Parent Workshop: Creating A Culture of Belonging

Parent Workshop: Creating A Culture of Belonging Special Education Department June 2005

Three P’s… • Purpose • Process • Pay-off

PJ Case Overview Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Neighborhood and Home School Concept Magnet Schools and LRE Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and Access to General Education Individual Education Plans (IEPs) Creating A Culture of Belonging: Inclusion Adult Support and 1:1 Paraprofessionals Topical Overview

Connecticut case brought forward by small group of parents; PJ is a student with intellectual disabilities; Parents battled to have PJ in general education setting; Resulted in concept of providing appropriate education in neighborhood school; Time with Non-disabled Peers PJ Case

Many students will return to neighborhood school; Some students may be placed at school nearest home; Results in increased parent involvement; Magnet School acceptance becomes Home School; Developing short-term and long-term plan for moving students, programs, and resources; Home School Concept

General education setting in Home School is first step in determining LRE; District is examining educational needs of every student receiving services outside neighborhood school; Administrators and parents informed of return to Home School; Continuum of services at every school; Programs and services determined by students; Least Restrictive Environment

Interdistrict Magnets: Waverly, Webster, Fisher, Kinsella Parent Choice Magnet or Choice school becomes Home School; Continuum of services within the general classroom setting; Blind Lottery; Magnet Schools, Choice, and LRE

Special Education students are considered a population subgroup for NCLB; Subgroup must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); Entire school can be considered “In need of improvement” due to lack of AYP for students receiving special education; Increased student learning with general curriculum; CMT and Access to General Education

IEP goals and objectives aligned with CMT strands and CAPT; IEP defines services and needs, not location; Working on timelines to notify all parents in early summer for programming locations for school year 2005-06; Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

Creating a Culture of Belonging: Basic Principles • Students belong in the least restrictive environment; • Intelligence is socialized; • Students benefit from positive role models; • Inclusion prepares students for participation in a diverse society;

Creating a Culture of Belonging: How? • Raise expectations for academic and social success; • Support students in general education by increasing supports; • Train teachers and paraprofessionals; • Share ownership for the success of all students; • Hold everyone accountable!

Creating a Culture of Belonging: Teachers will… • identify student strengths and concerns; • select accommodations and modifications; • align instruction with CMTs and CAPT standards; • implement models of instruction to accommodate all learners;

Changing roles and responsibilities of some 1:1 paraprofessionals; Adult support offers additional assistance to small groups of students; Reduce learned helplessness; Reduce overreliance on paraprofessionals; Increase skills for paraprofessionals through training; Adult Support and 1:1 Paraprofessionals

Summary • Create a culture of belonging by ensuring all students are successful! • Provide sufficient supports in the classroom! • Be accountable for progress of our students!

Questions

Parent Workshop: Creating A Culture of Belonging