Quality Education for All: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

1. Quality Education for All:Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners Sam Howarth State Director of Special Education NM Public Education Department Farmington, NM April 16, 2004

2. Some of What we Know • NM is one of the most diverse states in the nation when we consider culture, language, poverty, (dis)ability, geography

3. Some of What we Know • During 2001 – 2002, NM segregated SWD (6 – 21), 60% of the Day or more to a greater degree than any other state or territory with the exception of Washington DC. • 32 percent of SWD were segregated, 60% of the day or more, from typically developing peers. • 12 percentage points from the national average of 20 percent.

4. Some of What we Know • During 2002 – 2003, NM segregated SWD (6 – 21), 60% of the Day or more to a greater degree than any other state or territory with the exception of Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. • 28 percent of SWD were segregated, 60% of the day or more, from typically developing peers. • 9 percentage points from the national average of 19 percent.

5. Some of What we Know • NM was monitored by OSEP as part of their focused monitoring system and will remain the target of OSEP as long as our setting data indicates that we are not providing “access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment.”

6. Some of What we Know • OSEP, • The NM IDEA Panel, • The NM Focused Monitoring Stakeholders, • The SIG MegaCouncil, • NM’s own data (setting, monitoring, complaint, due process, test score) All indicate that we need to do a better job of providing access to the general education curriculum in the least restrictive environment

7. Some of What we Know • MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE KNOW THAT: • SWD, and their typically developing peers, perform better when SWD are provided access to the general education curriculum in less restrictive environments

8. So, What do we do? • Focus on data, Use data, Publish data • Monitor, focusing on setting • Provide quality technical assistance and professional development

9. Focused Monitoring • Four indicators • Setting • Identification as SLD • Performance • Completion • (Random)

10. Focused Monitoring • Four Enrollment Groups: • APS • Larger districts • Medium districts • Small districts

11. New Mexico Enrollment Groups

12. Selected Districts for 2001-02 Visits Districts in parentheses would have been selected for that variable but had already been selected for another variable

13. Focused Monitoring (Continuous Improvement Planning)

14. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • National experts • Consultants • Trainers • Presenters • Quarterly Meetings • LRE Core Team • Trained trainers • 2nd Cohort, (recruiting 3rd cohort) • LRE Summer Institute

15. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • University coursework • Dual Licensure Program • Leadership Course • Inclusive student teacher sites • Families as Faculty • Part D Meetings

16. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • Job alike support groups • Lighthouses • Teacher Study Groups

17. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • Dissemination of guidance and quality practice • State Recommended IEP • Determining Setting • Least Restrictive Environment • LRE Self Assessment and Quality Practice • Role of Related Service Providers memo • Co-development of guidance with others (CDD, PRO, IHEs)

18. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • Reading • School-Wide Positive Behavioral Supports • Guidance on FBA and BIP • Guidance on natural environments • Student Assistance Team (manual and training) • Three-tiered model

19. Technical Assistance and Professional Development (Supported through the SIG, Sliver Grants and/or other funds) • Community Awareness • Preschool Video – Role of Related Service Providers • LRE Documentary Project • Documentary • Made for TV piece • Policymaker piece • 30 second PSAs • Teaching tool • More?

20. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • NEVER BEFORE HAVE THE STAKES BEEN SO HIGH • NCLB holds schools, districts, and states accountable for making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) towards all students demonstrating proficiency by 2013. (This calculation is based largely on test scores.)

21. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • AYP is calculated looking at an entire student population and subpopulations that include: • Low income students • English Language Learners • Students from different ethnic backgrounds • Students with disabilities

22. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • New Mexico (and the country) is building new assessment and accountability systems to comply with NCLB • More importantly, NM (and the country) is looking for ways to improve student performance for all students in any and all subgroups

23. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • Highly Qualified Teachers • NCLB requires that teachers be “highly qualified” in the subject areas in which they teach by 2006 • Elementary = license and • passing state approved content knowledge test, or • earning National Board Certification in Elementary Education, or • Completing Subject Area Competency HOUSE in elementary education • Secondary = secondary or middle level license with • endorsements in the content area(s) in which he/she teaches, or • passing content knowledge NMTA in each core content area he/she teaches, or • completing at least 24 semester hours of college courses in the core content area in which he/she teaches, or • earning National Board Certification in each core content area in which he/she teaches, or • completing Subject Area Competency HOUSE in each content area the teacher teaches

24. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • Highly Qualified for Special Educators Means: • That special educators meet the same requirements as general educators, or • They collaborate with “Highly Qualified” general educators

25. Other Forces at Play (NCLB) • CONTENT ~~~~~ • ACCESS

26. Data • Data to inform direction • Data to measure progress A look at some data…

27. 2001-2002 Regular Classroom Variable for Students with Disabilities in Districts Selected for Focused Monitoring During 2001-02 Source: ADS 2001-02, DEC 1 K-12 count, comparing students in regular classroom settings to the total student with disabilities population in districts selected for focused monitoring during 2001-02. Setting 1 means the student received special education outside of the regular classroom less than 21% of the day. Setting 2 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom at least 21% of the day but no more than 60% of the day. Setting 3 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom more than 60% of the day. * Districts selected for monitoring on this variable.

28. 2002-2003 Regular Classroom Variable for Students with Disabilities in Districts Selected for Focused Monitoring During 2001-02 Source: ADS 2002-03, DEC 1 K-12 count, comparing students in regular classroom settings to the total student with disabilities population in districts selected for focused monitoring during 2001-02. Setting 1 means the student received special education outside of the regular classroom less than 21% of the day. Setting 2 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom at least 21% of the day but no more than 60% of the day. Setting 3 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom more than 60% of the day. * Districts selected for monitoring on this variable.

29. 2003-2004 Regular Classroom Variable for Students with Disabilities in Districts Selected for Focused Monitoring During 2001-02 Source: ADS 2003-04, DEC 1 K-12 count, comparing students in regular classroom settings to the total student with disabilities population in districts selected for focused monitoring during 2001-02. Setting 1 means the student received special education outside of the regular classroom less than 21% of the day. Setting 2 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom at least 21% of the day but no more than 60% of the day. Setting 3 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom more than 60% of the day. * Districts selected for monitoring on this variable.

30. 3 Year Regular Classroom Variable Trend Chart in Districts Selected for Focused Monitoring During 2001-02 Decrease 10.3 Increase 23.1 Source: ADS 2001-02, 02-03 and 03-04, DEC 1 K-12 count, comparing students in regular classroom settings to the total student with disabilities population. Setting 1 means the student received special education outside of the regular classroom less than 21% of the day. Setting 2 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom at least 21% of the day but no more than 60% of the day. Setting 3 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom more than 60% of the day. Cohort 1 – districts selected for monitoring in 2001-02

31. 5 Year State Trend Setting Data for Students with Disabilities Source: DEC 1 K-12 count. Setting 1 means the student received special education outside of the regular classroom less than 21% of the day. Setting 2 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom at least 21% of the day but no more than 60% of the day. Setting 3 means the student received special education services outside of the regular classroom more than 60% of the day.

32. RoswellSetting and Test Performance

33. RoswellSWD Identification Rate (3-21) and Test Score

34. Truth or ConsequencesSetting and Test Performance

35. Truth or ConsequencesSWD Identification Rate (3-21) and Test Score

36. TatumSetting and Test Performance

37. TatumSWD Identification Rate (3-21) and Test Score

38. What we’ll Do NM is one of the most diverse states in the nation when we consider culture, language, poverty, (dis)ability, geography. This is who we are, who our students are. Supporting all of our students to succeed is our challenge and will require:

39. New Ideas(Special Education as Value Added…)New Structures(Three-Tiered Models…)New Teaching Models(Collaborative Teaching Models…)An Absolute Commitment to Learners who Learn Differently

40. Thanks to each of you for all you do for students with disabilities, and all students.www.ped.state.nm.us