Obama Administration’s Education Reform Plan Emphasizes Flexibility, Resources and Accountability for Results
April 19th, 2010The Obama administration’s blueprint to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will support state and local efforts to help ensure that all students graduate prepared for college and a career. Following the lead of the nation’s governors and state education leaders, the plan will ask states to ensure that their academic standards prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace, and to create accountability systems that recognize student growth and school progress toward meeting that goal. This will be a key priority in the reform of NCLB, which was signed into law in 2002 and is the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).
“We will work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to reauthorize ESEA this year,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said about the blueprint, which the Obama administration released on Saturday. “We owe it to our children and our country to act now.” NCLB highlighted the achievement gap and created a national conversation about student achievement. But it also created incentives for states to lower their standards; emphasized punishing failure over rewarding success; focused on absolute scores, rather than recognizing growth and progress; and prescribed a pass-fail, one-size-fits-all series of interventions for schools that miss their goals. The administration’s proposal addresses these challenges, while continuing to shine a bright light on closing the achievement gap.
“To make ESEA work, we have to fix accountability and get it right,” Duncan said. “A rigorous and fair accountability system measures student growth, rewards schools that accelerate student achievement, and identifies and rewards outstanding teachers and leaders. NCLB says that fifth-grade teacher who helps a student reading at a second-grade level reach a fourth-grade level, within one year, has this missed their goal. In fact, that teacher is an excellent teacher and should be applauded.”
Under the Obama administration’s blueprint, state accountability systems will set a high bar of all students graduating from high school ready to succeed in college and careers. The accountability system also will recognize and reward high-poverty schools and districts that are showing improvement getting their students on this path, using measures of progress and growth. States and districts will identify and take rigorous actions in the lowest-performing schools. The administration has proposed a significant investment to help states and districts in these efforts.
Under the ESEA blueprint, states and districts will continue to focus on the achievement gap by identifying and intervening in schools that are persistently failing to close those gaps. For other schools, states and districts would have flexibility to determine appropriate improvement and support options. With states setting high standards we must ensure that states, districts, schools, and teachers have the support they need to help students meet these higher standards, especially in high-need schools. The blueprint asks states and districts to develop meaningful ways of measuring teacher and principal effectiveness in order to provide better support for educators, enhance the profession through recognizing and rewarding excellence, and ensure that every classroom has a great teacher and every school has a great leader.
“We’re offering support, incentives and national leadership, but not at the expense of local control.” Duncan said. “Our children have one chance for a great education. Together, we need to get it right.”
Special Kids 20th Annual Christmas Party “The Magic of Christmas”
December 9th, 2009It’s that time of year again! Special Kids Inc will be hosting their annual christmas party for parents and children with disabilities. Please come and join us. The Magic of Christmas on Sunday December 13 2009, 12 to 4pm. Georgr R. Brown Convention Center, ballroom A-3rd floor, 1001 Avenida de las Americas. This event is made possible through partnership with the City of Houston(Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities),Texas Department of Health and Human Services,and George R. Brown Convention Center.
Making the Best of Your Child’s IEP Meeting
September 22nd, 2009Federal law requires that the IEP have a statement describing how the child’s progress will be measured.
An important reason for making sure your child’s IEP goals and objectives are measurable is to hold the school accountable for how they are working with your child. It is very difficult to establish that the child has not made progress with vague wording. When the goals are specific, observable and measurable, the parents have a system of keeping up with their child’s progress. The IEP must also list how the child’s parents will be informed of their child’s progress toward the annual goals. Use this checklist to build a good IEP for your child.
I.E.P. Checklist:
· You have a copy of all evaluations and other related documents prior to the IEP
· Evaluation data was discussed. Was the data for the following areas written: academic skills, nonacademic skills, communication skills, social/behavior skills, assistive technology
· Measurable and observable annual goals
· Measurable short-term objectives or benchmarks were written. Goals and objectives were based on your child’s individual educational needs. A method for measuring your child’s progress (at least as often as nondisabled peers) was established.
· A target date for the completion of each objective was established.
· A statement described the special education and related services to be provided.
· Modifications, and supplementary aids and services were specified (so your child can participate in the general curriculum with his/her nondisabled peers).
· Time your child will receive each instructional service and related service was noted. This includes minutes per session and frequency of sessions. This also includes related aids the
· teacher will need to enable the child to participate in the general curriculum.
· Date when all services will begin was established.
· Person responsible for implementing each service in the IEP was identified.
· Placement was based on goals, objectives, supplementary aids and services.
· A statement describing how your child will be educated and participate with other children with and without disabilities.
· Your child’s participation in statewide testing was clarified. Transition, if appropriate, was discussed.
· Get a signed copy of the IEP minutes prior to leaving the meeting.
If you have not every taken the time the read the Procedural Safeguards or if has been a while since you last read it, please read it. It contains a wealth of information parents need to maintain a clear understanding of what your rights are as parent and the rights of your child. This equals EMPOWERMENT!
Visit ed.gov or tea.gov for all the latest in education information
Tell Us Your Story
January 7th, 2009Special Kids, Inc. Community Parent Resource Center is looking for stories from families about their struggles and victories. If you are interested in telling us your story email Helen Davis at hdavis.speckids@yahoo.com.
The Agnes Johnson Community Technology Center
January 7th, 2009The Agnes Johnson Community Tech Center is available to children with or without disabilities, parents and members of the community in Southeast Houston near and around Reliant Park. The Tech Center provides access to the Internet, fax machine, light coping, resume writing, and homework assistance. Tech Center hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 1o am to 2pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 7 pm. Closed on Fridays Contact Quisa Johnson: Office Manager at 713.734.5355.
Our Training Classes and Family Support Group Meetings
January 7th, 2009SKI in partnership with a variety of community agencies provides FREE training classes for parents, foster parents , guardians,A and caregivers of children with disabilites. We also provide low cost training for professionals. Here is a list of trainings that SKI provided in 2009:
- What’s New with IDEA and NCLB
- Bullying In Public Schools
- Positive Behavior Support
- Understanding Procedural Safeguards
- Transition; Building Capacity
The training schedule for 2010 is in progress and will be posted as the dates become available.
UPCOMING TRAININGS:
- January 29, 2010 ” So! My Child Has Special Needs!” and “A is for Advocacy” Location: Moody Gardens Spa and Convention Center, Galveston, TX. 77554 Time : 10 AM to 4PM.
Here are some regular parent meetings that also provide information and support to our families.
Family Support Meetings are every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8pm at the SKI office, 2600 S. Loop W., Houston, TX, 77054. If you plan to attend this meeting call the SKI office at 713-734-5355 by Monday of the 2nd week to RSVP.
SKI in Public Schools (SIPS): This family support meeting and mini training sessions are held in public schools throughout the city.
The next meeting dates:
~To be announced~
Thanks To Our Sponsors
October 18th, 2008Many, many thanks to our private sponsors for your support of our SKI programs. You really make a difference and we cannot thank you enough!
We realize that it is a special effort to support our work and we want you to know we really appreciate what you do for families of children with disabilities in our community.
Approved For CPRC Grant
October 10th, 2008We’ve got wonderful and exciting news!
The Community Parent Resource Center grant was approved for funding by the Dept. of Special Ed for 2008-2011. We have been awarded $100,000 to service families of children with disabilities in Houston and surrounding areas.
A special thanks to Congressmen Gene Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Nick Lampson, Congresswoman Kay Bailey Hutchison, Congressman Al Green, State Rep. Garnet Coleman, Senators, Mayor Bill and City of Houston Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, White, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center, Houston Independent School District, Partners Resource Network, Inc, Pacer Center, and last but certainly not least the Beach Center. Your support was instrumental in allowing us to continue working with families of children with disabilities in our community. THANK YOU!!!