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How poverty affects behavior and academic performance
Social class inequalities in education
Inequality in the American school system
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We have the following parent committees: Family Involvement Action Team (FIAT), School Site Council, English Learner Advisory Council and Parents Empowering Parents (PEP).
We have the following school activities: ASES (After School Extra-Curricular and Safety) Program, Back to School Night, Campus Beautification Days, Winter, Spring and Fall Carnival, Parent and Community Appreciation Dinner, Parent Workshops, Read Across America, Red Ribbon Week Science Fair, Spelling Bee and Student Recognition Assemblies.
Teachers and paraprofessionals work in Professional Learning Communities. They analyze data, target students and their needs and discuss teaching modifications to meet their needs. Our school follows the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention
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However, there should also be an emphasis on cultural proficiency. With increasing numbers of students from different backgrounds in our schools, it is increasingly difficult to provide an appropriate education for all students. Many schools are having an excessive amount of special education referrals and placements. This seems particularly high among students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Certain disabilities such as, learning disabilities, speech or language impairment and emotional disturbance may have a higher disproportionate representation than it is in other disabilities such as, hearing impairments, visual impairments, or physical/orthopedic impairments (Donovan & Cross, 2002). There could be several factors that contribute to the disproportionate …show more content…
Social and environmental factors that disproportionately affect minority students contribute to poor cognitive and behavioral outcomes. (Donovan & Cross, 2002) A variety of poverty-associated factors have been shown to predict academic and behavioral gaps. These factors may lead to special education referral. This might suggest that economic disadvantages make a contribution to minority disproportionality in special education.
A third factor could be limited access to general education curriculum. All students, including those with disabilities should have opportunities to learn the general education curriculum (Browder et al, 2004). The law requires access to general education for students with disabilities. IDEA laws require that every child with a disability have a:
• Statement describing how the disability affects the students involvement and progress in the general
Standard 1.1 discusses how special education teachers need to understand how language, culture, and family background influences the learning of students with exceptionalities. Standard 4.3 discusses how teachers should collaborate with other teachers and parents to use multiple types of assessment information in making decisions. Standard 5.5 discusses the transition plans they have to implement in collaboration with the students, families, and teachers. Standard 6.3 discusses how teachers understand that diversity is a part of families, cultures, and schools, and that they can interact with the delivery of special education services. Standard 7.0 discusses the collaborations that teachers need to start having with families, educators, and related service providers. 7.3 discusses the promotion of collaborations for the well-being of the individuals with exceptionalities. These standards show what the teacher is beginning to do with the families that have a child with
Sullivan, A. L. (2011). The 'Standard'. Disproportionality in Special Education: Identification and Placement of English Language Learners. Exceptional Children, 77(3), 317-334.
...vironments then blacks. Minority students are being over represented in special education programs. As an African American, I will need to prepare myself for my future as an educator. When I become a teacher, I may encounter a student that has difficulties keeping up with his peers. I need to know whether this student is a slow learner or a victim of the achievement gap. This research has taught me abo¬ut the factors that have disproportionately affected African-American, Latino, Asian, and other non-white students. I will use this information to contribute to both my future research and career.
Among the predominant explanations offered for the existence of disproportionate ethnic representation in special education is the influence of poverty or socioeconomic disadvantage on the academic readiness of minority students. The National Research Council (NRC) reported on research that was conducted and concluded with a “definitive yes” that there are “biological and social/contextual contributors to early development that differ by race and that leave students differentially prepared to meet the cognitive and behavioral demands of schooling” (Skiba, et al. 131). The NRC suggested that the effects of a number of biological and social factors could be included under the broader heading of poverty. The relationship between disproportionality and poverty
The Individuals with Disabilities Act, 2004 (IDEA), has 14 different categories of disabilities (IDEA Partnership, 2012). Students with disabilities can be placed into two more distinct groups which are high incidence disabilities or HID and low incidence disabilities or LID. IDEA defines low incidence disabilities as those students with visual, hearing or significant cognitive impairment (Outcome Data, 2006). These students need personal that are highly trained in specialized skill and knowledge to provide early interventions and education. Those with LID account for less than one percent of the school population (Outcome Data, 2006). Students that fall into this category are usually educated outside of the general education classroom for part of the school day.
It is essential that all students have access to a quality education and an inclusive education system should meet their diverse needs. The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development [DEECD] (2014) stipulates that education providers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support students with disabilities to comply with the standard. Graduate teachers should also demonstrate an understanding of legislative requirements and be able to identify teaching strategies that support the involvement and learning of students with disabilities (AITSL, 2014). They should understand the importance of focusing on what a student with a disability can do and work with the student’s strengths. A graduate teacher should know what resources, agencies and assistive technologies are available to support the learning needs of a student with a disability.
Disproportionate identification of minority students in special education is a major concern in schools today. This paper describes the issues in the assessment process with minority students and how we have arrived at a situation where minorities are being misdiagnosed into special education programs. Additionally, several legal cases are mentioned which show numerous actions and rulings that have tried to correct the disproportionate identification in special education. Some of the legal cases discussed include Larry P. v Riles, Diana v. State Board of Education, and Guadalupe v. Tempe Elementary School, which all significantly impacted special education today. Additionally, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act has enforced that minority groups must receive an equal education in the least restrictive environment possible. It is our duty as teachers and citizens to abide by these laws and find different ways to assess and correct the disproportionality of minority groups that exists today.
Skiba, R., Simmons, A., Ritter, S., Kohler, K., Henderson, M., Wu, T. (2006). The context of minority disproportionality: Practitioner perspectives on special education referral. Teacher College Record, 108(7), 1424-1459.
Special education is a large part of the education system, which includes the mentally retarded, people with learning disabilities, the emotionally disturbed, hearing impaired, visually impaired, etc. Many people fail to include this system as one that can possibly involve discrimination, but those enrolled in special education has increased among all racial classifications. Between 1980 and 1990, the entire population enlisted in special education has increased. European American increased by 6%, African Americans increased by 13%, Hispanic Americans increased by 53%, and Asian Americans/Pacific Americans increased by 107.8% (Ford, Obiakor, p. 8). In the end, it is these students who ultimately experience low rates of employment, low income, and growing rates of incarceration. Another survey indicates t...
The majority of students with disabilities should be in an inclusive setting. These students are generally placed based on the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Furthermore, the majority of these students are able to keep up academically with their peers, even
There are many challenges that teachers encounter when teaching children with learning disabilities, learners that are English language learners, or learners who are culturally and linguistically diverse. As a nation we are faced with the challenged that our schools are becoming more diverse. The majority of our schoolteachers are still predominately white females, but our student population is slowly changing. We are seeing more minority groups in our schools that are facing different challenges. The scary part of it all is that our teachers do not have the skills to accommodate those differences. “The nation’s changing school demographics are creating a demand for new teaching skills” (Utley, Obiakor, & Bakken 2011, pg. 5). Our student population
However, it still met with inconsistent criticism due to the myth that “positive intervention” doesn’t work and draining resources of regular courses. However, evidences shown prove the opposite effect. Special education is constant need of more funding – especially when it constantly gets budget cuts from congress and thus, schools are unable to keep up with the afford to provide the necessary need of special education (Wall 2014). So the myth of special education draining resources is the no way the truth. How could they be able to drained resources from other students if the programs themselves are in limited supply? Lack of understanding and easy to become a scapegoat for the blame of overall score of a school being poor is quite easy to pit the blame. Another reasoning is due to socialization—the label of being placed in special education is rather an unfortunate burden that could follow the child (Huerta 2015). Often times, stereotypes are attached and are considered inferior to other students, potentially adding onto potential fears. In order to improve any form of education for special education, funding a provided them resources should be considered the first thing to look
Students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom may have challenges that require special attention. If the teacher is able to identify the disabilities and the features associated with them then the teacher can tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the students. These may include differentiated instruction and facilitating an inclusive classroom which will see inclusive strategies employed that will cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. These inclusive strategies can range from individualized learning programs to team and co-teaching. In some cases, the teacher can arrange for a special education teacher or arrange for a pull out program to assist students who have learning disabilities. Strategies that will also cater to learning disabilities may also include the use of technology. According to Ford 2013 ‘In some situations it may be best for students with LD to be taught in separate pull out classrooms with a teacher who can provide targeted skill instruction in areas where a student is struggling.’ ‘When provided appropriate support within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1991). They also recommend that schools should ‘require in-service programs for all school personnel to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to provide education for students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom.’ Schools should include activities to help participants learn strategies to meet individual needs of students, foster attitudes conductive to educating students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom, and promote
Students with disabilities are far too frequently isolated and separated from the education system (Johnson). They are often provided a diluted, inferior education and denied meaningful opportunities to learn. There are many education rights for children with disabilities to protect them from discrimination, giving them a chance for equal opportunity to learn what other students are expected to learn.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Education is a profession which requires a teacher to be able to communicate with a multitude of students on a variety of levels. There is not a class, or student for that matter, that is identical. Therefore, teachers must be able to identify and help educate students from all different types of backgrounds and at different levels. Teaching a singular subject presents difficulties, but teaching students with disabilities should not be one. There are three main teaching areas that need to be focused on when teaching a student with a learning disability. Teachers need to focus on the strategies that will assist students with reading comprehension skills, writing skills, and maintaining appropriate behaviors in a classroom setting.