School Choice and Students with Disabilities Presented by Dr.
Thomas Hehir
Slide 2
What We Know Massachusetts (Wilkens) Charters are more apt to
be inclusive of similar children Less apt to over identifiy African
American students
Slide 3
California San Diego (Hehir & Mosqueda) 5.8% in charters
vs. 12% in public schools Only three students with mental
retardation and two students with autism while traditional public
schools enrolled 1,000 children with mental retardation
Slide 4
California (continued) Los Angeles (Weintraub) Likelihood of a
child with significant disabilities in charter schools is.25 of
traditional public schools Widespread accessibility issues
Slide 5
Massachusetts Wilkens Students with significant disabilities
very underrepresented in charter schools However, some charters
have enrolled these students
Slide 6
Are Charters More Effective? Tom Kanes research in
Massachusetts suggests they may be more effective when comparing
students chosen with those not chosen. However, the role of social
capital in choice needs more research as well as differences in
educational environment between schools that have students with the
full range of disabilities and those that do not.
Henderson School A small and diverse learning community
committed to helping all children learn and succeed. 235 students
representing a range of ethnic, linguistic, and ability
backgrounds. 56 staff members, interns, and other volunteers
collaborate to create a caring and challenging learning environment
in which children can perform at their highest possible levels. An
inclusive school. Students involved in general education; students
with mild, moderate, and significant disabilities; and students
considered talented and gifted learn together and from each other.
All Henderson students participate in visual arts, dance, music,
and hands-on science classes. Henderson students and staff have
gained widespread recognition for their outstanding performances.
Strong family leadership and involvement. Henderson parents have
been active as decision-makers and coordinators of many endeavors
including after school activities, curriculum related workshops,
focus groups, assistive technology, family outreach, and special
activities.
Slide 11
Samuel Mason School An Effective Practice Pilot School where
students are taught in fully inclusive classrooms. Teachers are
dual-certified in regular and special education with extensive
training in literacy, math investigations and character education.
Through creative allocation of funding and commitment of caring
partners, each classroom is staffed by two or more adults,
resulting in a very low student teacher ratio. Business and
community partnerships have a strong presence in the school,
including the Boston YMCA, NewMarket Business Association and John
Hancock Services. Parents as partners. Active members of the
school's governance board and Instructional Leadership Team.
Parent-designed center staffed by community liaisons, Home Reading
Coordinator and Mason parent leaders, provides workshops and
training for assisting children in literacy, math and home reading
strategies, bridging the gap between home and school. Children at
the Mason School are taught to be independent. Top 50 Elementary
Schools in Massachusetts during 2005 and also winning the Vanguard
Award in 2003 for Mass Insight Education.
Slide 12
Boston Arts Academy Urban school founded on the conviction that
academics and the arts are equally important to student development
and achievement. The arts are integrated throughout the academic
curriculum motivating students with a variety of learning styles to
succeed in high school and pursue higher education. BAAs 405
students reflect the diversity of the seventeen Boston
neighborhoods from which they come: 49% are African American, 29%
Latino, 17% Caucasian, 3% Asian, and 2% self-identified as Other.
Nearly 60% come from low-income households. Because of its success
with urban students, BAA is a recognized leader in public education
reform movement. Innovative use of the arts as a strategy for
improving teaching and learning has attracted national and
international attention. Through the schools Center for Arts in
Education, BAAs best practices are documented and shared with
educators, administrators and policymakers worldwide.
Slide 13
Symbolic Frame (Value and culture matter) Structural Frame
(Organization, resources, policies, etc.) Political Frame (How an
organization deals with issues of power) Human Resource Frame (How
the individuals within the organization are treated, supported and
developed) The Four Frames of Leadership (Bolman and Deal)
Slide 14
Symbolic Frame (Values and culture matter) Strong mission
orientation Leaders tell the story of the school and its students
School leaders believe they are involved in a larger change effort
to remake schooling to be more equitable and inclusive Ceremonies
celebrating success and promoting mission are common
Slide 15
Structural Frame (Organization, resources, policies, etc.) All
resources in one basket The leaders are exceptionally
entrepreneurial Collaborative teaching and problem solving
opportunities Extended time Integration of community resources UDL
utilizing both high and low tech is ubiquitous Strong integration
of the arts
Slide 16
Political Frame (How an organization deals with issues of
power) Opinion leaders are essential elements of promoting change
(Skrtic) Principals actively seek political support to secure
necessary resources Principals actively seek both vertical and
horizontal support within their school Principals actively seek
community support Principals engage in a delicate dance of being
both insiders and countercultural change agents Implementers and
clients matter
Slide 17
Human Resource Frame (How the individuals within the
organization are treated, supported and developed) All persons
working within the schools are connected to the mission Leadership
is distributed Teacher leadership is encouraged and valued
Collaborative problem solving is the norm A recognition that
specialized expertise is necessary Teachers and other staff
evidence high morale Significant resources are available for staff
development Clear expectations that all need to constantly improve
their ability to address the needs of diverse learners
Slide 18
Biggest Take Away All of these schools have moved from egg
crate performance organizations to collaborative problem solving
organizations Kids at the margins have driven this organizational
change