Task Force on Inclusion and Accountability and Students with Learning Disabilities

Students with Learning Disabilities were barely discussed at the Task Force on Inclusion and Accountability.

As Co-President of the Learning Disabilities Association of Florida and a Parent Advocate for the National Center for Learning Disabilities I was very concerned. Then I looked at the Florida Department of Education Strategic Plan, and saw no mention of Students with Learning Disabilities

Then I decided to look at the School Grading Program -- Florida's A+ Program. Not mentioned there either.

Then I looked at the Grade 3 FCAT scores for students with learning disabilities -- 73% were at Levels 1 and 2, before the scoring changes -- expect that number to be over 80% in 2012

Tallahassee we have a problem!!!

Dramatically improving performance for students with Specific Learning Disabilities will take a fundamental shift in priorities, systems and implementation.

I am not an optimist, but there are signs things will change. When they do I will be the first to toast those who make the changes. Until then, we need to beat the drums and make sure our kids get the priority and education they deserve

Students with Disabilities Task Force without Discussing Learning Disabilities

We have raised the standards, we will include students with disabilities and second year ELL Students in the School Grading, and the last leg needs to be what we are going to do differently to help teachers and schools help our students succeed. Two days of Inclusion and Accountability Task Force meetings and very little focus on improving how we help kids succeed.

Today our kids learn differently, have far more attention challenges and are reading less --- fundamental changes are needed -- the scoring changes are only productive if our kids get a better education

I represent students with learning disabilities and in two days of discussions students with learning disabilities were barely mentioned and yet we make up 39% of the students with disabilities

A new task force representing students with learning disabilities, ADHD and related challenges needs to be formed

To Improve National Security -- Invest in Public Schools

Secretary Rice and Joel Klein make a strange argument for school choice -- read this article and consider why wouldn't we Invest in Public Schools

Our National Security would be best served by focusing on improving the quality of the programs in public schools. Technology, foreign language efforts and all initiatives are being de-funded as we support school choice at the expense of school quality. Many of our best and brightest students go to public schools, and they deserve to have their schools funded with world class programs

Invest in public schools Now!!!

Governor Scott - How to Attract Business - Excellent Public Schools

Florida Governor Scott correctly says that businesses want excellent schools.

Governor Scott appears to believe that means more charter schools. The challenge with that logic is that almost every dollar we give to charter schools comes out of public school budgets -- and then public schools wind up cutting music, art, reading and other critical programs.

I understand the concept of charter schools being a great place to pilot new and innovative programs, but a rapid expansion of these programs may lead to a quality decline and continued pressure on public school budgets and key services.

Florida Senators and Governor Scott -- Hit The Pause Button on Parent Trigger and School Grading Changes

There is great controversy in Florida on the Parent Trigger Bill, the substantial changes in the Florida School Grading System and on inclusion of Students with Disabilities and ELL Students

The Parent Trigger and the School Grading Changes will have a major impact on students, teachers and the State of Florida

Senator Simmons and others have called on Senators and the Governor to hit the Pause Button and to give the state the time to get it right

Let's take the immediate passage of the Parent Trigger and implementation of the School Grading System and hit the Pause Button

Parent Empowerment Yes Parent Trigger No

True Parent Empowerment Yes, The Parent Trigger - Cloaked as the Parent Empowerment Bill NO!!!
Today is March 3rd, 2012 and the Florida Senate is about to consider a Parent Trigger Bill.

Senate Bill 1718 is being considered at the same time school grades will go down dramatically as a result of higher passing scores and inclusion of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners.

I agree with raising the standards and the inclusion policies-- and I do support a Task Force to bring all stakeholders together to consider how these should be done.

Given the dramatic change in passing scores and the inclusion polices, this is not the time to privatize schools who were passing last year and would probably be doing better this year, if the changes were not made.

Parent Empowerment is critical to our kids success, but the Parent Trigger appears to be a not so thinly veiled approach to privatize schools

Senators need to Say No to the Parent Trigger or feel the wrath of Parents, Teachers and Committed Citizens in November

McKay Scholarship

The McKay Scholarship allows parents to take a child who has an IEP or a 504 Plan for the last year and to go to either another public school or to a McKay Private School.

The Miami Times did a piece last year on the financial challenges of McKay Schools -- I will not comment on this since I have no knowledge.

My concern is with the need for academic accountability.

Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education is a leading organization on school choice. In a page they created they promote:

Measurement: To provide an accurate depiction of where our students are, annual standardized testing must be continued and expanded in all 50 states. Measuring whether students are learning a year’s worth of knowledge in a year’s time is essential for building on progress, rewarding success and correcting failures. To accurately measure progress, modern data and information systems should be utilized, and there must be maximum transparency across the board.

Data-Driven Accountability: Holding schools accountable for student achievement – measured objectively with data such as annual standardized tests and graduation rates – improves the quality of an education system. Success and learning gains no longer go unnoticed and problems are no longer ignored, resulting in efforts to effectively narrow achievement gaps.

Teacher Quality: Study after study show the quality of teaching is paramount to student achievement. It is past time for America to move away from a union-dominated system that places tenure before the needs of students. Financially rewarding educators for their expertise and their excellence will attract and retain the best and brightest to the teaching profession as well as to the greatest challenges in providing a quality education, including teaching in high-poverty and low-performing schools. Educators should be licensed, measured and compensated in diverse and flexible ways that put a premium on raising student achievement.

My concern is there is no academic measurement, no data driven system and no requirements for teacher quality at McKay Schools.

I hear comments like, "There are very few schools with problems", "these are private schools, so we have no right to regulate them", and "the parents can make an informed choice".

I see students come from McKay Schools who are far below grade level in their reading and math, and the parents were not fully aware of their child's present performance. The challenges appear to be widespread and it is difficult for educators to determine which programs are academically the best, how could a parent be expected to sort it out.

I believe all private schools have the right to be private, but once they take public funds, that should change - McKay Schools presently get close to $150 million a year. I do not favor FCAT testing, but if the McKay students were required to take a nationally normed test, for example the SAT 10s, it would give parents insight into how students are performing and hold McKay Schools to a fair and reasonable standard.

Note -- when former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings was asked if she would support a voucher program without academic accountability her answer was a simple, "No".

Let's get Academic Accountability into the McKay Scholarship Program, let the schools who do well shine, and the schools that do not pay the price for poor performance.