EDL 277 - Diversity in Schools Current Issues in Special Education Administration
Course Description:
The purpose of EDL277: Current Issues in Special Education Administration is to address a core responsibility of school leadership: leading for the benefit of all learners, including students with disabilities and other special needs. This course focuses on leadership for ensuring that the needs of students are the first priority in curriculum, instruction, assessment and school organization. Also emphasized will be the ethical, legal and professional dimensions of a school culture that promotes and values diversity.
Teaching Methodology:
This course will include brief instructor presentation of content topics, student participation in small group activities (case studies, application exercises), discussion of outside readings, and connecting the course to today’s schools through a field-based learning assignment. Technology supported presentations will be a central component of the course. There will also be considerable class time devoted to student reflection and interaction.
Topics – Academic Content:
Meeting the needs of a wide range of students including limited or non-English speaking children (ELL), talented and gifted, and 504
Equity issues in programming and technology.
Laws, mandates and public policy directions affecting diverse populations including Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
Working with families, agencies and other entities in meeting the needs of all students
Legal Issues
Talented and Gifted (Code of Iowa)
ADA and 504
Special Education
English Language Learners laws (Code of Iowa)
Court Cases:
Lau v. Nichols
Castaneda v Pickard
Honig v.Doe
Timothy v. Rochester, New Hampshire, S.D.
Zobrest v. Catalina Foothills S. D.
Garrett v. Cedar Rapids S. D
Oberti v. Board of Ed.
Board of Ed v. Rowley
Student Study and Readings:
Required Textbook:
McLaughlin, M. J. (2009). What every principal needs to know about special education. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Recommended Reading:
Students are not required to read the following selections; however, these are very good resources for class discussions, research writing, and increasing the knowledge level of prospective administrators.
Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (Eds) (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Washington, D. C.: National Association of the Education of Young Children.
Capper, C. A., Frattura, E. & Keyes, M. W. (2000). Meeting the needs of students of all abilities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
Cole, R. W. (1995). Educating everybody’s children: Diverse teaching strategies for diverse learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Gorn, S. (1999). What do I do when…The answer book on special education law. Horsham PA.: LRP Publications.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Turnbull, H. R. & Turnbull, A. P. (1998). Free appropriate public education: The law and children with disabilities. Denver: Love Publishing Co.
Zepeda, S. J. & Langenback, M. (1999). Special programs in regular schools: Historical foundations, standards, and contemporary issues. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Web Sites for EDL277
Disabilities Studies and Services Center
www.dssc.org
Federal Resource Center
www.dssc.org/frc
Wrights Law
www.wrightslaw.com
University of Connecticut for Talented and Gifted
http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/
Iowa Dept of Education for ELL
http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/is/ell/index.html
Council for Exceptional Children-special ed
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_CEC
AEA11 504
http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/504/
National Organization for Bilingual Education (NABE)\
www.nabe.org
IDEA Partnership
www.ideapartnership.org
Office for Civil Rights
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html
Vanderbilt Special Ed Resources
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources.html
Assignments:
Pre-Class Assignment
Summary/Discussion Cards
Students will select one of four topics listed below for this assignment. Each student will read two research articles on the topic of choice and write a summary/discussion card for each article. The topics for research are (a) Special Education, (b) 504, (c) English for Language Learners, (d) Talented and Gifted. The students will share their summary/discussion in small groups. The purpose is to go beyond information learned in class and be able to delve into topics in more depth. In addition, students will get some experience in facilitating small group discussions using the summary/discussion cards.
On one side of the 5” x 8”cards students will write the following information:
Student’s Name
Author’s Name
Date of journal
Article Title and Journal Title
Volume/Issue Number (if given)
Pages
2-3 summary points relative to the reading
On the other side of the card, students will write at least two questions or discussion items that will be used in the small group discussion. The information on the cards should be typed or handwritten (legibly) since they will be submitted. A photocopy of each article should be submitted with each summary/discussion card. The summary/discussion cards will be evaluated on the quality of questions or discussion items on the card and the quality and relevance of the journal article.
These articles may also as used as resources for the research paper.
Class Assignment
Case Summary
Students will organize into groups of 3-4 people with each member of the group selecting one or two of the four topics below. Each member of the group would have a different topic of investigation to share with the members of the small group. Students will visit a school setting to investigate a real life situation in either their district or their mentor’s district for the topics of their choice: 1) Gifted/Talented, (2) Special Education, (3) 504 and (4) ELL. Students do NOT need to interview the students or their families for this assignment; they may already know the student/family and can visit with the administrators to gain further information.
In a 4-7-page paper, students will describe the real life situation keeping the identifiable information confidential-- without using the name of the student or other personnel. The Case Summaries will be evaluated on content, organization, sentence structure, and technical writing. Information about various programming (services, accommodations, supports) and analysis will be shared within the group; confidential information relative to student background will not be shared.
The Case Summary should have four distinct sections and sections should be labeled in the paper. The sections are underlined in the statements a-e below.
a. Title page
b. Student background characteristics including:
-level of academic and social performance
-behavior or emotional patterns
-strengths of the student (personal, behavior, academic)
-economic or cultural influences that have impacted the student’s performance
-specific needs and concerns
c. Services, accommodations, and support aids provided for the areas of need/concern and rationale for these relative to laws, mandates, policies.
d. Evidence/lack of evidence of the results of these services including growth areas for academic, emotional, behavioral
e. Your analysis of the situation such as 1) how you feel about the specific program for the student and 2) what changes you might make in the services/accommodations/support if you were the administrator, and 3) other reactions to the situation. This is a critical area of this assignment, really think through the situation and examine closely your reactions.
Field Based Learning Assignment (FBLA): Two Options
Research Paper
Students will research a selected topic and write a brief research paper at least five pages in
length (not including the title page) and not to exceed 10 pages. The purpose of the assignment is to investigate a topic in depth related to diverse learners and their families using a variety of resources (6-10 references). See the above assignment (Summary/Discussion Cards); it is recommended that students use the same/similar topic and the resources used in this assignment. The paper will be evaluated on content, organization, sentence structure, use of number and quality of references, APA formatting (6th ed), and technical writing. In addition to the body of the paper, the paper should have a title page including the student’s name and address, title of the research topic, due date, instructor’s name, and course title. The paper should also include the reference page.
Some possible topics are:
Talented and Gifted
Research-Based effective programming and results (Betts’, Renzulli, Treffinger)
Acceleration and Ability grouping: Impact, benefits, disadvantages
Disadvantaged and/or underachieving students in the T/G programs
Gender issues in T/G programming
504, Title I, English for Language Learners
Assessment of English as Second Language Students
Bilingual Education: The controversy
Trends in staff development for ELL teachers
Research-based programs for ELL
Special Education Module
Students will develop an administrative special education handbook. In order to develop the handbook, the students will investigate the topic of special education with the building administrator and/or district special education supervisor. The students will also use resources pertaining to special education law such as the AEA Manual of Special Education and district handbooks or policies. Students may work on this assignment in groups of three or four; however, each student will submit a binder/handbook adapted for his/her district.
Each student will be required to attend three meetings. Students must attend a (a) Problem Solving Team meeting, (b) Initial IEP meeting, (c) Annual Review, (d) Three-Year Reevaluation, (e) Transition Meetings for Adolescents, and (f) Manifestation Determination.
Students will need a binder organized into three sections to compile the information regarding the meetings. Section one of the binder will contain information from the meetings from the various group members. Section 2 will be for budget and resource information and Section 3 will be for the summary.
The meeting section should include:
(1) student-designed template(s) for the meeting agendas
(2) appropriate district forms specific for the meeting
(3) student-developed guidelines for facilitating the meetings and recommendations for involvement of each participant including student, parent, regular education teachers and special education teachers, AEA consultants and others
(4) recommendations for working with parents/guardians and students before the meeting, during the meeting, and after the meeting. Students will also include in this section examples of written communication to parent/guardians and factual points
(5) description of the laws guiding the actions and procedures (e.g. “What are the legal requirements regarding Annual Reviews?”).
The second section of the notebook will be a resource section containing the building and district budget information for special education and other available resources that can guide a building principal.
Students will write their summary of new/reinforced learning and new/reinforced perspectives relative to special education. In addition, students will identify the school personnel with whom they worked on this project and the approximate number of hours to complete this assignment. This information will be placed in the fourth section of the notebook.
Grading Procedure:
The professor will evaluate class participation, exercises, and assignments.
A—high quality graduate work
B—good quality graduate work
C—acceptable graduate student work
D—unacceptable graduate work
F—incomplete or missing work
Instructor may grant an extension of assignment deadlines up to the last day of the semester.
Course Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Discuss in depth current research relative to special education, 504, English for Language Learners, and Talented and Gifted and the implications of these topics for district programming.
2. Identify influences and restrictions regarding laws, mandates and public policies affecting programs for diverse populations including Talented and Gifted, Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
3. Describe available resources and appropriate programming to assist schools in providing appropriate educational programs and services for diverse students and their families.
4. Develop a handbook relative to and organized around the laws pertaining to building and district regulations for special education.
Standards Addressed:
While the content of this course will address, at different levels, all of the Iowa Standards for School Administrators and the additional Drake Standards for School Administrators, the following standards will receive particular focus in this class.
2. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development.
3. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning organization.
4. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
5. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
6. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.
Technology Required:
Students must have access to and be able to use a personal computer with Microsoft Word, have access to the Web, and have a Drake e-mail account. Students must also have access to a video camera and provide a video tape or CD for use in conferencing.
Special Needs Considerations:
Students with documented disabilities that affect their ability to participate fully in the course or who require special accommodations are encouraged to speak with the instructor so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged.
Participation and Attendance Policy:
Due to the collaborative, weekend class structure, full attendance is mandatory for all sessions. Students are expected to plan their schedules accordingly. In the case of emergency, and only with advance approval of the instructor, alternative work may be assigned. Absence from class may result in grade reduction.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty encompasses any activity that seeks to gain credit for work one has not done, provide assistance to others seeking to gain such credit, or deliberately damage or destroy the work of others. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, (1) Plagiarism - misrepresenting another’s ideas, phrases, discourse, or works as one’s own; (2) Cheating - the act, or attempted act, of giving or obtaining aid and or information by illicit means in meeting any academic requirements, including examinations.
The penalty for plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty will vary from incident to incident, depending upon the scope and magnitude of the offense and the circumstances in which it occurred. Possible penalties may include any of the following: reprimand, dismissal from the course with a failing grade, probation, suspension, and/or dismissal from the University.
Course Evaluation/Assessment Program:
Students will evaluate the course and instructor during the last weekend of class, utilizing the School of Education feedback form.
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