DEPARTMENTS
SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS
DISTRICT REORGANIZATION WORKING GROUP
RESPONSES TO
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Last updated 1/15/2010
Initial Questions | About SPED | Why Change? | Why K-2 & 3-5
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- When will district lines be drawn?
- When will this plan be implemented?
- Are there cost savings to this plan? How much are the cost savings?
- Where will specialized programs be located?
- Why THIS plan?
- What about the transition of students from grades 2 to 3? Why are you adding another transition for students and families?
- Is there some flexibility in which schools get paired?
- How are child care, opening times, drop offs, after school care, going to be settled?
- Will ELT continue? If so, where and how?
- How will students be populated and assigned into the IB school?
- Will this plan impact current 5th graders’ Middle School assignments?
QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION
Questions were submitted by the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee.
For the purpose of these questions:
F-SEPAC's definition of inclusion is having children on IEPs educated in the same classroom as their typical peers with proper supports, accommodations, and or/modifications made by qualified special education instructors, as needed per child.
Current programs include:
. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)/Autism
. Learning and Language Disabilities (LLD)
. Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities (ED/BD)
. Developmental Disabilities (DD*) & Intellectual Impairments (II)
. Multiple Handicapped (MH)
- What is Superintendent Hiersche's definition of inclusion? We would like his definition in writing because we have heard different answers.
- In what schools, would the current programs (listed above) be placed? Please indicate whether these programs will be "inclusion" classrooms or substantially separate classrooms.
- Are there any new programs you know of that will be added next year or in the near future?
- Will any of the existing programs be deleted?
- Will substantially-separate and co-taught classrooms be available at the two Charter Schools?
- What level of Special Education will be at the two Charter Schools, if any?
- How will the decision on where the programs are placed (in the pairs of elementary schools) affect the children when they enter their corresponding middle schools? Are the middle school programs also going to be changed?
- Does this new reorganization force the majority of special education students to be "placed" in the McCarthy - Wilson pairing because of the large percentage of students currently in special education?
- In Superintendent Hiersche's PowerPoint presentation, he mentioned a New Special Education Program. He said this would possibly bring in new revenue. How will this impact the current decisions we make now? Will Special Ed programs have to be moved again to accommodate these new programs? Please explain in more detail.
- Will there be a physical room or space large enough for Physical Therapy (PT) in all of the schools so that the kids are not doing therapy in the hallways? Not all schools currently have a room for PT.
- You intend to have break out sessions after the presentation to the public at the meetings next week. Is it possible that at least one of the break-out sessions have a representative that can best explain how this proposal will impact families with children in the special education program?
- In lieu of the recent announcement of the retirement of our Director of Special Education, can you please explain the steps you will be taking to fill this position?
INITIAL QUESTIONS
- When will district lines be drawn?
We are in the process of working on this. Lines will be drawn before the final proposal is submitted to the School Committee. - When will this plan be implemented?
If approved, the proposed plan will be implemented in September 2010 or September 2011. At this time, it is unclear whether the plan will be most effectively phased in, or fully implemented all at once. - Are there cost savings to this plan? How much are the cost savings?
We won’t know whether or not there will be savings until the plan is finalized. However, the driving force behind the plan is to improve the educational programming for all students, rather than to balance the budget. As mentioned in the presentation, possible areas of cost reductions could include transportation, class size efficiencies, distribution of resources and supplies, consolidation of staff, efficient professional development delivery and others. - Where will specialized programs be located?
Each pair of schools will have an English Language Learner (bilingual/ESL/Sheltered English) program, inclusion program(s), and substantially-separate special education program(s). We are still in the process of deciding which programs will be placed in which pairs. - Why THIS plan?
In the Task Force report from 2008, which included a broad representation of the community, one of the recommendations was for schools to consider different grade level configurations. When the work group reviewed the data and all suggestions made in the Task Force report, we decided that the K-2/3-5 configuration responded to the majority of our districtwide goals. Other options we explored are listed in the Task Force report, which can be accessed on the district website. As mentioned in the original presentation, there are numerous educational advantages to this plan. Some of these include: professional development will be targeted to the specific developmental needs of the children at that school, specialized programs will remain in one pair, and resources and personnel will be consolidated and targeted toward the educational needs of the students in that school. Also, this configuration allows for the schools to become more balanced. - What about the transition of students from grades 2 to 3? Why are you adding another transition for students and families?
Though this is a transition of physical space, all students within one school will transition together. The schools will be working closely together, working as a K-5 continuum, to provide a consistent educational experience for the students. - Is there some flexibility in which schools get paired?
We are continuing to look at the pairings. We will review everyone’s suggestions and thoughts to determine what makes the most sense for the community as a whole. We need to ensure that the pairs provide for balanced student populations as well as transportation and other fiscal efficiencies. - How are child care, opening times, drop offs, after school care, going to be settled?
Once the pairings are determined, those logistics will be addressed. We will be working with extended day programs to make sure that this concern is addressed. - Will ELT continue? If so, where and how?
The future of ELT funding is uncertain, even at the state level. Once other details, such as pairings and program placements, are determined, we will be able to consider the future of ELT. - How will students be populated and assigned into the IB school?
Enrollment in the IB school will be by lottery for all students K-5 who are interested. The lottery will be structured in such a way as to ensure it represents the demographics of the district as a whole. - Will this plan impact current 5th graders’ Middle School assignments?
No. Current fifth graders will attend the Middle School they would have attended under the current feeder system.
ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION
Questions were submitted by the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee. See details above.
- What is Superintendent Hiersche's definition of inclusion? We would like his definition in writing because we have heard different answers.
A guiding principle of inclusion is to provide opportunities for students with disabilities to be educated with their typical peers. Inclusion can mean co-teaching either full time or for part of the day; students from substantially separate classes spending time in general education classes; or typical students going into substantially separate classes. - In what schools, would the current programs (listed above) be placed? Please indicate whether these programs will be "inclusion" classrooms or substantially separate classrooms.
No final decision has been made as to program placements in schools. However, a goal is to have like disabilities programs in paired schools. - Are there any new programs you know of that will be added next year or in the near future?
Consideration is being given to develop a 45 day assessment program. This would not impact any other program in the district. - Will any of the existing programs be deleted?
Not at this time. - Will substantially-separate and co-taught classrooms be available at the two Charter Schools?
To be determined, but unlikely. - What level of Special Education will be at the two Charter Schools, if any?
Special Education services will be available at both Charter Schools. - How will the decision on where the programs are placed (in the pairs of elementary schools) affect the children when they enter their corresponding middle schools? Are the middle school programs also going to be changed?
Current fifth graders will attend the middle school they would have attended under the current feeder system. Specialized programs will remain the same. - Does this new reorganization force the majority of special education students to be "placed" in the McCarthy - Wilson pairing because of the large percentage of students currently in special education?
No. - In Superintendent Hiersche's PowerPoint presentation, he mentioned a New Special Education Program. He said this would possibly bring in new revenue. How will this impact the current decisions we make now? Will Special Ed programs have to be moved again to accommodate these new programs? Please explain in more detail.
See question #3. - Will there be a physical room or space large enough for Physical Therapy (PT) in all of the schools so that the kids are not doing therapy in the hallways? Not all schools currently have a room for PT.
As part of any restructuring, consideration must be given to space for related services. - You intend to have break out sessions after the presentation to the public at the meetings next week. Is it possible that at least one of the break-out sessions have a representative that can best explain how this proposal will impact families with children in the special education program?
Yes. Additional meetings will also be held with parents as the planning process evolves. - In lieu of the recent announcement of the retirement of our Director of Special Education, can you please explain the steps you will be taking to fill this position?
We will be addressing the Director of Special Education's position along with other district openings in February.