Special Education Growth Boundaries Open Thread
Let's hear your thoughts (I haven't read them yet.)
Tuesday Open Thread
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Comments
Is this it? Here.
From this list - kids are supposed to get all of ABCD. Right?
For the specifics of the "non-plan".
For the NE. We have Thornton Creek and OLY Hills. Will that be doing ABCD? What about JAK8? It has a lot of sped now. If it moves to Marshall building, how will all the accessibility issues in that building be addressed for students with mobility needs? How can this meager offering support the special education needs of 2 middle school service areas?
For NC/Hamilton. We have Bagley and View Ridge and BF Day. This would appear to have enough capacity. And oh look! Language immersion off scot free again!
For NW. We have BT and Loyal Heights. These are to offer all of ABCD for all of the NW? How can this provide all the sped needs for 2 middle school areas? Whitman and Wilson Pacific? What about Salmon Bay? It has a robust middle school special ed, but nothing for elementary? Still?
Only 1 "continuum" site for QA/Mag McClure? Will that 1 school (QA) be doing all of the ABCD? All of it? (not credible) Did John Hay fall off the map?
For Central (besides McClure). We have Leschi, Lowell, and Stevens - enough for 1 middle school area. Unfortunately that area now has 2 middle school service areas. We need ABCD in both Meany and Washington areas. 3 schools can not do it. What about Montlake? Is sped dead there?
In the S/SE/Aki/Mercer areas we have 6 sites: GH, Hawthorne, Highland Pk, South Shore, V.Asselt, Wing Luke. The south end looks to be a sped bonanza! Does the district again plan to send NE students where there is little sped... to a sped endowed south end? It better pony up some NE sites or that will be a reality.
W. Seattle. Arbor Heights. That's it. Schmitz Park is also listed as a preschool mega site. Seems unlikely it could do "continuum" and preschool.
--------
Bottom line. These aren't enough sites to be a plan. Not close. From what we do see - S/SE is sped rich and NE/NW are sped poor, with nearly nothing planned for the new middle schools. Capacity for everyone else has been planned and discussed. Sped? Not a peep. W. Seattle has practically nothing planned.
Where's the real plan? Maybe there is one? If there is one, maybe people will comment.
-sped reader
* Since the model hasn’t been finalized and will be phased in, do not necessarily hold all classrooms in units of four‐classroom set asides
* Assume some current classrooms remain (with annual changes as needed) pending finalization of the new model
* Restore capacity from previous set asides, especially at smaller elementary schools while maintaining availability of sufficient number of classrooms to implement the new model
* Maintain sufficient set aside capacity to implement the model when finalized and locate as appropriate based on up to date information on where students live who need the services
-HS parent
If they wait until the "model is finalized"... there will be no classrooms left. And if they add them, it will be to portables natch.
-sped reader
-
Sally
So are the self contained programs that served deaf/HH children dissolved under this plan? I went looking (in the linked doc) to see what will go on at TOPS and I can't find any reference to the three programs there. Does that mean that the children will remain in the building but spend full time in gen ed classrooms or that they will be dispersed to other buildings?
Will They
While others are duking it out about splits, equity and testing, I want to put some energy/advocacy towards special ed issues. Please continue to educate me - a general ed parent - so I know how to do that well for this underserved population.
Moose
On the APP threads, there are two types of people posting. You have the APP parents who have questions/concerns/opinions about how the changes will affect their children - that's to be expected. The other posters are the same few people who never miss an opportunity to pop in and tell those parents that they are selfish racists and their children are either nothing special - or have a responsibility to stay in general ed classrooms and provide leadership there.
You can't really be hoping to see that kind of energy over here - can you?
I don't know why there haven't been many posts over here. I suspect it's because there's not enough information to even begin a discussion. Or maybe it's happening through the Special Ed PTA?