Findings and Recommendations Virginia Copeland, M. Ed. Vice President for Client Development
Review of Comparable Classroom Structured Focus Faculty Parent RISD District Observations Interviews Groups Survey Survey Information Study
THEME 1 THEME 2 THEME 3 THEME 4 THEME 5 • A Common • Highly • Authentic • Efficient, • Clear And Vision, Effective Parent Effective and Consistent Seamless and Instruction and Relationships Appropriate Administrative Consistent Clear and Use of Human Support for System and Consistent Resources Faculty Parents Shared Messages and Students Responsibility for All Learners
1. There is a strong commitment and keen desire to provide quality services to Richardson ISD students with disabilities including a commitment to continuous progress regarding the provision of quality services. 2. There is a strong sense of shared responsibility across the majority (90.9%) of Richardson ISD educators. 3. There is a strong collegial and collaborative atmosphere including a sense of mutual respect between general education and special education regarding servicing for students with disabilities. 4. The overall impression of the district, school and classroom climate and the quality of special education and general education instructional services in Richardson ISD is highly favorable. 5. Richardson ISD has a formal means to support teachers in lesson design and planning for a diverse student population, including rich curriculum guides and curricular frameworks. Formal planning and collaboration between general and special education is significantly limited due to time and inefficient scheduling practices. 6. The general education curriculum is consistently used as the curricular framework for students with disabilities. All special education teachers and students with disabilities have access to this curriculum, including materials and resources to promote access at the student’s enrolled grade level. 7. General education and special education implement a variety of learner-focused TEKS focused, researched-based instructional strategies that promote student-learning success. Observations of specialized support settings found consistent use of structured, targeted, fast-paced and individualized instruction.
8. Instructional accommodations and curricular modifications are implemented across all grade levels and programs, yet inconsistently observed at some schools. 9. Classroom climates throughout the district were generally positive, with exceptional teacher rapport, enthusiasm, and organized environments that supported learners. 10. A system of positive behavioral supports and interventions was evident at all schools and in most classrooms throughout the district. Student behavior was generally appropriated and allowed for focused attention to instruction. 11. Parents of students with disabilities in Richardson ISD are moderately satisfied with the quality of services their child is receiving and the support they receive from teachers at the school level. 12. Parents of students with disabilities are involved in their child’s education and planning for their future. In Richardson ISD, 82.4% of these parents attended their child’s most recent IEP meeting. 13. Most parents feel valued and supported by school and central staff. 14. There is general satisfaction with the quality of professional development provided through special education that is intended to support the schools and teachers who serve students with disabilities.
1. The Richardson ISD perception for special education is grounded in beliefs of categorical/label- driven/criteria-driven practices, resulting in special education viewed as a place or program rather than a service. 2. The practice of inclusion is widespread in the district and attitudes toward it are generally quite positive; however, a common vision of inclusive education and a systematic approach with quality indicators that every school should strive to achieve is needed. This common vision will serve to achieve an appropriate level of consistency across Richardson ISD campuses to facilitate smooth student transitions from level-to-level and enhance school and parent communication and goal setting. 3. Although In-Class Teacher Support (ICTS) is a practice trained and implemented in Richardson ISD, these partnerships did not exhibit the full range of instructional delivery options that can be implemented when two certified teachers share the same classroom or when two adults are in the classroom. Rather than both adults assuming an active role in instruction as intended, the majority of instances of ICTS observed could be characterized as “one teach-one observe” or “one-teach-one assist.” 4. Richardson ISD is in moderate compliance with federal and state mandates as reflected in the Performance Based Analysis and Monitoring System (PBMAS). 5. Inclusive practices tended to be based on a model for all students rather than individually determined. At most elementary schools, students are included in general education for the core subjects of Reading and Mathematics then pulled out to Resource classes for 30 minutes. 6. Educational technology was used in many classrooms to support student success. However, the successful use of educational technology varied from campus-to-campus.
7. Flexible grouping strategies were generally more evident at the elementary level and much less frequently observed at the secondary level. The exclusive use of whole group instruction limits student engagement, peer support models, and opportunities to more fully realize the advantages of two teachers in a general education classroom. 8. Collaboration between general education and special education is desired and when practiced, highly successful. However, collaboration is significantly limited due to inefficient scheduling practices and possibly insufficient staffing. 9. Richardson ISD is not richly or consistently staffed to deliver quality services to students with disabilities. While there is likely a need to adjust staffing numbers from campus-to-campus, the total number of staff appears to be minimally sufficient. 10. The teacher turnover rate for Richardson ISD is significant when compared to state, regional and comparable districts. Special education staff turnover appears to be negatively impacting the quality and delivery of services for students with disabilities. 11. There is a moderate perception among Richardson ISD educators that additional staff is needed, yet inefficient scheduling practices and processes may be contributing to this belief. 12. There is a need for the district to implement an objective, student-centered, district-wide process for determining staffing needs for students with disabilities. This process should be the single mechanism for determining the need for and assignment of special education staff.
13. Richardson ISD Schools use a categorical approach ( with labels such as DP, BP, DP/BP, Resource or Inclusion) to determine special education teacher and paraprofessional assignments. This practice results in an inefficient use of staff, reinforcing the perception that the district is understaffed. 14. The process for staffing allocations is not consistently understood by campus administrators, resulting in perceptions of inequity of staffing practices. 15. Common planning time for collaborative teaching partners is not a common practice on a district- wide basis. This results in poor, limited use of the second certified teacher’s skills. 16. In-class support for students within the general education classroom is provided, however, students with disabilities with in-class support and co-teaching arrangements (ICTS) are distributed in a manner that prevents efficient use of staff. 17. Richardson ISD has developed and disseminated specific written guidelines regarding the multiple requirements associated with special education, however, messages, directions, guidelines and clarifications related to the provision of special education services are not perceived as consistent across the district, leading to confusion and inconsistent levels of implementation. 18. Richardson ISD has a system of supports for teachers relative to accessing the general curriculum and other curriculum for students with disabilities. The level of support is impacted by lack of staff, knowledge and competence of staff providing the curriculum support. 19. Richardson ISD educators express appreciation and admiration for central special education support and leadership. Seven of the sub groups noted multiple issues regarding the type and level of support provided to schools, teachers and staff.
Recommend
More recommend
