https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze According to the article, the spirit of vertical equity is to make public schools more responsive to the varying needs that students represent. Are public schools in IL responsive to varying needs? What do you see within your school districts? How does your school respond to students with multiple needs? en-us 2017-06-25 16:33:09 UTC 2017-07-22 23:31:35 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177876320 I honestly do not know much about my districts financial spendings. As a classroom teacher, I do not feel that the same amount of money is spent on curriculum for my classroom /students as they spend on the gen. ed. classrooms. Our students who are in the life skills program are not supported well.  I know a lot of money is used for support staff, but this should not over shadow the other needs of the students. 
Taylor]]> 2017-07-02 03:31:31 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177876320 tnrich16 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177877661 In my current district I feel we have a lot of built-in resources I've never had in the past, which I've had to pay for out of my class budget. Varying level of educational resources are in place. If there is something not being met, such as a need for extra personnel, I have to support that claim with data. I feel my district supports our students with multiple needs well, but if we want to request anything extra we need to show proof our current resources are not working.
Tiffany]]> 2017-07-02 05:11:23 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177877661 petluvr2012 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177916824 I feel like my district could be a bit better about meeting the needs of students. We do lack some resources (mostly the amount of time with the resource such as a social worker, OT, PT, etc.). The teachers try to be open and accepting of all students but, some teachers do not work the best with those with disabilities. If a student starts to become a behavior or emotional concern, they try their best to get the student's placement changed. I think in the past, some teachers refused to work with students with autism and other more severe disabilities.

Hilari]]> 2017-07-03 03:20:31 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/177916824 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178043804 I would like to believe that public schools in Illinois want to be responsive to the varying needs in our schools. I think the past few years have been very difficult with this as schools have had to worry whether they would receive any funding at all. I think my district does a pretty good job responding financially to varying needs. We have many programs and resources in place (life skills, speech, ESL, interventionists, paraprofessionals) to meet students where they are and respond to their needs. 

Tori ]]> 2017-07-04 16:04:21 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178043804 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178044289 I think my school sets out to have vertical equality, but we sometimes lack of resources get in the way. We don't have a lot of time with out speech, OT, and social worker. Our OT and social worker are only in our district one day a week, so they have to squeeze everyone in during that time. My classroom is the only special education in my building. We pay to have students who need life skills to other districts with those classrooms.

Cecilia ]]> 2017-07-04 16:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178044289 tammy_l_jones7 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178132377 Unfortunately I do not see us meeting the varying needs of students and students with multiple needs. The intention is there and it is written correctly in their IEPs but the follow through seems to fall short. Or we are told to make amendments to IEPs if schedules don't work in favor of the students receiving the services they need. The related services personnel only have so much time and with numbers so high what usually happens is minutes are reduced to what the district is capable of providing.
-Tammy ]]> 2017-07-05 19:25:16 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178132377 alexandramsmith2 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178135489 My experiences are very different because I am in a specialized school. That being said, all students receive at least an hour of social work a week, daily social skills curriculum, and those students who need OT and PT receive these services. I feel like my school is very responsive and flexible when it comes to student needs.]]> 2017-07-05 20:34:22 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178135489 pemm7 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178202242 I think our district tries to do the best they can with our resources.  We currently have access to our OT & PT one day per week, and our school social worker and school psychologist are in our building about two days per week.  We have a full-time SLP in our building. We have a higher number of students with IEP's in our building, so I do think we have a bit more access to these specialists than our other two elementary buildings.  Ideally, I wish we could have more access to our social worker or psychologist, as many of our students could use a lot more support in this area.
Patti]]> 2017-07-06 15:24:48 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178202242 mannsm https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178217060 I think districts are responsive to varying needs. At least that's how I feel in my district. Is it perfect? No. Do I think we are moving in the right direction? Absolutely. I see a district that does its best to provide opportunities for learners despite the issues our state is currently facing. My schools respond to students with multiple needs through RTI and other related services.]]> 2017-07-06 20:08:55 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178217060 ajoh1672 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178235983 I think that public schools in Illinois are not responsive by varying needs. As the presentation said, we fund schools based on location. This model is obviously not working. I work in a self-contained school/transition setting. Our principal has improved and remodeled our school budget and he makes sure that we have enough resources to serve our students effectively. He attends district meetings and advocates for our budget. ]]> 2017-07-07 03:44:45 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178235983 mlmccas https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178589941 I personally think my district/school is very responsive to students with varying needs. We provide as many accommodations as possible, and also value the team approach to discuss what other accommodations might be necessary. ]]> 2017-07-12 20:22:03 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178589941 hmjirka https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178596811 From my perspective, I do think my district is responsive to the  varying student needs.  Whenever there is need for assistive tech, equipment or new curriculum- we get it!  However, in general, I do not think the state of IL is very responsive to the varying needs of students.  I feel that due to budgetary issues, special education is the first to be cut in IL.  I think there are good intentions here, but not enough $ to back it up.
Heidi Jirka]]> 2017-07-12 23:24:44 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/178596811 saramc1107 https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/179235287 I've seen our school struggle with students who are English Language Learners. Many people assume that students who are ELL are struggling because they may have some sort of learning disability.  However, more often than not they are struggling to make gains in a language that might be there second or even third or fourth language.  I have had to do some advocating in this area for myself and the student to receive appropriate services in their native language before putting them through the evaluation process...which often can't be provided in their native language anyway due to lack of staff that's bilingual.


Sara]]> 2017-07-22 23:29:59 UTC https://padlet.com/JenAdkison/8qj6brfstpze/wish/179235287