Special Education PTSA Meetings Announced

From the Special Education PTSA;

Announcing the 2016-17 Seattle Special Education PTSA general meeting schedule! Come and join us - we are looking forward to a good year - there are some new ideas and projects on the horizon and we are hoping to learn more about the ideas and concerns from the general membership. The meetings are Tuesdays 7:00-9:00 pm in the auditorium at the John Stanford Center.

September 27  (Wyeth Jessee will be our featured speaker talking about all the recent staff changes, what's new in special education and there will be plenty of time for some Q and A.)
November 1
January 17
March 14
May 16

Comments

Watching said…
Our very own Brian Rosenthal does a story on Special Education and Texas. Texas limiting the amount of students in Sp.Ed to 8.5%.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/denied/
9/12/16, 8:45 AM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Yes, Brian has been doing good work. (I was amused to learn that Jeb Bush's son, George, who is lands superintendent in Texas won't talk to Brian after just one article that got under Bush's skin.)
9/12/16, 9:29 AM
Unknown said…
I think the Rosenthal article is quite powerful and I expect serious repercussions, hopefully involving federal funds. The article found its way to my inbox yesterday via two national listservs. "The TEA has responded to the only formal complaint it has received, which came from Disability Rights Texas, the only advocacy group that has found the policy. The agency response was it could not address the complaint unless there was proof a specific student had been treated illegally because of the policy." Unbelievable lack of responsiveness and accountability from the state agency in charge of helping students learn.
9/12/16, 10:50 AM
LMM said…
Very good and sad article.

I have had parents with kids in Seattle public schools tell me they have been pressured to end their child's IEP - these are parents with kids with Asperger like diagnosis. I have a Special Ed child and I don't feel that SPS has done much to help - all the help and therapy has been outside of the school. Grading accommodation help some...and the ability to get someone to return my phone call due to the fact that my child does have an IEP...

Over the summer, my child will need to take Spanish,- any accredited summer language programs that SPS accepts? Anyone have a child who failed health (which is a graduation requirement)? and take an online class?

Thanks,
Cleveland & Mercer Middle Mom
9/12/16, 12:19 PM
Anonymous said…
"They said state-by-state comparisons were inappropriate and attributed the state's dramatic declines in special educations enrollments to new teaching techniques that have lowered the number of children with "learning disabilities," such as dyslexia."

In my opinion SPS does more damage than good in how it approaches dyslexia. Historically SPS does not have a record of success in helping students with dyslexia succeed academically. By the time students reach middle school their self esteem is usually very low and they self identify as special ed. Like it or not there's nothing special about special ed in SPS. If you take the time a talk to many middle and high school students they will openly admit they are ashamed to be associated with the label.

It's like being kicked when you already down. First you receive no measurable benefits as a dyslexic from SPS, then your stigmatized by being labeled as special ed.

Reality bites
9/12/16, 2:13 PM
Anonymous said…
Why isn't Supt Nyland attending the first meeting? For years the PTSA has had the Supt available for questions.

Interested
9/12/16, 6:21 PM
Anonymous said…
Cleveland and Mercer mom

ASL at community college can be a great alternate for foreign language.

Other options
9/14/16, 6:05 PM
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