties and/or disorders that interfere in the process of acquiring basic academic skills, such as reading, writing and math. These disorders are caused by dysfunctional neurological processes related to the development of language, visual perception, and attention. Their manifestations can range from minor disorders, which can be overcome through hard work targeting specific learning goals, to major disorders that are best addressed by studying in specially-devised programs (Chandler, 2010). According to the DSM-5 (Paul, 2013), LD can affect a variety of academic skills; assessments are initiated when a student’s performance is significantly lower than expected of the pertinent age group. In addition, other difficulties that often accompany LD include low self-esteem, behavioral problems, and difficulties in adjusting to school or work settings.

In addition to the general goals of imparting knowledge and introducing students to unfamiliar domains, schools aim to provide students with the tools needed for cognitive, emotional, and social self-development. Teaching students with LD necessitates the use of teaching and learning strategies that can help them meet and overcome the constant challenges and barriers that the LD might pose. Given that learning disabilities do not diminish over one’s lifespan, the acquisition of proper learning strategies increases the ability of people with LD to study, organize their time, and deal with everyday tasks and assignments. Moreover, these tools give them the opportunity to identify their strengths and to learn how to use them when facing specific learning difficulties.

Adaptations for Learning and Professional Training

Modified learning programs are developed in schools to provide students with LD the opportunity to graduate with their peers (Flavian, 2010). The same academic adjustments can be offered in the process of professional training, as long as the modifications do not detract from the level of professionalism. Teachers in training need to become experts in the domains they teach, while studying pedagogy and the didactic approach to teaching. In order to manage teaching others, teacher-trainees with LD need to master extra skills related to self-management, class management, teaching strategies and the use of certain technologies in the classroom. Not surprisingly, people with LD training in any domain or profession can develop and become very effective workers in their respective fields, provided they have received the necessary support and acquired helpful and complementary strategies with which to meet the related challenges (Gerber, 2012).

Few researchers (Stacey & Singleton, 2003; Leyser, 2011) have studied the challenges adults with LD face on a daily basis and have addressed the type of adjustments that they require in their workplace in order to be able to succeed like everyone else. Likewise, the process of including teachers with LD at schools requires the support and understanding of colleagues, supervisors and others, who are prepared to take into account the needs of these teachers. Affording these professionals the adjustments they require would ensure their inclusion in the schools and in the workforce, and thus would be beneficial not only for the student body at the schools, but also for the development of a more just and equitable society.

The current study attempted to investigate ways to make the process of inclusion teachers with LD as a viable goal for Israeli schools, by examining the attitudes of school principals. More specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore ways to help conduct inclusion efficiently and not automatically, so that this practice might truly have a social-educational impact.

 

Research Questions

The main goal of this study was to better understand principals’ views regarding the challenges and advantages schools face when opting to include teachers with LD as members of their school’s educational staff. Gaining an understanding of the principals’ views may be helpful both in preparing teacher-trainees with LD to enter the job market after graduation, and in preparing the school-community and the work environment in which they will be included.

Three main questions guided this study:

• What are the school principals’ attitudes to inclusion in general, and to the inclusion of teachers with LD in particular?
• Do the school principals experience any difficulties or dilemmas about hiring candidates with LD to teach in their schools, and if so, what are they?
• What advice might the school principals have for teachers with LD?

 

Methodology

Participants

This study included 10 principals of public, state-funded schools. These schools operate under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and therefore they are obligated to follow to a core curriculum. Students are assigned to these schools according to their place of residence, precluding any option to choose a preferred school. Nine of the participants were principals of ordinary public schools, while one of them was the principal of a special-education school for children with complex learning disabilities.

School principals selected for participation in this study met the following criteria: had 10 years of experience teaching in state-funded schools; held a Master’s degree in a field related to educational leadership; had worked in their current position for at least three years; and expressed their willingness to participate in this study on a voluntary basis. The 10 schools are located in five different cities, and the school principals were not informed of the identity of the other participants.

Given the fact that the school was already following the governmental mandate regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce, there was no need to specifically inquire whether other members of the school staff approved of the inclusion of teachers with LD.

Materials and Procedures

This study used a qualitative methodology in all stages, from data collection through context analysis and culminating in the final conclusions. Each of the 10 principals participated in an in-depth, individual interview, which was led by two interviewers working simultaneously and employing open ended questions. While one interviewer was engaged in conversation with the interviewee, the role of the second interviewer was to mind the direction and development of the conversation, making sure that all questions were addressed and all aspects of the issue were sufficiently explored (Shkedi, 2011).

The following opening question was used in all of the interviews: “From your perspective as principal, tell us what you envision for your school”. Using the answer as a point of departure, the interviewers developed a discussion, during which interviewees revealed their key educational values and attitudes towards the inclusion of children and adults with special needs in school and in society in general. The interviewer then introduced the issue of teachers with LD.

As principals did not consent to have the interviews recorded, notes were taken during the interviews, transcribed in full at the conclusion of each interview, and then submitted to context analysis, which was conducted separately by three researchers. The analysis focused on identifying concepts and criteria that could help emphasize the essential views of the principals. Next, all three researchers discussed their findings, in preparation for the next interview. Therefore, although the basic interview questions had been formulated in advance, prior to each subsequent interview, a few unique questions were added.

Following the 10^th interview, the three researchers jointly analyzed the aggregated context as a whole. In addition, at the end of the study, researchers offered to share results with the participants in order to integrate their insights as part of the study and to learn if they had other points of view to present. Only two principals agreed. The leading-researcher met with each of them for an hour, explaining the data-analysis process and the conclusions. Feedback from both participants strengthened the researchers’ conclusions.

Results and Discussion

This study is based on information collected through in-depth, individual interviews held with 10 school principals, in order to add new information that could help more efficient inclusion of teachers with LD. Although some of the staff hiring decisions are made by regional supervisors, principals usually opt to interview prospective new teachers so they can better prepare for the school year. Therefore, understanding principals’ overt and covert views could help reveal the potential advantages of (as well as potential obstacles to) the inclusion of teachers with LD.

Nowadays, children with various special needs, including LD, are integrated into mainstream schools and are directed to specific academic, behavioral or emotional programs. Therefore, it was not surprising to find that all the principals in the study were familiar with the concept of “learning disabilities” and with the adaptations these students need in order to succeed in school. Moreover, they all agreed that when children’s special needs are unrelated to either emotional or behavioral difficulties, the entire student body benefits from the inclusion. Only one principal, who was the head of a special-education school, presented a slightly different approach: “although it is very important to include students with special needs in schools, it is more important to find the right schools for them that have teachers with special training and who can teach them despite their difficulties”.

Unexpectedly, although all participants were familiar with the notion of LD and with the successful outcomes related to the learning processes they experience and the special strategies they acquire, the principals found it hard at first to accept the fact that adults with LD might wish to become teachers. The principals’ attitudes towards inclusion were less enthusiastic when the issue of teachers with LD was introduced.

In answering the question regarding the inclusion of teachers with LD in schools, all the principals raised four main issues: advantages, challenges, teachers’ responsibilities, and principals’ responsibilities.

 

Advantages of Including Teachers with LD

The advantage mentioned by all principals was that teachers with LD could serve as role models for their students. One of the principals explained the advantage thus:

Students who have difficulties at school easily give up on themselves. But if their teachers could speak frankly about their own experience with LD and emphasize that success is possible, as they themselves can attest, students might be motivated to keep trying.

All principals voiced the same idea, highlighting the fact that by sharing their own experiences, teachers could develop strong interpersonal relationships with their students, which could serve as a source of encouragement for these students.

Both researchers (Vogel, 2003 and Flavian, 2011), and the principals who were interviewed in this study mentioned that teachers with LD, who are constantly aware of the strategies they need to implement on a daily basis, are likely to integrate them automatically throughout the teaching process and by doing so, demonstrate the practical effects and the importance of using such strategies. In addition, teachers with LD may be more aware than their professional peers of the need to integrate a variety of learning strategies in their lessons, a practice which is undoubtedly helpful for all students, and not only for those with LD.

Another advantage mentioned is that teachers with LD may be particularly aware of and considerate towards students with LD. As one of the interviewees said: “I really think that teachers with LD have a kind of radar… it is like… if they reflect on their own learning difficulties, they can recognize their students’ learning difficulties before students develop extreme feelings of frustration”. Another principal said “sometimes they can detect LD better than professional diagnosticians can”. This advantage has a positive effect on the teaching process overall, since a teacher who can understand the source of the difficulty can help accordingly.

Challenges to the Inclusion of Teachers with LD

After expressing the important advantages teachers with LD may have, all participants pointed out that teaching is a very stressful and complex task that demands efficient organization and planning, two skills which people with LD often find challenging. Participants said that “it is not an acceptable situation to have a teachers who cannot plan lessons ahead of time and teach accordingly”, and “how can teachers teach time management if they cannot manage it for their own needs?” In these and other similar comments, the principals indicated that, in their view, teachers who cope poorly with their own LD challenges are likely to have difficulty handling the demands of the job. Nevertheless, all principals agreed that referring to the above challenges as the school-community’s challenges rather than as pertaining solely to the individual teacher would be generally beneficial for the practice and goals of inclusion.

Teachers’ Responsibilities

There is no question that teachers’ responsibilities encompass everything associated with students’ learning processes and class management. Therefore, unsurprisingly, only a few of the principals said that it did not matter to them whether teachers had LD, as long as the teaching and learning processes were proceeding efficiently. One participant said “teachers are responsible for their students’ learning….they should do whatever is needed in order to ensure learning among all”, and another stated that “they [the teachers] knew well before they began their training that they had LD; it was their decision to choose a profession that would challenge them on a daily basis”. While it is rational and understandable to demand that teachers be responsible for the entire learning process and the social dynamics in the classroom, the principals’ reactions quoted here focus only on the degree to which the teachers handle the disability, ignoring the potential role of a supportive work environment.

In contrast, there were two principals who emphasized that “the major responsibility teachers have is to know what they do not know and to ask for whatever support they need”. For teachers in general, not to mention for teachers with LD, such self-monitoring constitutes an integral part of their professional responsibility. Costello and Stone (2012) emphasize that people with LD often have a low sense of self-efficacy, which may prevent them from asking for help.

Nonetheless, people with LD who choose to become teachers have a responsibility to overcome whatever obstacles or inhibitions they might face in order to fulfill their duties as mandated by the job and the situation. One participant expressed the sentiment underlying the perspective of the two principals quoted here in a more direct manner, saying that “teachers with LD cannot use their LD as an excuse for not doing their job”.

Principals’ Responsibilities

The question of principals’ perceptions regarding their own responsibilities vis-à-vis the inclusion of teachers with LD was not posed to them directly; instead, the views on this issue implicit in their replies were highlighted in the context analysis. All the principals referred to their responsibilities in response to a direct question asking whether they would hire a teacher with LD: “I cannot hire a teacher if I am not sure she would be suitable for the job. I have a responsibility towards the children and their parents”, or, “I am not sure I would like to have teachers on the staff for whom I would need to do all the organizational work. I cannot be responsible for their duties”.

Despite the negative approach that might be understood from the above quotes, it is reasonable that a principal would not like to hire any candidate who could not meet the demands of the job. A more practical, and perhaps positive, view was expressed by one of the participants, who said “if I hire a teacher with LD, I need to prepare myself and the rest of the staff, since in order to benefit from all the advantages this teacher can offer, we would need to extend support and help when needed. It is our responsibility to be receptive to all”.

 

A prominent but confusing finding was that although principals overall agreed that society has a responsibility to include everyone in the work place without discrimination, and although they expressed their conviction that people with LD should not feel shy to be open about it – as this approach could help the teachers cope with the challenges – some of the principals strongly recommended that teachers with LD avoid talking about their struggles.

Maybe, the fact that one openly talks about LD might deter principals [from including teachers with LD in their staff] … maybe they [teachers with LD] should do their best without telling, and should reveal this only after they have proven themselves in the professional arena.

This view is confusing also because it is inconsistent with the previously-mentioned statements that emphasized that teachers with LD should ask for help and support from their colleagues when needed. Therefore, there is no consensus among school-principals in regard to how teachers with LD should act while confronting their difficulties.

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

The inclusion of people with special needs in general and with LD in particular is a humanistic value that acknowledges society’s responsibility to care for everyone, as well as the potential of every individual to make a positive contribution to society in a variety of ways. This value is most apparent when adaptations to the environment for the purpose of inclusion are integral to the cultural milieu, rather than a superficial response to an imposed rule.

With this caveat in mind, we turn to consider the findings of the current study. On the one hand, the principals interviewed in this study understood the benefits to be gained by including teachers with LD on the staff, yet on the other hand they also expressed hesitations about hiring them. These contradictory feelings suggest that the development of preparation programs for inclusion of teachers with LD may be a more timely strategy than drafting and enforcing new rules.

Recognizing the fact that each person has strengths and weaknesses leads students with LD to recognize their own strengths, and empowers them to deal with the LD-related difficulties by finding the appropriate strategies that suit them (Flavian, 2011). Throughout their school years, students with LD learn to adopt learning strategies that can help them succeed in all aspects of life. This experience translates into a particular advantage in assuming the role of educational leaders. More specifically, the reflective process of observing one’s own functioning and selecting the most suitable strategies for a given situation is a worthy model for all students.

 

Teachers need to make sure that every one of their students knows how to study, and can understand and implement the materials learnt. School principals who participated in this study also agreed that teachers with LD, who are aware of their own difficulties and have had to develop their own unique methods of learning, could apply this experience and, thus, may have a facility for devising practical solutions for students with LD. It is likely, as the principals in this study noted, that teachers with LD are well-equipped and uniquely qualified to guide students with LD to identify the source of their difficulties and find effective coping strategies. Moreover, these principals also agreed that offering proper support and guidance to teachers with LD would help these teachers maximize their abilities when planning lessons and implementing their knowledge and experience, for the benefit of all students.

The advantages presented herein regarding the inclusion of teachers with LD in the school’s educational staff highlighted aspects of professional teaching that are not typically studied in teacher-training programs. Although becoming a role model for students is one of the values teacher-trainees are taught throughout their teacher-training programs, from the findings of this study we can learn that the subject of teachers’ role-modeling and its effects should be studied further. The principals suggested that teachers with LD should share with their students their own personal experiences as students with LD, in order to become significant role models. These principals believe that if teachers share their personal stories of LD-related challenges and successes, students will look up to their teachers and feel encouraged, which in turn will strengthen their resolve to face their own (LD-related or other) personal challenges. Another aspect of professionalism that emerged from this study relates to teachers’ ability to detect and understand students’ academic difficulties. In addition to the common expectation of being an expert in the domain one teaches and to know how to teach, school principals believe that teachers with LD can offer an additional type of expertise, thanks to their daily struggle with their LD. Guided by their own experience, teachers with LD may be able to not only to detect the type of difficulties their students encounter, but also to help them manage their academic tasks by integrating learning strategies in their lessons, from which all students stand to benefit.

The main advantage of including teachers with LD is that it is expected to help inculcate an essential social value. Educators need to remember and to remind others that beyond the personal role model which teachers with LD can provide for their students, these teachers also have an opportunity to guide all their students to recognize and appreciate diversity among people. Students can thus learn to acknowledge their classmates on a personal level, beyond the measure of academic achievements. They learn that each one of them has unique abilities and that no one is perfect. Only by disseminating this tolerant point of view can true inclusion develop. Students may learn that everyone, including people with special needs such as their teachers and classmates, can and should contribute to others and to society.

References

Paul, D. (2013). A quick guide to DSM-5. ASHA Leader, 18(8), 52-54.

Costello, C. A., & Stone, S. L. M. (2012). Positive psychology and self-efficacy: Potential benefits for college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 25(2), 119-129.

Chandler, C. (2010). The science of ADHD. A guide for parents and professionals. UK: Wiley-Blackwell publishing.

Flavian, H. (2010). Teacher-training programs for students with learning disabilities: The meaning and the implications of the discussion. Mofet Journal, 42 (5) 6-11 (in Hebrew).

Flavian, H. (2011). Teachers with learning disabilities: Modeling coping mechanisms in the classroom. Education Canada51 (3) 31-34.

Gerber, P. J. (2012). The impact of learning disabilities on adulthood: A review of the evidenced-based literature for research and practice in adult education. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45(1), 31-46.

Green, N., & Storm, L. (2010). Teaching (dis)abled: Reflection on teaching, learning, power, and classroom community. English Journal, 100(2), 86-92.

Kozminsky, L. (2003). Promoting successful adjustment of individuals with learning disabilities. In S. Vogel, G. Vogel, V. Sharoni, & O. Dahan (Eds.), Learning disabilities in higher education (pp. 259-278). NY: New York Press.

Leyser, Y. (2011). Factors that promote or hinder the integration of students with disabilities in higher education: An international perspective. In: G. Svissar, Y. Leyser, & S. Reiter (Eds.), Inclusiveness: Education and society (pp. 345-379). Haifa: Achva Publication (in Hebrew).

Shkedi, A. (2011). The meaning behind the words. Methodologies of qualitative research: Theory and practice. Tel-Aviv: Ramot Publication (in Hebrew).

Stacey, G., & Singleton, C. (2003). Dyslexia support in higher education in the United Kingdom. In: S. Vogel, G. Vogel, V. Sharoni, & O. Dahan (Eds.), Learning disabilities in higher education (pp. 45-68). NY: New York Press.

Vogel, S., Vogel, G., Sharoni, V., & Dahan, O. (Eds.). (2003). Learning disabilities in higher education. NY: New York Press, 2003.

About the Author

Heidi Flavian, Ph.D. in educational leadership, is a senior lecturer in Achva Academic College in Israel. She was formerly the head of the Department of Special Education and the head of the Department of Pedagogy and Education. Her research activities are focused on learning disabilities, learning strategies for students with special needs, teacher-training and self-awareness. She has published many articles in English and in Hebrew and presents them in a variety of international conferences. In 2009 she has founded a school for children with severe and complicated learning disabilities.

Cleveland, Ohio

Job Category: Special Education Teacher

 

Description

Breakthrough Schools is looking for Intervention Specialists committed to urban education to join our team at E Prep Woodland Hills.

Teaching at Breakthrough Schools is a rewarding experience where you will work on a staff dedicated to making an impact on the lives of Cleveland students. As a teacher, you will hold primary responsibility for the development and implementation of your school’s curriculum and the success of your students. Since teachers play such an important role in student achievement, we provide opportunities for teachers to grow as professionals and build leadership skills to expand their impact in the classroom and within their school or the Breakthrough network.

Our Preparatory Schools (K-8) have motivating school wide routines that create a culture where scholars believe they will succeed. Every teacher, student and staff member commits to giving 100% in everything they do and focus on putting students on a path to college.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and valid OH teaching certificate/license in subject area to be taught. Candidates are preferred to be highly qualified in ELA, Math, Science and/or Social Studies.

Benefits

Compensation packages are competitive and commensurate with experience. Breakthrough Charter Schools offer a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision, life and disability coverage. Employees are also eligible to participate in the Ohio STRS or SERS (state retirement system).

Contact

Erin Waltz
Talent Acquisition Manager
Email: ewaltz@breakthroughschools.org
Phone: 216-456-2086 ext. 1334
Website:www.breakthroughschools.org/careers

 

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Culver City, CA

Job Category: School Administration

 

Position

Provide leadership to ECF Kayne Eras School staff. The Assistant Principal will work as part of a team along with the Director of School Programs and the Principal to promote, enhance, and effectively manage all school related programs and activities.

Summary of Duties

1. Implement State standard curriculum and ensure State standards are used in the development of weekly lesson plans and check for compliance. Conduct state mandated testing. In conjunction with supervisor, oversee State Certification and WASC Accreditation.

2. Develop, manage, and direct the process for students to transition to the next grade level following diploma guidelines.

3. Coordinate Master Schedule.

4. Continuously evaluate academic curricula and behavioral plans to determine appropriate fit for the current student population and amenable to differentiated instruction. Responsible for identifying new curricula and programs which add value and distinguish the school from other NPS’s; bring to leadership team for review.

5. Facilitate the intake process and make placement decisions. Ensure all tests and other enrollment documents are completed and submitted prior to student enrollment/placement.

6. Conduct parent conferences as needed. Manage IEP process including collecting, reviewing, and finalizing all IEP’s prior the meeting.

7. Supervise staff which includes developing, evaluating, and setting goals and ensuring that on-site work hours are observed; ECF and school policies are followed and enforced; certifications and licenses are maintained, and all trainings, team and core meetings ,and parent conferences are attended.

8. Ensure that any staff incidents and/or injuries are reported immediately and reviewed with the Principal and related documentation is completed as required.

9. Conduct frequent formal and informal classroom observations to monitor teacher performance, implementation of lesson plans, and classroom management.

10. Participate in school budget development, and monitor general overall budget performance.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree and current California Special Education Teaching Credential.

Experience: Two years teaching elementary and/or middle school special educations students, and two years supervising and/or mentoring professional level staff.

Knowledge/Abilities/Skills: Knowledge of teaching strategies and current technology in the education field; Proficient in the use of MS Word, EXCEL, Power Point, Welligent and SEIS; and Effective written and verbal communication skills.

 

Salary

Commensurate with experience.

WORK LOCATION

5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants may submit an employment application or cover letter and resume by mail, email, or fax to: Exceptional Children’s Foundation, 5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA 90203, hr@ecf.net, (310) 391-1059.

To learn more, visit www.ECF.net and connect on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ConnectwithECF.

Exceptional Children’s Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, and/or protected veteran status.

 

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Memphis, TN

Job Category: Special Education Teacher – High School

 

Description:

Approved to operate a high school by the Achievement School District, Frayser Community Schools provides local leadership that instills pride, transforms poverty-mindsets, and creates economic avenues for the Frayser community – all through highly compassionate and accountable schools that foster a passion and hunger for learning in students.

MLK Prep High School will conduct summer onboarding in July 2016 and is now accepting applications.

All teachers at MLK Prep will demonstrate:

• Aligned to MLK College Prep’s mission and vision.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and negotiating skills
• Ability to work well in a team
• Exceptional ability to bridge and enhance cooperative working relationships
• Ability to create, monitor, and maintain systems that enhance organizational efficiency
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed
• Passion for closing the achievement gap
• Ability to motivate, educate and empower all those they serve

All teachers at MLK Prep will demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and negotiating skills
• Ability to work well in a team
• Exceptional ability to bridge and enhance cooperative working relationships
• Ability to create, monitor, and maintain systems that enhance organizational efficiency
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed
• Passion for closing the achievement gap
• Ability to motivate, educate and empower all those they serve

Every teacher at MLK Prep is expected to:

• Show cultural competencies for the student population served with a nurturing instinct and empathetic spirit
• Collaborate with instructional staff, other school personnel, parents and a variety of community resources to improve the overall quality of student outcomes
• Counsel students for the purpose of improving performance, health status, or other personal issues
• Demonstrate and differentiate methods required to perform

Successful MLK Teacher candidates possess the following characteristics:

• Dedication to educational success for all students.
• Proven track record of high achievement in the classroom.
• Minimum of two years teaching experience in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred, but not required.
• Highest commitment to improving curriculum and instruction through collaboration, best practices, regular assessment and data analysis
• Effective communication skills with students, parents, and colleagues
• Holds a B.A./B.S. degree with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0
• Degree in subject area intended to teach (preferred)
• Valid State Certification is required.

 

Contact:

Visit our website at http://fraysercs.org/

 

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Culver City, CA

Job Category: Full Time

 

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

CLASSROOM

• Manage the educational program for each student in assigned classroom ensuring progress on all IEP goals and district and state requirements.
• Maintain communication between the classroom team, the assistant principal/principal and the school administrative staff, especially in regard to student information and attendance, class schedule changes, and the changing needs of the students and the classroom program.
• Establish and maintain a behavior management system in the classroom consistent with the school’s policies.
• Assess individual students in all curriculum areas relevant to the IEP twice a year and document in the progress reports. Establish individual student goals and objectives and coordinate these with other services being provided to the student, using the appropriate school district form.
• Develop appropriate and complementary activities (i.e., field trips or presentations) coordinating these with other school programs, and ensure that they comply with school policies.
• Maintain student records including progress charts, daily or weekly grades, test scores, behavioral checksheets, incident reports, report cards, graduation worksheets, etc.

PARENT

• Communicate with each parent/care provider on a weekly basis for encouragement and support; maintain a parent contact log and submit to direct supervisor every week.
• Communicate with each parent prior to the IEP meeting to ensure that they are able to attend; be prepared to discuss and present the student’s goals and objectives, current work samples, and test protocols.
• Hold at least one progress conference yearly with the family of each student.

SCHOOL

• Maintain expertise in subject matter by continuing study, research, and application of new information in the field. Maintain a valid California specialized teaching credential, wavier or permit sign for non-public school billing.
• Supervise, train, and assist aides, interns, volunteers, or other trainees serving in assigned classroom. This includes clearly communicating assignments and expectations, maintaining accurate attendance records, completing performance evaluations, and initiating disciplinary actions.
• Attend one evening meeting per semester, which are mandatory for parents. Attend monthly faculty meeting, weekly core and team meetings and School staff meetings as directed.
• Participate in required trainings including dispensing of medication, mandating reporting, behavior management, confidentiality/HIPAA, etc.
• Implement First Aid/CPR as necessary; initiate approved NCI procedures when dealing with students in crisis.
• Maintain professional dress code and appearance, demeanor and boundaries.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a valid Special Education Teaching Credential. Master’s Degree preferred. Two years teaching experience in special education classroom; expertise in high school math and science. Knowledge of Welligent and MS Office helpful. Bilingual (English/Spanish) helpful but not required.

WORK LOCATION

5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA 90230

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants may submit a cover letter, and resume by mail, email, or fax to: Exceptional Children’s Foundation, 5350 Machado Road, Culver City, CA 90230, hr@ecf.net, fax: (310) 391-1059.

To learn more, visit www.ECF.net and connect on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ConnectwithECF

 

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Memphis, TN

Job Category: Middle School Special Education Teacher

 

Description:

Cornerstone Prep seeks highly skilled Special Education teachers to serve students in an urban school, working in a self-contained classroom for students in grades k-5 for the 2015-2016 school year.

Opportunity:

This is a unique opportunity to build a high-performing urban elementary school that does whatever it takes to prepare students for college success. In 2012, Cornerstone Prep joined the Achievement School District, a new program created to transform Priority Schools in the state of Tennessee. Since 2012, Cornerstone Prep has successfully launched one elementary school and one middle school. Last year, Cornerstone Prep was a TVAAS 5 school last year and students showed double digit gains in proficiency over the prior year on TCAP. US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized the school for outstanding student achievement during his visit to Memphis.

Cornerstone Prep will be converting Denver Elementary School to a Cornerstone Prep school, serving grades k-5, for the 2015-2016 school year and seeks founding teachers to lead this work.

Vision:

Cornerstone Prep equips all students with the Wisdom and Knowledge necessary to succeed in college and to become leaders in their community.

Requirements:

• Lead the self-contained classroom throughout the school day for students who need a setting outside of the general education classroom setting
• Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of skills, language, cognition, and memory
• Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
• Teach personal development skills such as goal setting, independence, and self- advocacy
• Observe and evaluate students’ performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Create and maintain baseline measures and ensure all assessments conducted
• Follow up with providers to confirm that IEP attendance, reports, and services are being completed
• Be available for Special Education families on an as-needed basis
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations

 

Contact:

Visit http://www.cornerstoneprepmemphis.org for more information

 

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Memphis, TN

Job Category: Elementary, Middle, and High School Special Education

 

Description:

GCS is a great place to work, and much of that is due to our scholars as well as the great people who work here who are mission-driven.

We hire talented, diverse staff members and foster a culture of achievement, community, innovation, and leadership. GCS teachers design weekly lesson plans, develop standards-based assessments, analyze assessment data to drive results, and create intervention plans to meet our scholars’ needs. In addition, GCS teachers effectively integrate technology in the classroom and implement project-based learning.

All Gestalt Community Schools have an extended day. The start and end times varies by location. However, administrators and teachers can expect to be at school from approximately 7:15 AM to 4:45 PM.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate against, or in favor of, applicants or employees based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability (or the perception of such disability), veteran status, or any other status.

Contact:

www.gestaltcs.org or Bonnie Harrell bharrell@gestaltcs.org

 

 

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Memphis, TN

Job Category: Special Education Teacher

 

Description

Scholar Academies is seeking elementary educators who are passionate about teaching Spanish. These educators need to have a record of exceptional student achievement and outstanding classroom culture where students are self-motivated. Candidates for elementary Spanish positions in our network should be data driven and have a strong belief that all students can achieve.

About Scholar Academies

Scholar Academies focuses on improving educational equity with a direct focus on turning around low-performing schools. Our network prides itself on a student-centered culture with 100% mission alignment, dedication to high standards for all students, the drive for taking on the hardest work, and achieving breakthrough results. Our network currently has schools in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Trenton, and Memphis, TN.

Your Work

INSTRUCTION AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

• Provide excellent Spanish instruction and make every minute count in your classroom by utilizing Scholar Academies’ proven school-wide systems
• Develop detailed lesson plans, materials, homework assignments, and assessments based on state standards and school-wide goals for student achievement
• Receive feedback and coaching from school leaders, develop achievement-oriented school culture, and maximize differentiated instruction
• Measure student performance and collaborate with other teachers and leaders to design effective instructional strategies
• Reward positive student behavior and hold students accountable using school-wide systems
• Provide additional academic support to students after school for at least one hour per week

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

• Participate in school-wide family engagement activities including home visits, phone calls to family members, and school-based meetings with families
• Engage and communicate with family members regularly

 

Requirements

• Outstanding instructional skills, including the ability to motivate students and cultivate a culture of achievement
• Two years or more of experience teaching Spanish, preferably in an urban public or charter school
• Bachelor’s degree
• Must have in-state teacher certification for K-6 grade
• A belief that all students should be held to high academic standards
• Must be resilient, persistent, collaborative, and professional
• The ability to communicate effectively with parents
• Demonstrated professionalism
• A positive, high-energy attitude, the ability to problem solve and a drive for excellence
• A strong sense of personal accountability for student achievement

 

Benefits

• Weekly professional development sessions
• Opportunities for advancement as Scholar Academies expands toward our goal of serving more than 6,000 students across Philadelphia, DC, Memphis, and Trenton within five years
• Professional connections with other expert educators who share your commitment to doing whatever it takes to close the achievement gap
• Competitive salaries and benefits
• Maximizing your impact by working in schools where we are raising the bar for student achievement.

 

Contact

To learn more about opportunities with Scholar Academies, please reach out to info atinfo@scholaracademies.org.

 

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Multiple locations throughout Virginia

Job Category: Teacher

 

Description:

The Special Education Teacher provides academic instruction in the Rivermont School program. *We currently have positions available in Lynchburg, VA, Roanoke, VA, Northern VA, Covington, VA, Fredericksburg, VA, and Hampton, VA.

Requirements:

BS/BA degree and current certification or eligible for certification by the Virginia Department of Education with endorsement in either special education general or adaptive curriculum.

Three years teaching experience with children and/or adolescents and endorsed in special education.

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision benefits
• Paid Time Off
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Dependent Life Insurance
• Health Care Spending Account
• Tuition Reimbursement
• and more!

 

Contact:

Submit resumes to Whitney Clements at whitney.clements@centrahealth.com

OR

submit your application at www.centrahealth.com/careers

http://mentalhealth.centrahealth.com/services/rivermont-schools

 

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San Rafael, CA

Job Category: Full Time

 

Description:

Join a team that is making a difference! Anova, an established leader in special needs education, is currently seeking a Director for our ACE School in San Rafael, CA. This position is responsible for providing oversight and guidance to teaching and clinical staff to ensure a positive and high quality teaching environment. We are looking for an inspiring and committed leader to further our ACE mission to provide innovative educational and behavioral services to children with high functioning autism and related social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.

 

This is a great opportunity to showcase your management and administrative skills with an established company, in a small private school setting serving approximately 40 children.

 

Responsibilities include:

• Management of staff and contractors
• Implementation and oversight of behavioral, educational and therapeutic activities
• Ensuring regulatory and policy compliance
• Assistance and participation in evaluations, referrals, IEP’s, etc.
• Oversight of safety and facility management
• Ensuring administrative and billing documentation is completed timely
• Budget development and oversight
• Representation of the school in the community, at events, and to agencies and clients

 

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services. California Special Education Teaching Credential and/or California Administrative Credential strongly preferred.
• Experience working in an administrative and supervisory role in a special education setting.
• Experience working with special education students using Applied Behavior Analysis.

 

Our ideal candidate will be a strong leader of people, a competent administrator, and a passionate promoter of an atmosphere that is conducive to helping students achieve their greatest potential in the least restrictive environment. A strong personal tool kit is a must: communication, administrative and technical skills, as well as current knowledge of educational laws, contracts and institutional billing.

If you meet these requirements and are ready to start a challenging and rewarding career with Northern California’s most trusted provider of services to children and families living with autism and learning differences, we’d like to hear from you!

 

Benefits:

We offer competitive pay and benefits, mentoring, and the personal rewards of mission-based employment, in beautiful Marin by the bay, minutes north of San Francisco.

 

Contact:

Please email resume and cover letter to research@source-logic.net

Learn more about Anova at www.anovaeducation.org/

 

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New York, NY

Job Category: Special Education Teacher

 

Description:

NYTPS is currently seeking monolingual/bilingual New York State Special Education Teachers to provide Services for Preschool and/or School Age Children. We offer placements throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island). Choose the locations and schedules that work for you!

About New York Therapy Placement Services, Inc: New York Therapy Placement Services, Inc. has been a leader in the educational/healthcare services arena for over 30 years. Founded in 1986, the company plays an integral part in both the public and private health care sectors. We are proud of our reputation of “excellence” and commitment to providing services in compliance with local, state and federal guidelines. Our services are diversified and we pride ourselves in working with only the most experienced clinicians that are interested in making a difference in the lives of others.

About the position:

• Our office team is YOUR team, working hard to provide you guidance and help with case placement and billing.
• We provide numerous workshops which can be used for your professional development units.
• Assessment tools are available to you free of charge in our Lending Library.
• Clinical Coordinators visit with you out in the field for guidance and support. They are always available in-person, and for phone consultation.
• Full-time and part-time opportunities available. Very flexible schedules in both schools and home environments.

 

Requirements:

• NYS Permanent Certification in Special Education or NYS Initial or Professional Certification in Students with Disabilities. (Birth-Grade 2, Grade 1-6, Grade 5-9 and/or Grade 7-12)
• ABA experience a plus.
• Cannot be concurrently employed by NYC DOE.
• Bilingual Certification or passing score on the BEA Exam in any language welcome especially: Spanish, Mandarin/Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew, etc.

 

Benefits:

• Flexible scheduling
• Flexibility in selecting case preferences (preschool, school age or home care)
• Opportunities are available based upon your geographical preferences
• The support of our Placement Coordinators and Clinical Supervisors
• Active therapists will receive discount towards our Workshops to earn Professional Development hours and CEU Credits!

Contact:

Please contact for more information:
Annie Demuccio: annie.demuccio@nytps.org

You can also apply through our career center:
http://bit.ly/1YIMopw

 

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Brooklyn, NY

Job Category: Upper School Teachers – Math/Science/Spanish

Description:

The Mary McDowell Friends School, a K-12 college preparatory school for students with learning disabilities, is expanding its upper school and is seeking to fill positions for the 2016-17 academic year.

 

Requirements:

* Upper School Math Teacher MA required, Special Education experience a plus

* Upper School Spanish Teacher MA required, Special Education experience a plus

* Upper School Assistant Science Teacher BA required, Special Education experience a plus

* Assistant Director of College Guidance BA required minimum of three year experience in college admissions or high school college placement

 

Contact:

Please email cover letter and resume to angelams@mmfsnyc.org or mail to:

Mary McDowell Friends School
c/o Angela Meyer-Sooknarine
20 Bergen Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

No phone calls or faxes please. EOE

 

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Burlingame, CA

Job Category: Special Education Preschool Teacher

Definition:

Under the supervision of the Director of Special Education, the SDC Preschool Teacher will provide specialized academic instruction utilizing appropriate strategies to identified students with moderate to severe learning disabilities.

Essential Functions and Job Duties:

Any one position may not include all of the listed duties nor do all of the listed examples include all the tasks that may be found in positions within this classification.

• Familiar with early childhood development including social-emotional, language, physical and school readiness
• Provide students with specialized instruction based on their identified needs
• Monitors student progress using data that reflects students performance on his or her IEP goals; adjusts instruction as needed
• Schedules IEPs within expected timelines
• Completes all IEP paperwork in a timely and accurate manner
• Prepare and maintain student records
• Acts as a case manager for assigned students
• Familiar with state preschool framework
• Plan, design and implement a comprehensive standards-based curriculum
• Ensure proper implementation of educational programs including designing and implementing behavior supports, sensory strategies and other interventions to support student learning
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with parents, general education teachers and other service providers and agencies
• Communicate effectively with team members, staff and agency representatives
• Demonstrate knowledge of special education law and well as SELPA and District policies and procedures
• Participate in professional development and maintain a high level of professional competence
• Establish and maintain a safe, orderly and child-centered classroom
• Perform other duties normally required to be performed by certificated employees as adjunct to the regular teaching assignment
• Willingness to toilet train.

 

Qualifications:

Any combination of education, training and experience which demonstrates ability to perform the duties and responsibilities as described

Experience and Education:

Valid California Education Specialist/ECSE credential (Early Childhood Special Education). Knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis Principles (ABA) and the ability to implement behavior programs.

Other requirements:

Valid California drivers license and evidence of insurance
Physical demands: Ability to lift up to 30 pounds.

How to Apply:

To apply, please complete district Edjoin application and attach Letter of Intent, Resume, Reference letters, Copy of Credential(s). https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/790964

Benefits:

Burlingame School District is located on the beautiful San Francisco Peninsula within easy commuting distance of San Francisco and many other areas serving educational, cultural, and recreational interests.

Burlingame School District features six TK-5 elementary schools (Hoover School is newly opening for 2016/17) and one 6-8 intermediate school totaling an enrollment of approximately 3300 students. These neighborhood schools provide high quality instruction and attention to each child’s needs.

Programs, which include a Spanish Immersion program for grades K-8 and Project Base Learning for grades 6-8, are characterized by cooperative learning, small group instruction, and peer tutoring, direct design thinking and 21st Century learning and integration of technology. Excellence is our goal and our schools rank at the highest level in the California State Testing measures.

Contact:

Victoria Ouye
vouye@burlingameschools.org
650-259-3810
www.bsd.k12.ca.us

 

 

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Yuma, AZ

Job Category: Special Education Teacher for grades K-5

Description

Teachers are critical to student success, both academically and personally. Desert View Academy is a character-based school and aspires to teach the whole child. Consequently, DVA seeks to hire educators who embody certain traits. These traits include, but are not limited to: maintaining high expectations of themselves and their students at all times; addressing all students, families, and colleagues with respect; solution-seeking and optimistic mindsets; critical thinking skills; the ability to take and give constructive feedback; the ability to adapt to change and unexpected situations; willingness to adapt to individual students needs.

Essential functions of the job

• Provide instruction sufficient to achieve student performance results, while maintaining professionalism with students, co-workers, administrators, volunteers and parents.
• Assure instructional integrity within a learning culture consistent with Desert View Academy and state standards.
• Comply with all board policies and organizational processes, while supporting the overall mission of the organization.
• Maintain all safety rules and expectations throughout the campus.
• Multitask, establish and rearrange priorities, and maintain focus in a fast-paced environment
• Attend all professional development meetings and opportunities for professional growth and
• Demonstrate a continual focus on self-improvement and continuous learning
• Know, understand and use digital curriculum in both the student and administrative arenas
• Work with parents to build good working relationships with each family
• Participate in outdoor activities which may include play ground supervision, safety drills, traffic duties, etc.
• Perform all other duties as assigned by Building Leaders or Administration

All tasks associated with serving as a special education teacher are applicable.

Benefits

Desert View Academy is located in Yuma, AZ. We provide excellent benefits, competitive pay and a generous time-off schedule. You will find additional information about our salary and benefits on our website: http://www.desertviewacademy.com/employment/. We offer mentoring for new teachers and teachers who are new to Desert View Academy. We also offer a relocation stipend for those moving to the area.

Contact

Deb Weigel, Principal
928-314-1102
dweigel@desertviewschools.com

In order to apply for a position with Desert View Academy please go to:

http://www.desertviewacademy.com/employment/

There you will find a link to the Applicant Portal. Follow the link to the portal, create an account, and complete the application. Applications for a position cannot be submitted until you have completed your profile.

 

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Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Job Category: Teacher

Description:

As one of the world’s largest fully integrated energy enterprises, Saudi Aramco not only looks for individuals who can meet its expectations but for those individuals who can exceed them. Our intent is to become the world’s leading integrated energy company by 2020, and to accomplish our goals, we want and encourage you to Dream Big. The professional rewards at Saudi Aramco are amazing, but so, too, are the lifestyle and benefits.

Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools (SAES) is a well-established American curriculum school owned and operated by Saudi Aramco that opened its doors in 1944 as a one-room schoolhouse. Today, the district is comprised of six schools in four beautiful residential communities that enroll over 4,500 expatriate children who represent more than 80 nationalities. Employees of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company enjoy a highly competitive compensation and benefits package, generous vacation schedule, and a family-friendly lifestyle. SAES strives to be a preeminent school system where students achieve their maximum potential in a culture of continuous improvement. In support of this vision, SAES is seeking highly qualified, accomplished, passionate, and collaborative educators who love to work with children, aspire to learn and grow, and eager to embark on a life-changing opportunity.

Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree with specialization in appropriate subject/grade and hold a valid North American teaching certificate/license that reflects relevant endorsement(s).

SAES Special Education Teachers work collaboratively to plan, implement, and evaluate meaningful and developmentally appropriate interventions aligned to the SAES curriculum using adopted and approved programs, materials, resources, and instructional practices. Special Education Teachers adhere to their professional organization code of conduct and research based educational practice. In addition, Special Education Teachers are responsible for nurturing positive professional relationships and for working collaboratively with students, parents, and colleagues to optimize the educational experience for the entire learning community. Special Education Teachers perform under the supervision of school principals and in frequent partnership with other educators, paraprofessionals, and parent volunteers.

Requirements:

Apply in-depth knowledge of special education, developmental and learning theory. Deliver effective individual, group and classroom learning support as needed. Display classroom management and instructional skill while teaming with colleagues. Promote student responsibility for learning. Provide responsive support through instruction, consultation, and referrals. Demonstrate leadership and advocacy for student learning. Identify appropriate and measurable achievement goals for student progress. Use resources effectively to support individual/group learning differences. Model the collection, interpretation, and use of student learning data to optimize learning. Uphold and enforce Company and School Board policies, administrative procedures, school rules and regulations. Engage actively in ongoing regional, district, school and independent professional learning and development to hone professional knowledge, skills, abilities.

A minimum of six years of full-time experience in a preK-12 school setting is required. Candidates must have worked full-time in an educational setting within the past three years.

Membership in professional organizations preferred.

APPLY HERE:https://krb-sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=25270&siteid=5398&AReq=13389BR&Codes=ASC-W-NASET

OR EMAIL:Nicole.hopkins@aramcoservices.com

 

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASET’s Special Educator e-Journalwere excerpted from:

• Center for Parent Information and Resources
• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
• Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP)
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, an electronic newsletter of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), available online at http://www.ncset.org/enews. NCSET is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
• National Institute of Health
• National Organization on Disability
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
• U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Office of Special Education

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal.

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