EAST CARROLL PARISH

1. EAST CARROLL PARISH INCLUSION

2. The Birth of Inclusion in East Carroll Parish In 1993 East Carroll Parish was monitored by the Office of Special Education Services Programs out of Washington D C.

3. Correction Action Plan Eighteen months later a corrective action plan was developed with emphasis on LRE. The correction action plan stated that funds were to be provided by the Department to hire a consultant.

4. Consultant Hired The consultant hired was Toni Bennett. Toni was to insure the corrective action plan was fully implemented and carried out. Mrs. Bennett insisted that the only way we could insure the corrective action was fully implemented was with inclusion. Prior to the return monitoring of the OSESP, East Carroll had surpassed the projected goals and objectives for LRE.

5. Inclusion Planning It was decided that East Carroll Parish would implant inclusion in grades kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The summer before inclusion was to take place professional development was held monthly. Characteristics of Special Needs Students Co-Teaching Collaboration Differentiated Instruction

6. Inclusion Implementation Two years later pre school was fully included. To this date we remain a successfully included system except for the very involved students whom are in a resource setting.

7. Struggling With Inclusion This is not to say that there have not been any bumps along the road. Initially there was a great deal of reluctance by both regular and special education teachers. Many teachers felt that students with disabilities should be segregated by classes. Today there is no talk of your students vs our students. They are OUR students!

8. Support of School Board With the support of the local school board and the superintendent we have managed to continue our inclusion. LaSIG has been a major contributor to our continued success. East Carroll has been named an outperforming school district by Standards and Poors for two years compared to schools throughout the country with like population. Additionally East Carroll had schools named in the top 20 schools by the SDE as outperforming schools based on progress with a population described as high minority, high at-risk, high poverty.

9. LaSIG East Carroll is entering the 6th year in the LaSIG grant. We now have Toni Bennett as our site liaison. Our LRE data shows sustainability of placement as 90% of our special needs students are in general education classrooms with support. East Carroll has 0% students in self-contained placements. East Carroll�s Special Education GPS has consistently been above the state average.

10. Continuous Professional Development As one would imagine there has been a big turn over in staff. We have to continually train to insure both special and regular education teacher are aware of the latest developments involving co-teaching and inclusion. LaSIG helps fund: Continued Professional Development Teacher Mentoring Program Parents as Tutors Program Collaborative Meetings

11. Inclusion Today In East Carroll Parish

12. Griffin Middle Academy

13. Griffin Middle Academy

14. Southside

15. Southside

16. Northside

17. Northside