Member Meetings>Spring 2005 Member Meeting
Spring Meeting
Urban Middle and High Schools That Work for Students with Disabilities
May 11-14, 2005
Wyndham San Diego at Emerald Plaza
San Diego, CA
The primary topic for our meeting is Urban Middle and High Schools That Work for Students with Disabilities. Dr. Matthew Malone, Special Assistant to the Superintendent for the San Diego City Schools served as our opening presenter on Thursday afternoon. Also on Thursday, our keynote speaker, Dr. James Knight of the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, shared what the research suggests are effective practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and other diverse learners at the secondary level. Friday was spent learning how selected member school districts are transitioning special and general education, as well as related services personnel, from traditional practice to outcome-based practice in the middle and high school grades. We shifted focus on Saturday morning and spent time discussing the IDEA '04. Sue Gamm, former Chief of Specialized Student Services for the Chicago Public Schools, and Thomas Hehir, the Collaborative's Senior Policy Advisor, and former Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, led a discussion of the major changes in our new Federal special education law and their implications for urban school district leaders.
Keynote Presentations
Dr.
James Knight
Research to Practice: Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities at the Secondary Level
Download Dr. Knight's presentation
Related Articles: Instructional Coaches Make Progress through Partnership
Instructional Coaching
Strategic Instruction Model
Dr.
Matthew Malone
Special Education and Secondary School Renewal
Download Dr. Malone's presentation
District Presentations
- Success Equals Cooperation, Collaboration, and Cohesion
Atlanta Public Schools, GA
Presenter: Dianne Holmes
This presentation shared strategies for supporting students with disabilities in inclusive settings, and reviewed what should be addressed with special education and general education staff prior to implementing inclusive models. The presenter also highlighted a strategy used in changing teacher perceptions about the performance of students with disabilities, thereby resulting in more focused decision making around data collection, data analysis, and student progression.
High Stakes Testing: English/Language Arts Remediation Options for High School Students with Disabilities
Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Presenters: Alice Farling, Christine Johnston, and Joyce Suydam
This presentation highlighted curriculum offerings that provide focused remediation for high school students at risk of failing or who have not demonstrated the competencies needed to pass the required 11th grade English end-of-course tests. The session included an overview of effective collaborative planning and implementation, remediation content, and student outcome data.
The Triangle Within the Triangle-
Humble Independent School District, TX
Presenters: Marlon Farr, David Hays, Betsy Ullrich, and Ruby Wallinger
This presentation provided information on the district's Behavior Training Center, formed to provide a highly structured learning environment utilizing a unique behavior management system to assist students who have been unsuccessful in less restrictive programs and for students who are entering from more restrictive placements outside the district.
Download the presentation
Surviving Secondary Reform-
Long Beach Unified School District, CA
Presenters: Judy Elliott and Erin Reid
Long Beach Unified School District shared its multiple reform efforts, targeted at increasing access to the general education curriculum, implementing empirically-based instruction, and raising scores on state and district assessments. Data was shared highlighting the areas of grading, communication with general educators, essential standards, grade appropriate instruction, intervention courses, professional development, and use of small learning communities.
Implementing a Tiered Approach to Special Education Instruction and Intervention in Secondary Schools-
Los Angeles Unified School District, CA
Presenters: Don MacIntosh and Susan Tandberg
In this presentation, participants learned how the Los Angeles Unified School District has taken steps to implement a tiered approach to instruction and services for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Discussion focused on how the district has moved to redefine the role of special education teachers, align to small learning communities, and change the instructional focus to implement a research-based approach designed to improve student achievement.
Project Achievement: How to Keep High Risk Students in District-
Nashua Public Schools, NH
Presenter: Judy Bell
Participants learned about Project Achievement, a program designed to look like a private day school operating in a public building. The concept of reintegration and the use of curriculum on grade level are discussed along with an internal system for consequences.
Download the presentation -
"Access to the Core" (An Inclusion-to-Standards Project) -
School District of Philadelphia, PA
Presenters: Gwendolyn Lewis and Marlene Owens
This presentation highlighted the district's "Access to the Core" project, a collaborative initiative between the Offices of Secondary Education and Specialized Services, where co-teachers jointly plan and conduct instruction in a coordinated fashion to ensure the success of all students.
School-based Career Initiative: A District-wide Mentoring Program for Students with Disabilities-
Poughkeepsie City Schools, NY
Presenters: Fern Aefsky and Vanessa Weeks
In this presentation, participants learned about an innovative program that was created to assist students with disabilities in the high school with a support program that increased student attendance, met requirements for transitional planning, and enabled students to earn two elective credits.
Co-Teaching in the Content Areas at the Secondary Level-
San Diego City Schools, CA
Presenter: Linda Trousdale
This session provided a discussion of high school renewal at 11 comprehensive campuses in San Diego City Schools. General and Special Educators collaborated to design, implement, and co-teach Units of Study in English, Algebra, and Physics.
Phonics to Physics: Meeting the Needs of All Special Education Students at the Secondary Level Seamless Transition to Adult Life-
San Diego City Schools, CA
Presenters: Colleen Harmon, Bob Morris, Dave Noyse, Vanessa Peters, and Jerry Weschler
This presentation provided information on the district's Transition Resources for Adult Community Education (TRACE) program for young adults with disabilities, 18-22 years of age. The focus is on infusing educational skills into adult community experiences including continuing education, vocational training, vocational placements and community life skills.
Co-Teaching in the Content Areas at the Secondary Level-
San Diego City Schools, CA
Presenter: Debbie Faris-Cole
In this presentation, participants learned about a system developed to provide services to special education students based on their needs rather than their labels. Participants will learn how we assess all students, design a course of study to meet their needs from day class, to pull out, or to being in general education classrooms with a co-teacher.
Redefining Reading Instruction for Middle School Students with Disabilities: The Truth About Commitment, Training and $$-
Villa Park District 45, IL
Presenters: Debbie Bruce, Michelle Drobac, Dan Stockhausen, and Linda Vlasak
This presentation provided participants with information about redefining the role of the special education teacher and redefining reading instruction for students with disabilities at the middle school level. It detailed the change process, the commitment required by all levels of staff within the district, the initial costs of training for restructuring, and the impact on state assessment results.
Download the presentation
Handouts:
A Specialized Literacy Program for Learners with Challenging Reading Needs: Program Components
Reading Success- Raw Data Sheet
Checklist for Reading Success Instruction
Student Progress Checklist
Crackerbarrels
- Dropout Prevention National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities
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Facilitator: Loujeania Williams-Bost
This session provided participants with an opportunity to discuss issues, challenges, and strategies related to reducing the extraordinary number of students with disabilities who dropout of school. The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, a federally funded initiative, is synthesizing the research with regard to the magnitude of the problem, as well as many strategies that states and school districts are adopting to confront the issue.
Grading Students with Disabilities at the Secondary Level-
Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada
Facilitator: Scott Reynolds
After considerable study and dialogue, Clark County has recently adopted a standards-based report card that will be used by elementary schools across the district and is about to embark on a similar mission with regard to its middle and high schools. This session provided participants an opportunity to discuss the issues, challenges, and strategies that Clark County and other Collaborative member districts should consider in developing grading policies and procedures specific to students with disabilities in this standards-based environment. The session will serve as the basis for an online conversation that the Collaborative will launch in the "Member Exchange" section of its Web site in early June.
Optional Sessions
- "Size-Alike" Meetings on IDEA Reauthorization
- This session provided an opportunity for representatives from our large,
medium, and small school district members to participate in a facilitated
conversation regarding the IDEA reauthorization of 2004.
The notes from these discussions are coming soon!
