Special Education in Public Schools by Susan Goen

Special Education in Public Schools by Susan Goen https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx en-us 2023-10-08 14:39:32 UTC 2023-10-09 01:17:35 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4da.png #1 Professional Perspective sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737090109 As a certified special education and general education teacher, I have worked with students at all developmental levels. Over the years I have seen rules, regulations, and laws change. These changes have all been designed to assist student's receiving special education services in receiving an equitable education. It is important that all educators continue professional development to stay apprised of changes and how they impact the classroom. Educators must advocate for a fair education for students with special needs. Districts must provide information for parents/guardians and the community advising what resources are available. This guide is intended to help facilitate that responsibility,]]> 2023-10-08 14:53:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737090109 #2 Summary of Topic sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737096719 The number of students qualifying for special education services is increasing. It is important to know where educators and the public can find information related to how and when students can receive services. The regulations are enacted at the federal and state level and can be hard to locate.
Emergent bilinguals, students with dyslexia, and/or intellectual delays/disabilities tend to be the most impacted by the regulations and laws enacted and enforced by the government. Educators are responsible for implementing them so it is important for them to have knowledge regarding any changes. As the special programs coordinator, I am tasked with working with administration to ensure staff, parents/guardians, and the community are aware of the changes and how they impact our students. ]]> 2023-10-08 15:03:20 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737096719 #4 News Article sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737160172 Navigate Live Texas, a project of Texas Health and Human Services started in 2015, is an informative website for families raising children with disabilities. Their article, Special Education 101, provides guidance for families just entering the world of special education. It helps remove the stigma of the special education umbrella by defining terms and highlighting laws that help families navigate services and advocate for their child. The article explains:
*Special education services begin with an evaluation and a determination of services needed, if any, and what the steps are to put those services in place,
*Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

It is important for educators and parents understand these aspects of special education.

Navigate Life Texas. 2023. Special Education 101. https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/education-schools

]]> 2023-10-08 16:31:01 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737160172 #3 Professional Associations sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737160449 National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is an organization for individuals who are seeking a career in special education or who are already teaching in the special education realm. NASET is dedicated to providing the most recent information related to the special education field through official publications and the feedback from veteran teachers in the special education field.

National Association of Special Education Teachers. nd. https://www.naset.org/about-naset/overview-of-naset]]> 2023-10-08 16:31:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737160449 #5 News Article sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737190270 Morin (n.d.), writing for Understood, explains the benefits of special education for student success in students who need assistance. She provides a thorough look in to special education and what terms are used and what they mean.

Morin writes:
*special education is not a "one-size fits all" approach to teaching students who need extra support. Individual plans must be developed to serve each students different needs.
*there are different types of needs for students under the special education umbrella. Each student may be served by a different department, a different classroom, and different staff.

Morin, A. n.d. What is Special Education. Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/understanding-special-education]]> 2023-10-08 17:13:51 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737190270 #6 Statutory Law - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737211498 IDEA was redesigned in 2004, then again in 2015, now know as Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), ensures that all children receive a free and appropriate education and receive all services needed to facilitate the child's education.

IDEA emphasizes the need for specialized testing to provide all possible services to students who need additional supports,
to ensure that schools and parents have all the necessary system of supports to provide services that will lead to a positive and beneficial educational results for students,

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/#IDEA-Purpose

]]> 2023-10-08 17:45:30 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737211498 #7 Constitutional Law - 14th Amendment sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737332933 The Constitution of the United States is the backbone of our government. It applies to every citizen, in every situation at some level, and education is no exception. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution grants:

"all persons born or naturalized in the United States...equal protection under the law." (U.S. Const. amend. XIV),
the 14th amendment does not identify education as a fundamental right it does state that any state that establishes a public school system must to provide an opportunity for a free appropriate education to all children living in that state,
states may not discriminate based on disability, among other factors (Johnson, 2017).

Johnson, S. (2017, April 20). The 14th Amendment protects the right to a public education. Concord Law School. https://www.concordlawschool.edu/blog/constitutional-law/14th-amendment-protects-rights-education/

U.S. Const. amend. XIV

]]> 2023-10-08 21:09:54 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737332933 #8 Judicial Law - Brown v. Board of Education sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737357781 Brown v. Board of Education was originally about segregation of races and how segregation did not allow for equal education for all students. Brown v. Board of Education opened avenues for students with disabilities to have access to a specialized education without being required to receive services in a separate school or location.

Brown v. Board of Education essentially stated that students of color did not have access to the same level of education as their white peers therefore, they were not receiving an equal educational opportunity as allowed by the 14th amendment,
Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017) went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States based (SCOTUS) on the argument that Douglas County School District did not provide an "appropriate" education for a student with autism and the student was not making progress. The parents withdrew their student and enrolled him in a private school where he excelled when challenged with a more rigorous Individual Education Plan (IEP). The parents took the district to court requesting restitution for tuition due to the districts failure. This case went all the way to SCOTUS where it was determined the district did not provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) ("What is FAPE? 8 special education court cases that defined our kids’ rights," 2023) as designed under the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA),
Brown v. Board of Education paved the path for many lawsuits that changed education for all students.

Lightner, L. 2023. What is FAPE? 8 special education court cases that defined our kids’ rights. A Day in our Shoes. https://adayinourshoes.com/supreme-court-cases-that-changed-special-education/?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=SocialSnap

]]> 2023-10-08 22:10:19 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737357781 #9 Administrative - TEC § 29 sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737381481 The Texas Education Code (TEC) is the collection of all laws and rules passed by the legislature regarding public education in the state of Texas. It is divided in multiple chapters that are each divided into multiple sections. Section 29, subsection A & A-1, (Tex. Educ. Code § 29) is related to special education. This section provides educators, parents, and students with all the rules and regulations that define how the special education program should be implemented in Texas public schools.

Special Education. Tex. Educ. Code § 29.001-29.049 (2021). https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.29.htm

]]> 2023-10-08 23:13:10 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737381481 #10 Administrative (Local) - Walnut Springs ISD sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737386296 The Walnut Springs Independent School District policy on Special Education is based on recommendations of Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). It encompasses various laws, per Texas Education Code, to facilitate proper service of students identified as needing special education services.

Policy code EHBA – Special programs: Special education – Walnut springs ISD board policy manual - Policy online. (2021). https://pol.tasb.org/PolicyOnline/PolicyDetails?key=195&code=EHBA#legalTabContent]]> 2023-10-08 23:24:00 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737386296 #11 Ethical Dilemma - Confidentiality sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737401383 As a Professional School Counselor working with students who receive special education services, it is important to maintain the education based level of "need to know" confidentiality. So many times, especially in a small district, staff and students want to know "what happened" to or with a student. It is important to maintain confidentiality regarding such curiosities so that private information is not shared with the wrong, although usually well-meaning, individual and possibly breaking trust or opening an avenue for litigation.
The American School Counselor Association published the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors (rev. 2022). In section A.2 it outlines confidentiality between the counselor and student.

ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. 2022.
https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/44f30280-ffe8-4b41-9ad8-f15909c3d164/EthicalStandards.pdf]]> 2023-10-09 00:02:53 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737401383 #12 Non-Law Source sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737429371 This is an excellent video demonstrating different scenarios where a teacher or school employee may be asked to share confidential information about a student. Only certain people, both at school and in public, are allowed access to limited information. I work in a small school in a small community and it is not uncommon to encounter parents and co-workers in the closest grocery store or sports event. It is a very comfortable situation where mistakes can be made. We must remember not to share private information so not to jeopardize our relationships with our students and their parents.
McAfee, D. (2018, August 8). Confidentiality Teacher/Staff [Video] https://youtu.be/zg4wVw4fBOw?feature=shared]]> 2023-10-09 00:58:07 UTC https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737429371 #13 Summary - Recommendations/Best Practices sgoen11 https://padlet.com/sgoen11/p98wgdp78hqx2owx/wish/2737439999 It is imperative that school employees adhere to the established laws and common-sense guidelines associated with identifying, serving, and maintaining confidentiality regarding students in their educational setting. Below is my list of recommendations:

Teachers must be aware of the strengths and struggles of their students. They must try different methods of instruction to determine where the struggles are centered.
Teachers must identify students that may be in need of testing to determine the possible need for special education services.
Educators must continue to attend professional development to stay apprised of the changes in instructional techniques and in laws affecting our students and classrooms.
Educators must treat all students equal. Every student is entitled to a free appropriate public education and cannot be singled out or made to feel different.
If a student is identified as needing special education services, educators must follow the students individual education plan to ensure the student receives instruction in a manner that is appropriate for their learning style.
If educators have students in their class that receive special education services, they must track and document the students strengths and struggles to see if changes are needed to the plan.
Most importantly, educators must remember that all information regarding students, especially those receiving special services, must be kept confidential. It cannot be share in the halls, during general conversations with anyone not entitled to said information, and kept safe to ensure the respect and trust is maintained.

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