Overview of the Special Education Reform

Transcription

1 Overview of the Special Education Reform 1

2 Why Do We Need to Reform the Provision of Special Education Services in New York City? Confidential DRAFT Not for Distribution 2

3 FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATES NY STATE CALCULATION METHOD Graduation Rate : + 40% 60.7% 62.7% 65.1% 46.5% 49.1% 52.8% Class of 05 (01 Cohort) Class of 06 (02 Cohort) Class of 07 (03 Cohort) Class of 08 (04 Cohort) Class of 09 (05 Cohort) Class of 10 (06 Cohort) 3 4-Year Rate 4-Year Rate w/ August (NY State reports graduation rates as of both June and August, including summer graduates, for ) Notes: The NY State method, used since 2005, includes Local and Regents Diplomas and all disabled students. It does not include GEDs and Special Education diplomas. Beginning with the Class of 2009, students must pass 2 out of 5 Regents with a 65 or above to receive a Local Diploma. August graduate data is only available for years

4 MORE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES EARN REGENTS DIPLOMAS Percent of Students Graduating from High School in 4 Years Student with Disabilities 17.1% % 2.3% 5% 18.3% 0.5% 0.8% 3.8% 3.6% 22.5% 1.1% 6.0% % 6% 8.2% 30.7% 1.2% 10.5% Diploma Type Adv. Regents Regents Local 14.6% 14.2% 13.9% 15.5% 17.4% 19.0% Notes: Graduation rate totals may not equal total of diploma types due to rounding. Totals reflect data available at the time of reporting provided by NYS; August graduate data is only available for years

5 What the research shows The more time students with disabilities spend in a general education classroom, the higher their scores are on standardized tests of reading and math; fewer absences they have from school; fewer referrals they have for disruptive behavior; and better outcomes they have after high school in the areas of employment and independent living. This was found for all students with disabilities, regardless of: their disability label; the severity of their disability; their gender; or their family s socio-economic status. (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, Levine, & Garza, 2006) 5

6 What the research shows Students spending time in self-contained classes leads to: Absence of appropriate role and behavior models (Lovett, 1996) Negative impact on classroom climate and student attitudes about difference (Fisher, Sax, & Rodifer, 2000) Staff spending time in self-contained classes leads to: Decreased confidence that general class teachers have for teaching diverse learners (Giangreco et al., 1993) No studies have been conducted that have shown that students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities educated in separate settings achieve more academically. (Falvey, 2004) The performance of students without disabilities is not compromised by the presence of students with disabilities. In fact, they derive benefits from their involvement. (McGregor & Vogelsberg, 1998) 6

7 IDEA Part B Comparison of State Level LRE Data (DAC- IDEA Data, 2008) Percent of students, ages 6 through 21, receiving special education services outside the regular class setting more than 60 percent of the school day. This definition includes students with disabilities in public schools, separate alternative schools, residential facilities. parentally placed in private schools, correctional facilities, and home or hospital environments. State % Students in MRE Settings Vermont 0 Puerto Rico 5.84 North Dakota 8.33 Alabama 9.41 South Dakota 10.5 West Virginia 10.5 Oklahoma Nebraska Wyoming Idaho Kansas Iowa Kentucky Texas Oregon 13.7 Montana Colorado Connecticut 14.1 Wisconsin Minnesota Nevada 15 Pennsylvania Mississippi Tennessee 15.6 Alaska Missouri Washington Maine Arkansas 16.8 North Carolina Arizona Indiana Georgia Louisiana Utah Ohio Virginia Michigan 21.3 New Mexico Rhode Island Florida Massachusetts South Carolina Hawaii Delaware 23.3 Maryland Illinois 49. New Jersey California Hawaii 50. New Hampshire New Jersey New Hampshire New York 51. New York District of Columbia District of Columbia State Performance Plan Indicator 5: Least Restrictive Environment School Age

8 Major studies on special education in NYC suggest need for change Least Restrictive Environment: The placement process in NYC emphasizes the notion of placement as the availability of seats in special education programs rather than as the services and environment that are appropriate to the individualized needs of the student.... Moreover, this process promotes the idea that special education is a place rather than a service, and places priority of such placement over what should be the most important consideration the general education placement. (From the Hehir Report, 2005) Access to the General Education Curriculum & Student Achievement : In the coming years, consistent with the principles of Children First, the Department should increase its focus on long-term outcomes for students with disabilities and empower schools, parents, and DOE staff to collaborate in building successful instructional models and strengthening the culture of inclusion for students with disabilities. (From the Harries Report, 2009) 8

9 NYC s Special Education Reform: Guiding Principles 1. Every school should educate and embrace the overwhelming majority of students with disabilities. A cohort of students with low-incidence disabilities or highly specialized needs will continue to be clustered in specialized instructional programs in community and/or specialized schools. 2. Hold all schools and students with disabilities accountable for goals that are standards-based. IEPs should reflect New York State learning standards and emphasize long-term educational outcomes. 3. All schools should have the curricular, instructional, and scheduling flexibility needed to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities with accountability outcomes. 4. School accountability measures, funding formulas, and enrollment policies and practices will be aligned with the foregoing principles. 5. Schools must be active partners with parents of students with disabilities. 9

10 Special education is a service, not a place. 10

11 Providing Access to the Full Continuum of Services Instruction: Universal Design for Learning School-wide Structures and Resources: Utilizing staff and resources innovatively Students with disabilities access the full continuum of services in the LRE appropriate Flexible Programming: Using the full continuum of services Quality IEPs: The tool developed with families to provide access to CCLS for each individual student 11

12 Instruction: Access to the Common Core Learning Standards Students with disabilities must have access to the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to be used to plan accessible instructional tasks. UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all students (with disabilities and without) access to equal opportunities to learn. Instruction Schools should think about individual student accommodations, modifications, and assistive technology found on their IEP to foster students success. School-wide Structures and Resources SWD access full continuum of services in LRE appropriate Flexible Programming Quality IEPs 12

13 Access to the Curriculum (Universal Design for Learning) As Found in NYC s INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE CITYWIDE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPECTATIONS Next year, each network will have an instructional team of at least four achievement coaches, whose roles and assigned schools will vary according to the needs of the schools within the network. Additionally, each team will have one achievement coach who will focus on supporting schools implementation of Universal Design for Learning and other instructional work related to the teaching of students with disabilities. 13

14 Access to the Curriculum (Universal Design for Learning) As Found in NYC s QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF THE CITYWIDE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPECTATIONS These expectations are part of our commitment to supporting students with disabilities through our special education reform. All students will benefit from tasks designed using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. UDL-designed assessments give students the best opportunity to succeed by presenting information in multiple ways (e.g., large-print text), allowing students to process a problem or task using a variety of approaches (e.g., different strategies for learning addition), and engaging students in multiple ways (e.g., providing tasks that pique students interests). 14

15 UDL & CCLS on the DOE Website Common Core Learning Standards New York City Common Core Library New York City Common Core Library UDL Tools New York City Common Core Library Sample Tasks New York City Common Core Library Guidance for SWD 15

16 Flexible Programming: Access to General Education Classrooms PLACEHOLDER for Flex Programming bullet For grades K-8, if you create parallel schedules, where general education and special education teachers are providing instruction in the same content area during the same periods, you will greatly increase the ability for fluidity between settings. For high schools, create student schedules with their LRE in mind for each content area. School-wide Structures and Resources Instruction SWD access full continuum of services in LRE appropriate Flexible Programming Quality IEPs 16

17 From the New NY State IEP: Sample of Recommended Special Education Programs and Services Note: Consultant teacher services + Resource room program = SETSS Source: NYSED Division of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners (DSWDELL) 17

18 A sample Kindergarten student schedule TIME MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 8:15 8:45 Circle Time/Morning Meeting (ICT) Circle Time/Morning Meeting (ICT) *Speech/Lang In class Circle Time/Morning Meeting (ICT) Circle Time/Morning Meeting (ICT) Circle Time/Morning Meeting (ICT) 8:45 10:00 Literacy (ICT) Literacy (ICT) Literacy (ICT) Literacy (ICT) *Speech/Lang in class Literacy (ICT) 10:00-10:45 Social Studies Science In class SETSS Social Studies Science Social Studies In class SETSS 10:45-11:30 ART *OT in class MUSIC (ICT) ART *OT in class MUSIC ART 11:30-12:15 Lunch/Recess Lunch/Recess *Counseling at-risk Lunch/Recess at- Lunch/Recess *Counseling risk at- Lunch /Recess *Counseling risk 12:15 12:30 Quiet time books and puzzles (ICT) Quiet time books and puzzles (ICT) Quiet time books and puzzles (ICT) Quiet time books and puzzles (ICT) Quiet time books and puzzles ICT) 12:30 1:30 Math In class SETSS Math (ICT) Math In class SETSS Math (ICT) Math In class SETSS 1:30-2:20 Group Work/Stations (ICT) Physical Education Group Work/Stations (ICT) Physical Education In class PT Group Work/Stations (ICT) 2:20 2:40 End of day routines (ICT) End of day routines (ICT) End of day routines (ICT) End of day routines (ICT) End of day routines (ICT) Most Restrictive <<<<<<<<>>>>>> Least Restrictive 18 * Integrated Related Services

19 Quality IEP Development The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written document for students with disabilities that guarantees access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment appropriate. Students IEPs must be followed and an IEP Team can amend the IEP at any time. If there is a need to amend the IEP, parents should be contacted to attend a meeting to discuss the proposed changes. IEPs should reflect programs and services that meet the student s needs in the least restrictive environment appropriate. School-wide Structures and Resources Instruction SWD access full continuum of services in LRE appropriate Flexible Programming Quality IEPs 19

20 School-Wide Structures and Resources Develop strong internal teams and structures, for example an interdisciplinary Pupil Personnel Team that meets regularly and is used as a think thank for students with and without disabilities Identify staff who will be responsible to provide the recommended services, accommodations, modifications, and support in accordance with the IEP. In most instances, a special education teacher does not have to teach within only one program model. In other words, there is no such thing as a self-contained teacher or a SETSS teacher. School-wide Structures and Resources Instruction SWD access full continuum of services in LRE appropriate Flexible Programming Quality IEPs 20

21 Providing access to the full continuum of services Instruction: Universal Design for Learning School-wide Structures and Resources: Utilizing staff and resources innovatively Students with disabilities access the full continuum of services in the LRE appropriate Flexible Programming: Using the full continuum of services Quality IEPs: The tool developed with families to provide access to CCLS for each individual student 21

22 Photo by Susan Abdulezer/NYC Department of Education 22