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Featured News Articles 2007
Experts on youth violence: Intervene early or pay dearly later ~ Ashley Broughton, CNN, 12/7/07
... in nearly every case of rampage shootings by youths, a clear pattern emerges -- after it's too late.
Warning signs of emotional disturbance are usually there ... But those who see it -- typically a youth's friends or fellow students -- are "not quite sure what to do with that."
More Students Finish School, Given the Time ~ Jennifer Medina, 8/21/07
New York City leads the way in creating alternatives for students who are dropping-out or being pushed-out of high school by providing classes for older students where they do not feel like parents surrounded by little kids.
For students past the traditional graduation age, the city has established special centers to provide counseling, night classes and an environment designed to avoid the stigma of being college age but in class with 14-year-olds. Some students also earn credits through summer school and community college classes.
Is an Early-Help Progam Shortchanging Kids? (About RTI) ~ Robert Tomsho, 8/16/07
Known as "response to intervention," or RTI, it aims to bring early help to children struggling in regular-education classrooms and thus avoid having to provide them with special-education services later, when they typically cost 50% more per student. While few educators and disability advocates disagree with the theory behind RTI, some fear that, in implementation, it could become an excuse for shortchanging children with some of the most common disabilities.
If interventions work, the student is not short-changed because being successful in the general education classroom is the goal! If RTI interventions are not working, if the student is still struggling in the general education classroom ...
Under the federal special-education law, parents could short-circuit the RTI process with a written demand for a full special-education assessment, but disability attorneys say many parents aren't aware that they have such rights.
Prioritize the eyes, get checked: Yearly eye exams could detect vision problems ~ Keilani Best, FL Today, 08/14/07
" ... parents think that the school vision screenings are likely to pick up on the problem, and those vision screenings miss about 60 to 70 percent of the problems that are present ... They're not very sensitive screenings, and parents think it's a (credible) eye exam. ... Many vision problems are often misdiagnosed as learning disabilities ... " (08/14/07)
Foster Kids' Last Resort: Finding the Lost Relatives ~ Christina Binkley, Wall Street Journal, 8/23/07
When asked what makes his potentially adoptive parents special, he struggled then said, "They hug me." But, Tony's story does not have a happy ending like many of the stories of over half a million kids in foster homes in the U.S.
Student Restraints Reconsidered, AP, Waukee, Iowa, 7/9/07
My heart hurts after reading this story about Isabel. Clearly, the public school educators need specialized training in how to work with Isabel positively and effectively without continuous punishment. I would need such training for sure; and, I would demand it. And, the response of lack of funds to do so would be unacceptable. Bring the necessary training to the teachers, or send the child to a place where the teachers are already trained to deal with her many needs.
Fighting the bad fight: Schools take on bullying, which is starting earlier and lasting longer, Michele Clock, 7/9/07
The Santee School District has taken steps since then to prevent and combat bullying, but the problem persists at nearly every school across the county and nation.
Bullying can come in obvious forms like punching and kicking, and in more subtle forms such as making faces behind someone's back.
“There's almost this mentality that aggression is cool,” said Wayne Sakamoto, Safe Schools lead coordinator for the San Diego County Office of Education. “There's this top-dog mentality that the tougher I become, the more popular I am.”
Governments 'must link up to stop bullies'
And bullying is not just a problem in American schools. A recent report by Enable Scotland revealed nine out of ten children with learning difficulties are bullied every day. (7/13/07)
Tests for special-ed students raising questions
Accountability or cruelty? Common sense and humaneness should apply for each individual.
"My students are not in the general education curriculum," Pumphrey said. "I know they want us to be TEKS-based, but for what purpose? We teach them how to use a stove, how to get a job."
For Rosemary Perez, the testing issue is personal. She's director of compensatory education for Northside and the mother of a special needs child, Ryan Perez, who is a student in Pumphrey's classroom. Ryan, 17, has Down syndrome, and Perez has high hopes for what he will be able to do when he grows up.
She's glad he's getting academic instruction, but she has more pressing concerns.
"It's more important for Ryan to be able to let us know his needs, how to express those and problem-solve for himself," she said. "I'm not worried about his math skills or his composition skills. I'm happy if he can write his first and last name." (7/10/07)
Attention Deficit Disorder -- Conceptions and Misconceptions, Moss David Posner, M.D. (2/3/07)
The very best article I have seen to date on the subject of ADHD unrecognized and subsequent criminal behavior is in an article by T. Dwaine McCallon, M.D., Medical Director, Buena Vista Correctional Facility, and the Assistant Chief Medical Officer of the Colorado Department of Corrections. It is entitled, “If he outgrew it, what’s he doing in my prison?” I cannot recommend it too highly. It is a must-read for anyone with an interest in ADHD.
Education Department says states aren't meeting special-ed law's requirements
The states got their first-ever federal report cards this week judging them on how well they are implementing the nation's main special education law. [IDEA]
... nine states were found to be fully meeting the requirements of that part of the program [providing students aged 3-21 with specialized programs to fit their educational needs]. Those states are: Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming.
And the others? Not doing so well. (6/20/07)
Laboratories of Reform: Virtual High Schools and Innovation in Public Education
by Bill Tucker (posted 6/18/07)
There has been no shortage of solutions for improving the nation's public schools. School leadership, teacher quality, standards, testing, funding, and a host of other issues have crowded reform agendas. But an important trend in public education has gone largely unnoticed in the cacophony of policy proposals: the rise of a completely new class of public schools -- "virtual" schools using the Internet to create online classrooms -- that is bringing about reforms that have long eluded traditional public schools.
Sleepy teens want problem put to rest, Kate Nolan, 6/6/07
Truth is, the teen brain is wired to be sleepy.
Dr. Eric Benjamin, a psychiatrist who is chief of behavioral medicine at Phoenix Children's Hospital, said puberty triggers changes in brain chemistry that affect sleep. Newly occurring steroids and growth hormones turn sleep on and off at different times, he said.
Circadian rhythms, the daily 24-hour cycle that programs most living things, also change. Teenagers suddenly are geared to awaken later while the act of growing itself puts them in greater need of sleep.
Insufficient sleep can affect mood, performance and ability to learn.
It can be doubly damaging to teens because the growth hormones are produced during deep sleep. Lack of sleep can stunt growth. (6/13/07)
Grade Retention: The Great Debate
Research shows that outcomes of "holding a child back" generally are not positive.
Numb to Numbers, by Abram Katz, Register Science Editor (6/3/07)
Some people did not pay attention in class, or won't spend the energy dredging up old formulas.
But others — perhaps 6 percent of the population — have a fundamental difficulty carrying calculations much the same way that people with dyslexia find reading a challenge.
Dyslexia is a well-recognized problem. Dyscalculia, the corresponding struggle with mathematics, is not.
Alternative assessments pressure schools , by Annie McCallum, June 2, 2007
“I think you need to consider some of the implications of the VAAPs,” Pletke said. “Those evaluations with our significantly cognitively impaired students, depending on the level of impairment … are at the point of being absurd, what we’re asking students and teachers to do.”
She cited a student who requires assistance breathing, moving his hands and arms and holding his head. The student has some sensation in his feet, which he uses to identify responses.
“And we’re worried about him knowing the difference between Thomas Jefferson and George Washington,” Pletke said. “I think there has to be further examination on the VAAPs in terms of whether or not it’s really necessary for the student.” (6/4/07)
How Nebraska Leaves No Child Behind, by Sonja Steptoe, TIME, June 01, 2007
Nebraska meets the requirements of NCLB it's own way using a homemade model called the School-based Teacher-led Assessment Reporting System (STARS) that has yielded impressive results. However, the subgroups of students with special needs and English language learners are still falling behind.
Disabled students need tailored exit exam
We have fully supported the exit exam in the past, so we understand the board's intention that the exam be the final hurdle to clear high school for all students. But is the playing field really equal? Students with disabilities essentially will take the same test as an honors student heading for the University of California, Berkeley. And though a blind child can be read to, how will this test be used for someone suffering from Down syndrome? (5/31/07)
AD/HD and Adolescence: A Formula for Risk and Vulnerability, Sam Goldstein, Ph.D.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is characterized by a constellation of problems caused by symptoms related to inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These problems are developmentally inappropriate and cause difficulty in daily life. At one time AD/HD was considered a disorder of childhood, and it was thought that the symptoms of AD/HD diminished by the late adolescent years. The experiences of clinical practice and well-documented research, however, have shown that a significant number of children with AD/HD carry their symptoms and impairment into the adolescent years and on into adult life. (Note: This is the first of three articles.) (5/29/07)
No Child' Law Might Need Tweaking by Paris Achen (5/31/07)
Southern Oregon educators speak to politicians about changing NCLB ...
While educators have generally praised the underlying concept of the act — holding schools accountable for giving all students an adequate education — some view parts of the law as counterintuitive and unfairly formulaic.
Under the law passed five years ago, students are assessed annually in core subjects such as math, reading, writing and science in third through eighth and 10th grades. Test scores by subgroups arranged according to race, socioeconomic status, disability and English proficiency are tracked by grade. The law calls for bringing all students up to grade level in reading and math by 2014, regardless of circumstance.
"I, and I know a lot of my colleagues, feel as if we must teach what we believe will be on the (state) test in order for students to pass," said Cheryl Lashley, who teaches second and third grades at Howard. "We are giving up a lot on what we know to be good for kids" because of No Child Left Behind.
"When the scores are printed in the newspaper, unless they go into classrooms and see where students started and ended, it's not always a fair portrayal," she said.
That's especially true among pupils speaking limited English who could show significant progress but not meet grade level, educators said. It's unfair to compare them to students whose native language is English, they said.
To expect a student in a wheelchair with multiple disabilities to perform the same as a students with a mild learning disability is "ludicrous," said Julie York, student services director in the Medford School District.
Exit Exam for Disabled Back (in CA)
CA takes a step backward and requires Exit Exam for disabled. Disability advocates will most likely take this to litigation. Other reasonable options must be considered for students with disabilities. (05/07)
High School Graduation and the Beginning of Adult Life Bring Joy and Trepidation
Throughout Alex’s childhood therapists and experts of every variety have given us advice. Talk to him about his disabilities, they told us. Get him to acknowledge what is hard for him (sometimes it seems just about everything has been hard). Be realistic about what he can do in the future. We listened to such advice for years while the kids around us won scholarships, athletic competitions, were accepted to Ivy League schools, and traveled to exotic countries to study abroad.
At our house getting through the day without a call from the principal’s office or a progress report claiming, “Alex will not stop talking in class,” or, “Alex never turned in his essay on To Kill a Mockingbird, therefore he received an F,” was a major accomplishment.
Ironically, Alex has rarely wallowed in his difficulties. Some would say he is in complete denial. But the truth is that I think it’s important for him to hold onto his belief that he will someday make a lot of money, drive a nice car, live in a two-story house, and run his own school. As one therapist told us when Alex was a little boy, “Alex gets up every morning and puts on his suit of armor. He can’t allow a chink in it, or a criticism to get through, or everything would crumble.” (05/07)
An Inside Job, by Denise Kersten Wills
Barb Hagen couldn't save the troubled middle-schoolers she taught for 20 years. Now she helps inmates get their lives back on track.
Read this inspirational story about a creative teacher who dares to make a difference in the lives of her students inside prison walls.
Studies have shown that prison education significantly reduces recidivism, but that’s not the only justification for Community High School, according to superintendent Robert Lucenti. ... “Children rise to the educational level of the parent. If you can ingrain in that offender a value for education as a way to better himself, he will pass that on to his children.” (4/26/07)
Mentally ill posing challenge for TYC: State leaders ask if the prisons are really the best places for such juveniles.
"I personally don't think that the mentally ill should be treated like law violators if their medical problems are causing the behavior," said Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, who co-chairs the joint legislative committee investigating the myriad problems that beset the agency.
Nearly 38% of the youth placed in TYC (Texas Youth Commission) in 2005 needed mental health services. When I taught in a JDC in VA, we estimated that 40% of the youth had identified special needs, mostly intellectual impairment or learning disabilities, and another 40% needed mental health services and/or special education instruction related to behavior disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder and attentional disorders. This is a nationwide problem. Many of the "bad kids" are really "sick kids" who need medical services, not lock-up. (4/23/07)
Word by Word, the World Becomes a Little Less Mystifying for Illiterate Adults, by Joseph Berger (4/18/07)
Some illiterate adults were just too much trouble to teach ...
The federally sponsored National Assessment of Adult Illiteracy, in its last survey in 2003, estimated that 14 percent of adults are functionally illiterate: unable to read job applications, bus schedules, labels on the drugs they take. Some are immigrants who will master English eventually. But many, like Carlos and Lissette, have learning disabilities, and though they may have received diplomas, seldom had teachers along the way who could knowledgeably help them overcome their handicaps.
Experts estimate that up to 80 percent of illiterate adults have a learning malfunction, unable to decode, assimilate or remember information, and that often the problem was either undiagnosed or improperly treated.
...
Some critics assail special education classes, in which those with learning handicaps like dyslexia constitute the largest proportion, arguing that some students may be classified as disabled not because of a specific handicap but because they are simply too much trouble to teach. But an even more harmful shortcoming is that students in the classes find it difficult to get adequate treatment because teachers are not fully trained, cannot keep order or are wedded to techniques that may not work. (4/23/07)
Cho's high school classmates recall 'kid who never spoke'
Another bullied loner goes ballistic killing more than 30 people at VA Tech ...
Cho's former classmates said other students had crueler names for him.
They said he was often picked on and taunted because he was such a loner.
"Such a quiet, shy kid like that is such an easy target," ... "And he took it and took it and took it, and built up all that anger and whatever he felt inside. Someone like that is going to explode -- it's destined to happen. (4/20/07)
When is it OK to put a student away?
Cho Seung-Hui's behavior raised red flags long before he slaughtered at least 30 people on the Virginia Tech campus and killed himself, and many people now wonder what, if anything, could have been done to head off the atrocity. ...
Officials said that despite the warning signs, there was nothing that could, or should have led them to put him in jail or commit him.
Others will disagree. (4/19/07)
The student responsible for the massacre at VA Tech in Blacksburg was a a loner, a shadow with a mean streak whose writings were so disturbing that a teacher notified the police and administrators for help, but the threats were underneath the surface, not explicit and so the police could do nothing. The teacher, poet Nikki Giovanni, threatened to resign unless this student was removed from her class. There were other warning signs that were addressed on the surface and the student was sent to counseling, perhaps way too late. This story underlines the need for more mental health care in our schools. Instead of pressuring all kids to go to college, we need to pay attention to their individual needs in all areas, not just academics and test scores. (4/18/07)
Study May Help Develop ADD Treatments
Scientists have learned that separate parts of the brain are used to "concentrate" and to "filter distractions." The brain pays attention from the "top down" and from the "bottom-up." Top down attention is willful, goal-oriented attention such as when focusing to read. Bottom-up attention is reflexive attention to sensory information such as loud noises, bright colors, strong odors, or threatening animals.
One of my most repeated phrases to my students was: Filter and focus. Filter out distractions and focus on the task at hand. (03/30/07)
Special Education Report Cards Get Mixed Reviews (OR)
I post this specifically for these two quotes ...
"Some local school district officials expressed doubt that the reports have significant meaning, as the data is out-of-date, and in some cases inaccurate." So, I ask, why send it out? Because NCLB requires this even if the data is "fuzzy math."
And, "Students in special education have different needs, and under the No Child Left Behind Act, they have been lumped together," said Julie York, Medford School District student services director. "NCLB expects 100 percent of students to graduate. You cannot tell me a student whose only goal is to hold his head up, swallow and eat is going to graduate after 12 years of education." Gotta say that as a special educator, I agree with this! (03/30/07)
Bored with School; Mastering Chess
... And while Shawn's story has echoes of the classic tale of the star high school athlete who struggles academically but remains on the team, it is also very different. Instead of marveling about quarterback options and touchdown passes, his supporters speak about castling and checkmates. And no one questions his intelligence. ...
"What we try to make students and parents understand is that students doing poorly in school are hooked to the building because of their extracurricular activity," she said. "We try to use that activity as a hinge." It's good to see that someone understands this.
Is he too smart for school? Maybe, maybe not. But he is definitely bored with school and has become addicted to chess. He will soon take his GED and move on with his life. (04/14/07)
Dinosaur scientist to lecture, inspired 'Jurassic Park' character
I love success stories like this one! Bad grades in high school. Failed out of college seven times. Only college degrees are honorary. Inspite of having dyslexia, this dinosaur genius is now a respected scientist. John "Jack" Horner says: For kids with dyslexia, inoculated in failure, [he] hopes his life is evidence to the contrary. Success, he said, has nothing to do with grades. The interest and the love of a field are what's important. (03/28/07)
Why she's attracted to 'Distracted'
Rita Wilson, wife of Tom Hanks, will star in a new play, "Distracted," in LA. She plays the character of Mama, mother to 9-year-old Jesse. Mama spends the bulk of the play trying to find a diagnosis, a school, and a universal comfort zone both for her son and -- by extension -- for her family. Is Jesse just a volatile, "typical boy" or does he need Ritalin? It's a tricky dramatic quest and debate, especially since Mama and her husband and practically everyone around them tend to be a bit, well, "distracted" themselves.
"I have friends who have children with Attention Deficit Disorder, so I know a little bit about the journey they have experienced," says Wilson, 50. "Good parents are trying to do what they believe is right. Sometimes you don't have all the answers."
I would love to see this one! (03/28/07)
Finding Math Hard? Blame Your Right Parietal Lobe
Dyscalculia is just as prevalent in the population as dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- around 5% of the population is affected. However, dyscalculia has not been given the same attention as other disorders and the underlying brain dysfunction causing dyscalculia is still a mystery. It is hoped that this study will provide a better understanding of the condition and lead to better diagnosis and treatment ...
"This provides strong evidence that dyscalculia is caused by malformations in the right parietal lobe and provides solid grounds for further study on the physical abnormalities present in dyscalculics' brains. It's an important step to the ultimate goal of early diagnosis through analysis of neural tissue, which in turn will lead to earlier treatments and more effective remedial teaching."
So, this is why the right side of my brain hurts when I try to do math! Maybe. (03/27/07)
District Weighs Appeal of Asperger Services Ruling
A Court in Maine rules: " ... Maine law broadly defines education to include more than such academic subjects as reading and mathematics." Education is not just about learning the 3 R's and testing and should provide instruction in areas necessary to help students lead independent lives as adults. (03/14/07)
Career Classes Make a Comeback
Vocational Education has been renamed Career Technology Education in some places and has been broadened to include much more than wood shop. After being kicked to the curb for a one-size-fits-all college-prep curriculum in the past two decades, some districts in Texas are opening new career centers because "not all kids go to college, but all kids go to work." (03/14/07)
Expert swims against trend of special ed students in mainstream classes
I studied with Dr. Zigmond at JHU ...
"Because of the pressures for state testing and accountability and a desire to make kids feel normal and to expose them to what everyone else gets, we have been forgetting that special education is supposed to be special," said Dr. Zigmond, who has studied special education for 41 years.
"It's time for unconventional thinking," she said. "Because those things have taken precedence over what special education was invented for and that is to force the education system to provide something special to students with special needs." (02/16/07)
Girls & ADHD: Are You Missing the Signs?
When you think ADHD, do you think boy? You’re not alone. Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, even though they’re no more likely to have it. Too many young girls are not getting the help they need. (03/03/07)
Some Students Simply Learn Differently
Human brains all have the same basic design, but there are variations among individuals in how some of the neural processes work.
Generally, we term the most common patterns as “normal” and the less common patterns as “abnormal,” which is a poor way to describe human diversity. (02/27/07)
Law May Accommodate Learning Disabled
Accountability can measure progress, not just success or failure. This might be one important change in the revised NCLB that will benefit students with special needs and students learning English as a second language.
The five-year-old federal law is scheduled to be rewritten this year, and the lawmakers in charge say they will try to change the rules for special-education students and recent immigrants. The aim is to inject more common sense into the law while sticking with its promise to leave no child behind.
"I think for both of these groups of students, the law was not well designed. It does not acknowledge (that) by definition these kids are not going to meet the same standards at the same pace as other students," said Michael Petrilli, who wrote a book about the law and helped oversee the first years of the program at the Education Department. (02/10/07)
Learning the Differences: Boys often struggle more in school than girls mostly because their brains are wired for more interactive tasks. In school, having high energy is a minus while schools reward qualities typically associated with girls such as following directions, sitting quietly, and doing neat written assignments. Mike Wentzel studies gender differences in education and asserts "that differences in boys' and girls' brain development and learning styles demands different teaching strategies ... more boys learn more through experiences than words and that they need movement and variety or they can become bored and disruptive." He also says that improving learning for boys will also benefit girls. Yes, some girls learn better experientially, too. (02/07)
(01/18/07) CA Governor Schwarzenegger supports vocational education and so do many others who see it as a way to keep kids in school. On the other hand, those who have seen this reality before know that in recent years dropping Vo-Tech courses because "ALL students must go to college to compete in the global economy" has been a cause of kids dropping out of school. Bringing Vo-Tech back is the right thing to do, but it contributed more to the cause of students dropping out than it is a salvation for keeping them in. Here are two related articles:
Vocational Ed Rebounding as an Answer to Dropout Crisis
What's Wrong With Vocational School? Too many Americans are going to college.
Two elephants in the classroom: Poverty has long been an elephant in the classroom that few politicians will recognize because they do not want to deal with the issue. Now Charles Murray focuses on another one: Intelligence. Today's simple truth: Half of all children are below average in intelligence. We do not live in Lake Wobegon. ... the problem is not that we have not been taught enough, but that we are not smart enough. This is not to say that American public schools cannot be improved. Many of them, especially in large cities, are dreadful. But even the best schools under the best conditions cannot repeal the limits on achievement set by limits on intelligence. Read more ... (01/18/07)
Murray's articles have provoked numerous responses most of which accuse him of giving teachers a cover for having low expectations for students with low IQs and stating that IQ is not exact and that there are many other factors that influence academic performance. But, "high expectations" must be individualized. For some students with severe and profound physical and intellectual disabilities, toileting and eating with a spoon are high expectations. For some students in the "slow learner" range of ability, learning to read the newspaper and completing a job application or writing a personal check are high expectations. For others with higher abilities, completing advanced classes to prepare for college are high expectations. "High expectations" depend on the realisitic abilities of the students, not some pipedream that all of them are college-bound. (01/18/07)
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