Leanne James’ Post

"To bolster the supply of high-quality preschool services, it is essential that early educators are paid a wage that honors and reflects their skills, experience, and qualifications whether they are in a school, community-based child care, Head Start, family child care home, or other setting. Providing competitive, equitable wages to providers regardless of the setting in which they work is a foundational part of ensuring both equity and high-quality programming. We encourage State and local leaders to examine opportunities to leverage early care and education funding to increase compensation and improve pay equity for early educators across all settings." https://lnkd.in/emZiYnRc

On the 70th Anniversary of Brown, it is noteworthy how much of the Black-White gap remains in NAEP scores. Preschool could further reduce the gap--if we would just do it right and ensure the kids get it. NJ's program comes closest to replicating highly successful models at scale and estimates of effects at 4th and 8th grade for 2 years of preschool would close 40-50 percent of the score gaps. Yet, far too few children--even in NJ cities where it is an entitlement--attend for two years. That must change. https://lnkd.in/eMKKugvF

*Meaning of special education : Special education aims to support students with various disabilities like physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges. It’s all about support for all kinds of students with disabilities. *Aims Of Special Education : The purpose of this education is to empower every child. It provides help to children like a superpower. *Importance of social education : Special education is important because it helps children with disabilities learn and participate in school like their peers. Equal opportunity: Special education provides access to quality education for people with disabilities. *Individualized learning: Special education tailors instruction and schoolwork to the needs of each child. *Principles of special education : Special education is constructed by a vast array of legal regulations and guidelines for best practices. Despite the sometimes complex nature of special education, six basic principles remain at the heart of all programs and services. The following six principles form the foundation from which all other special education and related services are built.

❓ Want to know the most common question I’m asked by families of children with disabilities/differing abilities? The question is, “Should I hire an advocate?” As a board certified non-attorney advocate, you can imagine what my answer to that question typically is... In reality, the decision to retain an advocate is a personal one. An investment that cannot and should not be taken lightly. Working with me provides you with access to: ✅ Customized strategic planning and representation ✅ In-depth understanding of special education law and policy ✅ Quality guidance and support throughout the special education process ✅ Decades of experience in Special Education You don’t have to navigate the complexity of Special Education and related services alone. Let’s get to work, together! www.dreedcca.com https://lnkd.in/gAi5E9ES

Interesting take on Alternative Provision in Schools Week. There is much that I agree with here in terms of understanding AP as a long term destination rather than a short term fix pending return to mainstream. The ideological thrust of the SEND and AP Improvement Plan emphasises mainstream as the goal for most pupils. It also places value on mainstream schools creating internal alternative provisions to promote inclusion - so a very different approach to the one being suggested here. My take is that there will always be a place for excellent external AP in the mix, and the assumption that “unregistered” = “pupils often have negative experiences” is a bit reductionist here. Alternative provisions can be a long term destination of real value as well as a highly effective short term intervention. A combination of both (rather than either/or) is what is needed. Mark Wrangles Shaun Jarvis Lucy McMann Rachel O'Connor Owen Burson Nick Brett Catherine Brown Os Filmalter Rachel Girling Stephen Parkinson Kerry Lound Kirsty Woolridge Taner Fikret https://lnkd.in/exnJgMS6

Most Texas teachers are burnt out and have considered quitting, according to a new survey from the Texas teachers' union. Read about how teacher wages impacted the survey results from Edward McKinley in the San Antonio Express-News https://lnkd.in/gPNgasqm #TexasTeachers #TeacherBurnout #TeacherSurvey #TeacherWages #SanAntonioNews #EducationImpact #TeacherSupport

Education for Life has added a new bookshelf called ‘Social Values’, which aims to promote and teach morals and values in society. ‘Different Abilities’ is a book that fits into this category, emphasising respect and acceptance for people with disabilities. Are there any other topics on social values that you would like to see in Bloom library? https://lnkd.in/gvKRFj4t

We are proud to highlight the work of Sajdah Asmau a #PublicVoicesFellow of NBCDI in partnership with The OpEd Project! Published in EdSource, Sajdah’s article, “As we expand universal preschool access, let’s ensure teachers mirror their students’ ethnicity,” emphasizes the importance of diversifying the teacher workforce. As California expands universal preschool access, the need for racially representative early childhood educators becomes crucial. Research indicates Black boys are disproportionately monitored for misbehavior and face higher expulsion rates due to implicit biases and exclusionary discipline. Studies also show that students perform better academically and face fewer disciplinary issues when taught by teachers of the same racial background. The California Department of Education has introduced new policies to reduce suspensions and expulsions in state-funded programs, but these regulations do not apply to all preschools. Read more here: https://bit.ly/4bTl9Uu

The number of students in special education has increased steadily in the last four decades. Take a look at this guide to common special education terms.

 In the latest issue of NASBE’s State Education Standard, Allison Friedman-Krauss and I explore the thorny issues state boards and others must address to seize the opportunities and surmount the challenges for preschool education that will unfold over the next decade. https://lnkd.in/efXAT5eY