The Difference Our Teachers Make, very impressive!

Docere, Delectare, Movere. To teach, To delight, To move. That's what we do.  All of our teachers are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and committed to classical education.  As such, our teachers are not focused on education as mere technique or simply the employment of certain methods.  Of course, methodology is important, but framing education exclusively in terms of technique evades the issue of what education is.  Education is more than mere technique.  Education is the architecture of the soul, not mere 'data-transfer'. Because of this, rather than seeking out teachers who specifically and only have training and degrees in education, we seek out teachers who already have extensive knowledge of the subject that will be taught.  In keeping with this, we think the following is important when we choose a teacher for the Memoria Press Online Academy:
1. We look for a good working knowledge of the subject matter.
This might seem like a patently obvious consideration, hardly worth mentioning.  Yet, in the current climate, in which education is defined primarily in terms of progressivism and pragmatism, this cannot be overemphasized.  A teacher actually needs to know what they are teaching.  For example, many of our English teachers have formal training in this area, often holding a degree in English or Literature.  It is not always the case that our teachers hold a degree in the exact same area they are teaching, but all teachers have relevant training and experience in their subjects.  Another example is Latin.  All of our Latin teachers have had formal training in Latin, and some hold degrees in Latin and Liberal Arts.  But some of our Latin teachers have formal training in Latin and hold degrees in other areas like Biblical Studies, Theology, or Classics.  These disciplines are relevant and all of this is considered when we choose our instructors.
2. An enthusiastic, confident teacher who enjoys the subject is essential.
Many of us have had a teacher who was less than enthusiastic, sometimes even bored with what they are teaching.  A student is not above his teacher, and a teacher bored with what they are teaching encourages students to be bored with it as well.
3. We look for clear communicators who will carefully lead students through the subject.
Necessarily, an enthusiastic teacher who really knows the material will know more than the student, but has the added responsibility to present the material clearly, define terms, and to use memorable illustrations.  It sounds simple but it is an often neglected aspect of education; students need the material presented to them - the more explicitly the better.  In modern permissivist education theory, teachers are supposed to use "discovery" learning.  Teachers in training are told not to be the "sage on the stage" but to be the "guide on the side."  Cheryl Lowe, Headmistress of Highlands Latin School, points out that this amounts to saying that the best way to teach students is to withold information from them.  This is about as effective as it sounds.
4. We look for a teacher who embodies the knowledge and virtue he or she is teaching.
Students not only need to know what truth, goodness, and beauty are, they need to see it in the teacher.  And it's not only with things like the great transcendentals (truth, goodnes, and beauty), the same is true of individual subjects.  Children will place the same value on subjects that we place on them.  If a teacher tells them what to learn but does not conduct themselves in a manner that exemplifies knowledge and virtue, they will fail.  Remember, a student is not above his teacher.

Can a creative approach school solve the dyslexic dilemma in SPS

The Hamlin Robinson School (HRS) is an independent school in Seattle offering a specialized program specifically for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. We understand the interdependence of the educational, social, and emotional needs of dyslexic students. These children have a common need for a great education and to be taught in a way in which they can learn. Students are accepted at their instructional level, and respect is a fundamental value at HRS. Our students acquire self-advocacy skills as they learn what makes them successful.

Believing that all children can learn with confidence and success, Hamlin Robinson School provides an engaging, multi‐sensory academic program within a vibrant urban setting. Founded as an elementary school and now serving grades one through eight, HRS aspires to establish a  comprehensive institute for dyslexia education, research, training and information – a nationally recognized resource center for language and
learning issues.

So what's Seattle public schools solution?

The Seattle school district's legal department officially admitted back in September 2014 that they can find no evidence of services or programs for dyslexic students. The achievement gap for dyslexic students is well documented and still there has been no visible movement at SPS to serve these students. Remember we are talking about up to 8,000 students those already diagnosed and those that have fallen through the cracks.

I believe the time has come for strategic intervention in the form of a publicly funded creative approach school for students with dyslexia.  Can a creative approach school solve the dyslexic dilemma in SPS? I think if you look at HRS you can see what's possible when there's a will to serve.

I believe this type of school should be an option available to our families, that families should not have to sell their homes, empty their savings accounts or hire a lawyer for their child to be served in our public school system.

Right to Compensatory Education for Denial of Child Find, an IEP and FAPE

The DC Court of Appeals issued a decisive decision last week in the case: Boose v. District of Columbia.  The Court of Appeals determined that the violations of the IDEA's "child find" requirements, or the  failure to offer a student  an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and if that failure affects a student's education then that student has been denied a free appropriate public education (FAPE).  Furthermore, the Court delineated the responsibility to rectify that denial with compensatory education:

"And when a school district denies a child a FAPE, the courts have “broad discretion” to fashion an appropriate remedy. See Florence County School District Four v. Carter, 510 U.S. 7, 15–16 (1993). That equitable authority, this court has held, must include the power to order “compensatory education”—that is, education services designed to make up for past deficiencies in a child’s program. Reid ex rel. Reid v. District of Columbia, 401 F.3d 516, 522–23 (D.C. Cir. 2005). If compensatory education were unavailable, after all, a child’s access to appropriate education could depend on his parents’ ability to pull him out of the deficient public program and front the cost of private instruction—a result “manifestly incompatible with IDEA’s purpose of ‘ensur[ing] that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education.’” Id. at 522–23 (quoting 20 U.S.C. § 1400(d)(1)(A)); see also School Committee of the Town of Burlington, Massachusetts v. Department of Education of Massachusetts, 471 U.S. 359 (1985) (compelling reimbursement for private instruction to avoid the same harm). Worse yet, “students who remained in public school [without an appropriate plan] would lack any effective redress for FAPE denials, even those extending over many years.” Reid, 410 F.3d at 523. To be sure, such students could seek a satisfactory IEP. But because the Supreme Court has held that IEPs need do no more than provide “some educational benefit” going forward, Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District, Westchester County v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 200 (1982), an education plan conforming to that standard will speak only to “the child’s present abilities,” Reid, 401 F.3d at 523. Unlike compensatory education, therefore, an IEP “carries no guarantee of undoing damage done by prior violations,” id., and that plan alone cannot take the place of adequate compensatory education."

The decision (here) contains an excellent analysis of the right to compensatory education for a denial of child find, an IEP and FAPE.  

Stanford study on brain waves shows how different teaching methods affect reading development

Stanford Professor Bruce McCandliss found that beginning readers who focus on letter-sound relationships, or phonics, increase activity in the area of their brains best wired for reading.

 

Full story 

Announcing COPAA's 4th Cohort of SEAT, Apply Now!

COPAA is proud to conduct a year-long Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT)TM , the only nationally developed and recognized year-long course that provides participants with training to become a special education advocate. The course is based in part on the SEAT Curriculum TM  developed through a partnership between COPAA and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) University Center for Excellence, University of Southern California on a three year demonstration grant funded by the U.S . Department of Education in 2005. The grant funded portion of the project ended in 2009, resulting in development of a model curriculum for advocacy training that was vetted through 3 cohorts under the direction of a 10 member National Advisory Board, and several members of the COPAA Training Committee, all of whom are nationally recognized special education advocates and attorneys.


This session is the fourth cohort for COPAA, using a web-based curriculum and distance learning.   This is an exciting adventure in training a diverse group of special education advocates, and we are looking forward to another rich and rewarding experience.
 
This training is the equivalent of two very challenging college courses.  The course is being offered as a combination of self-paced web learning, readings, group and individual assignments as well as live virtual classrooms.  The course schedule lays out the assignments required for each topic and the time/dates of the virtual classes.   Participants must have a computer, web access, frequent access to email and be comfortable with distance learning.

Participants are expected to complete work before the virtual classes to be able to participate fully in discussions. Typically, 5-6 hours per week is required to complete course assignments, attend online classes, and optional discussion groups. If an issue arises that prevents this from happening, participants should contact the instructors to discuss options.

* All Applications are subject to approval of the course instructors.

Please note that individuals participating must be eligible for COPAA membership.

SEAT Tuition: 

COPAA Members - $1,150.00 ( $345 due with application, $805 due upon acceptance)

Non-Members – $1,300.00 ( $390 due with application, $910 due upon acceptance. Includes one year of COPAA membership).

**30% of the tuition will be due when applying. Application deposit is fully refundable if not accepted the SEAT program. If accepted it is applied to course tuition.

*** Balance Due upon acceptance

Scholarship Discount:

A limited number of qualified individuals whose family income is at or below 2 x the federal poverty level or who have extenuating circumstances may apply for a SEAT registration fee discount. The discounted tuition amount is 30% of full tuition rate. Requests will be considered on first come basis. To apply for consideration you must complete the online application for SEAT and note in the comments box you are applying for a scholarship. Then send a letter of request with proof that you meet the poverty guidelines (i.e.,the first two pages of your federal tax return) to SEAT@copaa.org   A COPAA Representative will contact you to confirm eligibility and availability. Federal Guideline can be found here: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/15poverty.cfm#thresholds

Deadline for scholarship discount applications is August 25, 2015. However, there is a limited number and they will be considered and awarded on a first come basis. 

Best wishes,

COPAA's Training Committee

Department of Justice Reaches Settlement Agreement with Colorado School District to Address Racial Harassment and Discrimination

The Justice Department announced that it has entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement with the Falcon School District 49 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to resolve complaints about the district’s response to racial harassment and discrimination in its schools.   
The agreement will continue for at least three years and replaces a settlement agreement reached by the parties in 2010 which addressed similar issues. The agreement requires the district to take affirmative steps to eliminate and prevent racial harassment and discrimination in schools.  Specifically, the district agrees to:

• revise its policies and procedures on harassment and discrimination;
• maintain adequate records of all incidents of racial harassment and discrimination;
• analyze incidents of racial harassment and discrimination to ensure that all incidents are properly identified, investigated, and resolved;
• train staff in preventing and responding to harassment and discrimination;
• provide training to students to prevent and address harassment and discrimination;
• include restorative justice techniques and positive behavior interventions and supports in the district’s disciplinary responses to incidents of harassment and discrimination; and
• hire a consultant to identify any additional measures the district should take to effectively address, prevent, and respond to harassment and discrimination.

“We applaud the Falcon School District 49 for working cooperatively with the Department of Justice to resolve this matter and ensure that all students can attend school without fear of harassment or discrimination from their peers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Molly Moran for the Civil Rights Division.
The enforcement of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion in public schools, is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.

115 years ago in place far far away, one man got it right.

The last few days I've been reading various articles and sections of books trying to create some sort of message that would resonate will the various camps in SPS. My partner pointed me to the Richard Hofstadter book - anti-intellectualism in American life.

I browsed thru various chapters and stopped at page 365, it was more like I hit a wall. Page 365 contains Hofstadter's paraphrasing of G.R. Glenn's - What manner of child shall this be. As I read Hofstadter's words I forgot the book was written in 1963, because I swear he was referring the current state of SPS. At that time I had no clue who G.R Glenn was.
G.R Glenn as it turns out was the Superintendent of public instruction for the state of Georgia and he wrote "What manner of child shall this be" in 1900.

I encourage everyone to go read both the paraphrased version and the original version of "What manner of child shall this be". Do this before you make any excuses for the state of Special education in the Seattle public school system.

I think you might have a change of heart.

“Time was when the power of the teacher was measured by what he could do with a bright boy or a bright girl. From the beginning of this new century the power of the teacher will be measured by what he will be able to do with the dull boy, the defective child. More than ever before in the history of this world the real test of teaching power will be measured, not by what can be done with the best, but by what can be done with the worst boy in the school. The new educational psychology will be “the psychology of the prodigal son and the lost sheep.” The “great rejoicings” in American life will come when child study is so mastered and the development of schools so perfected that the educational system touches and develops every American boy. “We shall come to out place rejoicing when we have saved every one of these American children and made every one of them a contributor to the wealth, to the intelligence, and to the power of this great democratic government of ours.”

Glenn

Hofstadter

Good Intentions vs Ego

Answer these questions:

 

What do think is driving Seattle public schools administration decisions?

If you could do anything , what would you do to improve the education of ALL Seattle public school students?

 

What can you do today to improve the education of ALL Seattle public school students?

What's driving your choices, good intentions or ego?

An argument for the creation of unqiue programs for native American students.

 I'm usually advocating for more appropriate services for students under the IDEA or working with parents trying to get their student on an IEP, but this information shows how some districts abuse the IDEA and inappropriately place native American students in special educational programs.    


About 14% of American Indian and Alaska Native students received
IDEA services in 2006, compared to 8% of white, 11% of black, 8% of Hispanic,
and 5% of Asian/Pacific Islander students (Alliance for Excellent Education 2008).
Table 1 shows the percent of minority students enrolled in three specific special
education categories in 2006.
Nationally, American Indian and Alaska Native students are 1.53 times more likely
to receive special education services for specific learning disabilities and are 2.89
times more likely to receive such services for developmental delays than the combined
average of all other racial groups. Fifteen percent of American Indian and Alaska
Native eighth graders were categorized as students with disabilities in 2005, meaning
they had or were in the process of receiving Individualized Education Plans (IEP), compared
to 9% of all non–American Indian and Alaska Native eighth graders (Collier,
2011). A disturbing additional aspect of this disproportionality is that while overrepresented
in special education in general, AI/AN students are woefully under-served
in specific categories of special need, e.g.,autism spectrum disorder and intellectually
gifted. In 1998, American Indian and Alaska Native students made up 1.1% of
the student population but just 0.87% of the student population in gifted education
(Faircloth and Tippeconnic, 2000).
This dismal national picture is repeated within many individual districts. In a study
of ethnicity and gender in placement in special education in Portland Public schools
in Oregon (King & Pemberton, 2001), researchers found a consistent pattern of
disproportionality for AI/AN students. They were over-represented in special education
services almost 2 to 1 but under-represented in autism spectrum disorder. While AI/AN
students represented 2.4% of total enrollment in PPS, they represented 4.7% of
special education students but only 1.5% of those identified as having autism spectrum
disorder. In contrast, European American students represent 62.4% of the total enrollment
in PPS, but 78.7% of those with autism spectrum disorder.
This disproportionality in access to special education services for specific disorders
is also found among limited English proficient students from other diverse cultures.



Table 1. Comparison K12 Enrollment to Three Special Education Categories (U.S. Census)

                                     Hispanic African American  Asian/PacificIslander      Native American
% Total enrollment            18.51         14.91                    4.2                                 0.97
% Emotional Disturbance  11.90         28.79                    1.12                               1.56
% Learning Disabilities     21.22         20.52                    1.7                                 1.74
% Mental Retardation       17.27         20.6                      2.19                               1.53

Supreme Court Denies Cert in Ridley School District v. M.R.

 Congress intended stay-put placement to remain in effect through the final resolution of the dispute

 



On May 18, 2015 the United States Supreme Court declined to grant  Ridley School District's petition for certiorari  in the case Ridley School District v. M.R.   Ridley School District sought the petition after the Third Circuit ruled that  the "stay put" provision of the IDEA extended through judicial appeals.  The Third Circuit said: "the statutory language and the 'protective purposes' of the stay-put provision lead to the conclusion that Congress intended stay-put placement to remain in effect through the final resolution of the dispute." The court of appeals emphasized Section 14159(j)'s reference to "any proceedings conducted pursuant to this section" and noted that the proceedings unambiguously encompass civil actions filed in federal district court.