City Panel Backs Closing of 19 Schools

The second of two articles concerning the problems currently going on in NYC schools. I'm not sure if it is for the best or not it just seems like many minorities and students with disabilities would be passed on from school to school.

Since Mayor Bloomberg's council was granted control of the school system in 2002, it has closed 91 schools. The article goes on to say that the mayoral check is relatively small since 8 of the 13 members on the council are appointed by the mayor and can be removed when he sees fit. Makes me think that they would vote a certain way to keep their position. Read the articles and see what you think.

http://s.nyt.com/u/tk-

Large High Schools in the City Are Taking Hard Falls

The first of two articles I am posting from the New York Times. I found this interesting that lower achieving schools are on the verge of being shut down. Especially, as I found out that numerous students from minority groups and special education students could be the ones that suffered most. Can the government really call this a "race to the top" with billions of dollars at stake if they are considering closing schools?

Who really wins if this happens?


http://s.nyt.com/u/tzJ

Blood Tests or "Food Challenges", You Decide

Are blood tests that decide if a child has a fatal food allergy being misinterpreted? Some doctors seem to think so. If there is a possibility that your child has a food allergy, would you risk introducing the questionable food in the surroundings of trained staff and doctors?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904575025013194645130.html

Is It the Government to the Rescue?

Is the government dangling the carrot for struggling school systems that need money? Do school systems need money more than they need or want reform? I'm interested in how and if it can be done appropriately. This article raises those questions even more. With so many school districts having partial buy in to the program it is hard to decide if this program is the way to go or not.

http://s.nyt.com/u/rPG

Is "Teaching the Test" Truly Teaching

The state of education in WV is in need of a desperate overhaul. Students with exceptionalities are being short-changed and the policy makers need to realize that we are doing these students a great injustice. When standardized tests are the basis of how an entire school district or state is doing I say "phooey".

Many of our special education students are not getting an appropriate education that is going to help them be a productive member of society. Teacher's are forced too often to push these high stakes tests in today's school systems. At every staff meeting and inservice all that is discussed is test scores being too low, how to increase test scores, not making AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), and that teachers are going to be held accountable if students don't perform up to par. I believe that these students need a functional curriculum instead of placing so much importance on testing. This is of course my opinion, and as the reader will find, I'm full of them.

Take for example; a student in the eighth grade that functions socially like any typical eighth grader. However, the student functions academically on a fourth grade reading level or lower. We can't look at a student and see this. We can't wave a wand and teach this student to read. If the student has made it to the eighth grade and is still reading on a fourth grade level or lower, then there are obviously some serious intellectual deficiencies. According to the student's IEP (Individualized Education Program) they receive such modifications to their curriculum as oral testing, extended time, preferential seating, and a copy of the notes that are presented on overheads and smart boards.

I believe that this is great. It is allowing the student success, while making the student responsible. The student is allowed the opportunity to make passing grades while having to work for them and not just "coasting" through.

Here is where the problem for me is. Three times a year a benchmark testing is administered to all students. The reason for this is to see where the class has problems, address these problems and take care of them before taking the WESTEST before the end of the year. I'm sure the same sort of test is given to students throughout the state, in all counties, so the name of the benchmark test is not important. All sections of the test are eligible to be read aloud to the students IF their IEP calls for it. Here is where it gets a little tricky. The reading section CAN NOT be read aloud to the student, regardless of what the IEP states. I have many students that could listen to Gone With the Wind and probably pass an oral test on it. However, because the WESTEST wants to gauge their readability and not comprehension skills (I suppose) we can't read it to them.

Now, if you have never seen a student that has difficulty with academics, especially reading, on the verge of tears, and not almost cried yourself, I would question your humanity. This happened to me today as my students were taking the reading section of our districts benchmark testing. I know it is not the districts fault, or the state, it is mandated from the federal government. Of course. They know how everything else is done successfully, so why not education.

My question is this: if the IEP states that students should receive oral testing, then why would all sections of the benchmark testing and the WESTEST (state of WV's standardized test. When you and I went to school it was simply called the achievement test) not be read orally to the students. The IEP is a legally binding document and must be adhered to. So, is the state and federal governments out of compliance or simply breaking the law?

Jealous

I read this article a few weeks ago and it has remained in my mind for that time. I think that a program like this should be implemented as a mandatory activity/course for all students in need of a functional curriculum. So many times, the activities the students engage in are contrived and artificial. How wonderful for those students to know they are serving a geniune need in their school and are appreciated!
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09358/1023117-55.stm

As New Technologies Rise, Do We Abandon the Old Way

With technology increasing leaps and bounds everyday to benefit students with special needs, where do those age old tools go? Do they get stuck on the back shelf to collect dust until the ever repeating circle of education comes around and says that they are the most beneficial practice again? Or, do they get put out in the next yard sale for a next to nothing price and treated like they meant nothing to the millions that were given so much because of the intervention?

In over seven years in a special education classroom, I have never had a student that was Visually Impaired or Legally Blind. I have known of two, neither of which used Braille at all. I can't speak from experience on this one, but the article does seem to make some valid points. I do know I never heard the VI teacher discuss or mention Braille. Leave me comments and let me know if I am way off the mark on this one. Thanks.

According to this article in the New York Times, less than 10% of the 1.3 million people that are legally blind in the United States use Braille. It seems from this data that it may be falling behind other forms of technology.

http://s.nyt.com/u/AoL

Will This Increase Those Served with Special Education Services

The first thing taught to students enrolled in special education teacher education programs is that special education across the nation is misrepresented by the inflated numbers of minorities and males. According to the information contained in the following article, the trend is continuing. According to the article things are being done to increase the achievement gaps and drop out rates.

http://s.nyt.com/u/AJW

Doing their best with no training

This is an interesting article I read in the New York Times. It really opened my eyes to the lack of training the subs receive. I believe by reading this we can all be a little less criticall of the jobs they do. I found the data eye opening and that school districts, if truly worried about test scores, should do something about this trend.


http://s.nyt.com/u/A9T