Improving Instruction For Students With Learning Needs (Part II)
Lawmakers in recent years have begun to put a heavy emphasis on improving the academic performance of students with special learning needs. This new focus on academics has put a good deal of pressure on school leaders, who are accountable for putting policies into action. While there are questions about the fairness of some policies, it appears unlikely the clock will be turned back on reforms. Part II of this ASCD SmartBrief Special Report on Improving Instruction For Students With Learning Needs explores various policy approaches and examines successful strategies employed by superintendents and principals. Part II also looks at different perspectives on the overall topic. Part I, which examined issues related to instruction, assessment and professional development, was published on Tuesday.

At a Glance

Confronting Ableism
An ableist perspective asserts that it is preferable for a child to read print rather than Braille, walk rather than use a wheelchair and spell independently rather than use a spell-checker. School leaders play a crucial role in promoting this type of positive approach to learning, which can mean the difference between success and failure for students. Read more

School officials urge closer connection between special, general education
Special education directors, superintendents and other school officials from across the U.S. are pushing federal lawmakers to more closely link special education with general education as part of the NCLB reauthorization process in 2007 and beyond. They argue that programs geared toward improving the performance of special education students -- primarily RTI -- can also be applied to the general student population. Education Week (11/29)

Policy and Leadership

Radio series: Minorities overrepresented in NYC's special education program
In a radio series on special education in New York City, WNYC correspondent Beth Fertig notes black children are disproportionately labeled as emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded. She interviews University of Miami special-education professor Beth Harry, who says a built-in bias against students from low-income neighborhoods, as indicated by inferior schooling, could explain in part the skewed numbers. WNYC (6/7)

School districts take a closer look at special education referral process
More school districts are closely monitoring their special education referral programs to ensure the right students are placed in classrooms designed for students with special needs. Experts say extensive pre-referral strategies that asses students on multiple levels play a crucial role in preventing students without special needs from being placed on the wrong track. American School Board Journal (January 2007)

Why school leaders should promote the arts
Douglas Reeves, founder of the Center for Performance Assessment, urges public school leaders to push for the integration of the arts into core academic courses. Although Reeves acknowledges there is pressure to pare down the curriculum, he points out that arts education may have benefits for students who might otherwise be struggling academically. Educational Leadership (February 2007)

People balk at special education standardization
A proposed rule in Maine that would focus heavily on academics when identifying students who qualify for special education would limit those with disabilities such as Asperger's Syndrome, critics say. The ruling would help qualify more of Maine's 35,000 special-ed students for consistent services, argues Education Commissioner Susan Gendron. Portland Press Herald (Maine) (1/22)

Federal rules let children get special education help earlier
These federal rules, stemming from congressional changes to special education laws, are designed to allow districts to identify children for special education services through means other than comparing their scores on IQ tests with their academic achievement. NYTimes.com (8/4)

Perspectives

Commentary: Don't rate schools on special ed
Robert Tyrrell, a science teacher at Campus West School in Buffalo, N.Y., complains his school is listed as a "school in need of improvement" by the state's education department because of reported deficiencies in special education. He criticized the practice in part because, it "undermines the professionalism of special education teachers who traditionally have judged the success of special education students based on their individual learning plans." The Buffalo News (N.Y.) (1/28)

Parents speak out
Not all parents of students with special learning needs are trained in learning theories and teaching techniques, but they do have an extraordinary perspective on their children's behavior. In this unique piece, parents discuss what they would tell teachers about what may or may not help their child's schooling. Educational Leadership (February 2007)

Expert: Mainstream classes not always answer
Dr. Naomi Zigmond, a professor of special education at the University of Pittsburgh, told the Learning Disabilities Association of America that special education students should be separated from mainstream classes and given intense instruction. Many of the educators present took exception to Zigmond's views. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2/15)

Commentary: Special education's problems reflect public schools
Virginia special education teacher Jim Williams blames an outmoded testing system that can't determine whether struggling readers are learning disabled or just behind in their reading skills. Like public education in general, he argues, special education suffers from a lack of accountability, a preoccupation with process rather than results and a reluctance to change. National Review (4/6)

ASCD Resources

Books, articles and other resources

Article: The Whole Child: A Framework for Education in the 21st Century

Book: Creating an Inclusive School, 2nd Edition

Article: Excluded from Success: The Overrepresentation of Minority Students in Special Education

Online course: Using Assessment in the Differentiated Classroom

Video: How to Coteach to Meet Diverse Student Needs

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